Tips And Tricks for Do IT Yourself Painters

An exterior paint job is one of the few features of your home that creates an immediate visual impact. A professionally painted exterior conveys that you take pride in your home and also says something about you. So if you plan on painting the exterior of your home but you're not sure exactly how to get started or where to start, Foothills Painting Loveland provides a list of exterior house painting tips that will help you get a flawless finish on your home's exterior.

Prep your surface

Although you may be in a hurry to get started on your painting, ensuring that you properly protect the exterior of your house is critical to ensure a flawless looking finish. Perhaps one of the most important aspects of having a good paint job is first having a good surface to work on.

If you plan on painting your house with a stucco exterior, let it cure for 28 days, because if it is not cured properly, the paint will not adhere to it and may appear dusty or chalky.

Ensure that you inspect the exterior walls and get rid of chipping, peeling, mildew and other imperfections prior to painting your existing home. If there are signs of mildew, you can get to rid of it by applying a chlorine bleach solution by using a garden sprayer. Dirt and oil will also come loose by using a pressure cleaner

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Caulk and Patch

Pick a tube of Caulk before grabbing a paint roller. It is imperative that you seal any cracks as well as the joints where two different types of exterior materials meat. This pertains to door frames, window frames, fascia boards, and molding.

If you have wood siding or boards that are rotting, replace them with new ones. Also, ensure that you seal doors and wood trim to ensure an ideal surface for painting.

Spend time climbing

Use a quality sealer to get the most out of your paint job. Sealer usually has a hydrogen content which basically goes over all paint and locks everything in place, thereby creating a good service for new paint to cling to. You should also note that paint will not stick to a dusty surface and therefore if you are repainting walls that have become dusty, choose a chalky wall sealer first.

When it comes to new construction, latex, works well for most wood siding and vinyl. The instructions on how long you need to wait before your primer or sealer sets are always printed on the label. So please take note of this time before you begin painting.

Quality paint

If you are not sure how to choose a good quality paint, then go for a 100% acrylic latex. This formula consists of pigments which provide the color, solvents which make the paint spreadable and binders which hold the pigment together. When using this paint, the solvent evaporates as the paint dries, and leaves behind only the pigments and binders. This is referred to as volume solids. The higher the quality of paint, the higher in volume solids it will be. Most of these high-quality paints have better binders which hold the pigments in place longer, ultimately improving durability.

Pick suitable colors

When it comes to choosing a color to paint the exterior of your home, the choices may very well be overwhelming. However, if you're not sure where to start, then you should spend some time driving around your neighborhood and get an idea of what appeals to you. Also, take note that vibrant colors fade sooner than more natural or muted tones.

When choosing an appropriate color for the exterior of your home, you also need to consider the stylistic elements such as the roofing material used in any decor or accents on the outside of your home. If you are still not sure which color to choose, paint sample swaths on selected sections of your home's exterior. Then look at these at different times of the day to see which one looks best.

You should also ensure that there are no restrictions on paint colors in your area by checking with your neighborhood association in the local building department.

Spray and roll

Spraying and back-rolling are one of the ideal methods to paint exterior walls. It does require two people since one uses a sprayer to quickly and evenly spread the paint across the surface while the other follows behind rolling out all over the freshly sprayed paint. The advantage of this method is that it delivers an even finish even in textured surfaces.

Ultimately you get the best of both worlds since you get the speed of the sprayer combined with the evenness of the roller. Protect your windows by covering them with plastic before you begin spraying or instead use a sprayer that has a shield.

If you are using muted tones, you may require a second coat after the first one dries. With vibrant colors, you definitely will require a second coat to get the full color. Two coats will always give you a better finish than one. It evens out everything, and ultimately you get more life out of the paint by doing a second coat.

Finishing touches

The last step in concluding the paint job on the exterior of your home is to paint your shutters, decorative details, doors and so on. In order to get the best results, you should use a good brush and have a steady hand. A 6-inch hotdog roller is also a good idea that will help you achieve these results quicker. Ultimately, there are no shortcuts, and you will need to put in the time and effort to get the best results. If you are wondering how long an exterior paint job lasts, well the results may vary. However, if you invest in a top-of-the-line paint, top-notch materials, adhere to the above mentioned exterior house painting tips and have professionals painting the exterior, your paint job should last as long as ten years.