Exterior Painting

Exterior paint color choices

The color scheme that is chosen for the home creates the initial impression that an individual has of the premises as a whole. Whether complimentary or unflattering colors are selected, the house will gain an identity of its own when the paint is applied. There are many times that a homeowner misses opportunities to accentuate positive attributes that the home has to offer by failing to choose the best exterior paint colors.

Picking exterior house paint colors is a lot different than picking a color for a shirt or a car. It may help to drive around to observe colors that other homeowners have combined on homes that are of similar size and design as yours. There are also online resources that provide homeowners with the ability to create virtual makeovers of their home by combining colors together through their software

programs as well.

Take surrounding landscaping into consideration

If you have ornamental or colorful trees, shrubbery or floral selections around your home you should figure their colors into the color scheme selection that is made. These landscaping attributes will have an effect on how appealing the property is as a whole throughout the year. Homes that have a great deal of trees can make the property darker and cast shadows onto the home. Individuals will want to avoid darker colors for these situations.

Accentuate the home's attractive details

Every home has details that can be accentuated for amazing looking visual appeal and first impressions. The key is to not make the wrong details stand out. Entryways, windows, shutters and other details on the home can be painted to make their design noticeable. However features such as gutters, downspouts, external air conditioning systems, unevenly proportioned windows and protruding garage doors should not be completed to draw attention to them as this will provide a negative results.

Consider colors of the home that cannot be changed

There are permanent features of the home that have their own colors which cannot be changed when painting the exterior of the home but can have a dramatic satisfaction level that is experienced when the painting is completed. Roofing shingles, paving blocks, concrete surfaces, stones and other such features are prime examples of the colors that should be considered when selecting your exterior color scheme for the home. Homeowners can work off of these colors to make a home that looks uniform and luxurious when the exterior painting is complete.

Using color to mitigate flaws

When selecting a color scheme for the home’s exterior homeowners can choose color options that will correct flaws that they may feel exist with their home and property. Some examples include utilizing two shades of a single color to make a home appear appropriately sized when the home may be too large or too tall. To accomplish this effect individuals will want to place the darker tone on the upper level of the home’s exterior. Smaller windows can appear more proportionately sized by trimming them in a lighter tone of paint. Darker colors make a space or feature appear smaller. The same effect can be obtained for homes positioned further away from a curb. By using lighter tones the home will not feel camouflaged.

House painting preparation

Homeowners often do their own painting because it's a more accessible skill than, say, roofing or electrical repair. But one of the most common mistakes amateur exterior house painters make is failing to properly prepare the surface to be painted.

If there is any peeling — and there usually is somewhere — it's essential to scrape off any loose paint. This doesn't just mean the parts that are already separated from the wood and ready to fall off on their own. Each spot where paint has peeled loose needs to be scraped thoroughly until you can no longer get the sharp corner of a putty knife under any of the surrounding edges of paint. Then, the bare spot needs to be sanded until the paint edges are smooth.

If you're not willing to put in this type of effort, hire an exterior house painter. Otherwise you will invest time and money into a paint job that won't last.

After scraping all loose paint, use a high pressure washer to remove dirt, debris and mold that are common on all homes. Any area on the home’s exterior that shows signs of rot or damage should be replaced before painting begins. Any bare wood from peeling or repairs should be primed before it is painted.

In addition to preparing the painting surface, you also need to protect the surrounding area from paint splatter or other damage from the work.

Protect your home by following these tips:

1. Cover air conditioning units, landscaping and other surfaces close to the work area with drop cloths, old sheets or blankets.

2. Tape windows and doors.

3. Remove accessories such as light fixtures, doorbells, shutters, mailboxes and other detailed features. You can put them back on after the job is done.

4. If bushes or other plants are close to the surface area to be painted, trim them back or tie them with twine to allow space to work and to keep them from touching the paint while it's wet.