Step-By-Step Process Of Painting The Exterior Of A House
If you're the new homeowner of a house that has a dark exterior color that you abhor, hire a painting contractor to paint the house a color that you love. If you're considering taking on this project yourself, it's better to hire a professional painting contractor to do it for you instead. Here's the step-by-step process of what will be done by a contractor so you can see how much work is involved.
Test the Existing Paint for Lead
Before work can begin on the project, the existing paint will need to be tested to see if it contains lead. Exposure to dust from removing lead paint can cause serious illness. Even though the surface is on the exterior of the home, the person who works to prepare the surface for new paint will need to take precautions to protect themselves from lead paint exposure. A professional painting contractor will have the necessary protective gear for such a task, as well as the kit to conduct the test.
Preparing & Painting the Surface
The entire surface of the exterior of your home will need to be prepared before it can be painted. To do this, the old paint will need to be scraped to remove it. Sometimes, chemicals are necessary to use in order to dissolve the old paint. Of course, a painting contractor will have the proper chemicals to use and will know how to effectively use them to remove the old paint. In some cases, grinders are used to remove the old paint which, again, a contractor will have readily available with the knowledge and experience to use so as to not cause any damage to the underlying surface.
After as much of the old paint as possible has been removed, a power washer will be used to clean the walls. A professional strength power washer is preferred for this task. After the surface has been pressure washed and allowed to dry, cracks, gaps, and holes will need to be filled in with a filler. Next, the filler will need to be sanded to a smooth surface so those areas will be unnoticeable under the new paint. Primer will be applied as the next step, often in several layers to cover up any remnants of the dark paint. After the primer has dried, the painting contractor will then paint the exterior by applying several coats of paint in the color of your choice.
For more information on residential painting, contact a professional near you.