Few things can provide a dramatic change to your home for so little money than a fresh coat of paint. Even a novice can roll out some paint on the walls and create a room with renewed character. Exterior painting can provide possibly the most dramatic change of a home and is one of the best return on investment (ROI) home projects a home owner can undertake.
Bare in mind that exterior painting is not as cheap as interior painting. Exterior paint is a different grade of paint than interior and will generally cost more per gallon. When selecting paint, don’t go for the store brand or off brands. Always buy quality name brand paint. It may cost a bit more, but it is well worth it as it will apply and cover better and will generally last longer.
Exterior painting somewhat more difficult as well and is definitely time consuming. You will likely be up and down a ladder a lot. There is a fair amount of prep work as well. With prep, taping, priming, wall paint and trim paint, expect to go around your home several times to complete this project.
If your not scared off yet, here are the tools and equipment you will need to paint the exterior of your home.
Ladder – High enough to easily reach the tallest portion of the home.
Power washer
Paint scraping brush – No plain wire brush. A paint scraper brush has a blade on the end
Caulking gun
Paint mixer and drill gun
Paint bucket
Paint roller pan and inserts
Paint roller
Paint roller extension pole
Paint roller pads
Paint brushes – 2”, 3” and 4”
You will also need the following supplies:
Exterior paint – Wall color and trim color(s)
Primer paint – Use to paint over hard to cover colors or on previously unpainted surfaces.
Caulking – Use silicone or latex that is meant for outdoor use.
Plastic tarps
Painter’s tape
The first step is to clean the surfaces to be painted to remove dirt, spider webs, loose paint and such. Do this with a power washer. Most equipment rental stores will have these and they are fairly inexpensive to rent for the day. Power wash the walls, trim, foundation and anyplace else you will be applying paint.
Next is the scraping. This is the job nobody likes, but it must be done. Using the blade on the end of the brush, scrape the surface to remove loose paint. Make sure you remove all loose paint because painting over flaking or bubbled paint will diminish the life of your new paint job. After you scrape the paint off, use the wire brush side to brush the area you scraped smooth.
I recommend that after you have scrapped the walls, you go around your home with a calking gun in hand and look for areas that may need sealing. Many times you will find cracks around windows and doors, between siding sections and other areas. Fill these with caulk and let dry.
Now that the prep work is done, it’s time to put on the primer. Mix the primer thoroughly with your paint mixer attached to the drill. You can also mix it with a big stick as well. You can use a brush or roller to apply the primer. Tape off and cover any windows, doors, railings or other spots needing protection from splattering or dripping paint. Be sure to thoroughly cover the areas needing the primer. Let the primer cure for at least a day before you start to apply the regular house paint.
When beginning to actually paint, I suggest painting the lighter color first. This could be trim or wall paint, it doesn’t matter. By applying the lighter color first, the darker color will more easily cover areas of over painting where the 2 colors meet.
When using a roller, take slow even strokes. This will limit the spatter from the roller. The faster you roll, the more the spatter. Only apply a little pressure. If you are pushing hard to get paint on the wall, you are applying too thin a layer of paint.
Depending on the quality of paint, the color being covered and the texture of the surface, you may need to put a second coat of paint on. Look for visible lines, speckling and streaking. These are signs the paint is thin in these areas and will need a second coat.
Finally, periodically power wash or hose wash your home. An annual or semi-annual washing will not only make your house look nice but it will remove caustic and damaging materials that have been deposited onto your homes walls.
