How to Prepare Your Home for Painting

If your home in Warwick has to be refreshed, a fresh coat of exterior paint is a quick, affordable option to improve its curb appeal. So if your house is starting to look worn down or if you’re simply ready for something different, consider painting the outside of your home yourself or pay a local painter to do the job for you.

Painting a home is a huge job, but it isn’t an unreasonable job for some homeowners. You just have to do your research to understand how to prepare the exterior surface by scheduling residential pressure washing, as well as what brushes and paints you need to use.

You can compromise with a professional painter by doing all of the prep work on your own, but then having their team come to your home and do the actual painting with their tools, safety equipment and selected paint.

Whichever option is right for you, you will still want to know exactly how to prepare your home for painting. Here are some of the most important things to remember.

6 House Painting Preparation Tips

1. Decide which parts to paint, gather the ladders and all other safety equipment. If you are planning to do the painting yourself, you’ll thank yourself later. Having a plan will help to make the actual painting go a lot faster once you get started. Gathering your tools beforehand ensures that once you begin painting, you shouldn’t have to stop and search for needed supplies, meaning that you’ll be able to maintain a wet edge the entire time you are painting.
2. Choose the right paint and brushes. The fun part of painting your home is deciding the color or color combo. You will also want to choose the right paint finishes for each part of the home. Latex is a lot better than oil-based paint for home exteriors. It’s a lot less messy and easier to clean up. The flat surfaces require more of a flat, or matte, finish, versus semi-gloss for the trim. You’ll want synthetic fiber brushes for latex paint. Rollers and sprayers are also efficient options if possible.
3. Pressure wash. Finally, it is time to begin prepping the exterior of the home for its brand new paint! Invest time into power washing your home (or hiring a local pressure washing service) to remove any cracked or peeling paint. The high pressure water is the most effective way to remove old paint, and it cleans the outside of your home. Some sections of paint should peel off as soon as you spray over them. That’s a sure sign that the paint was aging and needed to be replaced!
4. Remove peeling paint. Now that the old paint has been loosened, get more of it off with a plastic or metal straight edge, being careful not to dig deep into the wood surface. Then sand bumpy surfaces for a smooth finish. It isn’t necessary to sand each surface down to the bare wood. Any sections where the paint is still adhered just need to be cleaned and have the edges sanded so the new coat of paint goes on smoothly.
5. Prime. Do not skip priming! Primer is a very important step because it covers up any prior paint (especially important with dark colors), results in even color for your new paint, and a smoother exterior with less imperfections. Let the primer dry based on the directions so that the original layer of paint won’t mix with it or leave behind a rough patch on the surface.
6. Plan to paint in good weather. A professional painter can look at the forecast and tell you the most opportune day for applying exterior paint. That’s why they’re experts! If you want to do the painting yourself, wait for a day that is between 75 and 85 degrees, with very low humidity. This will result in the best adhesion.

Why Painting Your Home is a Good Idea

Not only will a brand new paint job make your home look several years newer, it also creates a layer of protection to the overall structure of your home.

Paint can help prevent pests from eating or boring into your home’s exterior. It also prevents wear and tear from the elements. Good quality paint prevents wood from rotting and dirt won’t stick to paint the way it does to bare wood.

Peeling paint is an obvious sign that it needs to be replaced. If paint is peeling on your home, you need to have it repainted in order to protect the wood beneath.

Worn paint takes a toll on your home’s appearance. If you’re worried about curb appeal, painting your home is one of the easiest things you can do.

Painting is also a good idea if your home doesn’t seem to “fit in” in the neighborhood (but you want it to). If your home’s exterior color makes it stand out too much, or if the opposite is true and you want it to stand out, a different color can change its vibe.

Hiring a Local Professional Painter in Warwick

After prepping is complete, you can turn the project off to a professional painter in Warwick (if you hadn’t already chosen that from the beginning!). Hiring a painter is cost effective. It also ensures that the results will exceed expectations with little effort on your part.

Hiring a local painter to paint your home has several obvious benefits:

• A professional painter knows the most efficient way to do the job, meaning the paint will look much better and the project will be done a lot faster.
• Companies don’t make a big mess. Their results will be neater, with no extra paint splattered or spilled on your home.
• Due to their skill and knowledge, your new exterior paint will likely last a lot longer than if you painted yourself.
• A professional painter will already have the safety equipment needed to paint areas above ground level.

Based on your DIY capabilities and interests, you can trust your painter to do all the pre-painting preparation, too. Most companies are fully prepared to take care of each part of the job, from removing old paint and pressure washing the exterior to applying the new paint.