|
How
To Paint The Exterior Of Your Home Yourself in the
Shreveport and Bossier City, La.
by Donald
Thomas |
There is no one single move that can help transform the exterior
of
your home quite like getting it painted. A fresh coat of paint can
really give the exterior of your home a real boost and if it does not
increase the value of your home it will certainly help it retain its
market value at the very least.
Over time due to the elements and it's natural aging process your house
exterior can really begin to deteriorate and it can be quite
visual, and that is known as "negative curb appeal". Negative curb
appeal can drastically effect the market value of your home and at the
same time your house
exterior surfaces or substrates
could really be in
serious trouble through weatherization and insect infestation.
It's imperative that all rotten and damaged wood be removed and
replaced immediately before it begins to spread its rot to other areas.
Small repairs left undone will certainly turn into larger repairs if
continued to remain unrepaired. Time and time again I have seen small
repairs left unrepaired turn into more expensive repair work
that
could have been avoided if the problem would have been corrected
immediately.
Keeping your home's exterior well maintained doesn't really cost you
money; instead, it saves you money. And truth be told keeping your home
exterior well maintained in many cases will earn you money because the
value of your home is more likely to increase when it is kept in great
condition as opposed to allowing it to fall into a state of disrepair.
The first step I recommend when it comes to painting the exterior of
your home yourself is to make sure all your exterior
substrates/surfaces are cleaned thoroughly by pressure
washing
them.
You can rent a pressure washer from your neighborhood hardware store,
rental store, and/or home improvement stores. Be sure they demonstrate
to you how to safely operate the equipment before you take it home and
fire it up. Always follow all safety rules and regulations and feel
free to contact the place you rented it from if you have any questions
whatsoever.
A pressure washer is a great piece of equipment to help you clean the
exterior of your home; however, it can be a deadly piece of equipment
in the wrong hands. Operating a pressure washer in the wrong way is a
guaranteed formula for disaster! So follow all manufactuers'
instructions as well as the instructions and guidelines given by the
representative from the place you rented the equipment.
After the house has completely dried check it over for any loose and
damaged boards/wood before you proceed. If you find any be sure and
remove and replace it before you start painting the house. Before
painting you need to prepare the substrates/surfaces first. This
particular aspect of house painting is referred to as preparation.
Preparation is getting the house substrates/surfaces ready and worthy
to receive paint. If you have old caked up paint on wood it should be
sanded down manually or mechanically (power/electric sanders) to a
smooth and even surface. Old caked-up and built-up paint can really be
unsightly to say the least; so sand the wood down ever so carefully.
Flaking and peeling paint should be scraped off before sanding ,
followed by priming. All new and bare wood must be primed before
painting. Whether you choose to use a latex primer or an oil base
primer just make sure it is a (premium) quality top of the line primer.
In my opinion, a good primer is worth its weight in gold, and that's
because it will seal the wood and at the same time offer great adhesion
for the oncoming paint to stick to.
After the substrates/surfaces have been well primed then I start
caulking all gaps and spackling all holes respectively. Using quality
products will certainly help facilitate a job that will stand up to the
test of time; on the other hand using cheap products will almost always
end in failure, so be aware and beware of trying to cut corners and
save a dollar here and there. It could come back to haunt you at the
worst possible time.
Preparation can take up to 50 or even 75% of the time needed to paint
your house; that is, if it is prepared properly. Skimping on this
particular phase of house painting is like the kiss of death. You are
really throwing good money down the drain by not doing the best
possible job you can do here. This isn't the area to cut back on and if
you do it will come back to hunt you down and let you know it...and
sometimes very, very quickly too. I cannot over express the need for
quality preparation work when it comes to painting your home, so give
it your best and when this stage is over and done with relax and pop
the top on a six pack of ice cold soft drinks and maybe fire up the
grill with a couple of New York steaks--or ballpark franks?
When it comes to exterior
painting or interior
painting
as well, I
like
to strategically lay out the plan on how I'm going to approach the job
and what would be the most expidient way to get it done. And you can
believe in the summer I try to work on the opposite side of where the
sun is shining. Here in sweet Louisiana it can really get
"Hot"
in the summer, and you really need a good game plan if you plan on
doing some exterior painting. Whether you choose to work in the morning
and/or evenings you must respect the heat beacause not only can it
create problems with your paint job but it can cause you to suffer a
heat stroke, so be very, very careful and proceed with caution.
When it comes to actually painting your house my only instruction is to
be careful and try to avoid accidents and injuries. Do the best you can
and be observant as you work and mentally note everything and use those
notes to help you make quick adjustments to do a better job. The way
you use a roller; hold a paint brush, and so forth is as personal as
making a gumbo. There is no one way to do this and one way to do that.
Find out what is comfortable to you and have-at-it. My only request is
that you should try to do a neat job; after all, this is your house and
your work on display, so try to reflect that it all that you do. It
doesn't take a gifted artist with years of formative training to paint
a house. With just basic instructions and common sense you can do a
good job the first time.
If you have a problem standing on ladders, scaffolding, or even step
ladders you should call in a reputable contractor to do the job. Safety
should be placed above possibly saving a few dollars. And if your
health is questionable please call a contractor instead of
risking your well being trying to do the job youself; it's
just
not worth it.
In closing, all ways employ good common sense when implementing any
type of home
improvement project, especially
where the risk of injury
or worse is a real possibly. Thanks and I wish you the best.
Disclaimer:
The author
of this article assumes no responsibility for any and all injuries that
might occur due to the content of this article or any other article
written by him. This article is for the sole purpose of informing and
entertaining. Please contact a reputable contractor in your area. Thank
you.
Call
(318) 746-1810 or (318) 677-9055 (American
Painting and
Pressure Cleaning, Inc.)
for all your drywall/sheetrock repair projects. We also offer
carpentry
repairs; kitchen
cabinets staining and varnishing; kitchen cabinets painting; exterior
(doors) staining and varnishing; deck restoration and rejuvenation;
drywall (sheetrock) finishing; drywall (sheetrock) installation;
drywall (sheetrock) texturing; popcorn
ceiling removal; plaster restoration and plaster repairs; historic home
restoration and repairs plus flooring.
We are also interior residential
(house) painters as well as exterior residential (house) painters and
so much more. For almost thirty years we have been providing homeowners
and commercial property owners with quality craftsmanship along with
down home friendly service. Thanks Shreveport. Thanks Bossier City.
Thanks Minden and all the surrounding areas. If you currently reside in
the Minden area just pick up the phone and give us a call at (318) 371-1005.
Thnanks, Donald
Thomas. |
| American
Painting and
Pressure Cleaning, Inc. also
provides quality craftsmanship along with friendly down home service to
the following areas: Keithville, Frierson, Stonewall, Mansfield,
Blanchard, Vivian, Benton, Haughton, Plain Dealing, Haughton, Bossier
Parish, Cotton Valley, Sarepta, Sprighill, Shongaloo, Heflin, Dubberly,
Sibley, Webster Parish, Homer, Haynesville, Claiborne Parish, Lisbon,
Athens, Arcadia, Ringgold,
Gibsland, Beinville Parish, Arcadia, Grambling,
Ruston, Simmsport, and Lincoln Parish. |
|
|
|
For
almost three decades American
Painting and Pressure Cleaning, Inc.
has been assisting homeowners as well as commercial property owners
with their repairs and upgrades. Contact us today for an
estimate and consultation. |
|
American
Painting
and Pressure Cleaning, Inc.
"Where
Quality Is Not An Option"
Call
(318) 746-1810 or (318) 677-9055
|
exterior
painting
interior painting
staining and varnishing
drywall/sheetrock repair
plaster repair
carpentry repair
flooring (ceramic tile,
porcelain, travertine, marble, engineered wood
and laminate) installation |
 |
|
