News

Guide to DIY Painting Your Exterior

Newtown, PA

04/21/2022 07:47 AM

Guide to DIY Painting Your Exterior in Newtown, PA

Exterior painting can be hard, especially if you're going into it without any prior knowledge about home exteriors or painting in general.

You can easily set yourself up for failure if you go into it without researching first, so you must gear yourself with the right tips and tricks before going into it.

So, if you're looking for something to guide you along the way as you paint your home exterior, here's something you will find useful.

Without further ado, here's a Guide to DIY Painting Your Exterior in Newtown, PA.

1. Measure The Surface You're Painting

Before you begin painting your exterior, do a quick measurement of the surface area to get a sense of how much surface area you'll be working with.

Prior to beginning your painting project, measure the surface you'll be painting because this will give you an idea of how much surface area you'll need to paint, allowing you to determine how much time you should allot for your painting, the budget you should provide for the project, and many other factors.

This will also determine whether you'll need assistance painting your home's exterior.

While painting your exterior by yourself can be fun, it is also time-consuming; asking for assistance from another person or two will alleviate your load and the amount of time you'll spend painting.

2. Estimate How Much Paint You'll Need

The first piece of advice above is crucial since it leads to another wonderful tip: you'll want to have an estimate of how much paint you'll need to complete the project.

This is important because you'll want to stay within your given budget, which is more likely to happen if you already know how much paint you'll need for the project.

In addition to that, having an estimate beforehand could also prevent you from the trouble of having to go back and forth to the paint store because you ran out of paint or the hassle of later discovering that you bought much too much paint to begin with.

3. Clean Your Exterior Surface

Dirt, trash, mud, rocks, and various other external causes will ultimately taint your exterior, causing it to become dirty.

In this instance, you'll want to give your exterior a thorough washing before really painting it.

Depending on the state of your exterior, you can either wipe it down with your basic and handy brush and some sort of deep cleaning detergent, or you can wash it down with a deep cleaning solution to truly break down and dissolve all the filth and debris lodged in there.

If your exterior is covered in heavy dirt and debris, you can also use a more powerful power washer for a more thorough clean.

4. Get The Right Paint Color

Because you'll be painting your exterior, natural lighting will play a huge role in deciding on a paint color - which is why you should be cautious and not rush it.

Because natural lighting tends to wash down paint colors and make them appear cooler than they are, you should choose a shade that is a few shades darker than the one you initially picked.

Also, conduct a test paint on your exterior's surface to examine how your chosen paint colors will look when painted on your exterior's surface and how lighting impacts how you perceive the color.

5. Prime Your Surface First

Lastly, as a general rule in painting, you should not forget to apply a coat of primer first before you start painting your surface.

This is because primer sets your surface and makes it ideal for painting - one of the benefits you can get from applying a coat of primer is increased adhesion of paint on the surface and better coverage of the surface, which makes your paint more tinted and vibrant.

Lastly, a coat of primer makes your paint more durable and last longer, which is something you want for your exterior.