Windermere Exterior Painters
Updating the exterior paint on your home is one of the best and fastest ways to impact the appearance of your home. If you’ve been thinking that your home exterior has become a little lack-luster and it’s been years since you’ve done some painting on the exterior, then perhaps it’s time to consider giving your home a fresh coat of paint on the outside. There are many modern coatings and tools that have made painting the outside of your home even better than before. Here are some great tips to help you get the most out of your paint job.
Choosing the Right Color and Finish
Choosing the correct exterior color and finish can be a tricky task. Especially if you don’t have a natural talent for style and decoration. The trick here is to not try to innovate and come up with something original. More often than not, trying something “different” results in disappointment and additional expenses if you’re willing to re-do or fix your paint job. Otherwise, you may just have to live with it! To avoid this costly mistake, take some time to find examples of your home’s style. Home decor websites and magazines are incredibly popular. Use these to your advantage, take a look through these free resources to identify colors and schemes that match the style of your house and look attractive to you. Often times, the magazine will have a paint code associated with the products they feature for you to easily copy down and bring to your local paint shop. Another great resource can be found on paint manufacturer websites. Many allow you to upload images of your home and virtually test different colors directly on your home. These tools are usually very simple to use and do not take a lot of skill or time. It is highly recommended that you purchase the best paint you can afford. Good paint is a very worthwhile investment and can result in big savings down the road. High quality paints last longer and cover more surface using less paint! There are several main types of paints. Water-based latex and oil-based alkyd are two of the most common types of exterior paint. The most popular of the latex paints is acrylic latex which is an excellent choice for exterior painting. However, when it comes to wooden surfaces such as steps and porches or steel railings oil paint is a better choice.
Preparing the Exterior and Using the Right Tools
The most common mistake homeowners who do their own painting make is doing a poor job preparing the surface. This is a key part of making sure your paint last as long as possible. Paint will not adhere to surfaces that are not cleaned well. This means you need to do a very thorough job scraping off old paint then sanding, drying and cleaning any remaining spots. If there is any rotten wood discovered along the way, this needs to be replaced. This is where the right tools and equipment is absolutely crucial. From pressure washers and power washers to power sanders, there is a multitude of tools you will need access to in order to properly clean and prepare the surface. If you do not own this equipment, your local hardware store will be your first stop. Often times you will find they rent out such equipment.
Should You Do It Yourself?
This is one of the key questions most homeowners will be asking when faced with such a project as painting their home. Depending how large and complicated the exterior of your home is you may find this an overwhelming project to do yourself. As mentioned above, you will need an extensive list of equipment in order to do this job properly. If you need to purchase or rent this equipment, your project will almost certainly result in costing more than just hiring pros to take care of this for you. Beyond considering the cost, it is important to remember that having an expert paint your home will result in a longer lasting paint job that you can enjoy for many years. Professionals are not only able to make the job look great for much longer, but they are also able to make everything come together much faster.
Painting the exterior of your home is an excellent way to refresh your home. Whether you do so for yourself or in order to bring up the value of your home when you try to sell it, painting your home is an excellent idea in order to protect it for many years to come. If you’re not sure where to start with your home painting project, consider speaking with your friendly Windermere contractors who will be more than happy to help consult you through the complex world of paints and painting equipment.