How to Prepare Your Home for Painting

If your house in Oakland has to be updated, a new coat of paint is a fast, inexpensive way to improve its appearance. So if your home exterior is looking worn down or if you are just ready for a change, consider painting the exterior of your house yourself or hire a professional painter to do it for you.

Painting a house is a huge job, but it isn’t an unreasonable job for some homeowners. You need to do your research to understand how to prep the surface by scheduling residential pressure washing, as well as which brushes and paints you need to use.

You can compromise with a painter by doing all of the prep work yourself, but then letting their team come over and do the painting with their tools, safety equipment and selected paint.

Whichever direction is right for you, you’ll still need to know exactly how to prepare your home for painting. Here are the most important things to consider.

6 House Painting Preparation Tips

1. Decide which parts to paint, gather the ladders and other necessary safety equipment. If you are preparing to complete the painting by yourself, you’ll be glad you did. Having a clear plan will make the painting project go much faster once you begin. Collecting your equipment ahead of time guarantees that when you begin painting, you shouldn’t have to stop and look for all of the supplies, meaning you’ll have to maintain a wet brush edge the entire time you are painting.
2. Choose good paint and brushes. The best part of painting your home’s exterior is choosing the color or color combo. You’ll also need to choose the right paint finishes for all parts of the house. Latex is better than oil-based paint for home exteriors. It is less messy and much easier to clean up. The flat surfaces require more of a flat, or matte, finish, versus semi-gloss. You’ll need synthetic fiber brushes for latex paint. Rollers and sprayers are also efficient options if possible.
3. Pressure wash. Finally, it’s time to begin prepping the surface of your house for its beautiful new paint! Invest time into power washing your house (or hiring a local pressure washing service) to remove any cracked or peeling paint. The extreme pressure is the recommended way to eliminate peeling paint, and it simultaneously cleans the exterior of your house. Some areas of paint may peel right off as soon as you spray them. That’s a sign that the paint was aging and had to be replaced!
4. Remove peeling paint. Now that the old paint has been loosened, get more of it off the house with a metal or plastic straight edge, being diligent not to dig deep into the wood surface. Then sand bumpy surfaces for a smooth finish. It isn’t necessary to sand each surface down to the bare wood. Any sections where the paint is still adhered need to be cleaned and have the edges sanded so the new coat of paint goes on smoothly.
5. Prime. Do not skip the primer! Primer is a very important step because it conceals any prior paint (especially with dark colors), results in even color for your new coat, and a smooth surface with minimal imperfections throughout. Let the primer dry according to the directions so that the original layer of paint won’t mix with it or result in a rough patch on the surface.
6. Plan to paint in good weather. A professional painter can look at the weather forecast and tell you the most opportune day for painting a house. That’s why they’re experts! If you plan to do the painting yourself, wait for a day that is between 75 and 85 degrees, with little humidity. This will lead to the best adhesion.

Why Painting Your Home is a Good Idea

Not only does a brand new paint job make your house look years newer, it also adds a layer of protection for the overall exterior of your house.

Paint can help prevent pests from eating or boring into your home’s exterior. It also reduces wear and tear from inclement weather. High quality paint prevents wood from rotting and dirt won’t adhere to paint the same way it does to wood.

Peeling paint is an obvious indication that it needs to be replaced. If paint is peeling, you really need to go ahead and have it repainted in order to protect the wood beneath.

Deteriorating paint really takes a toll on your home’s appearance. If you’re concerned about curb appeal, painting your house is one of the simplest things you can do.

Painting is also a good idea if your house doesn’t to “fit in” in the neighborhood. If your home’s color makes it stand out, or if it is the opposite and you really want it to stand out, a different color can update its vibe.

Hiring a Local Professional Painter in Oakland

After the prepping is over, you might want to turn the work off to a professional painter in Oakland (if you hadn’t already decided that from the start!). Hiring a painter is cost effective. It also guarantees that the results will exceed expectations with little effort on your part.

Hiring a local painter to paint your home has several obvious benefits:

• A professional painter will know the most efficient way to complete the job, which means the paint will look a lot better and the project will go a lot quicker.
• Pros don’t typically make a big mess. Their results will be much neater, without extra paint splattered or spilled on your home.
• Because of their skill and knowledge, your new paint will probably last longer than if you did the job by yourself.
• A professional painter will already have the safety equipment required to paint areas above ground level.

Based on your DIY capabilities and desires, you can trust your painter to complete all the pre-painting preparation, too. Most pros are prepared to handle each part of the job, from removing old paint and pressure washing the exterior to actually applying the new paint.