Things That Come In Handy When You Paint Your Home's Exterior

Blog

Painting the exterior of your home is a big job. To make things easier on yourself, be sure to gather all the supplies you need in advance. Exterior work usually involves washing, scraping, and painting, so here are some things you want to have on hand.

Garden Hose Or Pressure Washer

A strong jet of water is handy for knocking off spider webs and debris that are out of reach. Plus, the water jet can knock off things stuck to the wall and it can even blast off old paint bubbles and flakes. In addition, a stream of water from a pressure washer or garden hose attachment will wash away dust, pollution, and dirt so you won't have to scrub your walls as much. You might even be able to remove stains such as algae with a pressure washer. You'll save time over washing the dirt and dust off with a sponge and water, and you'll be able to rinse the soap away better with a water stream.

Paint Scraper

You definitely want a paint scraper when you paint exterior walls. You may not even need to scrape the walls when you paint inside your house, but the outside is exposed to UV rays, rain, and temperature changes every day. This causes the paint to crack, blister, and peel. You can't paint over these imperfections because they will show through. Instead, you have to use elbow grease and a paint scraper to get rid of old, loose paint so the surface is completely smooth.

Paint Accessories

There are little things you'll need when you're painting outdoors. For instance, you might need a medium container to hold paint on your ladder ledge when your painting around the gutters. An entire pail of paint might be too big to handle on a ladder. Also, keep in mind, you need to stir the paint well. Don't forget to pick up paint stirrers at the hardware store. It is difficult to find something long enough and strong enough around the house for a good substitute. You might also want a paint key that gives you leverage for opening the can lid. However, if you forget to buy one of those, you can use a screwdriver or other thin metal tool. If you have pretty flowers close to your home, you may want to invest in a drop cloth to protect them from falling paint. A drop cloth will also protect your porch and walkway from flying paint drips. Painter's tape comes in handy if you're not too steady as you paint. Use it on the window glass to prevent paint from getting on the glass as you paint around the frame.

In addition to paint, brushes, and rollers, don't forget to buy a rolling pan to use with the roller. You can also buy disposable inserts for it so you don't have to clean the pan every time you stop work or change paint colors. While most of the accessories and tools you need for painting are inexpensive to buy, it's a good idea to buy quality paint and expensive brushes so the job will have a professional appearance when the paint dries.

For more help, contact a company like Klenosky Paint.

Share

24 May 2017