After the dark days of winter comes and the weather starts warming up, you and the family are going to want to spend more time outside. This is when you might notice that the exterior walls of the house are looking a little sad. You may decide that the surfaces are going to need touching up or opt for a new color. Both options will make your home look a lot more inviting come the summer.
At this point you will have two choices: call a painting company or do it yourself. If you opt for the latter, then there are several jobs to do before starting the exterior painting.
Protect Surrounding Areas
Before you start the job of preparing the surfaces, you need to make sure that you protect the surrounding areas. If you have plants or furniture near the walls, then they need to be moved or covered, so they don’t get dirty or damaged while you are at work.
Anything which can’t be moved will need to be covered with plastic sheeting or drop cloths when you are doing any cleaning or painting. Also, it is also a good idea to cover any doors, windows, and lights, so they don’t get covered in debris and paint.
Clean
Once you have completed the first stage, it is time to start cleaning the surfaces. Over the winter, they are likely to accumulated dirt from the wind, animals, and trees; this will need to be removed before you can continue.
You will also need to make sure your gutters are clear of debris and make sure there is no cold present on any surfaces. The quickest way to do this is to use a pressure washer as it is easier to remove stubborn stains and dirt. However, using a pressure washer isn’t recommended if you have not used one before. This is because many people are surprised by the power of the machine and often do more harm than good. It will be even worse if the wrong mix of chemical is used. So, think carefully before opting to do-it-yourself.
Remove
After the initial cleaning, you will need to remove any peeling paint from the surfaces. This can be done by sanding down or scraping the paint off. It is vital that you make sure that all the damaged paint is removed so that you can apply an even coat of paint later on.
Repair
Once you have started cleaning, you might notice that the wood is damaged. Cracks and holes can be easily repaired, and this needs to be done before moving on to other stages of the exterior painting. Failure to do this will result in a poor result, as painting over cracks and holes won’t make them disappear!
Small holes can be easily removed by using filler, but more substantial holes will require several layers being applied. Either way, make sure the filler has dried before moving on to the next stage.
Prime
The next stage is the last one before you can begin painting. You need to prime the surfaces before applying paint, to make sure the paint bonds well with the existing surface. Without it, the finished result will not be pretty to look at.
The type of primer you’ll need will depend on the surface you are painting on and the sort of job you are undertaking. It is highly recommended that you speak to a professional at the shop before proceeding as they will be able to advise on the best product to use.
Once you have applied the primer, and it’s dried, you can get out the paintbrushes, and that’s when the real fun begins!