As we head into spring and summer, you may start planning on painting your house. There are a lot of reasons why this is the best time to plan for home exterior painting. Before you start calling around for estimates, or cracking open your own paint cans, there are some exterior painting tips we’d like to share with you.
Consider the Weather
The weather in Central Oregon can change in an instant no matter what time of year it is. Both spring and summer come with their own challenges when it comes to weather.
Spring can be great because the temperatures are still a bit low, which makes applying the paint a lot easier. However, spring can also be a bit wet and paint needs time to dry.
You can get a lot of work done in the summer with the longer days. The heat in summer also helps with getting the paint to dry. However, when it gets too hot you may have a harder time getting the paint to apply evenly.
Get Your Prep Work Done
You can’t just crack open a can of paint and start painting your house. You should start by using a pressure washer to wash the house. If you don’t think your house needs to be a pressure wash first, just take a white cloth and run it along the side of your house.
Next you’ll need to scrape off any peeling or cracked paint. This can take some time but it’s a step you can’t overlook. You might think that the paint will seal the edges down, and they might for a short while. However, your paint job won’t last very long and you’ll be repainting your house in a few short years.
Applying primer to the whole house is just a good thing to do. Evenly applying primer to the whole house will ensure that your first coat of paint will also apply evenly. You might be tempted to just apply primer to the problem areas to save time but you would be making a big mistake.
Before you start adding a fresh coat of paint you’ll also want to make sure you fill any gaps or cracks with high quality exterior caulk. If you already have old cracked caulk on your home you’ll need to remove that first as well.
Painting Your House
Choosing the right paint is essential for a couple of reasons. It’s important to not only choose colors that match, but you’ll want to get the correct type of paint as well.
Choosing paint colors is mostly a preference. However it might make sense to talk to a professional about matching colors before making a decision. Sometimes getting a second or third opinion from friends or relatives helps as well.
The type of paint you get can mean the difference between repainting your house in 3 years or 10. A high quality acrylic based paint will last much longer and stay bright and vibrant longer as well.
At Greenwood Painting we use Evolution Paint. Evolution is an advanced exterior paint. It consists of a 100% pure acrylic co-polymer resin.
You’ll find several options for paint brushes, rollers and paint sprayers. There is a time and place for each painting tool.
Brushes will allow you more precise control while rollers and sprayers allow you to cover more area faster. Most of the time you’ll find using paint brushes on trim and touch ups is the best option. Paint sprayers are obviously the best choice for covering large areas. When using a roller try to confine it to long, flat surfaces.
Hiring a Painting Contractor
You may think it would be more expensive to hire a house painter but there are a few things you should take into consideration. The first is obviously time, mainly your precious time. A good house painter can paint a house much faster than you. That time saved is part of what you pay for when hiring a painter.
Another consideration is the cost of making mistakes. If you make a mistake, you’ll end spending more time and money to fix it. In most cases if a paint contractor makes a mistake they will end up paying for it.
We’d love the opportunity to give you an estimate on your next exterior house painting project. Call us today for a free quote.
