Painting the exterior of your house can seem like a daunting task. We’re not going to lie, it’s a lot of hard work! However, with the proper planning, you can avoid the stress and successfully complete your painting project.

Here’s a checklist of what you need to do before you get started on your exterior house painting project

1. Inspect your house

Do a thorough walk-through of your house and look out for any repairs that need to be done. Check for rotting wood, mildew, mold, and any gaps in doors or window sills. It is important to fix them before you start painting to ensure the best possible outcome for your project.

Additionally, if your home was built before 1978, take extra care to protect yourself and the people around you from airborne lead particles.

2. Clean your house

This is arguably the most satisfying part of the prep! Paint needs a smooth surface to adhere to. Scrape off any old paint that is peeling, chipping, and cracking. It is also highly advisable for you to sand down ridges and any remaining flaking paint.

And lastly, clean it all off with pressure washing.

3. Protect your house

Having paint dripping all over your shrubberies, trees and bushes can be unsightly as they’re hard to remove. So cover them up with canvas drop cloths and tarps to prevent any accidents. You can also use them to cover your pavements and driveways.

Use painter’s tape to prevent unwanted paint splatters on your windows and door frames. Doing this will also help you to get those sharp paint lines too!

4. Get the materials needed to paint

List down everything you need before you start. As mentioned, this is a huge project and we don’t want to stop painting because we forgot something from the store. It can potentially set you back a few hours or even a whole day.

Some things you might need are paint colors of your choice, ladders, paint thinners, brushes and rollers of various sizes, pressure washer, gloves, tarps, painter’s tape, caulk and so on.

5. Prime and caulk

Prepping your house with primer smoothes out rough surfaces, avoid tannins from bleeding through and staining the topcoat, and it enables better paint adhesion. You can tint your primer with a bit of your topcoat color for the best results.

After priming, you can start caulking! Fill up any cracks and holes with paintable caulk for a smooth finish and to extend the longevity of your paint job.

Now you’re all set to paint!

No Time to Paint? Atherton Painting Can Help You Paint Your Home!

Our team at Atherton Painting is happy to do the job for you! Call or text James at (518) 415-5845 for your free, no-obligation estimate today!