There are a number of exterior painting tips that you can follow to make the painting process much easier on yourself. Whether you are looking to add a fresh layer of paint to the exterior of your home, touch up an exposed wall, protect your pipes that are out in the open, adding a finish to the patio, or any other project, there are exterior painting tips to help you along the way.
The first of the universal exterior painting tips is to get a roll of masking tape. If it is a larger project, get a lot of masking tape. Masking tape is incredibly useful in covering up any objects that are in the path of your paintbrush but cannot be removed. This includes, but is not limited to, any sort of hook, doorknob or light fixture. Use masking tape to completely cover any of these types of objects to prevent paint from going where it does not belong.
Another important but often overlooked painting tip is to plan the project out before you begin. Think about where you are going to start painting, and give yourself an estimated time frame. If you are an inexperienced painter, then however long you estimate the project will take, you should probably add a few hours to it. Painting thoroughly takes time and it is not as simple as just one brush stroke. Think about all the tools you will need. Are there going to be hard to reach corners that a large paintbrush or paint roller will not be able adequately cover? If this is the case, then you should purchase a smaller, finer detail paintbrush. Take a look around first and assess all tools you will need. This is one of the most simple, but best exterior painting tips there are, and taking a quick inspection will save you a lot of time in the long run.
If you are going to be painting anything close to the ground, you will want to make sure it is clean first. Bacteria, fungus, mold and other types of damage are very common on sidings of homes, so you will want to inspect thoroughly first. If you do find some damage or mold, painting over it will not solve the problem. You should wash off any excessive dirt of the aforementioned issues prior to laying down some paint.
Another one of the most important exterior painting tips is to take into consideration the weather over the next couple days. Regardless of the project it is not wise to start painting on a Saturday when the forecast for Saturday night is rain. Be aware of the upcoming weather conditions and prepare for it accordingly. If you are painting a tool shed today and know it is going to rain tomorrow, be prepared by purchasing paints that will dry faster and get a tarp as well. Certain types of paints take a little more time to settle, so be organized and have a tarp on hand just in case your area gets some expected (or unexpected) rainfall.