Countless DIY-ers try to take on the task of painting the outside of their home every year, but because countless steps can go awry, many of them end up wasting their valuable money and time by not doing it properly the first time around. The key to success is knowing what you’re doing and having a little experience, or else you may find yourself hiring a professional, even after you’ve attempted the feat once yourself. Doing it right the first time takes skill and knowledge, so read on to learn about four key preparatory steps necessary to have great exterior painting results.
Protect Exterior Landscaping & Fixtures
Many homeowners are so excited to start the project that they don’t consider this key preparatory step. You don’t want paint to ruin your bushes, landscaping, patio furniture, or outdoor fixtures, so you’ll need to a lot some time to cover these up with plastic tarps, drop cloths, and painting tape. That way, then you’re finished, you’ll be able to enjoy the results without having to go back and scour unwanted paint from the surroundings.
Repair Exterior Damage
Several years of weathering can cause wear-and-tear and damage to the outside of your home. To make sure you get an even, great-looking coat of paint, you’ll need to address these imperfections before painting. Inspect the siding, windows, and trim very carefully. Fill any holes or damaged area with wood filler and make sure to remove window shutters.
Reglaze Cracking Windows
The putty surrounding the corners of your window, also known as glaze, will likely look shrunken, cracked, and damaged after years of being exposed to sun, freezing temperatures, and weathering. Before painting, you’ll want to remove old window glaze and reglaze it as needed.
Power Wash the Exterior
Finally, just like when you paint the interior of your home, you’ll also want to thoroughly clean the exterior walls. The best tool to do this with is a pressure washer. If you have siding on your home, be careful not to force water into the grooves where each piece of siding meets each other. Removing any flaking existing paint and be sure that the bottom of the house is completely clean. Before painting, you’ll want to let your home dry for a couple of days.
Many homeowners don’t realize just how much effort is involved in painting the exterior of their home outside of putting the actual paint on the siding or brick. However, having a realistic expectation of the scope of the project is crucial to determine whether it’s within your abilities to complete. If not, you can always turn to a professional that does this day-in and day-out!
About Platinum Painting of Dallas
Our team at Platinum Painting of Dallas has years of experience solely painting residential buildings, making us experts in our field. We offer satisfaction guarantees on all of the projects that we do to make sure that homeowners truly love the results, and we’re happy to offer guidance and our professional opinion along the way. If you’re interested in getting a free in-home estimate, visit our website or call 214-347-7269.