Spring Painting Tips for Freshening Up Your Home’s Exterior
Maybe the exterior of your Waterloo Region home for sale does not need a complete repainting job in order to appeal to potential buyers (but if it does it is something that you should address asap) but the chances are good it may very well benefit from some paint touch ups on windowsills, window frames, shutters, porch rails and, perhaps most importantly of all, the doors. And according to the paint experts Spring really is the best time to undertake such a project.
Why? Paint when it is too cold and the finish is likely to begin to crack before the paint has had a chance to dry properly. Paint when it’s too hot and the paint is likely to dry too quickly and you won’t get that nice, glossy shine and vibrant colour you were hoping for.
While we know that spring is not here yet, it is close, and so now is a great time to start planning to undertake your painting project when it does arrive. But before you head out to the home store to start stocking up on supplies, there are some basics tips to keep in mind;
Paint in the Morning or Evening
Even in the Springtime the sun in the middle of the day can pack some serious power, so plan to paint during the morning or evening hours when the actual air temperatures are lower, as overly sunlit surfaces can be 10 to 20 degrees hotter than the air temperature, causing those warm weather paint problems I just mentioned to become an issue anyway.
Don’t Paint When It’s Too Windy
Aside from the fact that excessive wind will cause paint to dry too quickly it is also very likely to blow excess dust, dirt and other contaminants onto still tacky paint surfaces, potentially ruining that nice, smooth, just-painted look.
Prepare the Surface
Preparing the surface you are going to paint is every bit as important outside as it is inside. If a previous coat of paint is peeling away don’t even think of simply pulling off the flakes and then trying to paint over the rest as the end result will almost inevitably be less than attractive to behold. Instead, strip the whole surface properly and then add a coat of primer before you get down to the ‘real’ painting.
Don’t Go Cheap on the Paint
It is especially important that you don’t skimp on the actual paint you use on the exterior of your home. No, that half can of interior paint you have left from the kitchen touch up won’t do, it was simply not created to stand up to the elements.
The ideal exterior paint is a 100 percent acrylic latex paint. This type of paint is tough, durable and holds its colour exceptionally well. And take the time to add that second coat, as that will improve the finished look now and keep it looking great for years to come (something your eventual buyer will thank you for, which should earn you some good karma points at least.)