So your home is looking a bit dishevelled and dirty and you want to give it a new lease of life. If so, giving it a fresh lick of paint will do wonders, and your home will look vibrant once again when the painting is finished!
For a perfect, job it's best to call a professional in. However, if you're low on funds or you have a lot of free time, you can always paint the outside of your home yourself! Don't worry it's not rocket science, however it will take a fair bit of time and lots of elbow grease!
If you have an awkwardly shaped property with lots of nooks and crannies, your best bet is to call a professional because it is a serious and time consuming job. However, if you are feeling confident, here's a handy guide on what you need to do to ensure you paint your property like a true professional!
Plan Your Painting
When planning the painting the interior of your home, you can generally paint, whenever you feel like it. When painting the outside of your property you want to try and paint your property when the weather is cool.
Painting during a hot summer day isn't very comfortable, whereas painting in the rain will actually ruin everything. So try plan the painting of your house in the late spring/early summer or late summer/early autumn for the best effect.
Purchase Equipment
Before you begin anything make a list of the materials you need and purchase these. You also need to make sure that you have enough free days to complete all painting. When you are picking your colours, you may want to avoid dark colours. Dark colours absorb dust and you'll need to repaint your house with extra frequency as a result. If you're unsure, we'd suggest going for light and neutral colours.
You will need:
Paint
Brushes
Rollers
Old sheets
Brushes
Scrapers
Sweeping brushes
Masking tape or painters tape
Putty
A ladder
Prepare Your Property
If you have ever painted your interiors before you will know that it is essential that your walls are clean and smooth. Likewise it is important that the exterior of your home is properly prepared before any application of paint.
The exterior of your property will be a lot dirtier than the inside of your home, and you will have lots of dirt, grime and dust to clean. It might be tempting to just paint over this, but it won't look very professional.
Should you find any small holes or lumps, these will need to filled and sanded down. Flaked paint needs to be removed and rotten wood should be replaced. If you stumble across serious cracks in your exterior walls then you may need a plasterer to re-render your home.
Prior to painting, use masking tape to cover all windows and doors. Paint has an annoying tendency to drip in the exact places you don't want, so remove every precious item in your work area.
Prime Your Property
You will need to consider applying some primer to your property. If you're changing the colour of your house, primer will help you make that transition better. Forgo primer and you will have to apply a lot more paint to get your desired effect.
You will also need to use primer if you're painting masonry or bare wood. You won't have to use primer if you are simply refreshing an old property. If you're painting over a glossy surface and there are no blemishes to cover – you can also skip the primer.
Painting Your Property
Start from the top of your property when you begin and work downwards. Although you may be tempted to start from the bottom, working from the top will be a lot easier. If you are decorating at a height, whatever you do make sure the ladder or scaffolding you use is completely safe, because your health is paramount.
Painting surfaces is relatively easy, it is the edges and corners that will take up most of your time. By carefully taping all edges you will be able to get some nice straight lines. When you pull off the tape, do it slowly and carefully, so as not to remove any of your new applied paint.
If you wish to apply another coat of paint, give your property ample time to dry. When you have completed all of your painting, look after your brushes and clean them carefully, because you will save money in the long run. You won't have to buy any new brushes when you give your property a fresh lick of paint in a few years time.
If you don't have the time or inclination to paint the exterior of your property, then contact us at Hynon Painters & Decorators. We have been painting the exteriors and interiors of homes for many years now and we'd be happy to professionally paint yours too. If you're located in Croydon, Mitcham, Morden, Sutton, West Wickham, Coulsdon, Epsom, Leatherhead, New Addington, Kingston or Dulwich, get in touch with us to book a free no obligation consultation.