Now and again, a house needs a good, professional paint job. Paint doesn’t last an eternity – it flakes, cracks, stains, fades, and generally loses its luster over years of fighting against the elements. However, getting a professional paint job doesn’t have to be a hassle – and with a few tips and a little know-how, you’ll sail right through your first fresh coat.
The first thing most people forget when it comes to exterior painting, is that exterior paint has to be a good bit tougher – and it also tends to be a good bit more prone to damage and time. Instead of simply painting over your house or building, it’s essential to first completely clean your surfaces – otherwise, the decay and unevenness of the old layers may interfere with the new coat.
To start off, you’ll need a pressure washer. Renting a pressure washer in Clarksville, TN is an option for DIYers, otherwise it’s much wiser to actually inquire the services of a professional painting company to get the job done for you. Pressure washing can be quite dangerous – after all, we’re talking about enough water pressure to scrape paint off a stone wall. Aside from simple danger, however, pressure washing requires a fundamental know-how of how different surfaces react to the water and the nozzle – the right detergent needs to be used, in combination with the proper nozzle and experienced usage.
Once the surface has been rinsed, remaining loose paint is just a matter of taking a wire brush and going ham. Scraping the remaining paint off will potentially reveal over-time damage or faults in the wall, making this the perfect opportunity to give your walls a quick check-up, and potentially a fix-up, before continuing. Surface flaws, such as shallow gashing and scratches from the scraping and pressure washing can be fixed with a quick-drying compound. You’ll have to re-apply caulk and putty around your windows and doorframes, and ensure the surrounding area is covered in tarp or cloths to catch any dropping paint.
When you’re ready, the next question is whether your walls are covered in wood, or just pure stone. Wood must be coated in primer and undercoating before you can start on exterior painting – otherwise, the paint may seal through porous parts of the individual boards. Brick or concrete surfaces are easier to deal with – choose a weather-proof paint of your choice, or contact Martin’s Quality Painting and take a local professional’s opinion.
Martin’s Quality Painting is prepared to assist you in all your painting and pre-painting needs, including prep work and clean up – all for an affordable rate. For more information visit Martinsqualitypainting.net
