Studies show that homeowners typically paint their homes every 6 to 10 years. This regular maintenance is not just about enhancing your home's aesthetics but also preserving its overall value. It can significantly increase the value of your property if you decide to sell it in the future. You can hire professional painters in Melbourne to give your home a fresh look or DIY.

Regardless of your chosen approach, preparing your surfaces is important before exterior house painting. Some important points to address before you get into your home's exterior painting are:

• Removing old and loose paint.

• Repairing scratches.

• Smoothing wood surfaces to ensure the new paint adheres well.

One of the common questions asked by Melbourne homeowners is, ‘What to do before painting the exterior of house?’. Today, in this blog, we will provide you with DIY tips from expert exterior painters.

DIY tips for home exterior painting

Here are some of the important house painting tips to make it a success:

Gathering your supplies in one place before you start painting is wise. Professional painters in Melbourne recommend having these items ready:

• Power or pressure washer

• Garden hose

• Bucket and trash bag

• Filler and Filling knife

• Sandpaper

• Sugar Soap

• Sponge

• Wide paint brush or wire brush

• Masking tape or painter's tape

• Drop sheets and plastic coverings

• Detergent and water

• Safety goggles

• Respirator

• Mask

• Rags

• Ladder

• Primer

• Drop cloth

2.  Avoid painting during adverse or unsuitable weather conditions.

• Avoid painting when it’s wet outside. Humid or damp conditions can cause paint drips and slow drying.

• If you must paint on a humid day, take your time. Use slow-drying paint to fix mistakes before applying the next coat.

• Check the weather forecast and choose dry periods with less rain and lower humidity.

• Avoid painting on damp surfaces, as the paint won’t stick well.

• Painting on scorching days above 40° Celsius can cause paint to dry too quickly, which can lead to blistering, peeling and uneven strokes.

• The ideal temperature for painting is below 35° Celsius. This temperature is better for both the paint and your health. You must protect yourself with sunscreen and a broad-brim hat and stay hydrated during hot weather.

• Avoid painting on rainy, windy, or dusty days, as these conditions can affect paint adhesion and cause dust particles to stick to wet surfaces.

3. Prepare and clean your home's exterior surfaces for paint.

• Sand or scrape any peeling paint to create a smooth surface for the new paint.

• Fill any gaps with a flexible gap filler and apply primer paint to these areas.

• Remove rust from metal surfaces using a wire brush or sandpaper. Apply a Metal Primer before painting.

• Clean plastic downpipes and gutters with light sanding before painting.

• Brush away dirt, cobwebs and grime from the surfaces.

• Wash dirty or greasy patches with soap and water, then rinse with clean water. Use a scrubbing brush for tough spots.

• For lightly soiled walls, wipe them down with a damp cloth.

To test if the paint needs stripping, professionals suggest you cut an "X" with a sharp knife on the wall's surface and apply adhesive tape across it. If the tape pulls off paint, strip away loose paint before applying a new coat.

4. Mask the areas

• Use high-quality masking tape along the edges you want to protect, like trims or windows. Press down firmly to ensure clean, straight lines.

• Remove the masking tape at a 45° angle before the paint fully dries. This prevents the tape from tearing the paint.

• If the paint dries before removing the tape, score the edge with a sharp blade to avoid pulling paint from the wall when removing the tape.

5. Use primer

In the past, it was common to apply a layer of primer, sand it and then apply your coloured paint coats. This method is still effective today.

Some modern paints combine primer and paint into one product. While this can reduce the number of coats needed, it may also be more expensive than buying primer and paint separately.

Using an undercoat is necessary if you're painting over a dark surface or one that has never been primed or painted before. It can improve coverage and hiding power better than simply adding more topcoats.

6. Paint from top to bottom

Begin painting from the highest point and move downward. This technique helps prevent streaks in your paint job because you're working with gravity, not against it.

Although drips may happen, starting from the top allows you to blend any mistakes downward as you go.

7. Ensure your windows & doors don’t stick

Before painting, ensure your windows and doors open and close smoothly. There are changes that might cause windows and doors to stick due to paint. To avoid this, professionals suggest, after painting, regularly open and close your windows and doors for about a week to 10 days while the paint fully dries. You might have to do it longer in the winter or relatively cooler months. This helps prevent them from sticking as the paint cures.

Painting your house exterior requires effort and hiring professional painters is recommended.

Painting your house's exterior walls and surfaces is a challenging task that demands patience, careful planning, hard work and the use of appropriate products, tools and techniques.

If you're unsure about following our expert tips on how to prep your house for painting or lack the time or desire to DIY, consider hiring a reputable professional for a house painting service in Melbourne. They can ensure your home or property is painted to your expectations with the best results.