House painting in San Ramon is a cost-effective way to update your home’s curb appeal without ever having to resort to expensive renovations. It sounds as if it is a miracle – something as simple as a fresh coat of paint will dramatically transform your home’s look.
Only it is no miracle. It takes the right materials and proper procedures to achieve the paint finish that every homeowner desires – solid, smooth, and durable; meant to last for many years.
If a DIY painter uses the right paints and tools and follows the proper procedures, he or she can achieve the almost-perfect paint finish. But if you don’t have the time or the skill to do a big painting project, such as painting the exteriors, you can leave that to professionals. Not only will it save you from stress, but it will also save you money in the long run. The high-quality work that these professionals render will last for many years, so there is no need for re-painting.
If you otherwise choose to paint the exteriors by yourself, you have to consider the following steps:
1. Clean the walls
To ensure the best coverage, cleaning the walls is the first step. A bucket of water and a clean rag would be fine. But if the walls have a build-up of dust, dirt, and soot, it’s ideal to use a pressure washer. Work your way from top to bottom in a controlled, smooth manner, overlapping each spray by eight inches.
2. Repair surface flaws
Walk around the entire perimeter of your home to inspect the walls for any holes, cracks, or fissures. Fill them with epoxy filler using a spackling knife. Allow the epoxy filler to dry. Once dry, lightly sand the excess using a medium-grit sandpaper or sanding block.
3. Remove loose paint
If the paint is cracked or peeling, remove it using a paint scraper or a medium-grit sandpaper or sanding block. Make sure that you have placed drop cloths along the ground to catch scraped old paint and specks of dust.
4. Caulk any gaps
If there are cracks around windows, doors, plumbing, or pipes, fill them with exterior caulk.
5. Prime the surface
Priming the surface is useful for many reasons. It helps the topcoat to adhere better to the surface. A stain-blocking primer is ideal for surfaces that have visible stains or wood knots, for example. Apply one coat of primer on your walls using a regular paintbrush. Allow the primer to dry.
6. Protect lights, doors, windows, and any other fixtures
Cover doors, windows, and lighting fixtures using plastic sheeting and a painter’s tape (not any other tape).
7. Paint the exterior
Once the primer is dry, you may now start to paint. Regarding the right types of paint, it’s better to look for the specially formulated for exterior surfaces, such as exterior flat or eggshell. Semi-gloss paint is acceptable, too. If you’re using a paintbrush, there is a right way of loading paint onto it. Don’t load the paintbrush up to its ferrule. Instead, load your brush about 1/3 or halfway into the paint. Loading your brush this way will keep your hands clean from dripping paint. Allow the excess paint to drip into the can for a while, then lightly tap both sides of the brush against the paint’s interior wall, instead of on the lip of the can (which can be very messy). Start painting by long, smooth strokes – remember to paint your way from top to bottom. Painting in this direction also allows you to check the walls for dripping paint.
But if you’re painting larger surfaces, the best possible option is spraying paint. You can load the paint into the paint sprayer or buy ready-to-use aerosol paint. As you are spraying paint onto the walls, work your way from top to bottom. Make sure to keep your spraying in control.
8. Paint trim and doors
Remove the painter’s tape and plastic sheeting from doors, windows, and lighting fixtures. Apply trim, doors, and other woodwork with two coats of semi-gloss paint using a paintbrush. Remove drop cloths.
You don’t have to make huge changes to your home’s exterior to improve its looks. Painting the exterior can make a big difference. The painting company you use for house painting in San Ramon can give you the results you desire.