As a rule of thumb, you should paint the exterior of your property once every three to five years to ensure top-notch curb appeal and to protect the building’s structural integrity; however, it can be difficult to ascertain the most suitable tactics and strategies to account for your home’s unique features.

This brief editorial will highlight some of the most effective, transferable methods of painting the exterior of any kind of building.

Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance

The best-rated painting professionals understand the importance of cleaning, sanitizing, and preparing the surface in question before beginning a project. With this notion in mind, there are several distinct steps that expert painters employ during the early stages of the process:

• Pressure wash the exterior with an appropriate PSI based on the material in question. In order to protect the architectural components and to avoid damaging the surface, painters will remove dust, dirt, grime, and buildup from every exposed area with a modernized pressure washer that features an adjustable power mechanism. Oftentimes, they will also utilize scrub brushes and augmented soaps for more delicate regions, which is particularly important when dealing with soft woods, stucco, and other sensitive materials.

• Apply epoxy fillers and other specialized plasters to mend any damaged areas, fissures, and cracks. After examining the entire perimeter of the building, painters will begin to apply joint compounds to establish a uniform, structurally sound surface, after which they utilize intricate sanding blocks and polishing tools to remove imperfections.

• Caulk surfaces and corners where different materials meet to avoid the unsightly chipping that tends to manifest in gaps, apertures, and adjoining walls. During this phase, they will facilitate the process with an exterior caulk gun, some nuanced spackling tools, and modified sanders to remove any remaining flaws.

• Cover all doors, windows, fixtures, frames, and other external features with durable plastic sheeting and professional painter’s tape. To safeguard these implements, painting experts will firmly press down the painter’s tape with a putty knife and ensure complete coverage for any fittings around the building.

The preparation phase is definitely the most integral aspect of any successful external paint job, which is why the most prominent contractors pride themselves on their attention to detail from the onset.

Methodical Application: Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day

Once the initial tasks are completed, professional painters will begin to employ a systematic, sequential approach:

• Apply a tinted primer that resembles the final finish to effect a vibrant final coat and mitigate the number of total coatings required. Using a high-quality tinted primer allows painters to effectively cover all of the caulk applications and patched areas, which is particularly important in terms of upholding the luster and uniformity of the actual paint. Keep in mind that some areas may require multiple layers of primer.

• Obtain a high-end acrylic latex paint comprised of robust pigments, durable binders, and stable solvents. The most sought-after exterior paints feature a high number of volume solids because these are the ingredients that remain after the solvent evaporates. The end result is an impermeable protective layer.

• Utilize a spray and back-roll technique to create an even finish. This intricate process requires two people, a sprayer, and a roller with a long shaft; one painter sprays an area while the other follows behind and runs the roller over the freshly sprayed surface to establish a homogenous finish. This is especially useful for textured surfaces and complex materials because it combines the speed of a sprayer with the constancy of a roller. Two or three layers are generally recommended.

Now that you know some of the secrets of today’s painting experts, you can confidently embark on your next project or, at the very least, have a more elevated discussion with your contractor.