How to Prepare Your Home for Painting

If your home in Columbus needs to be refreshed, a fresh coat of paint is a quick, affordable option to improve its appearance. So if your home exterior is starting to look worn down or if you’re simply ready for a change, consider repainting the exterior of your house yourself or hire a local painter to do the job for you.

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

You can also compromise with a painter by completing all of the prep work on your own, but then letting their team come over and do the actual painting with their tools, safety equipment and selected paint.

Whichever option is right for you, you’ll still need to know exactly 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, collect the ladders and other safety equipment. If you’re planning to complete the painting yourself, you’ll be glad you did. Having a clear plan will make the actual painting go a lot faster once you begin. Gathering 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 be able to maintain a wet edge the entire time you are painting.
2. Choose the right paint and brushes. The fun part of painting your house is deciding the color or color combination. You’ll also need to choose the right paint finishes for each part of the house. Latex is a lot better than oil-based paint for home exteriors. It’s a lot less messy and easier to clean up. The flat surfaces require more of a flat, or matte, finish, versus semi-gloss. You’ll need to us synthetic fiber brushes for latex paint. Rollers and sprayers are also time-saving options if possible.
3. Pressure wash. Finally, it’s time to start prepping the surface of the house for its beautiful new paint! Invest time into power washing your house (or hiring a local pressure washing service) to wash off any cracked or peeling paint. The extreme pressure water is the best way to remove old paint, and it simultaneously cleans the exterior of your house. Some of the sections of paint may peel right off as soon as you spray over them. That’s a sure sign that the paint was aging and had to be replaced!
4. Remove peeling paint. Now that the original paint has been loosened, get more of it off with a metal or plastic straight edge, being diligent not to dig deep 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 tended to and have the edges sanded so the new paint goes on the home smoothly.
5. Prime. Do not skip priming! Primer is an important part of preparation because it conceals any previous paint (especially important with dark paint colors), results in even color for your new coat, and a smoother surface with minimal imperfections. 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 can look at the weather forecast and determine the most opportune day for applying exterior paint. That’s why they’re professionals! If you plan to do the painting on your own, wait for a day that is 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 years newer, it also provides a layer of protection for the overall structure of your house.

Paint will help prevent pests from eating or boring into your home’s exterior. It also reduces wear and tear from the elements. Good quality paint stops wood from rotting and dirt cannot adhere to paint the same way it does to bare wood.

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

Aging paint takes a toll on your home’s exterior. If you’re worried 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 seem to “fit in” in the neighborhood. 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 update its vibe.

Hiring a Local Professional Painter in Columbus

After the prepping is finished, you might want to hand the work off to a professional painter in Columbus (if you hadn’t already chosen that from the start!). Hiring a painter is cost effective. It also ensures 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 knows the best way to complete the job, which means the paint will look a lot better and the project will move a lot quicker.
• Pros don’t typically make a mess. Their results will be neater, with no extra paint splattered or spilled on your home.
• Due to their skill and knowledge, your new paint will probably last a lot longer than if you painted yourself.
• A professional painter will have the safety equipment needed to paint surfaces above ground level.

Depending on your DIY skills and interests, you can trust your painter to complete all the pre-painting preparation, too. Most pros are prepared to handle each part of the