Like with most home improvement projects, prep is vital to a successful painting experience. So, before you begin your exterior painting endeavor, take the time to be properly prepared. You don’t want to be mid exterior painting project only to discover you’ve made a critical error. Let’s take a look at what you need to do.

Exterior Painting: Improve your home’s curb appeal

Prepare the canvas

Pay attention to the canvas you’ll be painting. Paint will not stick to dirt or rough surfaces. It also will not stick to rotten siding. Take the time to properly prepare the canvas by power washing and sanding your exterior and inspecting your materials. Ensure that you have replaced any rotten wood or siding materials. Rotten materials will continue to deteriorate over time and will effectively ruin your exterior painting project. You may also need to scrape any peeling paint before you start. It is also strongly recommended that you use a primer. In fact, the proper recipe is: appl a great primer, sand then paint.

Check the weather

This tip may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s important to pay attention to the weather forecast. Not only is it important to make sure you’re choosing a series of days where there’s no rain in the forecast, you also want to pay attention to the season and time of day you’ll be completing your exterior painting project. You don’t want it to be too humid (or too cold).

Don’t go cheap

With everything costing more these days, we know it’s tempting to opt for a bargain here and there. But your exterior painting project is not the place to cheap out. Selecting a quality paint will ensure you will paint less over the years. A quality paint also adheres better and applies smoother with better coverage.

Combine the paint

If you want consistent, uniform color and coverage throughout your exterior painting project, combine your paint cans. Using something like a five-gallon-bucket, mix your smaller cans together. This is a method the pros use for better results.

Paint from top to bottom

To control streaks, start at the top and work your way down. Gravity will be working with you rather than against you when it comes to the inevitable drips.

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