A fresh coat of paint can completely transform the looks of your home. No other home improvement project can provide such a dramatic improvement so quickly and at such an affordable cost. These 8 tips to paint your home will help you to do it the right way.
Although painting your home is a big project, you can complete it in one or two weeks. You can save thousands of dollars by painting your home yourself, but it involves a major effort. It’s best to ask a few painters to submit quotes based on the size and condition of your house. This will help you to make up your mind about whether it makes sense to do it yourself.
Whether you decide to do it yourself or hire a professional to do it for you, the following steps will help to ensure that your home will look beautiful for years. These 8 tips to paint your home will help you to save time as well as money:
1. DIY painting vs. hiring a professional painter
Be practical and think about whether you have the time and energy to paint your house yourself. Consider the size of your house as well as its condition. Preparing your home and painting it can be a difficult and tiring job, and you may not have the skills, tools, time or stamina to do it yourself.
In case you decide to hire a professional, compare detailed bids from a few contractors and ask them for references. Call up a few of their customers and ask them if they are satisfied. If possible, visit a few houses to verify the quality of workmanship.
2. Paint when the weather is right
It’s best to wait until the weather is right for painting, which means that you need to avoid painting in hot, rainy, windy or dusty conditions. Temperate weather conditions are suitable for painting your house, so wait until the temperature is between 50˚ and 90˚ F.
Your paint may dry too quickly if you start your project when the weather is hot or paint in direct sunlight. Try to paint in the shade. The paint may not adhere to the surface if the temperature is below 50Ëš F. Bubbles are likely to form due to dew and dampness.
3.Insist on high-quality materials
Use high-quality primer, paint and caulking compound to ensure that you will get a lasting finish. High-quality paint comes with a warranty, so there’s no need worry about defects in the finish. It also flows better and covers more area than low-cost paint.
Buying low-priced materials could cost you a lot more in the long run than what you save. You may have to pay more for high-quality paint, but it will provide a superior finish and will last much longer than a cheaper alternative. Watch out for lead paint, which can be dangerous for your family’s health.
4. Use the right tools
You can get high-quality rollers and brushes and can rent an airless sprayer. The sprayer will help you to apply primer and paint quickly and easily to textured surfaces, and then you can use a roller to back-roll it for better adhesion.
Study the operating instructions carefully if you have never used an airless sprayer before. You can gain experience by first painting a part of your house that’s not too conspicuous.
5. Cover everything before you start
Cover everything in the area with plastic sheeting or drop cloths before you start painting. This will help to avoid damage caused by splatters and spills and it will also make it much easier for you to clean up after you have finished.
You need to cover walkways, patios, gardens, shrubs, decks, and anything else that could be affected.
Covering and masking everything is absolutely essential before using an airless sprayer. Overspray can cause a lot of damage and it can even coat the possessions of your neighbors.
6. Prepare the surface properly
A clean and dry surface is essential for proper adhesion. The surface needs to be scraped and sanded properly before painting. Paint will not adhere to a surface that’s peeling or flaking.
You can use a pressure washer or use a scrub brush and a hose with detergent and water to clean the surface. Avoid eroding the wood surface or driving the water deep into the joints between siding with the high-pressure water spray.
Use a scraper to remove flaking paint. A disc power sander will help you to remove tougher paint and smooth it. There’s no need to try to remove all of the paint. You only need remove loose paint and make the surface smooth.
Apply wood filler with a putty knife to fill holes and cracks and then sand the areas again after the filler dries. Remove the dust with a brush, caulk the joints and permit the caulk to dry before you apply the primer.
7. Use established painting techniques
If you don’t have much painting experience, it’s best to learn about how to do it right before you begin. You will find lots of useful information on the Internet, which includes videos in which professionals demonstrate different techniques.
Start at the top and work downwards. Paint the overhanging areas first to prevent paint from dripping on freshly painted surfaces. Paint the siding and when it dries, apply tape around the doors and windows and paint the trim.
Remove the tape as soon as you’ve painted the trim to avoid leaving marks. Touch up areas that are not fully covered after the paint has dried.
8. Apply sufficient coats of paint
If you want to paint bare metal or wood, start with a base coat of a high-quality primer. Many painters tint the primer to match the shade of the final coat of paint. This allows them to do without two finish coats of paint.
Other painters tint the primer to a color that contrasts with the paint. This highlights any spots that have not been completely covered by the final coats of paint. It’s best to apply enough coats of paint to ensure that you will get a great finish that will last for years.