Painting a home’s exterior can be grueling, intense work. Still, for a homeowner on a budget, DIY exterior painting is the way to go. Knowing what to do can help ensure a smooth process. These tips will help you apply a beautiful, lasting finish to your home.
Pick the Right Color
Picking a color is harder than it sounds. A lot of thought must go in to the selection process. Factors to consider include the environment around your property, the color of other houses in the neighborhood and the architecture of your home. If you’re using a quality Benjamin Moore paint product, check out their
online color selection toolkit
before stopping in to buy paint.
At Ace Paint and Unfinished Furniture, we recommend painting samples on your home before making your final selection.
Do Your Research
There are a number of
online tutorials
that can help homeowners through the home painting process. Read several from reputable sources before starting the process.
If you’re painting a home that was built before 1978, familiarize yourself with
lead-based paint
and how it can affect your painting process. Take all precautions to contain lead-based paint and protect yourself from exposure.
Encapsulation and clean up
are a critical part of the containment process of painting a home with lead-based paint. When in doubt, contact an
expert in your area
for help.
Prep the Area
Prepping the area is an essential first step.If your home is not sufficiently prepared before the paint is applied, the finish is unlikely to last. Surface prep is time consuming, but each step is critical. Skipping steps to save time will likely cause problems down the road.
- Clean the home thoroughly before beginning to paint. Use a scrubber and warm soapy water for this step.
- Shave away
old or damaged paint to reveal the wood underneath. Always use a respirator for this step.
- Patch holes and make repairs as needed.
- Cover parts of the home that shouldn’t be painted (example: light fixtures).
- Prime parts of the house where the paint is damaged or the wood is exposed. If the old paint is undamaged, priming may not be necessary.
Wait for the Right Conditions
Paint needs to be applied when the outside temperatures fall within a certain range and when the forecast is dry. Check the manufacturer’s instructions listed on the paint can to find out which temperatures are ideal for applying your particular type of paint.
Use the Right Tools
Paint sprayers are convenient, but they can also be messy and difficult to control. For a reliable coat of paint, use high-quality paint brushes and paint rollers. If you’re determined to use a paint sprayer, watch the tutorial below for a little more information.
Stop In At Ace Paint and Unfinished Furniture
At
Ace Paint and Unfinished Furniture, we help homeowners take on DIY projects to improve their lives and their homes.
We sell
everything you need to paint your walls, refinish your deck and make other home improvements. For the supplies, you need to tackle your 2018 home improvement projects, stop in at one of our convenient locations.