Exterior paint is a sure way to leave a strong impression, whether good or bad. That alone is enough to make sure the job is done well. Remember that while you can paint your own exterior, leaving your house painting to the professionals can ensure the job is done properly, just the way you like it.

Prerequisites Before Painting Your Exterior

While we love a gung-ho attitude as much as the next person, it is important to do a little prep work before you paint your exterior. 

Pressure Wash Properly Before You Paint

We cannot emphasize enough the importance of starting with a clean slate before laying down exterior paint. Anything stuck to the walls will compromise the smoothness of a new coat and can even diminish how long the paint holds up by interfering with how the paint bonds to the surface.

Additionally, if biological trespassers like mildew and mold are trapped under a layer of paint, they may still continue to spread, causing respiratory problems in addition to negatively impacting how the paint adheres.

Pressure washing is the most powerful and convenient method for cleaning exterior surfaces. It can cut the time spent with a bucket and scrub brush in half and do a better job of getting rid of dirt and debris. 

That being said, there are many ways pressure washing exterior surfaces can go wrong. Some materials like mortar and vinyl siding do not always hold up well under pressure, and displaced water can actually lead to rot problems later on. These issues can be mitigated by using the right nozzle and pressure settings. A professional pressure washing team will understand which of these should be used and avoid damaging your property. 

Prep Your Property

Before you lay down exterior paint, it is important to get the rest of your property ready for the process. Make sure you cover any plants, outdoor furniture, and windows and doors. This will protect them from being inadvertently painted. It is also important to protect the painter. Gloves, eye protection, and clothes that have seen better days are highly recommended. Keep children and pets away from the worksite.

What Is the Best Way to Apply Exterior Paint?

Painting exteriors presents more flexibility than interiors because of the natural ventilation. That being said, weather conditions and airborne debris are much bigger factors when applying exterior paint than when your living room needs a touch-up. All of these should be taken into account when you decide which tools you want to use to paint your exterior. 

Paint Spraying

Paint spraying is a quick and clean way to paint exterior surfaces. The process uses a paint sprayer to apply aerosolized paint even to areas that are difficult for brushes to reach. It has its challenges, though. It is not a great fit for intricate areas, which usually cause the paint to puddle instead of adhere evenly. Beginners especially often have trouble applying an even coat even to flat areas, and dripping and running is a big risk.

The preparation for spraying on paint, especially for those who haven’t done so before, can cancel out the time saved by spraying. Masking is a must, the tools must be assembled, and the clean up is involved. You cannot simply pause when using a paint sprayer, otherwise the paint will dry in the hose or gun, causing clogging. 

When using a paint sprayer, anything you don’t want painted must be moved far away from the home to avoid particles being blown onto them. For this reason, it is very important to keep an eye on the wind forecast when you plan to paint. You shouldn’t spray paint or do any exterior painting on windy or breezy days.

Brushes and Rollers

Making use of brushes or paint rollers is the more traditional method for painting exteriors. It is generally less expensive but more labor-intensive. Paint applied with a brush or roller is more likely to last because the tools push the paint into the surface it is applied to.

Brushes are much better for detail work, and it is much easier to step away from a paint job being applied with a brush. The prep work required is significantly less than painting with a sprayer, so even though the main draw of a spray application is speed, the two methods take a comparable amount of time.

A Little Bit of Both 

Most professional painters will apply exterior paint with a combination of both spraying and rolling. Paint is sprayed on and then pressed into the walls with a roller for better adhesion. The technique is usually performed by two people so the paint can be rolled into the surface immediately. This method gives the benefit of a sprayer’s speed and the long-lasting adhesion and even coating of rolling.

Are you thinking of painting your fence? Doing so can give your property a fresh look and give you creative freedom in your landscaping. However, there are a few things to consider before you get started. Make a plan early on to make sure your fence paint job is perfect.

Choosing Between Paint and Stain

First thing’s first: are you planning on staining or painting your fence? Stain and paint each have perks, and each have drawbacks. Stain emphasizes wood’s natural beauty while paint can be applied to just about any kind of fencing. Paint is typically less expensive because you won’t need as much of it, but it usually requires more frequent maintenance depending on environmental conditions and the kind of paint used. Stain absorbs better into the wood and won’t chip or peel. 

Benefits of Painting Your Fence

The most obvious benefit of painting your fence is the beauty that doing so adds to a property. This is true of stain as well. Even better, paint protects a fence from the elements. The latex- or oil-based material acts as a barrier around the wood, blocking out moisture, mildew, mold, and UV radiation. 

What to Know When Painting Your Fence

If you plan to paint your own fence, be prepared before you start. Wear protective gear and make a plan, taking into account the right materials, ideal weather conditions, and proper painting practices. 

The Right Materials

First step when painting your fence is to choose the right paint. You will need to choose an exterior paint so it holds up well against all weather conditions, but it is also important to choose a kind of paint that is appropriate for the material your fence is made from. While it is most common to add paint to a wooden fence, you can also spruce up other varieties.

Ideal Weather Conditions

Weather matters before, during, and after you paint your fence. It is important to have dry conditions for several days before painting your fence so the wood is completely dry through. Pick a day to paint when temperatures will stay between 40 and 90°F even overnight and when humidity levels are low. Monitor that you will have no precipitation and minimal wind.

It is equally important to have good weather for several days after painting to allow the paint to cure without smearing. If you intend to stain instead of paint, work outside of the direct sunlight to prevent lap marks. 

Proper Painting Practices

Consider these painting practices carefully to ensure a polished paint job that will last.

Clear the Area

Before painting, remove all debris or obstructions that may interfere. Remove any nearby outdoor furniture or equipment and cover anything in the area that you do not want to get paint on with tarps. This may include furniture, exterior walls, and shrubbery. Prune all flora—including grass and overhanging trees—so they do not brush against and smudge your new paint job.

A Solid Surface

Any holes and cracks in your fence will need to be repaired before paint or stain is applied. Otherwise you risk pieces breaking off or cracks deepening, marring your new look.

Prepare a Clean Slate

Any paint that has been previously applied to your fence should be removed before new paint or stain is applied. This can be done by sanding or with a pressure washer. Even if there is no old paint to remove, it is still wise to sand your fence to accommodate better adhesion. Consider using a medium grit (120- to 150-grit) for best results.

Freshly Washed

As important as it is to remove old paint, it is equally important to remove anything else that might get between your layer of paint and your fence. Dirt, pollen, droppings, mildew, and mold will all interrupt a spotless paint job, so clean these away before you start painting your fence. We recommend using a pressure washer to do the trick, working with the grain of the wood to avoid gouging it. 

Primed and Ready

Applying primer before your paint has many benefits. Some woods have tannins that have a tendency to bleed through stains and paint, but a good primer will inhibit the process. It can also make paint’s adhesion stronger.

Wait Your Turn

Do not be in a rush to add a second coat of paint. Allow the first one to dry completely (over a period of at least 24 hours) before applying a second coat. This is also true of primer—make sure it is dry all the way through before painting.

A Job Done Right

If you want your paint job to be perfect, you can enlist the help of professional painters. Years of experience and the proper tools will give the job a smooth and even finish, and professional painters know precisely how long to let paint dry before adding new coats. Working with a contractor also gives you a broad range of colors and finishes to choose from.

Finding the perfect sweet spot for painting your home exterior can be a tricky task. The winter is usually too wet and cold for paints to be applied properly. It’s also a chilly task for one’s fingers in the winter months. The climate where you live will determine when in the year it will be effective to paint your home’s exterior, and these are the factors that will determine the right time frame if you want to avoid repainting sooner than you had planned.

How Long Does Paint Take to Dry? 

The amount of time paint needs to dry completely is dependent on the kind of paint you’re working with. Manufacturers typically include the drying time on the paint can, but here are some generalities you can work with:

• The first coat of a latex paint will often be dry after the first hour and in four hours should be ready for another coat.
• Oil-based paints take significantly longer to dry, usually 6-8 hours to become dry to the touch and closer to 24 hours before the next coat can be applied.

Additionally temperature, humidity, and other environmental factors play into how long painting your home exterior will take.

Finding the Perfect Time for Painting Your Home Exterior

When painting your home exterior, make sure you take the following hurdles into consideration. Additionally, you’ll need to make sure you thoroughly prepare your surface for painting. Repair any damages, thoroughly clean all the surfaces being painted, and cover other surfaces before you paint. 

Too Hot

How hot is too hot for painting your home exterior? Well, there isn’t really a hard and fast rule, but the process can be uncomfortable when the weather is too warm. The sun beating overhead and exterior walls being hot to the touch make summer a less ideal time for the task than spring. However, if you do want to take advantage of the sunshine and warmth of summer months, start on the shady side of the house.

Keep in mind this rule of thumb: If you can’t let your palm rest on a wall of your house for more than a few seconds because of the heat, it’s too hot to paint.

Too Cold

The water content of paint makes painting home exteriors in cold temperatures a non-starter. Ambient temperatures need to be warm enough that the paint is able to cure properly and form a protective film. Low temperatures mean slower drying and longer curing times. This applies through the night as well, as the curing process doesn’t stop when the sun goes down.

Here is a good rule of thumb when it comes to ambient temperatures for painting exteriors: make sure temperatures fall between 40° and 90° F for several days in a row when applying oil paints and between 50°and 85° F when applying latex paint (which generally make for better exterior paint). If the overnight low falls below 32° F on the night after you plan to paint or for several nights after, hold off until the weather warms a bit.

Humidity

High humidity levels can make painting your home exterior a messy prospect. High atmospheric moisture inhibits the proper formation of paint’s protective film layer, making it less enduring and less protected from cracking. It can also play other tricks with your paint job:

• Water to can bead or pool on new paint 
• Paint’s adherence to the wall can be compromised, causing it bubble and eventually peel
• Paint can leach if it is too moist during the curing process, causing white or brown discoloration

Low humidity levels are also problematic when painting because if the air is too dry, the wood being painted shrinks, eventually cracking or splitting. With these considerations in mind, humidity levels between 40% and 70% are perfect if you want to ensure that your exterior paint dries correctly.

Wind

The wind must also be taken into consideration. Wind can cause your paint to dry too quickly and blow debris into drying paint. Look into the forecasted breeze for the day before you pull out the paint roller.

Rain

Watch out for rain. An area needs to be dry in order for the paint to cure properly and to avoid moisture staining or mildew. Check the forecast before you paint and make sure you’ll have sufficient time for the paint to cure without rainfall interfering.

Pollen

Pollen season is a dangerous time to paint. Pollen gets everywhere, blown as fine particles on the breeze. When painting your home exterior, you don’t want pollen particles to stick to your wet paint job. If you live in an area with a lot of trees and other plant life, wait to paint until pollen season has passed.