How to Prepare Your Home for Painting

If your home in Pasadena needs to be refreshed, a fresh coat of paint is an easy, inexpensive option to improve its curb appeal. So if your house is starting to look worn down or if you are simply ready for a change, consider repainting the outside of your home yourself or enlist a local painter to do the job for you.

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

You can also meet in the middle with a painter by doing all of the prep work 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 right for you, you will still need to know how to prepare your home for painting. Here are some of the most important things to consider.

6 House Painting Preparation Tips

1. Decide which parts to paint, gather the ladders and other safety equipment. If you are planning to complete the painting by yourself, you’ll be glad you did. Having a clear plan will help to make the painting project go much faster as soon as you begin. Collecting your materials beforehand ensures that once you start painting, you shouldn’t have to stop and look for all of the supplies, meaning you’ll have to maintain a wet edge the whole time you are painting.
2. Choose paint and brushes. The most fun part of painting your house is choosing the color or color combination. You’ll also need to choose the right paint finishes for each part of the home. Latex is better than oil-based paint for home exteriors. It’s less messy and much easier to clean. The flat surfaces need 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 also time-saving options.
3. Pressure wash. Finally, it’s time to start prepping the exterior of your home for its beautiful new paint! Invest time into pressure washing your home (or hiring a local pressure washing service) to wash off any cracked or peeling paint. The high pressure is the recommended way to remove old paint, and it also cleans the outside of your home. Some areas of paint should peel off as soon as you spray them. That’s a sure sign that the paint was aging and needed 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 surface. Then sand 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 just need to be cleaned and have the edges sanded so the new coat of paint goes on the home smooth.
5. Prime. Do not skip priming! Primer is a very important part of preparation because it conceals any previous paint (especially with dark colors), results in an even color for your new coat, and a smooth exterior with minimal imperfections throughout. Let the primer dry according to the directions so that the original layer of paint doesn’t mix with it or result in a rough patch on the surface.
6. Plan to paint in good weather. A professional painter is able to look at the weather forecast and find the most opportune day for applying exterior paint. That’s why they’re professionals! If you plan to do the painting yourself, wait for a day that is between 75 and 85 degrees, and with very little humidity. This will result in the best adhesion.

Why Painting Your Home is a Good Idea

Not only does a brand 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 helps prevent insects from eating or clawing 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 way it does to wood.

Peeling paint is an obvious indication that it is time to be replaced. If paint is peeling, you really need to have it repainted in order to protect the wood surface.

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

Painting is also 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 it is the opposite and you really want it to stand out, a different color can totally change its vibe.

Hiring a Local Professional Painter in Pasadena

After the prepping is over, you can hand the work over to a professional painter in Pasadena (if you hadn’t already decided that from the start!). Hiring a painter is cost effective. It also ensures that the results will exceed expectations with less effort from you.

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

• A professional painter knows the optimal way to complete the job, which means the paint will look much better and the project will move a lot quicker.
• Pros don’t typically make a big mess. Their results will be much neater, with no extra paint splattered or spilled around home.
• Because of their skill and experience, your new paint will last longer than if you painted by yourself.
• A professional painter will have the safety equipment necessary to paint areas higher than ground level.

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