DIY Painting: Preparing Your Home for Exterior Painting

When it’s time to paint the exterior of your house, you can save money by making it a do-it-yourself paint project. Even if you don’t feel comfortable completing exterior painting, you can still save yourself money with do-it-yourself prepping. A good prep job will also allow you the flexibity to experiment with colors before beginning the DIY paint project. Follow the tips below to ensure a quality DIY house painting preparation that will save you both money and time in the longrun.

Items Needed

Latex exterior paint
Nylon/polyester blend paintbrush
Semi-gloss paint (for trim)
Natural bristle paintbrush
Angeled sash brush (for shutters)
Plastic (for covering plants and flowers)
Waterhose (for washing exterior of house)
Spatula (for scraping paint)
Sander
Primer

Where to Begin for DIY Exterior Painting

The first thing you need to do is determine what areas of the exterior you will be painting. Will it be the entire house, just the trimming or only the shutters?
Figure out what colors you want to use, and the type of exterior paint you will paint with. You can get assistance by using recommendations from sample books provided by paint providers, such as Home Depot.

Assistance Making Up Your Mind

If you just can’t seem to decide, buy one quart of each color you have in mind. Paint sample blotches on the exterior wall. Use these samples to compare color combinations.
In order to keep your home’s curb appeal, be sure the colors you choose blend in with the other homes in your neigborhood.

Choosing Paint Type for DIY Painting

Latex paint is great for exterior painting because it’s easy to clean.
Latex paint lasts just as long as oil-based paint.
Purchase the best latex paint in your price range. This will ensure that you don’t have to apply multiple coats, which will cost more time and money.
Try to find a good quality semi-gloss paint for the trim of the house. It provides a shine, adding a glow to your DIY exterior paint.

Choosing Paintbrushes for DIY Painting

Latex Paints – use paintbrushes that are made from a blend of nylon/polyester.
Oil-based Paints – use paintbrushes made of a natural bristle.

DIY Painting Shutters

For the best results, your shutters should be removed and spray painted separately from the house. But, if you’re unable to remove the shutters, and they must be painted, follow these tips:

Use an angled sash paintbrush to avoid getting paint places other than on the shutters.
Try not to choose dark colors because they absorb more heat. This can warp shutters that are made of vinyl material.

Exterior Painting Preparation, Step-by-Step

Cover your landscape plants and flowers with plastic.
Clean the house’s surface thoroughly, washing off all chalk, dirt, mud and mildew that may have built up. Be sure the house is dry before continuing your DIY exterior painting project.
Scrape off paint that is peeling or cracking.
Sand and prime the areas you’ve scraped.
Paint the trim of the house using the semi-gloss paint you’ve chosen for your DIY painting.

Hold the paintbrush, placing your hand where the handle and brush meet.

Your fingertips should be on the metal section, with your wrist guiding the paintbrush.

Other Helpful Tips for DIY Exterior House Painting

Temperature

Exterior painting should be done when the humidity level is low.
The outside temperature should be 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Fresh paint shouldn’t be exposed to direct sunlight. Be sure to follow the share as you paint to avoid heat blisters in your DIY painting job.

Wet Edge

Keep a “wet edge” by continuously overlapping the areas you’re just finished painting.
To avoid buckling in your DIY paint job, don’t paint over an area that’s already drying.

Start Your DIY Exterior Painting Now

Now, all your prep work is complete for your DIY exterior house painting project. You’re ready to get started painting the exterior of your house. If you need assistance with your DIY painting, contact Plumbing with Pex for assistance. When you’re ready to paint the interior of your home, check out this post, “DIY – A Beginners Guide to Interior Painting” for tips.

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