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How to Prepare Exterior of House for Painting

Writer's picture: Cameron MaltbyCameron Maltby

Updated: Jan 6, 2023

To paint the exterior of your house, you must first prepare it. This includes cleaning it using a high-quality exterior filler. You must also remove rotten wood before you start painting. It is also important to cover plants with tarps. When you are done painting, remove the tarps. Also, place drop cloths under fixtures and the wall. Most of the prep work involves scraping and sanding the surface. Older houses may not require exterior preparation, but newer ones do.


Preparing a house for painting

Before you paint the exterior of your house, it is important to prepare it properly. The paint should be of the right quality. If you use good quality paint, it will last for years. It is also important to properly prepare woodwork before painting. It is essential to follow instructions provided by the paint manufacturers and architects.


First, prepare the surface by sanding and scraping off any old paint. This will make the painting process easier.

Using a pressure washer

Using a pressure washer to prepare the exterior of your house for painting is a great way to get the surface as clean as possible. The high-pressure stream of water can blast away loose paint, gouge wood siding, and knock loose mortar from between bricks. Nevertheless, pressure washing does not completely remove paint, and you may have to scrape off excess paint by hand. It also cannot be used on hardboard siding, which is more susceptible to damage from moisture and is not easy to repair.


Before using a pressure washer to prepare the exterior of your house for painting, you should be sure to protect the siding, vinyl, and brick surfaces. The pressure from a pressure washer can damage vinyl and wood surfaces. It can also etch brick and concrete. Therefore, it is important to avoid pressure washing on any surface made of lead-based paint.

Using a high quality exterior filler

When preparing the exterior of a house for painting, you can use several kinds of exterior filler. Some of them are made of gypsum and require mixing with water. They can be sanded after they dry and are useful for repairing small cracks or holes. The filler you use must be water and dust resistant.

The most durable exterior wood filler is Bondo Home Solutions Wood Filler. This 2-part epoxy filler will not crack or shrink over time, making it the perfect solution for large cracks and holes. It is also suitable for use on doors and fences, and dries quickly.


Cleaning rotten wood before painting

The first step in painting the exterior of a house is to clean and repair any rotten wood. Rotted wood is often an eyesore and can make the exterior of the house look less appealing. While it may be tempting to paint over the rotten wood, this is not a good option.


The paint will not adhere to the rotten wood and will eventually crack, bubble, and fade. In addition, it will not protect the underlying structure of the house. Fortunately, professional painters can check the structure of the house for rotten wood and can even replace the rotten wood.


When cleaning rotten wood, it is essential to use the correct materials to protect the wood. First, a primer is usually required. Next, a coat of paint is needed, if applicable. The process can be accomplished using a roller or brush.


Applying primer

When you're ready to paint the exterior of your house, you need to prepare the surface with a primer. Primer is used to seal pores so that paint will stick properly. It also helps cover imperfections, stains, and water damage. A primer will also prevent the paint from leaking through a fresh coat of paint.


Some homeowners skip the priming step, but it's essential to apply a primer to the exterior of their house. This is because the primer will serve as the base for any subsequent paintjobs. Choosing the best paint primer is critical to achieving the best results.


Using an airless sprayer

When using an airless sprayer, you can easily achieve an automobile-like finish with minimal effort. These sprayers are designed to get the paint onto a substrate in a short amount of time, and they can be used on wood siding and fences.


The sprayer's back-brushing feature helps to even out heavy spots and gives the siding a brush-stroke texture. This texture makes it easier to touch up any areas that need additional paint.


When using an airless paint sprayer for exterior painting, it is important to choose the correct type of paint. Organic masonry paints, such as silicone resin and silicate dispersion, are ideal for airless application. These products offer superior product properties, including extreme water resistance and high durability. They are also available in a range of colours and can be applied to all load-bearing materials.

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