Blog Layout

Ready To Paint the Exterior Of Your House? Read This First

Sam Lutz • February 27, 2018
Ready To Paint the Exterior Of Your House
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.
  1. Clean the home thoroughly before beginning to paint. Use a scrubber and warm soapy water for this step.
  2. Shave away old or damaged paint to reveal the wood underneath. Always use a respirator for this step.
  3. Patch holes and make repairs as needed.
  4. Cover parts of the home that shouldn’t be painted (example: light fixtures).
  5. 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.
Wooden kitchen table | Ace Paint and Unfinished Furniture Pittsburgh
By Chris Vendilli March 20, 2020
There are all kinds of wooden furniture: modern, antique and everything in between. We’ve talked about style differences, but what about how it’s made and what it’s made of? Is there a large difference between the wood furniture of today and yesterday?
By Chris Vendilli March 16, 2020
Colors are so fascinating. They make us feel, they help us express how we feel. The right colors can really set the mood in a room, or on an outfit. There’s a lot to color theory and what each of the colors mean. This St. Patrick’s Day we thought it’d be fun to explore a little about green.
By Chris Vendilli February 24, 2020
One of the wonderful things about good wood furniture is that it doesn’t have to be merely functional. It can be beautiful as well. We’ve seen some amazing pieces made with wood stains that are more than just furniture, they’re works of art. So if you’ve got an old table, desk or other piece of wood furniture that needs jazzed up, why don’t you consider using some of our great stains to try one of these ideas.
By Sam Lutz February 7, 2020
What's your furniture style? Here’s a few of the more popular styles and the kind of look they give your home.
By Sam Lutz January 27, 2020
Wood is our most basic raw material used for creating furniture. Wood furniture is timeless, and the aesthetic options are endless. Let’s talk about a few today, shall we?
Restyle Your Home for the New Year | Ace Paints
By Sam Lutz January 13, 2020
The 2010s saw an uptick in modern interiors, bringing in clean lines to decor and furniture, so what does the new decade have in store? Restyle your home for the new year with the latest trends.
By Sam Lutz December 30, 2019
Are they bright and bold? Wild and wacky? It’s a thrill for our industry to learn what the latest “in” colors will be each year, and they never disappoint. The color trends for 2020 include shades of green, blue and pink, and each have an inherent welcoming quality.
water rings on coffee table
By Sam Lutz December 16, 2019
Holiday parties are part of the magic of the season, but the cleanup is a pain—especially when furniture is involved. Prevent disasters with a few tips on how to protect your furniture during holiday parties.
What Do Holiday Colors Mean | Ace Paints
By Sam Lutz December 2, 2019
The holiday season has arrived, and soon every corner will be decked out in red and green. But have you ever stopped to think about what holiday colors mean?
Remove Wood Stain from Furniture | Ace Paints
By Sam Lutz November 18, 2019
Restaining an old piece of furniture with a new varnish color can go a long way, but first you need to remove the old stain color.
More Posts
Share by: