Painting is one of those home-improvement projects that seems easy and that everyone thinks they can do themselves. The thing is, painting can be a waste of time and money if it isn’t done correctly. A painting job generally requires three things: a well-prepared surface for painting, the right tools and equipment to do the job, and the know-how to do it the right way.
1. A well-prepared surface
When it comes to painting, the first thing you need to do is prepare the surface you’re going to paint. Painting a house’s exterior usually involves pretty extensive work to get the surface ready for a lasting paint job. This means scraping off existing paint, caulking, making repairs, and priming the surface. You might also need to sand holes and fill in gaps with caulk before even priming the surface.
2. The right tools
You’ll also need the right kind of equipment, and this doesn’t mean a couple of rollers and a flat pan. Expert painting contractors use five gallon buckets with roller grids as opposed to using a roller pan. If you’re painting the exterior of a house, make sure you have the right sized ladders and any other lift equipment you’ll need to reach the higher areas of the house. To extend your reach without having to use a ladder as much, use roller extenders like the professional exterior painters do. These are basically longer poles that a roller screws on to.
3. Contractors (or some expert advice)
If you’re not going to hire commercial painters to come do the entire exterior of the house and feel like you want to do the job yourself, you should at least get some expert advice before you start or guidance along the way. Do your homework and look up the best painting tips in the industry or ask for tips when you go to buy the paint and supplies you need. Don’t try going in without any knowledge of what you’re doing.
Do you have any tips for painting a house? Feel free to share them with us in the comments section below.
