How many times has your wife asked if you’re planning on repainting the house sometimes this decade? Every time you think you feel like attacking the project, you walk outside your house and look at it from a distance–imagining yourself timidly climbing a ladder with no helper to hold it steady. “I’ll get it to next weekend” you say to yourself, but next weekend never comes. Rent It Today will help you retire that old, rickety ladder to the tool shed.
What’s the best plan of attack for repainting the exterior of your home? With a project that could take weeks to accomplish and thousands of dollars in expenses, it definitely pays to know what you’re doing–efficiently and safely. Below are a few steps you should take when repainting your home this spring.
How To Repaint Your House
Wash– Before you pull any paint brushes out, it would be ideal to remove all surface dirt from the exterior of your home. Removing mildew and residue from glass, siding, trim and wood is simple and effective with pressure washer rentals. This is probably going to be the easiest task off the list, so enjoy yourself because your hands are about to hurt.
Scrape– Make the surface smooth before putting a brush to it. Paint peels, bubbles and blisters after years of baking in the sun and varying climate. Scraping old paint could expose you to toxic lead substances, so be sure to take note of what kind of paint you used before. Wear the proper protective gear, including a respirator. Protect the surrounding work area, including landscaping.
Sand– After removing access paint, use a belt sander rental to ensure a smooth surface of exposed wood. Use paint strippers for any paint you can’t sand off. You’re going to want do this with electric sanders, trust me. Depending on the type of wood surface, it’s best to use 50 or 80-grit sandpaper. Whether you do this with an orbit sander or by hand, a dust mask is a must.
Paint – Skip the ladder and get a bucket truck rental from Sagon Trucks. It’s safer and the ease of use will shorten your completion time. The pros use paint sprayers, so unless you want a crazy arm cramp like Daniel-san from The Karate Kid, we suggest following suit. For gutter/door frame trim, we suggest going with a basic brush for maximum control.
Monitor Weather – This tip cannot be stressed enough. Perfection is nearly required to get a real fine finish. Always start at the top and work down. Work in overcast, shady days and be sure temperatures in days ahead don’t dip below 50 degrees, because cool air can interfere with curing and adhesion.
Rent It Today is Your Spring DIY HQ
Painting your house is one of many do it yourself projects for you to tackle this spring. Rent It Today will keep you posted with weekly DIY articles, to help you get the wheels turning. Visit our tool rentals page for more items that will help you get your household construction projects taken care of.
Painting your house is a lot safer and convenient with a bucket truck.