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Painting (main) : Painting Articles : Painting outside the house
How to paint the outside of your house
Painting the outside of your home can be a smooth process if you follow a few key steps. After cleaning the house exterior, you'll need to;
Prepare
Remove or cover light fixtures, plumbing outlets and electrics, and remove all window screens. Use drop cloths to cover everything, yes everything, that you don't want splattered with paint!
Prime
In most cases, you'll need to apply a primer. Different surfaces require different primers; please check the packaging or with your hardware store for instructions.
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Paint
It's best to apply at least two coats of exterior paint, using a brush for woodwork and a roller or spray for all other surfaces. Let each coat dry between applications. Before and during painting, you'll need to consider;
What type of paint?
Vinyl-clad exteriors.
A 100% acrylic latex paint is best. No primer is needed.
Steel-clad exteriors.
An alkyd paint, a synthetic that's diluted with solvent, works well and can also be used on top of an old oil-based coat. If the cladding is new, clean it with mineral turpentine before you prime.
Wooden exteriors.
Go for an acrylic latex paint with a stain blocker. It's usually thinned with water, dries rapidly, and is durable. Make sure you apply a primer first.
Aluminium exteriors.
A 100% acrylic latex paint or an alkyd can be used. If you use analkyd, no primer is needed. For an acrylic latex, use a high-quality metal primer, but wash and dry the aluminium before painting.
Concrete, stucco or masonry.
Elastomeric exterior paint is an acrylic that's applied at four times the thickness of a normal acrylic paint. It combats the cracking caused the expansions and contractions that result from temperature fluctuations.
You're almost ready to go, so it's time to compare quotes for painting contractors in your area.
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