Simple Home Painting Tips That You Can Use

Home painting can have several important effects on your property. When you apply fresh paint on the surfaces of your house, it increases the resale value of such property. It enhances its curb appeal, as well. Most importantly, the paint also protects the surfaces from different elements of nature, such as snow, rain, and others. If you also want your own property to experience such important effects, then, you might want to schedule a certain time to do your painting chore. Here are a few tips that can help you with your exterior painting project.

Choose the Right Type of Paint

It is important for you to choose the right type of paint that you will apply to the surfaces. You can find two primary types of paint suitable for exterior surfaces. It can be a water-based latex or an oil-based alkyd. Each of these types have their own characteristics, pros, and cons. A water-based latex is famous for its quick drying property and flexibility. Aside from that, you can also easily clean it just with soap and water. It does not emit a strong odor, too. On the other hand, an oil-based alkyd is famous for its strong resistance against stain as well as its durability. It also dries quickly with just a few brush marks as well as flows smoothly. Most professional painters utilize this type of paint. However, if you wish to clean it up, then, you will have to use a paint thinner to do so. It is up to you which type of paint you will select for your exteriors.

Consider the Prices of Paint

There are many manufacturers and sellers of paint. The qualities of the various paints that they offer also differ. In this case, you must always set a definite budget for the entire project. Once you already have a specific budget, you should shop around for the price range of several brands of paint. You should purchase the one that has a reasonable price and, most importantly, you can afford. Ideally, the best quality paint usually costs a lot.

Read Information on the Label

Once you already have the paint in your possession, you should not forget to read what is on the label. Typically, important information with regards to the preparation of the surface and other things related to the painting job can be found on the label. Other people usually take these details for granted. If you place great importance on these pieces of information, you will surely have a beautiful paint job as a result. You must religiously follow the instructions as well as the precautions in order to get the best outcome.

Prepare the Surfaces

The preparation of the surface is an important part of the entire painting project. In this case, you must see to it that the surface is clean and free from certain elements so that the new paint will properly stick to it. Some of the elements that you need to remove are grime, mildew, and dirt, among other residues. You might want to use a power sprayer to remove these particles since this tool is easy to use. However, a more effective way would be to use a stiff-bristle brush and hand scrub the surface that you want to paint. If old paint has already flaked off, you should scrape as well as sand it first before you apply the paint.

Use Both Brush and Roller

Many homeowners have a hard time deciding whether they need to use a brush or a roller when they perform their painting jobs. You should know that it is more effective to use both brush and roller. You can also finish your job faster in this case. You must use the brush when you paint smaller areas and narrow edges. You must use the roller when you paint long surfaces like the sidings.

Avoid Painting Directly Under the Sun

You must avoid painting on a surface that is directly hit by the sun. Direct exposure to the sun will make the paint dry at a faster rate than normal. This will result to the paint not sticking properly to the surface. It will even cause premature flaking. For this matter, you might want to start the painting job at a time when a certain surface is not directly hit by the sun.

Start From Top to Bottom

You should start applying paint from the top portion of the surface until you reach the bottom. You must overlap the application of paint from one wet area to another. In this manner, you can avoid any lap mark on the surface. You must also take the necessary safety measures when you use a ladder to paint the top surfaces. You must not try to reach too far so that you will not topple over.