VACAVILLE, CA, Apr 20, 2024—Planning on giving your home's exterior a fresh coat of paint? There's no need to call in the pros for this job if you have a few free weekends, a sprayer, pressure washer, some scaffolding, and a friend or family member to help. Below are a handful of pro tips for painting the outside of your home.
Inspect. Check out the siding for peeling or chipping, mildew and damage. Use chlorine bleach mixture in a garden sprayer to clean off any mildew.
Pressure wash. "It's important to pressure clean your home's exterior before adding fresh paint, as this will remove dirt and old loose paint," says Stephen Spencer, Bev Dorsett & Sue and Steve Kappel, Broker/Owners of Coldwell Banker - Kappel Gateway.
Patch and sand. Use caulk to patch any spots that need a little TLC, and sand down any rough surfaces for optimal painting conditions.
Prime. "Use a primer to create a sealed surface for your new paint," says Sue and Steve Kappel. You may need to let your primer cure before painting, so check your label for wait times.
Paint. Hopefully, you've already chosen a high quality exterior paint, and tested the color to make sure you love it. Next, paint using a spray and back roll method, Sue and Steve Kappel suggests, a tactic that requires two people. "One person will use a sprayer to quickly and evenly spread paint across the surface, and the other will roll over it," says Sue and Steve Kappel.
Paint again. Two coats of paint is better than one, if you can afford it. Wait until the first layer is fully dry (check your paint label for timing) and then do it again.
Detail. Once your walls are done, it's time to do the detail work, which could include trim, windows, door frames, fascia and molding. "Use someone with a steady hand and a small brush for this job," says Sue and Steve Kappel.
For information on real estate, please contact Coldwell Banker - Kappel Gateway at info@kappelgateway.com, 707-427-5344, or Coldwell Banker - Kappel Gateway.