Choosing Exterior Paint for House Painting
Exterior Painting Tips
Painting a house is a big job, but with a little preparation exterior painting projects can go smoothly.
Choosing an Exterior Pain Color Scheme
Choose your color scheme carefully before painting a house. Unusual colors and exterior paint trends can make a home stand out, but too often homeowners who choose trendy colors find themselves redoing the exterior painting when painting styles change.
Reserve unusual or trendy colors for exterior trim when house painting. Repainting window trim, doors and decorative trim when styles change is less work than completely redoing exterior painting.
Picking the Right Exterior Paint
Discuss your needs with a paint specialist before painting a house. Certain materials require special exterior paint, including gutters, masonry and siding.
Water-based paints are popular when painting a house. Water-based exterior paints expand and contract with siding, so they are less likely to crack. Water-based paints also dry quickly and don't trap moisture, reducing the risk of peeling or bubbling paint.
Oil-based exterior paint offers better adhesion when painting over chalky or stained surfaces. Oil-based paints are also recommended for painting over wood that bleeds sap and metallic surfaces that rust.
Exterior paint is your home's first defense against the elements, so choose the highest quality paint you can afford.
Preparing for House Painting
How well you prepare for exterior painting determines how good your house painting project looks after you apply the last coat of paint. Before you even open a paint can, make sure you take care of the following:
- Repair any damaged siding.
- Scrape off and sand any peeled, blistered, flaked or wrinkled paint.
- Smooth surfaces may require a light sanding to help paint adhere.
- Use plastic sheeting and masking tape to protect areas adjacent to fresh paint.
A power sander makes sanding damaged exterior paint much easier. Be sure to wear a dust mask when sanding, as paint dust can contain irritants and toxic compounds.
A dust mask is also necessary for exterior painting, along with gloves and protective goggles. Painting a house works best if you paint from top to bottom: Start with gutters and work down. Siding should be painted first, then trim and decorative materials.
Remove protective masking tape from home exteriors as soon as paint dries: Masking tape left for too long can bond to the material you wanted to protect and cause damage when peeled off.