Few things fire the imagination of homeowners across the world quite like the idea of being able to redecorate their home. This is something that stirs our hearts in large part because human beings are, by our very nature, creative creatures. For as destructive as we can seem sometimes, the basic nature of humanity is creative, always looking to create something new and exciting. Too often, we don’t get to pursue the fruits of our inspiration in our line of work. Pushing papers and placing calls may be important for paying the bills, but it doesn’t mean that it stirs the soul in the same creative sense.
That’s part of why painting one’s home can be such a powerful experience. You are now getting to take on the role of artist, with your whole home as your canvas. Of course, there are practical reasons to pursue a home paint job as well. It can improve the value of your home, can likewise help keep your walls looking clean, and can even help make your walls a bit more weather resistant.
Still, you may think that painting your home’s exterior walls is a bit too much of a hassle.
If so, this helpful guide to freshening up your exterior walls is for you.
Selecting the Right Paint
First thing’s first – you’re going to need the right paint for the job. That means making sure that the paint you’ve selected is of high quality. The last thing you want when giving your home a facelift is for it to look substandard afterwards. You hardly want to repaint your home because of the low-quality flakiness of poor paint, either. You’ll thus want to look for paints that have a reputation for being hardier, thicker, and more weather resistant.
Preparing the Area
Next, you’ll want to prepare area of your exterior that you’re looking to paint. You can tape off the area and lay down mats to help reduce splattering. In addition, you’ll want to wash the area in question before painting, so as not to have the paint mix with grime, sullying the former and making the latter much harder to get out afterward.
The Painting Process
Now we’re ready for the actual painting process itself. Here, you’ll want to make use of both rollers as well as brushes for different tasks. For painting large swaths of your walls at once, use rollers. For detailing as well as getting into those little nooks and crannies, use brushes. If you are using two or more colors, you’ll want to think about what their spacing should be relative to one another.
Drying and Touchup
Now that your paint has been applied, it is time to wait for it to dry. Many people choose to paint their homes in warmer, drier months to help expedite this process. If your home needs a little touchup here and there in the future, you’ll want to repeat the process using brushes small enough to address the area with surgical scalpel-like precision.
Renew your home this season with a great exterior paint job.
Marc Poulos began his real estate and financial services career, but he soon realized that his true passion was beautifying homes. He started working with various small craftsman shops before serving an apprenticeship with the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Chicago. His commitment to excellence won him Top Apprentice from Washburne trade school in Chicago – the country’s premier school of its kind.
