So, you have decided that your home is looking a bit scruffy and that it’s time to smarten it up a bit. And one of the best ways to achieve this is with a lick of paint. But before you start slapping the emulsion on, there are a few things you absolutely must do to ensure you get the best results.
Make A Plan
The first and most obvious is to make a plan of action. Fail to prepare, prepare to fail! It is no good just going out and buying a few pots of paint, getting the ladder out of the garage and starting to paint, although that’s what many DIYers end up doing.
You don’t need to write a novel. Just a few notes will do. Take a walk around the property and check if there’s anything that will affect your ability to do a good job. If you see any damage, such as broken guttering or problems with the plaster, you’ll want to fix those before starting.
Choose The Right Paint
Of course, you need to make sure you buy exterior masonry paint but you may also want to think of some other considerations when it comes to choosing the paint. If you have a detached house, you can, within reason, paint it whatever colour you want.
However, if your house is a semi-detached or terraced house, you’ll want to think about how your home will look. A cream may sound a little boring, but there’s a reason why it’s popular; because it looks good and doesn’t offend the neighbours.
Buying quality paints always pays off. Yes, they may cost a little more than the budget options but paints that stand the test of time and whatever the weather can throw at them, are well worth the extra expense. Pro-Motion industries have some great options for this kind of DIY job but ask at your DIY store if you’re not sure which will work best on your particular property.
Get The Weather Forecast
Here is another one that many people get wrong. While it may seem like a great idea to paint while the sun is shining, it can cause problems with your eyes, making it physically difficult to paint after a while.
The best type of weather is cloudy but without any chance of rain. Of course, that can limit your window of opportunity considerably if you live somewhere rainy, but, with a bit of luck, you will time it to perfection.
Prepare For The Painting
As with almost everything in life, preparation is the key. Make sure that the walls are clean and dry. If your house looks grimy, take a jet spray to it. Also, brush away any mould with a little bleach.
Remember to cover anything you don’t want painting, such as window frames and patio stones. Remember to lay something down to protect the area around the house; it will save you hours of wasted time cleaning if you do.
Invest In The Right Painting Equipment
When you start painting, you have three options. You can spray, roll, or brush. Spray painting is by far the quickest, but you may not feel confident to go ahead with this method. If that’s the case, using rollers is the next best option.
Painting an entire house with brushes is the option that requires the most patience and time. And it’s certainly not a method for the faint-hearted.
If you do opt for spraying the house, make sure you do it when there is no wind as a gust of wind could spell disaster.
Pay Attention To Safety
Finally, ensure that your environment is safe. It cannot be stressed enough how important this is. Over 300,000 DIY enthusiasts end up in hospital every year, and almost always, the causes of the accidents were avoidable.
Do not scale a tall step ladder on your own. Use protective clothing and goggles while you’re painting. Research how to avoid DIY accidents so you can paint as safely as possible.
Finally, painting your own house can certainly be done, but do not underestimate the task you are about to take on.
If you feel confident that you can get the job done yourself, then go for it, but prepare thoroughly and take care. However, if you have any doubts about your ability to do the job well, it may be time to call in an expert.
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