For most of us, maintaining a high property value for our home is crucial to our financial well-being. A high-quality exterior residential painting contractor can be one of your best friends in this regard. Repainting the exterior of your home can provide an updated and fresh look to your home to raise the value. Whether you choose to hire a professional or do the painting yourself, preparation is the key to success.
Your primer should be of very high quality. This will hold true for both pre-painted or bare wood surfaces. The top coat will only look the way you want it to if you put a good primer in place. Depending on the type of siding and its condition, pressure washing your home is step number one. This will remove your old flaking paint and get rid of your dirt, wasps nests and mildew. You should then remove any remaining loose paint followed by sanding the house to prepare for the primer coat. Using a cleaning agent with bleach is a great option for removing the mildew. If you live in a area that has continual high humidity, or live near a body of water, a mildew inhibitor may well be in order. Exterior residential painting is effective only if done properly.
If there are spaces in the siding or brick you may have to caulk it. Be sure you use the correct caulking material on each surface. It is a lot easier to do it right the first time then to have to remove and redo it. Be sure to check your metal areas such as gutters, flashing, etc for peeling paint. This should be removed with strong brush or metal brush. Primers are available for metal as well as siding and should be used. Acrylic paints mildew somewhat less than oils, but still will mildew. If this is an issue at your residence be sure to use something in slow the development of mildew.
Masonry can present other issues. If it is five years old or less it may leach through your painted coating. This can be avoided by application of muriatic acid diluted according to directions on the container. This is a very strong acid and precautions must be taken. Rubber gloves and safety glasses are a must.
Masking tape applied to light fixtures, door knobs, door bells or other immovable objects will help considerably with the cleanup. It takes a little more time, but will be worth the effort in the long run. Protecting shrubs, walkways and other common areas not requiring painting is also a time saver.
Using an expert exterior residential painting contractor may be the best option if you are under time or other restrictions. It is more than a one day job. Take your time. Do your prep work and remember primer must be high quality or the topcoat will not look the way you would like it to and may ultimately peel and get you back to square one.
Eric Sorensen is the owner of Chaco Canyon Home Improvement, and one of the most respected home improvement contractors in Seattle. Eric is passionate about ensuring that each of his projects are completed with top-notch quality, and helping prospective customers choose the best colors, styles and locations to paint within their home. Find more great articles about house repainting at ChacoCanyonDesigns.com.
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