Whether your home is siding, stucco, or even brick, a good paint job can transform the outward appearance of a home, add value, and even increase curb appeal. However, painting the exterior of a house is never an easy process. Painting companies often quote exterior painting jobs as premium services due to the difficulty and equipment required. However, a good exterior paint job done by a professional can withstand harsh weather conditions and last an average of ten years.
What are some useful exterior painting tips though? Whether you decide to hire out for exterior painting in Colorado or simply do it yourself, using the tips outlined below will make the process a lot easier.
Tip 1: Use High-Quality Paint
One of the most useful exterior painting tips to always follow is utilizing high-quality paint. While it may be tempting to purchase the most inexpensive and affordable paint that you can find, your return on investment will be lacking. Most inexpensive paints are poorly made, and this can produce lackluster results, plus lead to deterioration after only two or three years.
If you purchase high-quality paint, however, it will remain on the exterior of your house for many years. There won’t be any need for you to repaint the exterior after only a few years have passed, and the paint will stay on for a long time.
However, one thing to remember is that it isn’t always easy to find the best paint for your house unless you know exactly what you’re looking for. It’s worth hiring a professional as they will have experience in identifying the best type of paint for your home’s exterior.
Tip 2: Wash Each Exterior Surface That Will Be Painted
One of the first items of business that professional Denver painters tackle is cleaning the area. When you’re painting any surface, it’s of the utmost importance that the surface is clean and dry. If there is dirt, dust, or grime on the exterior surface that you are going to paint, the paint won’t look right, and it may not stick to the surface evenly. Additionally, it can later cause blistering and paint peeling.
To wash each surface, you can use a pressure washer, which is very effective, or some trisodium phosphate and water. Pressure washers are great because they can quickly remove all of the grime and gunk that are on the soon-to-be-painted exterior surfaces. But, using them isn’t always easy, especially if you’ve never used one before. And, if there are a lot of boards that need to be cleaned, it’s often easier to hire someone else to do it, because that will take a lot of time.
Tip 3: Scrape Off Old Paint
Another useful exterior painting tip is taking the needed time to strip old paint off your building. On the exterior surfaces of your house, there’s a good chance that a lot of the paint has decayed and fallen apart. This is quite common, especially with older houses, and the best thing to do is to scrape off all of the loose paint.
To scrape off the loose paint, you just need a basic scraper that you can purchase at your local hardware store. If there is a lot of loose paint, though, then the process will take a long time.
Tip 4: Be Mindful Of Lead In Old Paint
In 1978, lead paint was banned for residential use, due to health risks. If your home was built and painted before 1978, there’s a good chance that lead paint was used. If you aren’t sure, you can purchase a lead testing kit from your local paint store.
If lead paint was used, then you need to make sure that you clean the exterior surfaces very thoroughly, wear protective gear, and dispose of the paint scraps and your protective gear, when the process is finished.
Hiring a professional Colorado painting contractor is often the best choice in those situations because it’s safer, easier, and a lot less time-consuming. Similarly, professional painters like Colorado Painting are aware of how to tackle larger exterior projects that involve lead paint.
Tip 5: Sand Rough Pieces Of Wood
If the exterior surfaces you’re painting are rough, then you must sand them. Rough wood is unable to hold paint very well, and this can lead to a need for repairs later on.
There’s nothing complicated about the process, you just need a good sander and the right sand-paper. If you aren’t sure which sand-paper is ideal, and you have a lot of wood to sand, hiring a professional is a good choice.
Tip 6: Choose A Paint Color That Complements The Architecture Of Your Home
When you’re looking at different paint colors, consider the architectural style of your home. Certain colors go very well with certain architectural styles, while other colors go poorly with a certain style.
To figure out which paint color is ideal, you can go online and look at different home decor websites. These often have photos that showcase different colors and how they look at certain homes. Alternatively, you can hire a professional to help you with that.
Tip 7: Use Caulk To Fill In Any Gap
Essentially, caulk is just a sealant. It’s designed to prevent liquids from flowing into certain surfaces – in this case, the walls of your house.
If there are any gaps or cracks within the exterior surfaces that you’re going to be painting, then you should use caulk to fill them. By doing that, you’re protecting those surfaces from things like water damage and air leakage.
Tip 8: Apply Two Coats Of Paint
While a single coat of paint does work – usually if the exterior was painted just a few years ago – it’s always advisable to use two coats of paint.
Using two coats of paint, instead of just one, leads to greater durability. It’s very easy for a single coat of paint to decay and fall away, within just a few years. But, having that second coat of paint prevents that.
Plus, when you’re putting on the second coat of paint, you’ll have the opportunity to paint any small spots and spaces that you may have missed, when putting on the first coat.
Tip 9: Paint In Average Temperatures – Not Too High, Not Too Low
If the temperature is too low, or too high, then you can run into a lot of problems. When the temperature is too low, paint can freeze while it’s being applied, which then leads to the paint cracking and breaking apart. When the temperature is too high, the paint isn’t always able to stick to the surface.
Ideally, you’ll be painting in temperatures that are around sixty-to-ninety-degrees. But, this is also dependent on the type of paint that is being used, and the humidity levels.
Tip 10: Remove Rotten Wood
Rotten wood is not only difficult to paint on, but it’s also a structural problem that will damage the exterior of your house.
Removing rotten wood is quite difficult, though, especially if you aren’t a professional. If you need to remove rotten wood from your house’s exterior, hiring a professional is the best way to go. You won’t have to struggle with the wood, and you won’t have to worry about weakening the structural integrity of your house.
Tip 11: Maintain The Exterior
When the exterior has been painted, you must then maintain that exterior. Make sure to check for mold and mildew at least every two months. And, if you see some, remove it.
Pay attention and look for gaps and cracks, as well. If those are present, you can use some caulk to fill those gaps and cracks up
Without performing the proper maintenance, it’s very easy for the exterior of your house to fall into a state of disarray. But, if you check the exterior on a regular basis, and perform maintenance when it’s needed, your exterior – and the paint on it – will last for a very long time.
Exterior Painting in Colorado
For more exterior house painting tips give us a call. If you’re looking for someone to help tackle your exterior painting for your Colorado home, contact us for a free estimate. We can provide additional tips and pointers for receiving high-quality exterior residential painting in Denver.
