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Ways to make your painting project pop!
The upkeep and painting of our house siding is a big deal. There is nothing that will cause a more drastic improvement in the appearance of our house. Years can be erased from the stylistic appearance and years of longevity can be added with the well done painting project.
If only the same could be done for our bodies with a brush and can!
Painting is essentially coating the exterior siding materials with a liquid plastic (latex). It waterproofs the wood (and other materials) and seals it like a time capsule. I share this basic concept to give you a clear idea of the goal and a successful outcome when it comes to painting.
DID I WATER PROOF THE MATERIALS?
– the question that leads to a successful outcomeMake it pop suggestion #1
Get to it! Most paint is of marginal quality. This includes paint applied by new construction builders and budget-conscious do-it-yourselfers. I estimate re-painting in 7-10 years if well applied. Darker colors tend to fade more quickly than lighter colors and the paint on the south side of the house will fade earliest with year round sun exposure. The longer you wait the more prep work that will be required. Peeling paint must be pressure washed and scraped to ensure all loose materials are removed. Peeling paint often means that areas of rot have set in and siding will need to be replaced. When paint color is fading or areas starting to peel and chip, it is time! The longer you put it off the costlier and longer the process will be.
Make it pop suggestion #2
Don’t scrimp on the paint. The cost of the product is small compared to the overall personal energy spent or labor cost. You might be able to save yourself $400-$800 with cheaper big box store brands or contractor grades. But in 5-7 years you’ll start noticing the paint brightness fading and shortly after that you’ll be doing it all over again. With my suggestion the better quality paints from a supplier like Sherwin Williams will add 4-5 years of life to your paint and significant cost savings over the project.
Make it pop suggestion #3
Plan time for the whole project. Painting seems like a simple project – part of it is! However, applying the paint is a small part of the project. 75% of the work is actually in the prep and clean-up. This is why many are glad to hire a contractor to do the work. Do not cut short the prep time. Last year I painted a barn on my property that needed re-painting ten years previous! I spent almost a month scraping, replacing boards and re-caulking to prepare it. It’s hard to explain progress to your wife when the barn look splotchier and splotchier with every passing day. The painting itself took a few hours for each coat and was finished after about 8 hours total. Painting is simple. Prep is not.
Then there is the clean-up… everyone hates this part of the work! Some things can be done to speed this up (latex gloves, taping edges, etc.) but there is no silver bullet to shortening clean-up. Quality brushes cost $15-30 and roller naps are about $5 each. Sprayers must be carefully cleaned. Poorly cleaned equipment is expensive to replace. Dried paint is a bear to clean up compared to wet paint. Perhaps you could save some time by having help with clean-up!
Make it pop suggestion #4
Get the right equipment for the job. If a paint sprayer is in the budget go for it. Practice a bit with it to perfect your technique. This means that you’ll want to start in a less obvious area rather than at the very front of your house. Or find a big empty card board box to spray in.
Be sure you have plenty of good rollers, extension poles that will reach every corner, paint buckets, good quality brushes, clean up rags, gloves and the rest of it. If you think you need two of something, double it! You can always return unused items. There is nothing more frustrating than having to pause a project midway to rush to the store, especially when wet paint is drying and time is precious.
Get quality ladders and scaffolding. They might seem cumbersome or you might be think you can save some bucks with a little creative improvisation. Far too many household accidents happen on ladders. And the last thing you need to be distracted by is your balance while applying paint in an over-extended reach. Ladder falls are show stoppers and the only show stopper ought to be that amazing looking house!
Make it pop suggestion #5
Key grips are essential in filming movies and painting projects. Have someone who can help you move things, hold ladders, pick up what you dropped and double the speed of clean up. I also find that doing something with someone is always an encouraging and expanding experience. Furthermore, as much as it is annoying it is also helpful to have someone say, “You missed a spot.”
Make it pop suggestion #6
Play some music! Get some good playlists and budget for a good speaker that will let everyone know how fun it is to paint at your house. Who knows, maybe you’ll have Tom Sawyer success with the neighbors painting your house as you supervise!
