Painting the Exterior of Your House This Summer

Painting the exterior of your house is an opportunity to spiff up the appearance of your home and extend the life of your exterior.

Before you start painting the exterior of your house this summer you will need to prep and clean the exterior of your home thoroughly. Make sure to repair or replace any damaged surfaces such as wood, stucco, masonry, or metal. When cleaning these surfaces, use a high-pressure water sprayer to help reduce the amount of labor. Washing your house is not only for providing a clean foundation for your paint, but it also reveals problems with the house that may need work before you start painting. If your house is older, then it may require further preparations such as scraping, sanding, and melting. This is to make sure all scraped spots are smooth and there is no sign of old defective paint. Finally, make sure to remove light fixtures, rust stains, reset popped nails, and cover all shrubs that are close to the house so that they do not get in the way of painting.

After you have properly cleaned and prepared your house its time to begin painting. Note, when painting the exterior of your house, do it early in the summer or on a dry day when its not too sunny. Too much direct sunlight can ruin paint jobs. Once you have removed all the loose paint and fully cleaned the exterior of the house, you should apply the appropriate primer to distressed areas, especially for exposed, raw areas. Remember that the type of primer you use will determine the kind of paint you will be using later. For example, if you use latex primer, use latex paint. Priming is very important when painting the exterior of your house because it provides extra protection against the natural elements and forms a firm foundation for paints.  After the primer has fully dried, apply at least two coats of exterior paint. It is recommended that all paint be mixed in a giant bucket so that there is one consistent color throughout; paint colors do tend to vary slightly from batch to batch. When you paint siding start from top to bottom. Paint high places in horizontal sections across the top of the exterior wall creating a painted band as you go. Continue to move the ladder across the top until you have finished and then repeat for the lower sections. The last thing you should paint is the exterior trim of the house. Painting the trim is a slow process because it can require a lot of detail, but if done right, trim painting will protect your house from the weather and keep it looking fresh. 

Keep in mind when painting the exterior of your house to use a brush on all woodwork and a paint roller or spray machine for everything else. Finally, avoid painting vinyl or plastic. If there is a problem with any of these surfaces, you will have to replace them.