A coat of paint can instantly refresh your home and improve its market value. Read on for tips on preparing and painting your home’s exterior.
Firstly, determine how much of your home’s exterior will be painted – shutters and trim for a quick refresh, or the whole home?
A lot of time and money can be saved by thorough preparation.
Choosing the right colour and paint type needs careful consideration and may include factors beyond personal preference. Think of the style or mood you want to create, the orientation of the building, and any restrictions that may apply to changes of the outside of your home, such as heritage overlays.
White is a classic choice, providing a clean and crisp first impression. White or off-white works with most styles and creates a great backdrop for contrasting details. White can make small houses look bigger and don’t fade as much from sun exposure.
Most paint companies will have a range of colours approved for use on homes with heritage overlays, as well as a variety of suggested schemes for Federation homes.
Consider how a new colour will impact your current garden, neighbouring properties and other homes in the street. Trends in colours come and go- will the colour still be fashionable years from now or need a lot of maintenance?
Your local paint supply store can provide expert advice. Take advantage of paint sample pots to test a new colour on different parts of your home and view the proposed colour at different times of the day to see the impact of different light and shadow at different times of the day.
DIY vs The Professionals
Painting your home yourself can save you time and money if you are prepared to invest some time in research and thorough preparation before you start.
The Master Painters Australia Association has a library of information sheets for consumers which cover a range of painting techniques and resources. https://www.mpav.com.au/consumer-info/painting-tips-data-sheets/
The Association also lists a register of master painters by area, which you can access through an online request https://www.mpav.com.au/find-a-master-painter/
Word-of-mouth referrals from friends and family on online review are a good way to find a reputable tradesperson.
The Master Painters Association recommends three coats applied as per paint manufacturers’ specifications for new surfaces, with two coats being sufficient for existing surfaces.
If you opt to do the painting yourself, use the following tips to help you thoroughly prepare:
- Before you start painting, makes sure the surface of your home is clean and dry. Rinse timber and wash off any dirt, mould or mildew and cover plants, walkways and furniture to protect from paint drips and splatters
- Remove and blisters by scraping, then sanding the surface.
- Invest in quality brushes and invest your time in developing your painting techniques- (YouTube is an excellent resource for online tutorials and guidance).
- Paint the west side in the morning and move to the east in the afternoon to avoid painting in full sun – this way your paint won’t dry too quickly.
- Work from the top down, starting with the eaves, then the fascia, followed by the gutters. Work on one wall at a time, from the top down.
- Allow two hours for the paint to dry before applying the next coat. Avoid painting in the late afternoon as your paint may not have time to dry before temperatures drop in the evening – condensation may ruin the work you have already done.
- Once walls are finished, you can then paint painting windows and trims.
- For new exterior timber surfaces, fill nail holes with a flexible, exterior wood-filler and sand all dressed timber.
Contact The Home Inspection Hub today for your pre-purchase or pre-sale inspection.
Phone: 1300 071 283
Email: info@thehomeinspectionhub.com.au
Visit our website for a free quote: www.thehomeinspectionhub.com.au
