How to Prepare Your Home for Painting

If your house in Frisco has to be updated, a fresh coat of exterior paint is an easy, affordable way to improve its curb appeal. So if your house is starting to look shabby or if you are simply ready for a change, consider repainting the exterior of your house yourself or pay a professional painter to do it for you.

Painting a house is a huge job, but it isn’t an unreasonable job for some homeowners. You have to do your research to understand how to prep the exterior surface by scheduling residential pressure washing, as well as what type of brushes and paints you need to use.

You can even team up with a painter by completing all of the prep work by yourself, but then having their team come to your home and do the actual painting with their best tools, safety equipment and selected paint.

Whichever option is right for you, you will still need to know exactly how to prepare your home for painting. Here are some of the most important things to consider.

6 House Painting Preparation Tips

1. Decide which parts of the home to paint, collect the ladders and other necessary safety equipment. If you’re preparing to complete the painting by yourself, you’ll be glad you did. Having a clear plan will help to make the actual painting project go much faster once you get started. Gathering your tools ahead of time ensures that when you begin painting, you won’t have to stop and look for needed supplies, meaning you’ll be able to maintain a wet brush edge the whole time you are painting.
2. Choose good paint and brushes. The best part of painting your house is choosing the color or color combination. You’ll also need to pick the right paint finishes for all parts of the house. Latex is a lot better than oil-based paint for home exteriors. It is a lot less messy and easier to clean up. The flat surfaces need more of a flat, or matte, finish, versus semi-gloss for the trim. You’ll need to us synthetic fiber brushes for latex paint. Rollers and sprayers are also time-saving options if possible.
3. Pressure wash. Finally, it’s time to begin prepping the surface of the house for its brand new paint! Invest time into power washing your house (or hiring a local pressure washing service) to loosen any cracked or peeling paint. The high pressure water is the most effective way to eliminate old paint, and it cleans the exterior of your house. Some of the sections of paint should peel right off as soon as you spray over them. That’s a sure sign that the paint was deteriorating and had to be replaced!
4. Remove peeling paint. Now that the original paint has been loosened, scrape it off with a metal or plastic straight edge, being diligent not to dig deep into the wood surface. Then sand bumpy surfaces for a smooth finish. It isn’t important to sand each surface down to the bare wood. Any areas where the paint is still adhered need to be tended to and have the edges sanded so the new paint goes on the home smooth.
5. Prime. Don’t skip the primer! Primer is an important part of preparation because it conceals any prior paint (especially with dark colors), results in an even color for your new coat, and a smoother surface with minimal imperfections throughout. Let the primer dry according to the directions so that the original layer of paint won’t mix with it or produce a rough patch on the surface.
6. Plan to paint in good weather. A professional painter can look at the weather forecast and tell you the most opportune day for painting a house. That’s why they’re professionals! If you want to do the painting on your own, wait for a day that is between 75 and 85 degrees, and with very little humidity. This will lead to the best adhesion.

Why Painting Your Home is a Good Idea

Not only will a brand new paint job make your house look years newer, it also creates a layer of protection for the overall structure of your house.

Paint helps prevent insects from eating or clawing into your home’s exterior. It also reduces wear and tear from the elements. High quality paint stops wood from rotting and dirt doesn’t adhere to paint the same way it does to bare wood.

Peeling paint is an obvious sign that it is time to be replaced. If paint is peeling on your home, you need to have it repainted to protect the wood beneath.

Deteriorating paint takes a toll on your home’s exterior. If you’re worried about curb appeal, painting your house is one of the easiest things you can do.

Painting is also a good idea if your house doesn’t to “fit in” in the neighborhood (but you want it to). If your home’s exterior color makes it stand out too much, or if the opposite is true and you want it to stand out, a different color can change its vibe.

Hiring a Local Professional Painter in Frisco

After the prepping is complete, you can hand the job off to a professional painter in Frisco (if you hadn’t already chosen that from the beginning!). Hiring a painter is affordable. It also ensures that the results will exceed expectations with minimal effort from you.

Hiring a local painter to paint your home has several obvious benefits:

• A professional painter knows the optimal way to complete the job, meaning the paint will look a lot better and the project will move a lot faster.
• Pros don’t make a mess. Their results will be neater, without excess paint splattered or spilled on your home.
• Due to their skill and experience, your new exterior paint will last a lot longer than if you painted by yourself.
• A professional painter will already have the safety equipment required to paint anything above ground level.

Depending on your DIY skills and desires, you can trust your painter to complete all the pre-painting preparation, too. Most companies are prepared to take care of each part of the job, from removing old paint and cleaning the exterior to applying the new paint.