A fresh coat of paint can revive, protect and beautify the exterior walls of your home. Whether you decide to go with a professional or choose to do it yourself, it is important to get it right!
Consider the following 9 steps to ensure you have beautiful and long-lasting results!
1. Measure out your walls
You need to know how much surface area you need to paint, so you can make sure to buy enough paint. You can check the square meter coverage of the container of paint on the label. This will save you from having to make a paint run mid-coat.
2. Gather your materials
Choose quality materials like top quality paint and primer and high-quality rollers paint brushes and trays. Higher quality paint, which will usually be more expensive, will last longer. Ensure you use the right kind of paint that is recommended for exterior walls, as this is a different type of paint with a different finish to paint that is recommended for interior home walls.
3. Clean your walls
Grab a scrubbing brush, a bucket of warm water and a nonabrasive all-purpose cleaner like sugar soap and scrub down your walls. Scrubbing the walls of dirt and debris will help to ensure a perfect and lasting finish.
4. Remove loose paint
Grab your scraper and remove any old and loose paint that’s flaking off. It is unlikely that you‘ll need to scrape off all the old paint just enough to make sure that your new layer of paint will stick to the wall. So, make sure that the wall is smooth and clean once you are done and that no flakes are left present on the wall.
5. Repair any cracks or holes
Make use of a putty knife and Polyfilla to seal any cracks or holes which may exist. Let the filler dry. Once that is done, sand it down and clean off the dust. Make sure the area is clean and dry before moving to the next step.
6. Wait for temperate weather
Avoid painting during blistering hot, humid, windy or wet weather. In the case of hot weather, your paint will dry too quickly, which may cause your paint job to blister. Painting during windy weather would also damage your paint job. Humid or wet weather may interfere with the paint adhering to the wall leading to bubbles in your paint and should be avoided. Cold weather may cause the paint to take a longer time to dry, increasing the chances of damage to your paint job. Spring and autumn in South Africa is often a good time of the year to paint your exterior walls.
7. Cover and protect
Cover any nearby decks, gardens, walkways, patios, gutter pipes, or external furniture you may have with drop sheets to protect everything from stray splatters of paint. This will also make any clean up required easier.
8. Prime your walls
If your wall is still dusty or sandy after you’ve cleaned it, it is a good idea to apply an exterior masonry wall primer. This will make sure your paint job looks great and lasts as long as possible!
9. Paint your walls
Start at the top and work your way down. Use your small brushes to paint corners and edges and then grab the roller to paint your larger areas. Make sure that you complete one wall in one go, otherwise there may be a visible line between a new and old section. Two coats of paint are usually recommended. Two coats will have greater durability, protection and washability. You will also be guaranteed to have the true colour show through clearly and retain its vibrance over a long period of time.
Your local professional painter will be able to give you all the advice that you need as well as be a helping hand, so if this is a job that is too big for you,
find a painter in your area! A job well done will last years and save you money in comparison to a botched DIY.