The majority of homeowners typically do not hire exterior painters until at least every decade or so. It is easy to forget what to look at, or never know at all, that gap.
The result? Many paints that appear okay in October begin to peel in March. Frothing up the window frames. Boards of fascia that had never been prepped. Colours that had made so much sense when placed on a small chip, and were totally out of place when they went across a whole wall.
All of these are inevitable. They nearly always can be traced to the same few errors – hurrying the hiring procedure, cheating on preparation, and grabbing paint without the slightest idea of what the job really requires.
This guide provides what really counts on painting the exterior of a house: how to prepare and what paint to use, how to screen the contractor and what to look at before the workmen are done and gone.
So, why do Exterior Painters Work in Conditions other than you thought?
It is not the same thing as interior work; it is a different discipline of painting the outside of a house. The variables are less controllable, and there is less room for error.
Indoors, the temperature and the humidity remain fairly constant. Outside, a crew is working with UV exposure, wind, moisture and in cold climates freeze-thaw cycles that force water directly through paint unless it was applied properly. Wood swells and shrinks with the seasons. The paint on improperly cleaned or primed surfaces will not survive even the best quality paint for a year or two.
This is all figured out before even an experienced exterior painter opens a can. They understand the type of products that work in cold weather. They understand that they should not paint when the temperatures are going to go down overnight. They know that how a surface appears to them prior to them beginning to do anything with it is as important as anything they do to it afterwards.
A corner-cutter will not consider any of that. They will present you with a quote, complete the job quickly, and be off before the issues manifest.
The job is won or lost based on preparation
Inquire any experienced house painter what the difference is between a job of paint that stands the test of time and one that doesn’t, and the reply is nearly always the same: preparation.
Any paint put over a dirty, cracked or inadequately primed surface will not work, no matter how good the paint is. Prep work on a competent job can be as long as the painting. That is normal. That is what you are paying for, also.
What is really involved in proper prep
- Power washing all the exterior to get the old paint off with dirt, mildew and chalking.
- All scraping and sanding of areas where old paint is peeling, cracking, or lifting.
- Caulking of all windows, doors, trim, and other places where two types of material come together.
- Priming bare wood or any other surface that has not been painted previously, or where paint has been removed to bare material.
- Shielding windows, plants and fixtures against drips and overspray.
One easy method of screening contractors: have them take you through their prep process in detail. A well-trained crew will have a definite and precise answer. Whoever answers vaguely or in haste is telling you something to listen to.
weather and time are of more significance than is generally supposed.
The vast majority of exterior paints require temperatures to remain above about 10 o C (50 o F) to cure. Acquiring paint under cold or wet conditions will never bind as desired, and the damage may not be detected until the new season.
In the climates of Canada and the northern US, exterior work is usually best done during spring and early fall. A contractor who insists on commencing a job in borderline conditions to meet a deadline is not making a decision in your favour.
The Right Paint for the Right Job
You do not have to be a specialist in paint chemistry, but having a little knowledge will enable you to have more helpful conversations with contractors and prevent being led to something that is inappropriate to your home.
Most residential exteriors are made of acrylic latex
It is much quicker to dry than oil-based paint, it keeps colour longer, and it washes off in water. Unless some reason exists to do a different course of action, some wood surfaces, such as acrylic latex, are generally the correct choice for a residential exterior job.
Equal the lustre to the surface
- Flat or matte finishes are desired on siding, as they conceal blemishes on the surface.
- Satin or semi-gloss is stronger on trim, on doors and where there is more contact or moisture.
- The right sheen in the right place will give the finished result the appearance of someone who cared, rather than merely painted.
A better long-term investment is quality paint
High-quality exterior paints are more expensive per can. They also wear better, need fewer coats and last the years longer until they fade or peel. In the entire life of the paint job, an increased cost in initial materials nearly always pays off.
Choosing a Colour That Photographs in the Real House
Colour is where most house owners get into trouble, not being poor taste, but simply because small paint chips are false. What appears to be a soft and neutral shade on a card in the store can appear totally different when it is on a full wall in the middle of a sunny day.
Some tips that can really assist in colour choice
- Test swatches of large size on the house itself. Choose at least one square of your top two or three options that is at least 30 cm square, and observe it in the morning, noon, and on a cloudy day. The colours change considerably with the light.
- Consider the fixed elements. Whatever colour you select is framed by your roof, your stonework and your hardscape surroundings. A colour challenging your roof is going to feel off each time you drive into the driveway.
- Think through the trim, separately. A carefully considered trim colour accentuates the entire appearance of the house and highlights architectural features, which are often rendered flat by the use of a single body colour.
- Take the neighbourhood into consideration. Being dramatically different from the rest of the houses in the area is not a bad thing as such, but it is worth considering, particularly when you think of resale.
Vetting a Contractor Before Signing Anything
There will be plenty of people who will accept money to paint a house. Very few give it their all, and the result is. The difference between the two is broader than any homeowner would imagine until they have tried both.
In comparing contractors, it is also useful to consider the way experienced exterior painters organise their preparation process and quotes. House painting companies normally specify their prep work, materials, coats to be used, and their warranty in writing. Homeowners can find it useful to consider the approaches of well-established teams when considering exterior painting work as a way of screening other contractors.
Request a written quote regarding the item
An ambiguous quote, a single number, no division, is an alarm bell. To describe the amount of prep work done, the number of coats applied, the products used, and the appearance of the job after it is finished should all be included in a complete quote. How much work is detailed is usually the energy taken in the work.
Check insurance prior to investing
Outside labour includes ladders, scaffolding and humans working near your residence. Any reputable contractor is insured by liability and workers’ compensation. Ask for documentation. An honourable crew will not be shy to offer it.
Go beyond the star rating
Reviews on the Internet are a beginning, not the end. In talking directly with a contractor, inquire how long they have been in the business of doing exterior work, whether they have ever painted houses with your sort of siding, whether they carry a warranty, and, with a warranty, what the warranty includes.
Get at least three quotes
Three quotes provide you with a realistic price range of what the job should cost and what a complete scope of work would look like. When a bid is very low compared to others, there is almost always something omitted. The idea is not the lowest price, but the optimum.
What to observe as the work commences
Most homeowners allow a crew to work once they have a crew on site. That is reasonable. However, it does make a difference to remain somewhat active at crucial locations.
Check out at the end of prep, and start painting
Take a walk-around with the crew and inspect the surfaces prior to the addition of paint. Are the cracks filled? Are bare sections primed? Is caulking on the windows and door? It takes two minutes to catch a gap at this stage. After two layers of paint have been slapped on it, it is another topic altogether.
Do a final walkthrough
Go round the whole perimeter with the crew before the crew packs up. Edges of checks, stripes, and vicinities of fixtures and vents. Indicate any oddities or omissions. It is easy to touch something up when the crew are still on site. Two weeks later, it is hardly as smooth.
Minor Repairs that Prolong the Life of the Work
An exterior paint job that was well done does not require attention all the time. Some simple maintenance, however, can extend its life by a number of years.
- Clean the siding at least once a year using a sprinkler-like spray of water to remove mildew and dirt, as well as accumulated debris that causes a decrease in the quality of paint.
- Test the caulking so often, particularly between windows and doors. When it starts to crack or pull, reseal it in advance of winter.
- Touch up minor chips or bare spots in their infancy and not when they have extended to others.
The Right Exterior Painters Change the lives of others permanently
Most homeowners do not often repaint the exterior of a home. When it is mentioned, the stakes are high, both in terms of cost, in curb appeal and in terms of how well the house is insulated against the elements in the next 10 years or so.
The distinction between a paint job that will stand and one that falls short probably does not depend on the lucky draw. It is all a matter of preparation, the quality of the material, and the individuals doing it. The surest way to guard that investment is to take time to screen the person you are hiring, pose the right questions and keep involved throughout the process.
When you discover exterior painters who respect prep, who can express themselves well and who can defend what they have done, the result is likely to speak volumes. And so does how long it lasts.
