Painting An Exterior Wall

Painting An Exterior Wall

Painting is one of those jobs around home that you can do on your own especially if it is not the first painting. However there are certain basics that need to be applied while doing both interior and exterior painting though the latter involves more work because of exposure to tough weather conditions.

 Exterior part of any building is the part that is exposed to direct weather conditions that may adversely affect the aesthetics and even the durability of the building. Here we look at what to do and what to avoid while doing exterior painting;

Dos’

ü      Carefully choose which type of paint that is to be applied, whether latex, water or oil based.

ü      Pick the right set of brushes as well. This is crucial and the choice of brush to be used is largely dependent on the nature of the wall surface, durability and the ease of cleaning amongst other factors.

ü      Certain paint colors do not go well with exterior painting. Be sure to choose the right color for outdoor paint works. Your exterior walls may be exposed to dust and it may not make sense to use bright colors on such. Different colors may be used for different parts of the building i.e. walls, skirting, windows and doors but you should ensure that the colors blend. If you do not have full ownership of the house then you may want to stick to the colors already in place.

ü      Mix all cans of paint of the same color into a bucket before you paint. This ensures the uniformity in the mixture concentration thus giving the final outcome an even tone.

ü      Start painting from top towards bottom. Starting from the top will ensure that any flowing paint does not interfere with already painted areas.

 Don’ts

o       Avoid choosing low quality of paint especially for exterior work. Adverse weather temperatures, rain or even sunlight may result in cracking, peeling or fading too soon of the painting especially if it is of low quality. Bubbling may occur for areas that are highly humid ant this would mean that you will need to repaint sooner and in the long run cheap turns out to be expensive.

o       Do not paint over peeling or bubbled paint or over dirty surfaces. Wash and sand the surfaces and ensure that they are dry before painting. This will guarantee that the paint adheres to the surface properly therefore lasting longer.

o       Do not paint during the rainy since the paint needs ample time to dry. Too hot season may not be ideal too. Schedule your painting work in a period where the temperatures are neither too cold nor too hot.