How to Do Exterior Painting Works

Painting the exterior of the house differs somewhat from painting the interior. You’ll need different paint, extra painting equipment, and some special techniques. You may also find exterior surfaces more difficult to prepare and paint because they’re often weathered by sun, wind, rain, or snow. In the Philippines, we don’t have snow, though.

When should you paint?

The right time to repaint a house is just before it needs painting—not after. If you repaint too often, you’ll end up with a too-thick coating that’s brittle. It will be subject to cracking and flaking because it won’t be able to adjust to structural movements of the house. On the other hand, if you allow the paint to deteriorate too badly, you’ll find it harder to restore the surface to a good appearance. Signs of a surface worn badly enough to warrant repainting include these: the wood grain becomes more pronounced, the primer shows through, and the color fades.

Selecting the right paint

The guidelines below will help you select the best paint for the job. Before making a final decision, though, consult your paint dealer. Also, check the label on the paint can for possible warnings about painting in low or extremely high temperature and humidity levels—this advice can make or break a paint job.

Exterior latex paints

These paints have the same qualities as interior latex paints. Latex is recommended for all exterior wood, masonry, stucco, concrete, and cinder block surfaces. It’s also suitable for galvanized metal and cement-asbestos boards.

Two special outdoor latex paints are available for certain situations: use exterior latex trim enamel on exterior trim, doors, and woodworks; apply latex masonry paint to brick, stucco, concrete, and cinder block.

Exterior oil-based paints

These are the preferred finishes for exterior surfaces where durability and gloss are required:

• Use exterior oil-based enamels on all properly primed wood surfaces, such as siding, sashes, trim, shutters, and doors, and metal surfaces like gutters, rails, and steel sashes.
• Exterior flat finish is recommended primarily for rough siding, board and batten, and cedar shingles and shakes. It can also be used on other properly primed surfaces and may be thinned enough for use as a heavy-bodied stain (but a prepared stain will do a better job).
• Porch-and-deck paints are available for use on both concrete and wood surfaces. If the concrete surface is glossy, roughen it with muriatic acid before applying the paint so the new paint will adhere. Apply a primer to wood surfaces before using porch-and-deck paints.

Spar varnishes

Tougher than interior varnishes, spar varnishes are recommended for such exterior surfaces as doors, sashes, trim, and siding.

Penetrating wood stains

These semi-transparent stains highlight the grain and texture of wood, and are available in both oil-based and water-based types.

Solid color stains

Thick enough to produce a nearly opaque finish, these stains are available in both oil-based and water-based paints.

Cement powder paint

This is a popular, low-cost finish for unpainted masonry and other unpainted rough surfaces, including brick, block, stucco, and concrete. It’s a powder composed of white Portland cement, pigments, and a small amount of water repellent. Before application, you add water to get the right consistency.

Tools and supplies you need

In addition to brushes and rollers recommended for interior painting, you may need larger applicators for exterior surfaces. Block brushes—ranging from 4 to 6 inches wide—will help you cover large flat surfaces quickly. A big, thick-napped roller is another time-saving tool. Also available are large applicator pads that can be attached to standard-size pad applicator frames.

Consider using a compressed-air spray painting system for large areas. It’s a fast technique for painting the exterior of your house. Also ask about the “airless” spray unit. It produces a direct spray of pure paint without any overspray.

An extension ladder is a must for exterior painting, particularly for two-storey homes. For stability, place the ladder on firm, level ground at a distance from the house equal to a quarter of the vertical distance from the ground to the top rung.

If the paint is badly worn, make surface preparation easier by using large scrapers, wire brushes, and an electric sander. For other repairs, you may need window sash putty, stucco or masonry patching compound, and a little carpentry skill.

Preparing the surface

As with interior painting, the most important part of exterior painting is surface preparation. Here’s a check list of things you may need to do:

• Remove outdoor light fixtures, hardware, screens, shutters, and house numbers for separate painting.
• Repair any structural damage.
• Repair peeling, flaking, and mildew damage and remedy their causes.
• Reset of replace popped-out nails.
• Roughen high gloss areas so the finish  coat will adhere better.
• Cover bare wood surfaces with a primer.
• Seal open joints around windows and trim with caulking compound.
• Hose off dirt and excessive chalking of old paint.
• Replace any loose or missing window putty.
• Pull plants away from walls with rope or heavy twine and cover them with drop cloths.
• Place drop cloths where necessary to protect patios, porches, and other floor surfaces.

Where to start painting

Because the color of the paint can changes dramatically when exposed to the elements over a period of time, it’s important to finish painting the exterior of your house in one season.

It’s best to begin at the top of the house and work down, applying paint to areas within comfortable reaching distance as you stand on the ladder. Start with gutters, top portions of downspouts, eaves, peaks, gables, or porch ceilings. (Use rust-resistant paint for the inside of gutters.) Don’t apply paint too quickly to surfaces protected from the elements. Little wear occurs in these places, and an overly thick coating will quickly crack and peel.

Still working from the top down, paint the house walls as you would interior walls. On horizontal wood siding, apply paint to the bottom edges of two or three boards; then smooth out the paint on the flat surface. Force paint into rough surfaces, such as shingles and shakes, to fill the crevices.

As you work down the ladder, leave a very lightly painted edge along areas you’ve finished. After you’ve moved the ladder and are painting another top-to-bottom strip, you’ll paint over these light edges and not create a heavy overlap. Paint the trim, windows, and doors, following the interior painting procedures.

Porches, patios, and steps are next (remember to leave one access to the house unpainted while the others are drying). Don’t forget metal railings and other accessories.

Finally, paint the items you removed from the house and replace them after they’ve dried completely.