If you’ve hired a professional to complete the task of painting the outside of a house, you may start to wonder if there’s anything that you need to do ahead of time. Aside from picking a paint color and a contractor, there are some key things that you should think about doing to help prepare you for exterior painting services. Taking these 10 steps can help to ensure that your home is ready to be painted and that it’s as easy as possible for the painters to complete the job. Fortunately, the painting company you hire may be able to complete several of these steps for you. Let’s take a closer look at what needs to be done before your home’s exterior gets painted.
1. Pressure Wash Your Siding
Before the process of painting the outside of a house begins, your siding should be clean. The fastest and most effective way to clean the exterior of your home is to use a pressure washer. A pressure washer sprays cleaning products and pressurized water at your home’s siding, helping to lift dirt, dust, residue, and other debris. If you are unfamiliar with pressure washing your siding or feel uncomfortable doing so on your own, look for a painting company that will complete this step for you.
2. Repair Any Damage That Is Present
After your home has been pressure washed, the next thing that needs to happen is for your siding to be inspected. Prior to having your home painted, you want to repair any damage to your siding that may be present. This is because after your home is painted, the repaired portion may not match the rest of your home, so repairing it before painting helps to ensure the repaired portion is painted and matches. Ask your painting contractor if they can attend to any damage before they paint your siding.
3. Scape Away Flaking or Peeling Paint
Pressure washing the siding of your home may help to lift away some peeling, bubbling, or flaking paint. However, a pressure washer won’t remove all of the imperfections. Prior to your home being painted, you should walk around your home looking for imperfections in your paint. Anything that doesn’t lie flat or flush against the house will need to be scraped away. Otherwise, once the new coat of paint is applied, the new paint won’t lie flat against your home either, and you’ll be able to see where imperfections already existed. This is yet another service that a painting company may be able to provide for you.
4. Use a Sander to Smooth the Surface of Your Siding
After you have scraped away flaking or peeling paint, you may need to use a sander or sanding paper to lightly smooth the surface of your siding. You may also need to do this if there are other raised imperfections on your siding, such as scrapes or scratches. Once again, smoothing down the surface helps to ensure the paint will lie flat against your house. This helps it to look its best while also helping it to last.
5. Trim Back Trees or Plants
Now that your house itself is prepped for painting, you want to take the time to prep your yard as well. Take a quick walk around your yard and look for anything that could get in the way of painting the outside of a house. Trim back trees or plants that branches may be growing near your home. Not only does this clear space for the painters to paint, but keeping trees and plants away from your siding and roof can prevent damage while also helping to extend the lifespan of these surfaces.
6. Lay Drop Cloths to Protect Your Landscaping
Once you’ve trimmed back your landscaping, the next step to take is to lay drop cloths to protect your landscaping. You can lay drop cloths over plants, rocks, mulch, or grass that are near the edges of your home. This helps to protect these elements in case any paint is spilled. It is important to note that the painting company you select may actually have drop cloths and may lay them over your landscaping themselves. Always ask before completing this step to save yourself money and time.
7. Clear Away Debris So a Painter Can Access Your Home
As you prepare for the process of painting the outside of a house, the next thing you want to do is to walk around the exterior of your home. Pretend like you’re a painter and think about accessing areas to paint. Is there anything that restricts access or would prevent a painter from painting in a specific area? You want to remove elements such as hose holders mounted to the exterior of your home or lighting fixtures. You also want to remove anything that may obstruct the pathway and access points to your home, such as garbage cans near your gate or an old pile of firewood. Be sure to ask your painting company if there’s anything specific they need you to move.
8. Think About How Exterior Home Painting May Affect Your Pets
Now that your home and landscaping are prepared for the exterior painting process, the next thing you should consider is any pets you may have. If your dog needs to go outside, they may be unable to do so when painters are there. As such, you should think about having a different plan in place. This may involve taking your dog to doggy daycare or leaving your pet with a friend or family member until your home is painted. Alternatively, you can just get your pet’s leash out and take them for walks instead of letting them run loose in your outdoor space.
9. Ensure There Are Accessible Outlets for the Painters
The day prior to painting the outside of a house, take the time to ensure that there are accessible outlets for the painters. The painters may need to plug in extension cords so they can use tools such as sanders or spray-painting equipment. Ensuring your outlets are free and clear of debris that may be blocking them helps painters prepare faster, which ultimately helps them get started on your home painting project faster.
10. Keep Your Driveway Free of Vehicles on Painting Day
Lastly, once painting day has arrived, park your car somewhere other than your driveway. Most exterior painting companies use your driveway as a base of sorts. That may be the spot where they place their ladders, place paint, or place equipment. Additionally, if your driveway is in front of your home, as is the case with many properties, paint that painters are spraying onto the exterior of your home can blow toward your vehicle, especially on a windy day. It’s simply better to park your car elsewhere for the short time it takes to completely paint the exterior of your home.
Before the process of painting the outside of a house can even start, you must first select an exterior painting service. According to IBISWorld, there are more than 230 thousand painting contractors in the United States. That means that you have plenty of contractors to select from when it’s time to give the exterior of your home a fresh coat of paint. If you’re looking for professionals who will deliver high-quality results and take care of most of the pre-painting prep work, look no further than The Oregon Painting Company. Our team can help you with both interior and exterior residential and commercial painting services. We can help you to select the right color of paint and the right type of paint for your needs. If you need your home or commercial building painted, give us a call today to obtain a free estimate or schedule an appointment.
