Admittedly, right now does not tend to be the time most people are thinking about exterior painting. As touched upon in a few previous posts, the early spring months do (occasionally) bring surprisingly amicable painting conditions. Just as long as the temperature isn’t too low, the season’s low humidity levels can actually be great for getting paint to stick.

Still, it’s understandable that most people tend to put off exterior home painting jobs until late spring. But given the fact that we’re now just days from the big thaw, there’s no time like the present to start planning.

DIY Home Painting

As you’d expect, we always recommend hiring help when planning an exterior makeover. Bringing in a team of professionals painting contractors could not only save you time and effort, but also money.

Unless you already have all the gear and consumables needed to get the job done, opting for the DIY approach could end up costing you more.

But if you’re determined to go about the job yourself when things finally warm up a bit, it’s important to have an appropriate plan of action. With exterior painting, this means focusing the necessary time and effort on the preparation process.

We’ve said it before and will say it again – prepping before painting is almost always more critical than the painting process itself.

The extent to which you appropriately prepare your surfaces for painting will have a major impact on the outcome. Not to mention, the speed and simplicity of the painting job. Precisely where strategic forward-planning can prove invaluable, as opposed to simply making things up as you go along.

With this in mind – and with all eyes on more pleasant days to come – here are the three most important things you need to do before painting your home’s exterior:

1. Cleaning 

First up, the importance of giving the surface a good clean cannot be overstated.  Even if it looks relatively clean, you still need to show it some TLC. Take it from us when we say that attempting to paint a surface that is even modestly unclean could prove to be a waste of time, effort and money.

Tackling the cleaning process need not be too difficult, if you have the right tools for the job. A hose pipe or pressure washer (on a gentle setting) is a good place to start, followed by a good scrub or sponging down with soapy water. Rinse and allow to dry, before checking for any trouble spots that may need going over once again.

2. Sanding & Filling 

Next, it’s worth taking the opportunity to note for any damage or imperfections you encounter along the way. It simply makes sense to perform the necessary repairs now, rather than painting over them and allowing the problem to escalate.

Remove and/or sand away any damaged wood, using some quality filler to plug the gaps. If you come across any major issues with mold or rot, you may need to consult with a contractor to discuss the necessary repairs.

In addition, it may be necessary to sand away the previous coat of paint on your home’s exterior.  Or at least, sand down the surface to such an extent as to create a slightly rough texture. It depends entirely on the type and condition of the paint on the exterior of your home – consult with a professional painter if unsure.

3. Priming

Last up, there’s one supremely important job remaining after repairing and sanding the surface – priming. More often than not, priming is mandatory to ensure the paint adheres to the surface and comes together for an even finish. An even coating of primer underneath the paint can help avoid the disappointment and distress of a patch paintjob.

Primer is particularly important when painting over an existing coat of paint.  Without primer, there’s a good chance you’ll be seeing hints of the previous color through the new color – not what you want.

The priming process can be time-consuming and laborious, but is something you need to get right. The more time and effort you invest in priming the surface, the easier it will be to paint to perfection.

Call Anytime For a Quote…

At Homm CPS, we provide a comprehensive range of interior and exterior home painting services throughout all four seasons.

If you are planning an exterior makeover this spring and would like a fixed quotation you can count on, call Homm CPS anytime for an obligation-free consultation.