Preparing to paint the exterior of one’s home is often a task that is underestimated by most homeowners. If you’re thinking of just adding another coat of paint on your existing paint without even knowing what type of product was previously applied or what type of paint you need, the entire job might be for nothing.
Fortunately, there are a lot of great tips for you to follow that would help you paint a truly beautiful home exterior. The following Highlands Ranch house painting recommendations should help you get through most of your tasks in no time.
The Most Important Preparation Work
Before you do anything else, it’s important to get all the old paint off and use sandpaper to remove even the finer, innermost layers that are left, after you scrape the old paint off.
Take great care of how you deposit and dispose of the leftover paint. Some types of older paint can have ingredients that are harmful to the environment and can also make you or your family sick, if you breathe in its dust. As a result, it’s highly recommended that you first lay down some special plastic or cloths that you can use to remove the debris, before getting started.
Once you remove the old paint, fix any damaged areas and apply the primer, all you have to do is select the right type of paint for your home. Be advised, however, that this is probably the hardest, as well as the most crucial step of them all. Choosing your new paint will not only determine the price/value ratio of your investment. It will also determine how long your new paint job will last and how much maintenance work it will require for the future.
Choosing the Right Type of Paint
Depending on what you’re looking for, there are a few great types of paint you can use. The two most well-known are oil-based paint and water-based latex paint. While both have their own unique advantages, acrylic latex paint seems to have the edge according to most experts.
If you’ve struggled in the past with oil-based paints, you might want to consider some alternatives. Oil-based products are much more difficult to use than other types of paints, and they also dry more slowly and are notoriously difficult to clean up, should you ever need to repaint your home again.
Unlike oil, water-based acrylic latex paint is far easier to apply, and it dries more quickly. Moreover, this type of paint is much easier to remove. If you want to paint over it, that task will not be too difficult either.
Nevertheless, oil-based paint has its benefits too. For instance, if you want durability, oil-based paint can provide it. Once it’s dry, water can’t damage it or make it fade. Moreover, should it be subjected to storms, hail and other elemental challenges, oil-based paint can retain its form and color more efficiently.
Ultimately, you have to decide for yourself what you want and need. If you need additional help with choosing the right type of paint and making sure you can apply it properly, simply contact one of your local contractors for additional support.