Preparing Your Home for Exterior Painting

Exterior painting is an investment in the longevity of your home. You should choose a paint that is durable and designed for the climate where you live.

Paints with a light sheen, such as eggshell or satin, are easier to clean and more resistant to fading than matte paint. Sheens also hide surface imperfections well. Let Lou’s Painting Company provide the expert help you need.

Whether you’re painting your house or just a room in it, proper prep is the key to a quality job that lasts. Often, more time is spent on surface prep than in the actual application of paint — but well-prepared surfaces always yield results that look great and last long.

The bulk of the prep work in exterior painting is sanding and scraping. If you’re repainting, chances are that existing paint is flaking and has to be sanded down or else the new paint will quickly start to chip. It’s a big job, but one that should not be skipped.

It’s also at this point that you’ll want to test out your chosen color. There’s nothing worse than starting a major project and realizing halfway through that you made a mistake in color choice, or that the paint doesn’t match. You can avoid this by testing it out first on a small area before jumping into full prep mode.

Another important step in the prep process is masking. There are a number of items around your home that should be taped off to protect them from paint: outlets, utility heads, hose bibs and racks, etc. Taking the time to mask these items in advance will make the actual painting go much faster and will help ensure that you don’t accidentally knock them off when you’re finished.

Finally, you’ll need to consider the weather. Rain, extreme hot or cold temperatures, high humidity, and even vapor barriers can impact the way that caulks and paints cure. This can result in a less-than-ideal finish and could possibly void any warranty coverage.

If you’re planning to do the painting yourself, it’s also a good idea to cover plants and shrubs with lightweight canvas tarps. This will prevent you from having to spend time and effort cleaning paint debris out of bushes, or risk killing them with improper protection.

Primer

Choosing the right primer is a vital step to ensuring a successful paint job. A good primer can mean the difference between washed-out color and visible stains or a bright, vibrant finish that will stand up to the elements. While it’s tempting to use all-in-one primer/paint products for convenience, it’s best to find a product that’s specifically designed for the type of surface you’re painting.

For new wood, an oil-based alkyd primer is a good choice. It will seal the pores in the wood to increase adhesion, and it blocks stains so that the top coat doesn’t show through. It’s particularly important to apply a stain blocking primer if you are using cedar or redwood. Alkyd primers also work well if you’re working with bare wood that has previously been covered with wallpaper or another peelable coating, since they will help the top coat adhere.

If you’re re-painting over existing exterior paint, it’s usually best to stick with a latex primer. It’s easier to clean, and it will keep the existing color from peeling. It’s also a good idea to spot-prime any areas where the old paint has peeled off, especially if it’s oil-based. To determine whether the existing paint is oil or latex, saturate a rag with alcohol or nail polish remover and wipe a small section of the surface. If the rag picks up colored dust, the paint is latex; if it doesn’t, the paint is oil-based.

If the original color is water-based, a quality water-based acrylic/latex primer should be sufficient to hold up to the elements. It will block mildew, moisture and stains and leave a smooth, bright surface. However, you may need to re-prime with an oil-based primer if the weather is very hot or humid, since humidity can cause the paint to blister.

You can also purchase all-in-one primer/paints that are formulated for various tough surfaces, such as plastics or tile. These are a great choice for DIYers who want to take the guesswork out of selecting the right primer. However, if you’re working with a surface that’s difficult for standard primers to adhere to, it’s a good idea to thoroughly power wash and sand the area before priming.

Paint

The paint gracing your home’s exterior needs to be attractive and durable. It has to stand up to the battering of sunlight, rain and wind while maintaining its color over time. That’s why high-quality exterior paint is formulated with softer binding resins to reduce chipping and peeling, and contains extra additives for durability.

It also has to be able to expand and contract as the surface it covers shifts due to weather conditions. For this reason, it’s important to select the right paint based on its percentage of solids (the part that remains after the solvent is removed). A gallon of flat exterior paint with a higher solids content can last twice as long as low-quality flat paints.

Proper pigments are vital, too. Low-quality pigments mean that multiple coats will be needed to cover the surface, which adds up both in cost and time. High-quality pigments, on the other hand, allow for a single coat to fully cover the surface.

Another way to gauge quality is by looking at the paint’s warranty. A good warranty is a sign of quality and will help protect your investment. When selecting a paint, look for one that offers a lifetime warranty, as this indicates the manufacturer stands behind its product.

You can also identify a quality paint by checking its ingredients list. Look for a lower VOC content, which is better for your health and the environment. Avoid paints with more than 40 percent VOCs, as they can be hazardous to your health.

Exterior painting projects require specialized skills and experience. This is why it’s important to choose a licensed and insured contractor with a strong track record of satisfied customers. You’ll want to know whether they can handle the scope of your project, how long it will take and how much the job will cost. In addition, you’ll want to make sure the contractor provides a written estimate and timeline and explains any additional costs such as wood rot repair or power washing.

While you may be tempted to use interior paint on the outside of your house, this isn’t a good idea. The softer resins in interior paint do not hold up well against the elements and are unsuitable for the confined spaces of a garage or porch. Attempting to use interior paint on an outdoor surface can result in finish problems such as mildew and cracking, as well as pose a health risk because of the higher VOC content.

Finish

The right paint sheen can help highlight architectural details, protect surfaces from moisture, and make your home stand out in the neighborhood. Sheens range from flat to high gloss, and each has its own benefits.

Exterior paints are formulated to withstand the rigors of the outdoors, while interior paints are designed for the controlled environment indoors. The ingredients in exterior paints are also formulated differently than those used in interior paints, including softer binding resins, additives for flexibility and UV protection, and lower VOCs for health safety.

For the best results, it’s important to choose a professional with extensive experience in exterior painting. They’ll be able to identify problems before they occur and address them quickly, saving you time and money. They’ll also know the best way to prep your surfaces for painting, whether it’s removing loose and peeling paint or priming with a waterproof sealant.

Choosing the best paint color and finish is another key step in a successful project. Our painters can help you select colors from a wide range of Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore paints. They can recommend neutral tones like gray and beige or bold hues such as blue, coral, and pink. We’re also seeing a strong preference for white trim, especially on homes with HardiePlank siding.

Once you’ve selected a color, our painters can help you find the perfect sheen. Flat paint isn’t durable enough for the outside of your home, so we recommend a satin or eggshell sheen. This finish is wipeable and resists stains and water damage, making it a great choice for areas that will be frequently washed or that are prone to dirt build-up.

Glossy finishes, on the other hand, tend to spotlight every flaw in your home’s surface, which can be problematic for surfaces that aren’t perfectly smooth. This includes wood grain and stucco, which can be difficult to hide with a glossy paint. If you live in an area that experiences a lot of snow or rain, it’s also a good idea to opt for a sheen that can be easily washed.