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Painting the Exterior of Your Home

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To some homeowners, painting the exterior of your home may seem a little tedious. However, a chore must be done. Painting the exterior of your home will help to keep it from falling into disrepair. However, if you plan the project before it gets underway, then the chore will not be as tedious.

Before you start out on painting the exterior of your home, it is important that you start with pressure cleaning the outside. Mix chlorine bleach with water and place it in the pressure washer. Using a pressure washer filled with a mixture of water and bleach will help to kill any mold or mildew growing on the outside of your home. Stubborn dirt, peeling paint, and loose chalking will be easily removed with a pressure washer.

Caulking should be used in corners, doors, and to seal windows. Patching compound should be used to fill any open cracks, not caulking. Wooden door trim or fascia board that has rotted away should be replaced before you think of starting to paint the exterior of your home.

Now comes the sealing. Sealing is a vital part of the task of getting the exterior of your home ready for painting. Primers and sealers will eliminate the need to spend hundreds of dollars on the topcoat paints that are rather expensive. It is vital that you follow the instructions for applying both the primer and sealer. When purchasing a sealer, it is important that you choose one that is a reputable brand.

Moisture seepage is the biggest cause of wood rot and can end up costing you more to replace over time, as the moisture will evade a larger area if not promptly looked after. By applying a good sealant, you will prolong the life of your topcoat exterior paint. Mildew growth on the exterior of a home occurs because of moisture seepage. This seepage breaks down your top coat and spreads throughout the wood.

After the primer and sealer have dried, you are ready to apply the top coat. Remember to choose a high quality paint for a reputable brand for the topcoat paint. This will not only make your painting chore easier, it will also be more durable and last for a longer time than paint that is a bargain brand.

When painting the exterior of a home, it makes common sense to choose a paint that has a satin finish. Although satin paint is a little more costly than a flat paint, it will give the exterior of your home a nice shiny finish and satin paint is more durable than a flat finish.