Do-it-yourself homeowners should take note of these home painting tips

Painting a home can be a huge undertaking. However, updating a home's exterior coat may provide enough pay off to entice many into getting their paint brushes ready.

Bob Vila points out that there is much to consider when deciding between the do-it-yourself approach to painting a home and finding a contractor to do the job. The expert advises homeowners to consider their property's characteristics when making the decision.

Home's that are very tall or have quirky architectural features may be better left to the professionals, according to the source. Intricate homes, like Queen Anne-style residences with delicate details, may be too much for a novice to take on. Furthermore, structures that would require more than normal prep – homes with wood rot, severe peeling or alligatoring for example – should also be handled by experienced painters, the source reports.

For those who do decide to cash in on home savings by going the do-it-yourself route, there are several guidelines that should be followed when it comes to doing the job. The Learning Channel points out that prepping can be more than half of the job, and when doing so, homeowners should be sure to hit certain spots.

The exterior of the home should be washed before painting. TLC recommends rinsing siding down with a hose, and tackling tough spots with soapy water before applying treatments or paint. A power washer may also come in handy for difficult to reach spots on the home.

After the home has gotten a good scrubbing, individuals should look for damage, including broken shingles or siding, wayward nails, peeling and mildew, according to the source.

Small spots that have peeling or defective paint should be removed with a wire brush or a putty knife with a wide blade. The tools may also be handy in removing any rust spots that are found. For larger areas, homeowners should get a sharp pull scraper, which has a blade that can be replaced and can scrape shingles down to bare wood. These areas should then be sanded until they are smooth, according to the source.

After all problem areas have been addressed, the home should be primed. TLC advises the type of primer used should correlate with whatever paint will be applied. Metal siding should be prepped with a metal primer, latex paint calls for latex primer and solvent-based primers should precede solvent-thinned paint.

Set as favorite

Bookmark

Email this

Hits: 307

Trackback(0)

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Show/hide comments

Write comment

Show/hide comment form

You must be logged in to post a comment. Please register if you do not have an account yet.