You’ve decided to tackle the job of painting the exterior of your house instead of hiring a Victoria BC painting contractor so you may be wondering how to prep your home’s exterior and choose the right paint for the project. Listed here are 10 things to help make the job go smoothly..

1)    Consider Mother Nature, some planning around the weather by considering the time of year and local weather patterns by choosing a dry time of year when humidity is lower will allow the paint to dry properly and adhere to surfaces.

2)    Quality over price, while it can be tempting to choose a lower priced paint keep in mind a higher quality paint provides better coverage and less frequent painting. Improve paint technology results in color that lasts longer so it pays not to skimp when buying paint.

3)    Sand and wash, some time spent washing and scraping loose paint ensures paint will adhere better to the surface.

4)    Paint won’t stick to rotten siding, Painting over rotten surfaces won’t stop the deterioration and is just a waste of time. A couple of options are 1) replace the rotten siding or wood with new components 2) for smaller areas use a wood hardener and match with an exterior wood filler, remember to prep and sand before painting

5)    Use primer was the way to go but new paint technology has primer and paint in one. While it may seem pricey consider it’s 2 in 1 and cuts down on the number of coats required.

6)    Combine cans of paint, when you mix multiple cans of paint together in a larger container the result is a more uniform color, this is especially helpful if you don’t purchase enough cans of paint in the beginning

7)    Painting from the top to the bottom helps control streaks and paint drips

8)    Seal it off by closing paint can lids to keep paint fresh and prevent drying out, a rubber mallet is an ideal tool for this.

9)    Add grit when painting porches and steps by adding in some sand to prevent surfaces from becoming too slick and a danger.

10) Prep the landscape by spending some time covering patio furniture, hoses and grills and use some drop cloths to cover nearby shrubs and plants.

When you have a house that requires painting you might consider hiring a professional painting contractor, in Victoria BC the one to call is Paintworks.