Any tips on exterior paint for house

CHSD

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Feb 1, 2016
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We are planning on repainting our house in the few weeks. Does anyone have any tips to help the process? Tips on which paint to buy? The siding is lap siding. I would appreciate any tips.
 

Rich M

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Pressure wash a day or two before - let it dry before painting.

Seal any gaps or such with good caulk and let it dry before painting - then paint over it.

Buy good paint. Don't cheap it.
 
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^^^^This^^^^






I realize Lowes and home improvement stores sell decent paint. But, if there is a wherein Williams course by, go with their paint. It’s far superior. If your home improvement centers sell the same thing they suggest, that’s fine. But, when it come to quality paint, Sherwin Williams is hard to beat
 
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Sherwin Williams Emerald exterior, not cheap but it's the good stuff. They have 20-30% off sales twice a month.

Sent from my Pixel 7 using Tapatalk
 

ODB

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People are different - but I have never sprayed a house - I always roll and back brush. I also paint the edges of window and corner trim - most people only paint the face. It makes a difference.

Our house was last painted with Sherwin Williams Weathershield and i will admit i am impressed with it. Even the east/south sides have held up very well.

Don't paint in the hot/direct sun.
 
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Rich M

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We’ve been talking about painting again, this summer. Bought in 2000 and this will be the third time i paint it, had someone else paint it in the middle somewhere.

Down here we paint as soon as the dew dries and quit at noon cause thats when the thunderstorms start. Get about 1 portion done say edge a side or two, then next day paint a side. Takes a couple weekends to get it done but is worth it.

Prepping is key. Don’t be afraid to prime or Kilz if the underlaying paint is in tough shape.
 
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Buy good brushes for cut in, trim and window sashes. Wash them out when they start getting dried out toward the middle/upper part of the bristles. +1 on good paint and caulk.
 

BigE

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Another post for Sherwin Williams Emerald. We used that on our MI house ~10 years ago and it still looks better than other houses that were painted with the cheap stuff a year ago. Tried the SW Rain Refresh paint on another house and it's also great, but it can be fiddly since normal masking tape doesn't stick to it. Depending on the area you live it may be worth it.
Painting is not rocket science but there are techniques and tools that make it easier to deal with. The posts above cover the bulk of the job. Good luck!
 

Venom One

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Buy a good sprayer intended for use with 5 gal buckets
Buy paint in 5 gal buckets
Do 2 coats (Do both coats before moving to the next side)
Assuming you're using 2 colors: spray the siding and SIDES of the trim first, then roll the trim FACE with a roller and you're done (shouldn't need a brush at all).
Use a hand-held straight edge
 

elkguide

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Do NOT pressure wash unless you don't plan on painting for a month or two! If you are hitting your siding with water at 2500 psi it invariably goes in and then has to come out. As well as if you aren't careful, you can ruin your siding. I watched some "college pro" painter destroy the siding on a house.

Preparation is the real key. If your house has peeling paint, scrape everything that is loose and then scrape some more. If the siding has dust or dirt build up, wash it down with a garden hose with a little pressure and wait several days before painting.

I spend my working days painting and have for the last 40 years. I consider myself a full-time scraper and part time painter. Today's paints are "environmentally friendly" but to say it politely, they all suck! Buy a name brand like Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore, California, etc. and buy their top-of-the-line paint. Do NOT buy Behr paint or any other less expensive ("cheap") paint. The expense of painting is mostly in labor. The SW "Emerald" line, the BM "Moore Guard/Glo" line or the "2010 Ultra" from California are all very good products and will last the longest. Remember to "chase the shade" and do not paint in the sun.

Good luck and have fun. The one nice thing about painting is at the end of the day you can really see what you have accomplished.
 

Idaboy

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Oct 22, 2017
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We’ve been talking about painting again, this summer. Bought in 2000 and this will be the third time i paint it, had someone else paint it in the middle somewhere.

Down here we paint as soon as the dew dries and quit at noon cause thats when the thunderstorms start. Get about 1 portion done say edge a side or two, then next day paint a side. Takes a couple weekends to get it done but is worth it.

Prepping is key. Don’t be afraid to prime or Kilz if the underlaying paint is in tough shape.
Agree with that prepping is the major key...It always takes me 2-4 hrs of prep on a section for every hr I paint...agree with pressure wash, but carefully, and scraping is key...just be cautious with pressure on any damaged wood and near windows....prep, prep, prep and then put a good primer coat that I usually tint towards my color I am using...good luck
 

Idaboy

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Oct 22, 2017
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497
Do NOT pressure wash unless you don't plan on painting for a month or two! If you are hitting your siding with water at 2500 psi it invariably goes in and then has to come out. As well as if you aren't careful, you can ruin your siding. I watched some "college pro" painter destroy the siding on a house.

Preparation is the real key. If your house has peeling paint, scrape everything that is loose and then scrape some more. If the siding has dust or dirt build up, wash it down with a garden hose with a little pressure and wait several days before painting.

I spend my working days painting and have for the last 40 years. I consider myself a full-time scraper and part time painter. Today's paints are "environmentally friendly" but to say it politely, they all suck! Buy a name brand like Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore, California, etc. and buy their top-of-the-line paint. Do NOT buy Behr paint or any other less expensive ("cheap") paint. The expense of painting is mostly in labor. The SW "Emerald" line, the BM "Moore Guard/Glo" line or the "2010 Ultra" from California are all very good products and will last the longest. Remember to "chase the shade" and do not paint in the sun.

Good luck and have fun. The one nice thing about painting is at the end of the day you can really see what you have accomplished.
Perfectly said
 

Deadfall

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Just because paint is super expensive doesn't mean it's great paint.
It's all about the solids in tge paint. There are paints out there tgat pound for pound perform equal to or better tgen sherwin or benny.
Big box does not have any of those paints. However, your local paint store, usually department inside a hardware store will have.

They all have a good, better, best product. Product for product equal to or perhaps better then the big 2. Be alot less money.

100 percent
 

NB7

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Jul 8, 2020
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I used to work part time for a painting contractor friend in the summers. Sherwin Williams' Duration or Emerald are the best. If I remember correctly, I think Emerald is just Duration with some type of cutting additive that you can do yourself. I can't remember the specifics though, and I doubt Sherwin Williams will share that
 

Smallie

Lil-Rokslider
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Jan 11, 2019
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Illinois
I just purchased a home that will need a lot of paint inside and out. Any recommendations on a good paint sprayer?
 
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