How to Prepare Your Home for Painting

If your home in Sandy Springs has to be refreshed, a fresh coat of paint is an easy, affordable option to improve its curb appeal. So if your home is looking shabby or if you’re just ready for a change, consider painting the exterior of your home yourself or enlist a local painter to do the job for you.

Painting a home is a big job, but it isn’t an impossible job for most homeowners. You need to do your research to know how to prepare the surface by scheduling residential pressure washing, as well as what brushes and paints to use.

You can also partner with a professional painter by completing all of the prep work by yourself, but then having their team come to your home and do the painting with their tools, safety equipment and professionally selected paint.

Whichever direction is best for you, you will still need to know exactly how to prepare your home for painting. Here are some of the most important things to remember.

6 House Painting Preparation Tips

1. Choose which parts to paint, collect the ladders and all other safety equipment. If you’re planning to do the painting by yourself, you’ll thank yourself later. Having a clear plan will make the painting project go a lot faster as soon as you begin. Organizing your tools ahead of time guarantees that when you begin painting, you shouldn’t have to stop and look for needed supplies, meaning you’ll have to maintain a wet brush edge the entire time you are painting.
2. Choose paint and brushes. The most fun part of painting your house is choosing the color or color combo. You’ll also need to choose the right paint finishes for all parts of the home. 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 for the trim. You’ll need synthetic fiber brushes for latex paint. Rollers and sprayers are efficient options if possible.
3. Pressure wash. Finally, it is time to begin prepping the exterior of the home for its brand new paint! Invest time into power washing your home (or hiring a local pressure washing service) to wash off any cracked or peeling paint. The extreme pressure is the most effective way to eliminate peeling paint, and it simultaneously cleans the exterior of your home. Some of the sections of paint will peel off 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 original paint has been loosened, scrape it off with a plastic or metal straight edge, being diligent not to dig into the wood. Then sand bumpy surfaces for a smooth finish. It isn’t necessary to sand every surface all the way down to the bare wood. Any areas where the paint is still adhered need to be cleaned and have the edges sanded so the new paint goes on the home smoothly.
5. Prime. Don’t skip priming! Primer is an important step because it covers up any prior paint (especially with dark paint colors), results in even color for your new paint, and a smooth exterior with minimal imperfections. Let the primer dry based on the directions so that the original layer of paint doesn’t blend into it or produce a rough patch.
6. Plan to paint on the best day. A professional painter can look at the forecast and determine the most opportune day for applying exterior paint. That’s why they’re professionals! If you want to do the painting yourself, wait for a day that is somewhere between 75 and 85 degrees, and with little humidity. This will lead to the best adhesion.

Why Painting Your Home is a Good Idea

Not only does a new paint job make your home look several years newer, it also provides a layer of protection to the overall structure of your home.

Paint will help prevent insects from eating or boring into your home’s exterior. It also stops wear and tear from inclement weather. Good quality paint stops wood from rotting and dirt won’t stick to paint the same way it does to bare wood.

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

Worn paint takes a toll on your home’s appearance. If you’re worried about curb appeal, painting your home is one of the best things you can do.

Painting is a good idea if your home doesn’t seem to “fit in” in the neighborhood (but you want it to). If your home’s color makes it stand out, or if the opposite is true and you want it to stand out, a different paint color can totally update its look.

Hiring a Local Professional Painter in Sandy Springs

After prepping is complete, you can turn the project off to a professional painter in Sandy Springs (if you hadn’t already decided that from the start!). Hiring a painter is affordable. It also guarantees that the results will exceed your expectations with less effort from you.

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

• A professional painter knows the best way to do the job, which means the paint will look a lot better and the project will move a lot faster.
• Companies don’t make a mess. Their results will be much neater, with no extra paint splattered or spilled on your home.
• Because of their skill and experience, your new paint will probably last longer than if you painted by yourself.
• A professional painter will have the safety equipment needed to paint surfaces above ground level.

Based on your DIY abilities and desires, you can trust your painter to do all the pre-painting preparation, too. Most pros are prepared to take care of every part of the