An exterior paint job can add significant resale value and keep your home looking its best for years. Additionally, it can save time and effort on maintenance expenses. This is the best way to find the house painters phoenix.
When hiring exterior home painters, they must be experienced and qualified. This will ensure a quality result while making the process less stressful.
Preparation
Before hiring an exterior home painter, do your research thoroughly. Consult at least three professionals and compare quotes and experience levels before asking about their prep process and timeframe for completion of the task. It is imperative that you fully comprehend their process, as this determines how well your painting job will hold up over time.
Surface Prep
A good paint job begins with a clean surface. Power washers make short work of this task; be sure to cover all parts of the house, including trim, window frames, and doors, in this step of surface preparation. Doing so removes dirt and debris to improve adhesion for more excellent paint adhesion, as well as any mold or mildew growth on exterior walls.
After cleaning, it’s wise to apply one coat of stain-blocking primer. This helps seal off the exterior and prevent moisture seepage into wood that could otherwise cause rot and other damages; additionally, this primer also allows the new coat of paint to adhere better – saving money in the long term!
Sanding and scraping are necessary steps in the next stage, which aims to remove loose or flaking paint and prepare walls for new color coats. While it might seem tedious, sanding and scraping must take place to ensure the success of the final product—failing to take this step may result in quickly flaking paint that quickly peels.
Once walls have been sanded and scraped, they should be rewashed using a power washer. Depending on their level of soiling, you may require using a cleaning additive for optimal results. Thorough cleaning removes moss, mildew, dirt, and other pollutants from surfaces, ensuring a longer-lasting paint job.
Choose a suitable time and weather conditions when painting your house. Typically, spring and fall are optimal due to moderate temperatures and lower humidity levels. Avoid painting during stormy conditions, as rain may cause uncured paint to blister and peel.
Materials
Prep tools, ladders that reach different heights, and drop cloths to protect landscaping and furniture from paint drips are essential parts of a successful exterior painting project. Other important items such as caulking guns, buckets with liners for easy painting, and paintbrushes designed for both brushing and spraying should also be on hand.
Selecting an ideal paint type can also be essential, with durability a necessary consideration in homes that receive plenty of direct sunlight or where temperatures vary significantly. Latex is an economical, water-based choice with low VOC (volatile organic compounds). Plus, it dries quickly and is easy to clean! Latex works particularly well on wood siding but also excels on vinyl, aluminum, and brick surfaces—making it an excellent choice for stucco, brick, and drywall surfaces!
Professional painters use top-of-the-line paints to ensure long-lasting, durable finishes. Although premium brands may cost more, their superior color vibrancy, durability, and coverage make up for it in spades. Available finishes include flat, satin, and eggshell—eggshell is particularly popular as it offers excellent coverage while still leaving some shine behind. Expect to pay between $30-60 per gallon for such quality brands.
In addition to the paint itself, additional factors that may affect pricing include the number of coats required and whether surface repairs are required; for instance, sanding may be required if damaged surfaces need to be repaired before another layer of paint is applied.
Professional house painters typically apply one or two coats of flat or satin exterior paint at once, starting from the top and working their way down, overlapping each stroke by approximately 8 inches. If using a paint sprayer, practice will likely take place first on an old board before using landscaping staples or 2×4 boards as support while painting until it dries, which may take several days. Late spring/early fall is usually the best time for this task as there’s typically limited rain, and temperatures remain moderate.
Choosing the Right Color
A fresh coat of paint can make an enormous difference on the exterior of a home. However, choosing the appropriate colors is critical as this can influence both its look and perceived value for potential buyers reselling it later on – selecting something less appealing may cost you in the long run!
As part of their first step to selecting the appropriate exterior paint, homeowners should define their goals for this project. Are they painting to increase resale value, or are they looking to enhance their own home’s aesthetics? Once this goal has been established, homeowners can determine which hues will make an aesthetic statement about them and select those most appealing to them.
Once a color choice has been made, it is essential to take into account its impact on the surrounding landscape and neighborhood homes, as well as how fast it will fade with time. For instance, in an area filled with white houses, choosing pure white may cause eye strain for visitors, while choosing something less stark, like yellow or blue, may make more of an impactful statement and fade less quickly over time.
Lighting conditions can have an enormous effect on color. To get an accurate idea of its appearance in different light conditions, it’s a good idea to test samples on various sections of your house before painting entire rooms in it. Doing this will give the homeowner an accurate assessment of its final look in different lighting situations.
One thing to keep in mind when painting exterior colors of historic district homes is that local authorities may restrict what colors can be used on their exterior surfaces. If this is the case for them, homeowners must consult them in advance for approval of any exterior changes they plan to make.
Typically, neutral shades should be chosen for the main parts of a home, and bolder or brighter shades should be used for accents to ensure maximum versatility and enjoyment over time. Furthermore, such colors tend to appeal more readily to potential buyers, increasing their resale value.
Getting Started
An expert paint job not only protects and beautifies the exterior of your home but can also express its personality through color. Hiring experienced painting contractors can transform any residential or commercial property’s exterior; however, successful exterior painting depends on proper surface preparation, choosing appropriate colors, and using appropriate materials.
When hiring a painter, make sure that you obtain a list of previous clients with contact details so you can ask any necessary questions. Also, ask what cleaning and surface preparation services are included in their base price and whether any extra services, such as wood rot repair, scraping, sanding, or priming, might increase your bill significantly.
Professional painting companies must have all of the appropriate license and insurance requirements in place to safeguard themselves and your home from liability issues. You should also choose an appropriate legal entity (sole proprietorship, partnership, or limited liability corporation (LLC)), as this will help separate personal finances from business funds while potentially lowering the tax burden at year’s end.
Once your business has been given its own identity, it is time to start marketing it. Create a website and begin networking with potential customers; post listings on local online marketplaces; design a logo; select colors that will make your brand distinctive from competitors, etc.
No matter if you’re selling or moving into a new home, updating its exterior paint job before listing can increase its value and attract prospective buyers. Plus, having a fresh coat of paint on can make maintenance much simpler if selling later down the line.
Do-it-yourselfers may benefit from investing in some essential tools to reduce time and cost on their next painting project. A starter kit might include a ladder, painter’s tape roll, brushes, and a primary bucket. With these essential pieces of equipment at their disposal, do-it-yourselfers can embark upon small-scale jobs around their homes or commercial properties.