How to Prepare Your Home for Painting

If your house in Charlotte needs to be refreshed, a fresh coat of paint is a quick, inexpensive option to improve its curb appeal. So if your house is starting to look worn down or if you’re just ready for a change, consider painting the outside of your home yourself or hire a local painter to do it for you.

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

You can also compromise with a professional painter by completing all the prep work yourself, but then letting their crew come in and do the painting with their best tools, safety equipment and professionally selected paint.

Whichever choice is best for you, you will still want to know exactly how to prepare your home for painting. Here are some of the most important things to remember.

6 House Painting Preparation Tips

1. Decide which parts of the home to paint, collect the ladders and other safety equipment. If you’re planning to complete the painting by yourself, you’ll thank yourself later. Having a clear plan will make the painting go a lot faster as soon as you get started. Gathering your tools beforehand guarantees that when you begin painting, you won’t have to stop and look for all of the supplies, meaning that you’ll have to maintain a wet edge the entire time you are painting.
2. Choose paint and brushes. The best part of painting your home’s exterior is deciding the color or color combo. You’ll also want to choose the right paint finishes for all parts of the home. Latex is a lot better than oil-based paint for home exteriors. It’s a lot less messy and easier to clean up. The flat surfaces require more of a flat, or matte, finish, versus semi-gloss. You’ll want synthetic fiber brushes for latex paint. Rollers and sprayers are also time-saving options.
3. Pressure wash. Finally, it is time to begin prepping the exterior of your home for its brand new paint! Put time into pressure washing your home (or hiring a local pressure washing service) to wash off any cracked or peeling paint. The high pressure water is the recommended way to remove old paint, and it also cleans the outside of your home. Some of the areas of paint should peel right off as you spray them. That’s a sign that the paint was aging and had to be replaced!
4. Remove peeling paint. Now that the original paint has been loosened, get more of it off the house 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 necessary to sand every surface down to the bare wood. Any areas where the paint is still adhered just need to be tended to and have the edges sanded so the new paint goes on smooth.
5. Prime. Don’t skip the primer! Primer is a very important part of preparation because it conceals any prior paint (especially important with dark paint colors), results in even color for your new paint, and a smoother exterior with minimal imperfections throughout. Let the primer dry according to the directions so that the original layer of paint doesn’t mix with it or produce a rough patch.
6. Plan to paint in good weather. A professional painter can look at the weather forecast and find the most opportune day for applying exterior paint. That’s why they’re experts! If you plan to do the painting on your own, wait for a day that is between 75 and 85 degrees, and with very low humidity. This will lead to the best adhesion.

Why Painting Your Home is a Good Idea

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

Paint will help prevent insects from eating or clawing into your home’s exterior. It also reduces wear and tear from the elements. Good quality paint stops wood from rotting and dirt won’t stick to paint the way it does to 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 in order to protect the wood surface.

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

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

Hiring a Local Professional Painter in Charlotte

After prepping is complete, you can hand the project off to a professional painter in Charlotte (if you hadn’t already chosen that from the beginning!). Hiring a painter is cost effective. It also guarantees that the results will exceed expectations with little effort on your part.

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

• A professional painter knows the optimal way to complete the job, which means the paint will look a lot better and the project will move a lot quicker.
• Pros don’t make a big mess. Their results will be neater, without excess paint splattered or spilled around home.
• Because of their skill and experience, your new paint will likely last a lot longer than if you painted by yourself.
• A professional painter will already have the safety equipment required to paint areas above ground level.

Based on your DIY skills and desires, you can trust your painter to complete all the pre-painting preparation, too. Most companies are prepared to handle every part of the job, from removing old paint and pressure washing the exterior to applying the paint.