Painting your exterior is one of the easiest ways to improve curb appeal. Perhaps the current paint now looks damaged with peelings here and there, or you're simply looking to give your home a brand new look; here's a step-by-step guide on how to do exterior painting all by yourself.
1. Pressure-wash the walls
Paint holds better on clean walls. To wash your walls before painting, use a pressure washer. Apply the spray from top to bottom of the house in smooth strokes, overlapping each stroke by about 8 inches.
2. Get rid of loose paint
Avoid painting upon loose paint as the new layer may come off with it within a short time. It's therefore important to check for cracked and peeling paint throughout your home's exterior. Scrape all loose paint with a paint scraper.
3. Repair surfaces
Next, go round the house, checking for damaged surfaces like holes on brick, wood, or stucco. Fill holes and cracks using an epoxy filler, and sand the area once dry with a sanding block. If you'd be painting your fascia boards and wood siding, replace any that shows signs of rot. You shouldn't paint on damaged surfaces as they will continue to deteriorate, destroying the paint along with them.
4. Caulk and trim
Using a caulk gun, apply caulk to gaps and corners where two different materials meet, such as siding and brick. The caulk serves to create a smooth surface for paint to lay on. Also, trim all rough areas to get an ideal surface.
5. Apply primer
Now, it's almost time to paint. Before painting your exterior, apply a good primer coating on the walls. This primer serves as a uniform, ideal surface for the paint to adhere to.
The primer goes over old paint, dust, and everything else on the surface, locking them in, after which you can then paint on a dust-free, uniform surface.
6. Protect windows, doors, and lightings
You do not want paint dripping on your doors, windows, and lightings. The sight wouldn't be too pleasant. You can use painter's tape or plastic sheeting to cover these features. You may also cover a foot of the home's perimeter if you're concerned about spilling paint all over the area.
7. Combine gallons of paint
Keep in mind that you may end up using all the gallons of paint you bought only to realize there's still a wall left to paint. When you later purchase some more paint, the color may not blend uniformly with the areas you've already painted.
Therefore, you should mix multiple cans of the same color into a large container to ensure you apply a uniform color throughout the home's exterior. This method, known as boxing the paint, is what professional painters use.
8. Paint from top to bottom
Time to start painting!
Always paint your exterior by applying top-to-bottom strokes; not otherwise. This helps to control drips since you're working alongside gravity rather than against it. If you paint in the opposite direction, drips may alter the bottom area you've already painted. Additionally, always remember to overlap each stroke by about 8 inches.
9. Paint windows and doors
You can now remove the sheetings from your doors and windows. Apply two coats of your desired paint to the woodwork using a paintbrush.
Extras
If you've painted your porch or floor, ensure you add fine sand or any other anti-slip additive to provide texture and reduce friction. You don't want anyone slipping and falling on your property.
Living in Ontario? If you feel the exterior painting process is too much for you to handle, we at Pro Painters are always ready to take the burden off of you. Contact us.
