Google Rating
5.0
Based on 259 reviews
js_loader

How to Prep Your House for Exterior Painting

Get a free quote
how to prep your house for exterior painting

Painting your home’s exterior is a big home improvement project to take on, but a fresh coat of exterior paint can easily upgrade your home’s curb appeal. To get the best possible paint job for your home, there are specific preparation steps homeowners should take before applying the first stroke of paint. Whether it’s a DIY project or handled by professional painters, prep must be done properly to get the job done right. Here’s how to prep your house for exterior painting.

How to Prep the Exterior of Your House for Painting

Exterior painting can seem like an overwhelming project, but it’s really not intrusive, at all. And, with a little preparation on your end, you can make for an even smoother time.

Here’s how to prepare:

colorado home exterior

Choose a Day With the Right Weather

Although Colorado’s weather can be somewhat unpredictable, consider keeping a close eye on the weather forecast on the days leading up to your paint job.

There are a variety of reasons why you shouldn’t paint in the rain, the moisture will start to blister, ruining any work started. Moreover, rain can present difficult and dangerous working conditions. So, pick a day where there is no precipitation in sight.

It is also recommended to avoid painting in the direct sun to prevent fading and cracks. Homeowners should paint the west-facing side of their home in the morning and the east later in the day.

Temperature is also an important consideration when painting your home. Most paints work best in temperatures between 60° and 85°F with little to no wind. Painting in windy conditions can cause it to dry too quickly, resulting in cracking, and peeling. You’ll also want to choose a day with humidity ranging from 40% to 70%.

pressure washing home exterior

Clean Your Home’s Exterior With a Pressure Washer

Before you start painting, you want to make sure you’re painting on a clean and smooth surface.

This will ensure you get the best coverage possible. Pressure washing your home will remove any dirt, residue, and peeling paint from the surface, ensuring it doesn’t get painted over with the new coat of paint.

Scrape Away Loose Paint and Repair Damaged Surfaces

It’s important to inspect the exterior of your home entirely and repair anything that appears to be damaged.

With a scraping tool, remove paint that appears to be flaking, also known as “loose paint.” If you find cracks and holes around doors and windows, you can use a spackle knife and apply filler or caulk. Once dry, lightly sand the surface using sanding paper or a sanding block to get a smooth surface.

Protect Your Lawns, Gardens, and Decks

The last thing you want to do is get paint somewhere it wasn’t meant to go. While we do provide tarps and drop cloths, there are some additional things you may want to do.

When painting a home’s exterior, there is a high risk of getting paint on bushes, flowerbeds, lawns, and other outdoor structures which is why we recommend using drop cloths to cover and protect anything that might get paint on it.

Additionally, cover and confine anything that might get in the way to prevent anything from rubbing against fresh paint.

Prime Before Painting

Priming the surface of your exterior will provide a more consistent look to the paint job by providing an adhesive surface.

Failing to prime your exterior before slapping on fresh paint can result in peeling paint, especially in areas with high humidity and moisture. Additionally, cleaning can be more difficult because paint can easily fade when wiped or cleaned.

Choose the Right Paint

Choosing the right paint doesn’t end with choosing a color.

There are many types of paint and each is designed for different surfaces and is available in a variety of finishes.

You’ll want to choose a paint that is durable and can withstand different weather conditions. Additionally, you’ll want to consider drying times and clean-up when making this choice.

Enamel vs. Latex

What differentiates enamel paint and latex paint is the paint’s base. Enamel paint is typically oil-based, while latex is water-based.

Enamel paint is recommended for hard and shell-like surfaces and does a good job at air drying. They generally come in a gloss or satin finish and take an average of six to eight hours to dry with a cure time of 8 to 24 hours. It’s important to note that using enamel paint comes with a difficult process that involves the use of solvents.

On the other hand, latex paint is more malleable and works best for surfaces that might expand. It’s also beneficial to use latex paint for locations where flexibility and movement are required. Latex paints come in matte, flat, eggshell, and satin finishes and have a drying time ranging from one hour to two days. This type of paint is also known to be more environmentally friendly by producing fewer odors and toxic fumes.

Acrylic

Acrylic paint is another type of paint recommended for exterior paint jobs. This type of paint is known to have the highest durability and can resist harsh weather conditions over significant periods. It is also more resistant to fading, meaning you won’t need to worry about repainting so often.

painting home exterior

What to Expect From Our Professional Painters

Painting your exteriors takes a lot of planning, so it might be optimal for you to hire an outside expert for the job.

A professional painter can offer expert advice on color and finishes, they’ll also have the high-quality tools and equipment they need to do the job right. This includes drop cloths and other protective materials. Additionally, professional painters will take care of any mess that comes with the job. This includes removing paint brushes, rollers, drop cloths, and cleaning up any drip or drops of paint.

Colorado Painting: Denver’s Best Painting Contractors Since 1983

Painting your exterior is a big task. Not only can it be costly, but it also requires a tremendous amount of effort and labor. This is a job you want to get right the first time.

Our team of painting contractors at Colorado Painting has over 39 years of interior and exterior painting experience, we can help you choose the right paint for your home and will work until you are satisfied.

Before we come out, we’ll give you some reminders about how to prep your house for exterior painting.

Contact us today for a free quote. You can trust Colorado Painting to get the job right.

Share:

Robert TRobert T ★★★★★ Very easy to work with and expert results. I was impressed that they did the whole job in one day including some serious prep work. Lots of scraping and caulking. The house looks great with all the boards tightened up and the new coat of paint. Would recommend CCRP without hesitation.William K.William K. ★★★★★ Our experience with Colorado Painting could not have been better. From the prompt and friendly communication surrounding the estimate for the exterior paint job, to the efficient and quality painting on the finished product. All aspects of the experience were top notch, fairly priced, and completed in a professional manner.Matthew M.Matthew M. ★★★★★ Impressive work for painting the entire interior of the home. Minimal touch ups needed at the end. Company has the ability to resurface uneven areas with sanding and texture. Pricey but worth the end result.alison B.alison B. ★★★★★ We had a great experience from the beginning to end of our painting project! The original sales/quote process was so professional and the painting went quickly and was done very professionally. This is our second very successful experience with Colorado Commercial & Residential Painting. We'll use them again!Peter H.Peter H. ★★★★★ Colorado Painting provided an excellent quality of work for our exterior and interior house painting projects. The staff and painters were professional, friendly and very easy to work with during the projects. We are very happy with the final painting project. We recommend the company.C C.C C. ★★★★★ Colorado Commercial & Residential Painting recently painted the exterior of our house. We received competitive bids from other companies, but Colorado Painting stood out from the rest with their professional, knowledgeable, and courteous service.Hayden provided a comprehensive project plan of what repair work needed to be done and what materials would be use. Osman and his paint crew did an impeccable job making sure all surfaces were well prepped and taped off to catch any overshoot. When doing the inspection after the painting was completed we could not find any missed spots or places that needed paint reapplied. They also painted our rod iron deck railings and they look brand new.We would definitely not hesitate to hire Colorado Commercial & Residential Painting for any future painting needs.Holly G.Holly G. ★★★★★ The team was a pleasure to work with and the job was very well done. I couldn't be happier. The whole process was smooth, and they were very communicative throughout the whole process. I highly recommend them!Dustin B.Dustin B. ★★★★★ Great communication, execution, cleanup and follow-up. Highly recommended.Taylor L.Taylor L. ★★★★★ We are very happy with the paint job they did on the exterior of our house! From the initial quote and scheduling, to the prep, painting, and then the follow up quality check at the end, everyone at Colorado Commercial & Residential Painting made what felt like a daunting task a very seamless and enjoyable experience. The quote was reasonable and the team was professional and friendly. We have already recommended them to neighbors and friends!Patricia W.Patricia W. ★★★★★ Colorado Commercial &Residential Painting took on my project to paint my home. It had not been painted in 15 years, was dirty, peeling and chipping. They bid a competitive price without upselling. They did a beautiful job of washing, refurbishing and painting my home. It looks brand new and I would strongly recommend them!Mike B.Mike B. ★★★★★ I hired Colorado Commercial and Residential Painting to repaint my townhouse from top to bottom. The work was AMAZING. The final walkthrough was so great that I had nothing on my punchlist for them to fix! If you are considering a makeover, hire them!Todd V.Todd V. ★★★★★ Colorado Commercial and Residential Painting recently completed painting nearly 100% of our house’s interior. As the original owners of our 1999 home, we felt it was time for a change. Before the painters arrived, I decided to upgrade all our doors to solid core for a more high-end feel. I purchased pre-primed doors, installed them myself, and did some preliminary prep work.The painting team assured me they would make the doors and woodwork look amazing, and they delivered on that promise. They sprayed all the trim and new doors and rolled the walls with a new, lighter color. Even though I had prepped the doors, I noticed them improving some of my workmanship. They weren’t going to mention it, but I’m glad they did. The woodwork and doors now look like they belong in a 5-star hotel.Honestly, our house looks brand new and even better than the day we moved in back in 1999. Before selecting this company, I did some research with friends. While you can find cheaper bids out there, I believe you get what you pay for. Spraying the trim makes such a significant difference that it’s worth the extra work, additional cost, and minor inconvenience it causes.The team was highly communicative, very professional, and responsive to our needs throughout the five days they were here.I would definitely use them again and plan to do so for some exterior updates this summer.Pamela S.Pamela S. ★★★★★ Leo and his team did an amazing job painting our main level - ceilings and all! Colorado Painting is so helpful and friendly. The color they helped pick out with me is perfect. They are friendly, helpful, and neat! Thanks Colorado Painting!Josh SJosh S ★★★★★ We have completed several projects over the years with CCRP including basement and bathroom remodels involving tricky finish, texture and paint work, all of which were great experiences - fast and high quality work. I love finding locally owned and operated businesses that are a part of the community - you won't regret working with this company.Collin “.Collin “. ★★★★★ These guys were great! Responsive, in time and very professional. Highly recommend.Tracy S.Tracy S. ★★★★★ Colorado Residential and Commercial Painting repainted our home as well as our pergolas and I can’t say enough great things about them. The whole process went smoothly. So easy to work with as well as professional and just did an amazing job. If you need your home or business painted I would definitely give them a call!Jessie A.Jessie A. ★★★★★ They do a great job and everyone is friendly and helpful!Matthew F.Matthew F. ★★★★★ Excellent work, good communication and very quick. Highly recommend!Jessica T.Jessica T. ★★★★★ We have worked with the team at CCRP twice now and will definitely hire them again. The company is great to deal with- everyone is friendly, knowledgeable and helpful, and the work is wonderful. They took the time to address extra details which were so appreciated. Highly recommend for both interior and exterior work.Monica J.Monica J. ★★★★★ They were great! I hired them for a big job -- the entire main level of my home and an upstairs bedroom, including two sky-high walls near my entrance. Everyone involved was professional, punctual and tidy. I made a mistake in not reading the quote carefully enough, but they worked with me to get the job done the way I envisioned it.js_loader
Home Advisor-top rated
best painters in westminster expertise badge
BBB Accredited Business
Rocky Mountain Chapter Community Associations Institute
PDCA Logo
lead safe paint
commercial painters
Company Team Picture

Ready to Get Started?

We can’t wait to hear from you. Contact The Best Denver Painting Contractors today!

Google Rating
5.0
Based on 259 reviews
js_loader