If you don’t mind taking on a pretty big job, you can paint the exterior of your house yourself. Though, getting a few friends on board with the promise of some pizza and beer is also a good idea.
There are quite a few things you need to know before taking on a project like this. If you decide to just wing it, the results can be disastrous. From sagging paint, to patchy spots you will inevitably regret your decision to not hire a pro.
In this article, I will go over several things to keep in mind if you decide to paint the house yourself.
Check the weather
Depending on where you live, the best time of year to paint your house exterior is in the spring. The weather is warm enough to work outside, but not so hot that the paint dries too fast.
Even better is when it is slightly overcast so you aren’t painting in direct sunlight. Though you really want to avoid it when it is windy as, again, the paint will dry too fast. Avoiding rain is also a big priority.
Painting in arid areas like the Southwest can be very tricky depending on the type of pain as it is very hot most of the time. If you do live in an arid area like that then you may want to call a house painter near Mesa, AZ.
Plan out a strategy
In general, you want to start at the top and work your way down. This will avoid getting drips on the spots where you already painted.
To avoid lap marks, work in small sections. Lap marks are when you start painting an area where the edges of the paint have already dried and they overlap. It happens when you paint a section and when you move to the next section, the paint has already dried and the new coat paints over it.
If you paint in small sections then the paint won’t be dry yet when the sections overlap.
Always check back on your work to make sure you haven’t built up too much paint on some areas that will eventually drip and then dry.
Ask for advice
When you are getting your paint, bend the assistant’s ear a little with a few questions. They will help you with your paint selection and let you know any special needs a particular paint has. For instance, latex paint can’t be used if the temperatures are under 50°F so that is something they will be able to tell you when you are selecting the right type of paint.
If you tell them the rough measurements of the house you are painting, they will also let you know how much paint you will need to get the job done.
You should plan on a primer and then two coats of paint to go over it. Get the best paint you can afford as a cheap paint will fade faster and cost you more money in the long run when you need to repaint sooner.
