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FAQs About Painting The Outside Of Your Home

Painting the outside of your home is a big project. As such, many people rely on professional painters to paint their home's exterior. However, if you have time to spare and don't mind being up on a ladder, painting the outside of your home is an acceptable DIY project. Here are some questions you might have about the process and what it requires.

Do you need to prime the house first?

In most cases, yes, you will want to apply a layer of primer to the home before you apply your exterior house paint. If you were painting an interior room, you would not necessarily need primer on an already-painted wall. However, exterior paint tends to be flaking off and weak by the time you repaint the home. Primer will make sure the peeling, damaged sections are covered so the paint itself sticks to them better. Primer also gives the exterior paint more staying power, which you definitely want to have outside in the elements.

Is exterior paint really necessary?

Exterior house paint does typically cost more than interior or indoor-outdoor paint. However, it is well worth the extra cost. Exterior paint is "stickier" than interior paint, so it will cling better and be less likely to get rubbed off by a tree branch. It is designed to get wet and to be in the sunshine for years at a time. If you were to paint your home with anything other than exterior paint, you'd be repainting it again a few years later.

Can you paint when it is cold out?

It's fine to paint a home when it's a little chilly out, but generally not when it is outright cold. If it is too cold outside, your paint may freeze before it dries! Check the paint can to see what the minimum recommended temperature during application is. Every brand is a little different.

How many coats do you need?

If you use a good primer and a really high-quality exterior paint, you might be able to get away with one coat. However, it is more typical for homeowners to need two coats of paint to get the best results. Plan for this as you determine how much time to set aside to paint your home.

With these questions answered, you should be better prepared to paint your home exterior. Don't forget -- if this feels like too much, hiring painters is a viable option.

For more information, contact a local company, like Negrini Painting.