Painting your own house exterior can be a big project. Most people use the help of professional painters or companies to paint their home’s exterior. Some houses are bigger than others and some are easier to paint than others. To be able to paint your own house exterior, it is important to know all the critical steps and the materials needed.
Before painting your own house exterior you will need to clean the exterior surface. Most professional painters use a pressure washer. If you don’t have a pressure washer you can use a garden hose or a pump sprayer and a scrub brush. The hose or pump sprayer will take longer, but it will work. If your house is a two story home, you will need a ladder tall enough to reach the highest points. You will need the ladder for cleaning, prep work, and painting too. When you finish washing the home, let the house dry at least until the next day.
Next you need to prepare the exterior surfaces before painting your own house exterior. If your siding is in good shape, the preparation will be much easier. You will need to scrape and sand any areas where the old paint is failing and it doesn’t look right. Sanding is really important to make sure the wood is smooth. You don’t want any elevation changes at the transition between the old paint to the bare wood. If the house is old and the paint has been neglected, it is probable this process will take a great deal of time. In some areas you may find the wood has moisture damage and has already rotted. In these instances, the wood will need to be replaced. It is best to identify and replace these rotted siding boards and/or trim pieces prior to starting the prep process. Use caulking to fill any open areas including where the old caulking has failed, and any nail holes. Caulking in these areas will protect the wood from getting moisture damage and is critical for the best outcome when painting your own house exterior.
If you have areas with exposed wood, the use of primer is recommended. The primer will help the paint adhere better to the exposed wood. If there are areas in need of primer, you can just roll and brush those specific areas. After the primer is applied (if needed) let the house dry before painting. If the wood is in good condition, you can use paint that comes with the primer included in it. Most painters will use a paint sprayer because it is faster and applies a more even coat on today’s substrates. If you don’t have a sprayer, you can brush and roll the paint on to the exterior. Using a brush and roller will take longer, but if you have the time and patience you can use this method too. In the end, painting your own house exterior can be time consuming and a lot of work, but is possible.
