If you plan to buy a new home, you may be thinking about financial responsibility. You may also consider the time and labor associated with home ownership. You plan to keep your home in shape with regular maintenance. House painting your San Ramon home can help you keep your home looking good.
Whenever you paint a house, you can change its appearance from so-so to extraordinary! It also helps increase the property values and can be helpful if you plan to sell your home in the future. House painting is much more than applying a new coat of paint. It also requires some planning before beginning to paint. When it is done right, you can see results that are worth the time and effort.
Take time to prepare the surfaces.
Prepping all surfaces is one of the most crucial steps for a paint job. Taking the time to wash, repair, sand, and prime (optional) first will ensure you see the results you want.
Why is preparing the surface so important? It is one of the factors that will help achieve a smooth and durable finish. If you fail to prepare the walls, the paint you have purchased may not adhere properly to the surface, which can ruin the paint job and cost you money to fix.
But prepping is more than getting the surfaces ready to be painted. It also includes preparing the area you are painting. If you plan to paint the interior walls, it means moving any furniture you can either out of the room or away from the painted area. You will also need to remove wall decor, light fixtures, curtains or shades, doorknobs, and anything that may slow down the work. Using drop cloths on floors, covering non-moveable items, and taping areas (like trim) that you should not paint will protect them from paint drips.
Preparation is also needed if you plan to paint the home’s exterior, including wood siding, brick, stucco, or concrete. Move all trashcans, outdoor furniture, or grills from the area that is being painted. Cover outlet boxes and fixtures with painter’s tape; cover anything that cannot be moved, like shrubs or flowers, with drop cloths to keep the paint off.
Choose how you will paint.
If you are painting a house in San Ramon, there are three standard methods: using a paintbrush, a roller, or a sprayer. Choose what you feel most comfortable using. While using a paintbrush or a roller may take longer and require more effort, you will have more control, especially in tight corners. When you use these methods, you can expect a long-lasting finish.
Spraying may be an easier and much faster way to apply paint, but it can cost more and waste paint. When you choose this method, particularly for exterior painting, wind may cause you to over-spray because it carries paint mist away from the surface you are trying to paint. If you prefer the results of a sprayer, consider hiring a professional. If you choose to paint using a sprayer, don’t use it if it is windy or humid. You will have better results if you wait until the weather is calm and stable before starting.
This article explains the difference between comparing rolling, brushing, and spraying.
Painting the interior of the home.
Paint the interior of your house using a brush or roller. Before painting, take the time to prepare the room using painter’s tape, coverings and drop cloths to keep paint off surfaces you don’t want to paint. Clean the walls, repair damage you find, sand the area after repairs, caulk joints, and then prime the walls.
Use a brush to cut in around doors, windows, trim, and baseboards. A paint roller will quickly add color to large areas. For the best results, apply two coats of paint.
Painting the exterior of the home.
Preparing the exterior involves taking time to wash the surfaces, repair any damage, and caulking and sanding before painting. It is also the time to cover any areas you don’t want to paint, prime the surfaces, and then paint.
Moisture, heat, and pollution can make your exterior dirty. This dirt means you’ll want to clean the exterior before applying paint. You may also find mold or mildew. If you do, use a bleach solution or mildewcide. Renting a power washer for very dirty areas will help clean the surface when a garden hose or manual cleaning isn’t enough.
After you clean the surface, be sure to let it dry completely. Then, do necessary repairs, caulk, and sand to make the surface smooth. When the house has been painted before, prime only the areas you have repaired. Then proceed to paint.
Reminder: the above steps are for those painting wood siding. Depending on the surface, exterior painting may require additional steps if you paint aluminum or vinyl siding.
As you can see, deciding to paint the interior or exterior surfaces can require a bit of work to achieve a “looks-like-brand-new” finish. Do you want to spend two or three weekends painting the house, or would you prefer to use that time relaxing and letting the house painting in San Ramon contractors do the work?