4 Things To Know About Exterior Painting
Fresh paint makes your home look attractive and well-maintained. You'll probably want to have your home painted periodically, whether you want to change colors or just freshen the color you have. However, exterior painting is a big job and you want the results to look professionally done, so hiring a painting contractor is a good choice.
The exterior condition of your home affects your property's curb appeal, so keeping up with painting is important. These are four things to know about exterior painting.
1. Your House Needs To Be Washed First
Paint won't stick to a dusty and dirty house, so your house will need to be cleaned first. Talk to your exterior painting contractor to see if they provide preparation services or if you need to have your home pressure washed before they arrive to paint your home. If you're planning to hire a separate contractor, allow time for your home to dry before painting.
2. Your Siding Might Need Repairs Too
Your painter will probably do things like scrape off peeling paint if needed and make minor repairs to the siding so your new paint job will look flawless. They may need to replace some rotted wood, fill in gouges, or do other types of repair work, but anything complex might require help from a siding contractor or other professional.
3. Good Weather Is Needed For Exterior Painting
Paint needs to dry and cure properly, and the weather affects how well drying happens. Ideal weather conditions for painting your house include days with no to little wind, no rain, and mild temperatures.
Your painting contractor schedules the work for when good weather conditions are expected, but they may need to reschedule if it rains unexpectedly.
4. Two Coats Of Paint May Be Needed
Your contractor will let you know upfront how many coats of paint your home needs. If you've painted recently and you're using the same color of paint, one coat may be enough, especially if you're using high-quality paint. If it's been a long time since you last painted or if you're going to cover a darker paint color, your home will probably need two coats.
Two coats provide better coverage and also help protect your home in the coming years from the weather and pollution. Your painter may spray on the paint or paint with rollers. They'll use the color theme you've chosen for the siding and trim so you'll be happy with the professional-looking results.