If you need to revitalize the exterior of your house, you need to be well versed about how to prep the surface and paint it. You can do this easily when you learn some basic tips that will help you achieve painting success.
-
Prep the Surface.
First, you need to prepare the surface. If you are working with a weathered, old building, you should never water-blast the surface as the pressure from the water blast could knock the boards loose and flood the bare spots with too much water. Also, old paint on an old and weathered building may contain lead. Therefore, you need to proceed with caution.
-
Take Care of Any Wet Rot or Dry Rot
That means scraping the paint and reviewing the wood’s condition. Weathered wood can be spongy and moist. When this happens, it usually has a condition known as wet rot. If an area is crumbly or dry, it is known as dry rot. Both dry and wet rot result from microorganisms that have to be removed first. If a section is smaller and features rot, you can cut the damaged section and patch it with a wood-type plug.
If a large section is affected by wet or dry rot, you will need to replace the lap siding. This type of siding can be milled at a millworks company. Hopefully, you will not come across a large section of dry or wet rot as the repairs can take some time to make.
-
Check for Damages Such as Cracks
You will also need to look for any planks that may be twisted or warped. It is also useful to check for long cracks in the woods. If you happen to discover any of these damages, the wood needs to be replaced.
-
Scraping Away the Paint
If the wood is less weathered, you will not be beset with replacing the siding or planks but merely preparing the surface by scraping it.
-
Sanding and Brushing the Surface
After the wood has been scraped, you will need to sand and brush it. This will require the use of a wire brush and sander. Once you have scraped off the paint, it is fairly easy to brush it and sand it. Before you cover any weathered wood with paint, you need to remove any loose fibers.
Take the wire brush and remove the remaining paint pieces and wood pieces. By taking this approach, you will also roughen up the surface. In turn, the paint will adhere better when it is applied. If the surface is flat and is a molding or soffit, you can easily sand the surface by using a belt sanding tool.
While it takes a lot of time to prepare an old building that features weathered wood, it is a vital and important step. If you want your paint job to look good, you need to make sure you take extra care in preparing the exterior. This is the best way to revitalize the surface so that paint sticks to it well.
In addition to this preparation, you will need to apply caulk where needed and wash the building down with a hose. Apply a primer first before you ultimately apply the paint. Use a primer that is oil-based and apply it in two applications.