DIY Exterior Painting: A Step-By-Step-Guide

Painting your exterior is one of the easiest ways to improve curb appeal. Perhaps the current paint now looks damaged with peelings here and there, or you're simply looking to give your home a brand new look; here's a step-by-step guide on how to do exterior painting all by yourself.

1. Pressure-wash the walls

Paint holds better on clean walls. To wash your walls before painting, use a pressure washer. Apply the spray from top to bottom of the house in smooth strokes, overlapping each stroke by about 8 inches.

2. Get rid of loose paint

Avoid painting upon loose paint as the new layer may come off with it within a short time. It's therefore important to check for cracked and peeling paint throughout your home's exterior. Scrape all loose paint with a paint scraper.

3. Repair surfaces

Next, go round the house, checking for damaged surfaces like holes on brick, wood, or stucco. Fill holes and cracks using an epoxy filler, and sand the area once dry with a sanding block. If you'd be painting your fascia boards and wood siding, replace any that shows signs of rot. You shouldn't paint on damaged surfaces as they will continue to deteriorate, destroying the paint along with them.

4. Caulk and trim

Using a caulk gun, apply caulk to gaps and corners where two different materials meet, such as siding and brick. The caulk serves to create a smooth surface for paint to lay on. Also, trim all rough areas to get an ideal surface.

5. Apply primer

Now, it's almost time to paint. Before painting your exterior, apply a good primer coating on the walls. This primer serves as a uniform, ideal surface for the paint to adhere to.

The primer goes over old paint, dust, and everything else on the surface, locking them in, after which you can then paint on a dust-free, uniform surface.