As the weather outside is warming up, people are moving to the exteriors of their homes to create clean, refreshed spaces. With that, you may be gearing up to paint the exterior of your home. Though this may seem a simple DIY project to tackle on your own, there are a few pitfalls that could be made in the process. Before finding yourself in one of these blunders, learn from these 5 common exterior painting mistakes.
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Skimping on proper preparation. Ensuring you have a properly prepared exterior surface is an important step that needs to be completed for a quality finished project. It is key to remove any old, peeling paint, and repair damaged siding. After repairs have been made, a primer should be applied to bare wood before the final coat of paint. Finally, a thorough cleaning to all surfaces is crucial to avoid permanently painting dirt and debris onto your homes exterior.
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Opting for a cheap paint. Though the most high end, expensive products are not necessary for a job well done, the most inexpensive option is not always effective. Choosing a quality paint will result in a longer lasting paint job that protects the exterior of your home as well as maintaining its curb appeal.
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Not choosing the correct type of paint. A quality paint is important, however, the best quality paint will not work if it is not the correct paint for the job. If you are covering existing paint, test to know what type of paint is already covering the surface. Latex paint should be covered by a latex paint and oil-based paint should cover oil-based paint. You will also want to test the different colors of the home separately as each color could be a different type of paint.
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Not waiting for optimal weather conditions. With busy schedules it’s easy to see that one free long weekend as the only chance to get a home project completed and insist on getting it done no matter the circumstances. But weather can compromise the exterior paint of your home if it is done while too hot and in direct sunlight, too cold, or on a drizzly day.
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Not applying enough paint. It can be tempting to save both time and money with a single coat of exterior paint but most homes will need two coats for a complete and quality finish.
Taking the time and effort to paint the exterior of your home can result is wonderful benefits, both visually and for the maintenance of your home’s siding, when done correctly. We hope these tips have helped guide you to a more successful exterior painted home and will help you avoid the common exterior painting mistakes.
If you have any questions, or want an estimate, call us today!
