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The benefits of painting your home s exterior go far beyond aesthetics The project can increase the value of your property and increase protection against the elements helping extend the lifespan of your siding So what can you do to ensure the job is done correctly For starters this Exterior Painting Guide should serve as a resource to answer most of the questions that you may have as you initially consider an exterior paint project

What You ll Learn 1 EXTERIOR PAINTING BASICS Painting Terminology 101 Signs It s Time To Paint Your Home s Exterior Benefits Of Painting Your Home 2 COST PROJECT TIMELINE How Long Will It Take To Paint Your Home What Affects The Cost Timing Painting Process From Start To Finish EPA Lead Safety Guidelines 3 STYLISTIC CHOICES Choosing An Exterior Paint Color Painting vs Staining Popular Paint Brands Let s Go

Bleeding When an old application of color shows through a new layer of paint causing discoloration Blistering What happens when bubbles form under the surface of a coat of paint Brushability Also called consistency this describes how easily a paint applies with a paintbrush Catalyst An additive for paint that speeds up drying time provides gloss and improves durability Other names activator accelerator or curing agent Coverage Describes a paint s ability to spread over a surface Cure The process of paint drying Delamination The peeling of paint known as flake off Gloss Refers to the amount of light reflected in a paint Hardness A paint s resistance to surface damage Hiding Power Also called opacity this describes how well a paint covers the layer beneath it Hold Out How well a paint resists the next coat soaking into it Jelling The thickening of paint as it dries before it is used Lacquer A clear quick drying coat of paint Lifting Wrinkling of the topcoat caused by moisture creeping underneath Masking Covering areas that you do not wish to be painted usually with tape and paper Primer A protective base layer of paint that prepares a surface for a top layer of paint Re Coat Time The amount of time necessary to wait before a second application Substrate Simply refers to the surface which is to be painted Touch Dry Describes the way paint feels when it is no longer tacky to the touch VOC Volatile Organic Compounds are components in paint regulated by the EPA

Most exterior paints are designed specifically to act as a shield that protects your home from natural weather elements They help prevent moisture from seeping into the interior and doing damage Naturally your siding will stay in great shape if it s painted regularly Painting is a great way to increase the longevity of your siding saving you tons of money in more frequent and more pricey siding repairs When compared with other projects exterior residential painting offers the greatest return on investment in the shortest amount of time which is why people often paint before selling their home An exterior repaint simply makes your home look more beautiful and it ll make you happier to look at as you pull up The most important thing is that you love how your home looks both inside and out As always we want to make your home look more beautiful

Exterior paint projects vary in many ways so there s no set amount of time that a project will take From painting full exteriors to repainting only the sun facing sides of the home exterior projects come in all shapes and sizes At Tom Curren Companies our average exterior project takes about a week However this answer is subject to a long list of variables which we ll explain next An average sized house should take 5 days at least

The average cost of an exterior painting job depends on multiple factors like most home improvement projects The largest factor in pricing is the size of the house and set up time There are certain things that make a project take longer to set up like a slanted foundation Lead Paint safety precautions or if the landscaping needs to be extra protected The TCC team has been painting homes for over 36 years and our experience is that the average client will need to spend anywhere between 10 000 25 000 to achieve beautiful finishes and a durable job Each project is different we ve done homes for significantly less and some for significantly more It s always best to compare a few prices and what you re getting for each price point Sometimes the price tag may seem lower and that s because the contractor plans to cut corners

Size is a major factor A box shaped house with a straight exterior is more manageable and takes less time to paint than that one with an irregular shape or decorative features Many of the older homes we work in have very intricate design details that require extra time and attention If your house was built before 1978 it might have lead based paint Laws enacted by the Environmental Protection Agency EPA require you to have the lead paint removed from your house before repainting to prevent contamination especially if it is chipping or peeling The condition of the exterior of your house determines how much preparation and repair time your painting crew will need to do on your siding Jobs that include carpentry repairs like siding repairs siding replacement mold removal and other carpentry jobs will add to the length of your painting project When there are temperature fluctuations the paint and wood expand and contract leading to cracks and paint peeling off Painting pros will incorporate these temperature changes into their timeline and your painting job may take longer than expected if the weather and temperature won t be appropriate at the time Using multiple colors may also require more time to mix design and dry hence increasing your painting project s timeline Many of the Historic homes we paint use bright pops of color on the trim

Over time your home s exterior paint will become discolored for a variety of reasons It s natural for the elements especially the sun to cause your paint color to fade or look duller than it did years before Luckily this is just a problem with the aesthetic of your home but your siding won t suffer any added damage These signs are lumped together because they often occur simultaneously in some combination of the three Bubbling happens below the surface and often leads to cracking Cracking may occur both on the siding and on the caulking It s common that cracking paint ultimately peels off which exposes your home to harmful elements Moisture stains shouldn t be confused with dirt marks that can be washed away Moisture stains are often an indicator that you have deeper water damage to your siding which would require carpentry work to be done ahead of painting If you re lucky sometimes sanding the siding down repainting or sealing is all that s needed to clear up the moisture stains If you have wood siding it will eventually start to show signs of wear no matter how well you maintain it If you start to see wood damage wood peeling off or wood that looks moist it s more than likely you have wood rot Wood damage and rot is a very telling sign that it s time to paint

Before the first bucket of paint is even opened we prep your home for the job This means we Seal ventilation areas that might allow dust to enter your home Place plastic sheeting on plants shrubs and foliage Cover windows and doors if applicable These steps ensure the paint only touches the intended areas You won t find paint drips chips or particles on your windows or plants after we leave What s more we clean up after we re done each and every day We never leave a residence in a state of disarray until the project is finished When we leave at the end of the day your yard will look neat and tidy Many painters pressure wash using a high pressure setting We don t think this is the best approach First high pressure can actually do more harm than good It strips wood loosens shingle and siding and chips away paint that s still in good condition That s why we use a low pressure setting to pre rinse the areas that will be painted Then we scrub surfaces by hand We use a pump sprayer to apply a bleach solution that removes dirt grime and mildew Next we hand scrub the areas that will be painted This process results in a more thorough cleaning and surface that s better prepared to take paint Plus it doesn t damage your home the way pressure washing can Finally we use a pressure washer on the lowest setting to rinse the cleaning solution We ll also squeegee your windows to ensure no streaks remain We ll inspect the wood on your home for signs of rot or damage If carpentry repairs are required we ll alert you as soon as possible Our crews will also spend time scraping old paint from your home to ensure the new paint adheres and looks flawless This may include spot stripping partial or full stripping hand scraping and power sanding Once the wood is smooth and free of peeling chipped paint we ll apply a coat of primer to ensure the wood is ready to accept paint We also use primer in areas where nails have rusted or tannin bleeds are obvious This gives the new paint staying power so it looks great for years After cleaning and prepping we ll apply two coats of exterior paint Our crews use sprayers rollers and brushes to do the job When sprayers are used we take care to ensure an even consistent coat over all surfaces We ll make sure the coats have adequate time to dry Otherwise the paint could lift blister or check which results in bubbles lines or wrinkles in the finished coat The home s trim is painted after the flat surfaces ensuring a picture perfect result

Lead based paint was used in the past to help homes maintain a fresh appearance increase the durability of a project and reduce the amount of time it took to dry In 1978 lead paints were banned for residential use in the U S as it was uncovered that they can cause significant health problems in both adults and children In many historic New England homes lead paint is still found in old and original paint jobs If your home has lead based paint you need to take extreme caution when old paint is not handled correctly paint chips and lead dust can impact your family s health long term When working with lead paint it s important to wear appropriate protective clothing like full body zip up suits respirators disposable shoe covers gloves and goggles There should also be proper protection set up in the yard to protect landscaping and your home Any EPA Certified Lead Paint Professional should do this

1 Sheets are used to protect the area 20 ft outside of the home These sheets will be used to cover any furniture that can t be moved and any shrubbery or bushes that are close to the home 2 When exterior paint stripping is performed the dust paint chips need to be contained Using dustless sanders hooked to a HEPA vacuum is among the safest ways to strip lead paint safely 3 Full body zip up suits disposable shoe covers gloves and should be worn to ensure the safety of the painters throughout the project 4 Respirators help prevent direct inhalation of any harmful toxins that may come from the lead paint The eye protection allows the painters to get close enough to see the details without jeopardizing their safety

Both substances are basically made up of the same ingredients a pigment and a vehicle The main difference between the two is that paint remains on the surface of the wood whereas stain is absorbed into it Paint stays on the surface covering up the wood grain versus showcasing and enhancing the natural beauty which happens when you stain it Stains are designed to be absorbed into the wood so it doesn t obscure the grain while coloring it It s easier to apply stains than paint as well as to re coat any surfaces when they need it You don t always need to prime the wood before applying stain so it s faster than painting as well And unlike paint wood stains are not subject to chipping However because wood stain is thinner than paint it wears away faster and needs to be reapplied more frequently There are also fewer colors to choose from in stains as the purpose of a wood stain is to present an enhanced wood color rather than a bold color such as yellow or green Much like paint a wood stain has to be reapplied after a certain point Usually when you notice your wood starting to become dull dry or turning a grayish tint it s time to reapply However coats of wood stain applied before you begin to see damage are ideal The amount of time between reapplications is also dependent on the type of stain you used If you ve used a semi transparent stain you can go 3 5 years between reapplications With a solid stain because it s thicker and more resilient than the semi transparent style you can reapply it every 510 years depending on the elements your wood is exposed to

There are various kinds of wood stain to choose from The two major types are semi transparent and solid A semitransparent stain is ideal for structures where you want to see the details of the wood grain for a more rustic or natural feel Solid stains are similar to paint in that they leave a solid coating of pigment that can obscure the details of the wood though not to the same degree as paint The type of stain you decide to use is generally dependent on the kind of wood you are working with as well as your own preferences for color or grain visibility Beyond texture your wood stain could be water based oil based or varnish based Do not produce fumes Non flammable Easier to clean up Maintains color for a longer time Smoother finish Permeates the wood deeper for greater protection Less maintenance More resistant to fading or damage from the elements Provides a clear and transparent finish Maintains more of the natural color of the wood Dries quickly

Most contractors build relationships with Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams making their top of the line paints accessible to you at a more cost effective price Both options provide a high quality and long lasting finish which reduces the cost of service per year Benjamin Moore offers a wide selection of paints spanning multiple different lines with more than 3500 paint colors The paints apply smoothly are splatter resistant durable fast drying and have excellent hide and coverage properties even over dark colors Benjamin Moore is a top of the line paint and can range from 40 80 for a gallon depending on the type of paint you choose Their high end Regal and Aura paints are on the higher side of that range These two lines are both of exceptional quality they re mildew resistant have zeroVOC low odor and offer better coverage with each coat Sherwin William s products are ideal for both exterior and interior painting and their top quality will give you better service for a long time Sherwin Williams s paint is perfectly thick and a single coat produces an acceptable coverage The paint is easy to apply and produces an appealing finish Sherwin Williams paint gallons range from 40 90 Duration Home and Emerald range from 60 to 80 per gallon The brand also has a new paint Emerald Urethane which costs about 90 per gallon While Sherwin Williams s paints may sound expensive their durability top of the line and definitely is worth the investment in protecting your home

Behr products are ideal for do it yourself DIY projects because they are cheaper and found at Home Depot Behr makes it easy to find your perfect color have it mixed at the store The paint is decently thick which makes it possible to cover the walls However you will need around three coats of Behr to produce an acceptable result Behr s top paint Marque costs about 42 per gallon while their cheapest paint Premium Plus goes for around 27 You can also choose their Premium Plus Ultra which costs around 35

The exterior of your home is the first thing you ll see every time you pull up to it The color you select should make you happy and proud to live in your beautiful home Here are a few tips to help guide you in choosing a color Typically you don t want to use the exact same color that everyone else uses in the neighborhood but it also doesn t have to be the complete opposite You want your house to look unique while not sticking out Nonetheless take a look at your neighbor s house to get a sense of what looks good on similar homes in your area Consider a color palette that is different while also complementary to their homes The color you choose should rarely blend in with your yard your home s exterior color and your landscaping should work together harmoniously For example if you have bright colored perennials in your front yard consider a color that complements them Whatever color you land on should highlight the beautiful landscaping that you have Sometimes a fan deck of colors is too overwhelming to take on We understand this and help our clients with color consultations to discuss options of brands and colors It always helps if you do some research ahead of time on color combinations that are popular for similar homes Homeowners often request larger paint samples or start by painting different colors in different places to see how they blend with the yard

Now that you re familiar with the basics you ll be more comfortable speaking with a professional about your home s exterior Feeling inspired but still unsure of what paint color scheme might be right for your home Our Exterior Painting Survey will help point you in the right direction and offer you customized advice based on what you select If you have any questions or would like to explore an exterior paint project please email us at exterior tomcurrencompanies com

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