Most of us have a relatively good idea of how to paint walls, ceilings and other features in our home, but when it comes to external and masonry painting, it’s safe to say that many of us would be a little daunted with the task.
We all want the exterior of our homes to look as nice as the interior. Whether it’s just freshening up some painted windowsills or completely repainting the whole exterior of your house, knowing some tips and tricks on how to prepare your exterior walls for painting will make the task at hand so much easier.
Remember, getting a good paint job is all in the preparation, so with that in mind, here are some top tips on how to prepare your exterior walls for painting.
Make The Surface Smooth
If you’re just painting bottom level windowsills, or areas that are within reach, then be sure to make the surface you are painting as smooth as possible. Exterior surfaces can become rough thanks to the weather so before painting, remove any loose brickwork and give any existing paintwork a light sanding.
If the paintwork is particularly damaged, try to remove any heavy areas of peeling. You can get masonry filler, so for any missing parts, fill these in with filler, leave to set then smooth with sanding paper.
Clean and Mask The Area
Once the area is smooth, it’s time to brush clean the surface to clear away dust, dirt and debris that can accumulate on windowsills and walls. Once the area is relatively dust free, it’s time to mask up any corners, windows and door frames. Masking before you paint makes the job much easier, plus it’s a lot cleaner. Be sure to use good quality masking tape and properly protect any exposed surfaces that you don’t want to get paint on.
For commercial properties and buildings, painting is often done on a much larger scale by professionals, but you still need to commit to cleaning the exterior of your property as best as possible. Companies that provide commercial cleaning in London will be able to provide specialist cleaning services, such as DOFF cleaning, which will completely clean the exterior of your building in preparation for painting to remove any stubborn staining, moss or algae.
Priming and Undercoats
If the area has never been painted before and is just exposed brick or masonry, then you will need to prime the area with a protective undercoat. By doing this, you ensure that you are getting better paint coverage as the paint won’t be seeping into the brickwork. For masonry, you will need to use a special exterior masonry paint that is perfectly formulated for external brickwork. Leave the primer or undercoat to dry fully before painting.
Use The Right Equipment
If you have the skill-set, are an experienced painter and are planning on repainting the whole exterior of your home, then you will likely need scaffolding or a scaffold tower, which will make the painting so much easier and safer than just using a ladder. A roller is the best tool for covering large areas, but if the external surface is rough, a wide bristled brush could make the job easier. You will need a small brush for getting into those hard to reach or precise areas, as well as metal paint canisters to store paint in whilst painting.
There you have it, all the tips and tricks you need to ensure that your external walls are painted well!
