Painting the exterior of your home is a big project to embark on. When you’re going to do a project this big, you want to make sure you’re fully prepared before you start! There’s nothing worse than getting excited about a project, and then realizing that you don’t have all of the necessary tools or knowledge to make your dreams a reality. Here are few things that you should know and consider before you paint the exterior of your home.
Consider the weather
When painting the exterior of your home, you’ll want to plan ahead and consider what the weather will be like. A rainy weekend and fresh paint is a bad combination. Time of year is something else to consider before starting to paint. You’ll want a dry time of year with little rain and low humidity. If you live in an incredibly windy part of the country, you’ll want to consider this as well!
Sand and wash
Painting over dirt is going to make the paint job look cheap and you’ll wish that you had put the time and effort into the project before you started painting! The paint won’t adhere to dirty surfaces very well. You’ll want to sand down the surface first, and then wash it so it’s completely clean. Give it adequate time to dry before beginning to paint.
Use primer
There are a few different ways that you can incorporate primer into your painting project. After you’ve finished sanding and washing your home, you can use a coat of primer, wait for it to dry, and then apply your first coat of exterior paint. Another option is to select a type of paint that has a primer combined in it. This type of paint is typically more expensive, but it cuts out a step and means that your project won’t take as long. Either way, the use of primer is important to making your paint look great and last a long time.
Paint from top to bottom
You want a uniform paint job on your home. Not only is starting at the top of your home going to be overall easier for you, but it will help control streaks and help cover up drips and other potential mishaps as you are painting.
Don’t forget to prep the landscaping
When painting inside, you lay down painters plastic to protect your floors and furniture from paint drips. You’ll want to do the same thing outside to protect your plants and landscaping from paint! Cover up your landscaping with tarps while you’re painting, and make sure you move outdoor furniture and any potted plants and greenery out of harms way.
