Building Tips

Tips for Painting Your Home’s Exterior

Whether brick or siding, we love the look of a painted exterior. Paint can completely change an outdated home or give a unique look to a new one. We have painted both new construction homes and remodels and it always adds so much curb appeal. Even though we struggled with deciding what to do on the exterior of the new build, we ultimately decided to go with our original plan of painting the brick.

Painting the exterior of a home can be a huge undertaking, but it’s so worth it. Here are a few steps you should consider if you are going to paint the exterior of your home.

Use a Paint Sprayer

We recommend using a paint sprayer for painting the exterior of any home. A sprayer will work great on both brick and siding. Sometimes people argue this means a drop in quality, but this isn’t true. As long as the person using the sprayer is experienced and knows what they are doing, it will actually create a more consistent finish. It will also be better coverage and save you lots of hours in labor cost.

I also think using a sprayer can easily be done as a DIY. With some research and the right tools, this could save you lots. Keep in mind, painting the exterior of a home is very expensive!

Use Flat Paint Finish

Even though a satin finish is easier to clean, we highly recommend going with a flat or matte finish on the exterior of a home. Using a flat finish will help hide any imperfections giving a more flawless look.

A flat paint also has a non reflective finish that feels a little chalky and rough which is great for outside, but the lack of reflectiveness will help hide any bumps. This isn’t as important with brick, but will make a huge difference when painting material such as James Hardie smooth plank siding.

Always Prime

When painting the exterior of a home, always prime! Primers are formulated to penetrate, seal, and provide a good surface for the top coats to stick to. Primer also will also help with filling cracks and crevices, making an easier coverage for the actual paint color.

Using white, gray, or tinted primer provides an even base for topcoats to adhere to. Although this may seem like more work to apply a primer, it is well worth it and will save you money and time on the final coats.

Plan Ahead

Planning ahead is so important when you are going to paint the exterior of a home. Making sure you have the right tools and prep work will save you lots of labor time. Also, doing some research on the correct painting method will make your life a little easier during the process.

Another huge factor in doing outdoor painting is making sure you have the perfect weather conditions. Extremely cold or hot temperatures will not work well for painting. If possible, select a dry time of the year when there is little rain and lower humidity. Paint needs time to dry and good conditions to be able to stick to the exterior material.

Share
Previous Post Next Post

You may also like

1 Comment

  • Reply Stephanie Powers

    We are building a new home and considering painted brick. What is the upkeep in future years?

    October 7, 2019 at 5:39 am
  • Leave a Reply