Home Upgrade – Painting The Outside of Your House

One of the easiest and yet hardest home repairs can be painting the exterior sides of your house. Of course, not all houses can be painted on the outside. But what a dramatic change can be seen, almost like coming home to a new house.

But there are several things that need to be done prior to performing an external painting job.

You may be itching to get this done because of the warm weather, but remember, things change quickly and this can damage and ruin your entire effort.

Let’s look at some things to remember:

Paint and the Weather

Paint is the most important aspect of the job of painting outside.  The issue with paint is long and important to remember. Weather can affect paint in a drastic form. Say you put on a paint in cold or cooler weather, it may not dry properly and this could result in a poor outcome. Adhesion may be what suffers and peeling or even cracking can occur.

If rain is in the forecast, or it arrives unexpectedly, still wet pain will slide right of the side of your house.

Surprisingly, direct sunlight can also have an adverse effect. Blistering of the paint is often seen, especially in the high temperature months.

A cloudy, but warm day, with no rain in sight is often a great way to apply paint.

Paint and Understanding Your Needs

Needs and Wants for outdoors paints are vast and changing. There are many different types of external paints.  Be aware of Consumer report that annually comes out and rates paints and what they can do.

Paints can be rated according to how well they resist cracking, dryness, color fading.  In areas of high dirt or mildew, paints can also be rated according to where you live and what needs you will have.

If you are surrounded by trees or desert, living in different parts of the country, you wouldn’t want the same paint for those two different areas.  You may end up getting the same color, but different paints.

Going Overboard

Having a unique house color is what many want and expect. But what if you stick out like a sore thumb. Maybe this is exactly what you want. But, on the other hand, choose a subtle color that you really enjoy. Don’t necessarily be too unique, but enjoy what you’ve got.

Taping and preparing.

The painting is the easy part. Often the preparation to get to that point is difficult. Mask windows, air conditioners, window wells, doors, and everything else that needs to be done.

Having a good ladder or scaffolding is vital to get to the areas of the house.  Watch out for wind spraying your paint onto adjacent fences, grass, or maybe your neighbor’s house. I am certain they wouldn’t love bright yellow with their dark brown.

Touch ups Will Be Required

Whether it’s in the first 10 days or 10 months, it is likely that touch ups will be required. Maybe the sun hit the back side of your house and you put less paint. As you look at it a few days later, another coat may be required.

Maybe you will do the walls one color and the doors, trim and other areas instead of doing the entire house. Maybe it is a gradual finishing project. Just doing some of the more basic things will ensure that your house looks better for far less.

Look at the entire project as a whole

Maybe you have brick or live in the dessert. Match existing color to what is already there.  There are even computer programs that can help match colors.

Pick a color that will do in where you live and what rocks, fence, or other colors that are already present.

Cost

Paint, especially exterior paints can be expensive and a larger number of paints can be required. Remember that to have it professionally done can cost over $4,000 and maybe much more. Find a good and well known company that does this. Even if you are just getting a quote or a professional opinion about if and what needs to be done.

Good  Luck

Perfection on the first attempt is unlikely. Work hard and you will be happy about the great changes that can happen.  It might take some luck and knowing a few good friends. But, in the least, talk with those at the store and see what their opinions may be.  There are a lot of good resources from magazines to actual professional help.