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Is it time to upgrade your curb appeal?
Painting your house will help that curb appeal go a long way! If you have the time and the patience, you can save money and increase your home’s value this fall by painting it yourself. If you decide to paint, we’d like to give you some tips and tricks to make the process go as smoothly as possible.
Tip #1: Grab the right tools.
Depending on the materials your exterior is made of, you’ll need different tools. Some things everyone will want are a good 4” flat paint brush, a sturdy paint sprayer (this is one of our favorites), and lots of tape and plastic wrap (see tip #5).
Tip #2: Grab your paint.
If you are taking on the challenge of painting your house, you probably already know you need to choose an exterior paint. But did you know there are two different kinds of exterior paint? When you are deciding which paint to go with, you can choose between latex paint and oil-based paint.
Latex Overview
- Easy to apply and dries quickly
- Durable and resistant to sunlight
Oil Based Overview
- Very durable and water-resistant
- Often used by professional painters
TIP: Use Oil-based paint when painting over existing oil-based paint. If you apply latex paint over oil-based paint, it will peel.
Tip #3: Caulk and seal windows.
Once you’re ready to get the job started, don’t forget to check all of the seals on your windows and doors. Grab some caulk and sealant to keep paint debris from entering your home (bonus: this will also help save on your electric and gas bills when heating and cooling your home).
Tip #4: Pressure wash your walls.
Now it’s time to rent, buy, or borrow a pressure washer to do some heavy-duty cleaning! Pressure washing your walls will remove dirt and grime from your exterior, making paint stick smoothly and easily.
Tip #5: Tape everything.
Tape everything (And when we say everything, we mean everything!). Anything you don’t want to get paint on it needs to be covered up. Hinges, windows, lights, trim, gutters — you name it, it should be covered up, especially if you intend to spray most of your exterior. Spray goes everywhere, so you’ll want complete coverage over everything the paint could touch that you don’t want painted. The easiest way to do this is by grabbing a roll of plastic sheeting and some painters tape.
Feeling ready? Stop by Godwin Hardware for all of your supplies and tag us in your before and after pics on Facebook and Instagram.