Exterior Painting: How To Raise Your Game

Exterior painting is a gold mine. If you’re not an exterior specialist, this article will give you the building blocks to elevate your outdoor painting game. We will go over proper surface prep, when to prime, topcoat selection, applicator options and cleanup.

 

First, be safe on the job

 

A lot of exterior painting work is done from heights. So it’s a good idea to inspect ladders daily, set them properly, and follow safe ladder practices. A qualified person should install scaffolding. You will also want to know when to use fall protection and how to use it properly.

 

Falls from portable ladders are one of the leading causes of occupational fatalities and injuries according to OSHA. Follow OSHA’s guidelines for ladder safety and scaffold use to help keep your workers safe.

 

You’ll also want to communicate to your crew the importance of following your local COVID-19 guidelines. This includes washing hands often, not touching faces, not shaking hands and observing the six-foot social distancing recommendations, both with customers and fellow workers. Be sure to stock up on the supplies your crews will need to stay safe on the job – hand soap, hand sanitizer, cleaning agents, disposable wipes, tissues, etc.

 

Do the proper surface prep for exterior painting

 

Prep is the key to good-looking, long-lasting exterior results. A properly prepared surface is clean, dry, sound and dull. Cleaning the surface with a pressure washer might be a good starting point. Different applications require specific pressure washers.

 

Depending on the substrate and weather, you may need to allow at least 48 hours of drying before priming or topcoating. If it has rained or the humidity remains high, you may need to wait longer. Porous surfaces also may need longer to dry out before painting.

 

There are other common problems that tend to arise on exterior jobs. Look around the house for any soft or rotting wood, especially around windows and doors. You’ll need to replace it with new wood prior to painting. You’ll also want to fill cracks and holes.

 

Moisture is often a problem, and is the culprit in many cases of exterior peeling. It’s important to use a good quality caulk to fill gaps around windows and doors, joints in siding and trim boards, and anywhere moisture could get into the end-grain wood.

 

However, you also need to make sure that moisture generated inside the house has a way to escape, he says. The best way to allow a house to breathe is with gable, roof, and eave vents.

 

Understand the hazards of exterior painting

 

Structures built before 1978 may contain lead, and the removal of old paint by sanding, scraping or other means may generate dust or debris that contain lead. The Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (RRP) requires that contractors be certified to work on structures built before 1978. This includes performing renovation, repair, and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, apartments, child-occupied facilities such as schools and day-care centers, non-profit buildings, government buildings and hospitals.

 

Contractors must register with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and pay a fee to become an EPA Lead-Safe Certified firm. This requirement helps to ensure the training of individuals and the use of lead-safe work practices.

 

Get lead-safe certified. It’s the right thing to do for renovation contractors, their customers, their employees, and especially for children who spend time in or near spaces that are being renovated. Get more details on the RRP Rule at the EPA website.

 

Be ready to prime

 

You may not need a primer when painting on surfaces that are clean, dry, dull and in sound shape, and painting over similar types of existing finishes (such as latex over latex).

 

Use the appropriate primer to achieve the best quality finish. So do it right the first time and get the finest quality finish your customers demand.

 

Primers act as an intermediary between the substrate and the topcoat. Good ones seal, hide and bind to render the surface more uniform. This, in turn, allows the topcoat to get a better grip on the primer surface and ultimately results in better staying power.

 

For instance, when an enamel topcoat is applied to a primed exterior door, the paint actually is not being applied to the door but rather to the primer. The primer makes a possibly difficult-to-coat substrate more accepting for the topcoat, resulting in a longer-lasting, smoother finish.

 

Modern research and development has led to new primer technologies – products that not only provide the basics but attack specific problems, such as water damage, tannin bleed, graffiti, and efflorescence on masonry surfaces.

 

Exterior painting product options

 

Higher quality exterior paint is specifically formulated to provide added benefits. These benefits include color and gloss retention, mildew resistance and the flexibility to withstand expansion and contraction due to weather.
 The type of paint and finish you’ll use depends on the kind of surface to be painted – wood, aluminum, vinyl, stucco or masonry.

 

When painting vinyl siding, for example, look for products that offer vinyl safe colors which are formulated to resist warping or buckling when applied to a sound, stable vinyl substrate.

 

Exterior paint comes in a full range of sheens. A flat or matte finish, for example, softens the look of an exterior and helps hide surface blemishes. Flat finishes are ideal for body siding. With its slight gloss, a satin finish offers the benefits of a flat finish with added cleanability. It works great for the entire exterior and surfaces that need routine cleaning
.

 

Gloss offers a lustrous, durable finish perfect for areas that require frequent cleaning like doors, trim, window frames, lamp posts, gutters, downspouts and railings. A high gloss sheen can provide a harder and shiny finish, excellent for front doors
, accent trim and decorative fixtures
. Gloss finishes, however, may accentuate surface imperfections.

 

There are many quality exterior topcoat paints to choose from, depending on the project budget and substrate and environmental conditions.

 

Exterior painting application choices

 

Quality also matters when it comes to applicators. A good-quality brush, for example, holds more paint and applies it more evenly, which will require less effort, save time and help you give your customer the best result. Among the factors to consider are brush size, style and bristle type.

 

Rollers can work well when painting large flat surfaces or concrete and masonry substrates like stucco and brick. If the surface is porous or textured, use a heavy-nap roller cover (1/2-inch or more). Use a 1/4-inch nap to maximize sheen on a smoother surface.

 

Cut time on the job with spray application. Here, the size of the project will be a factor. However, the setup time (masking windows and landscaping, machine setup, cleanup and maintenance) may not be worth is if the job is too small.

 

Conventional sprayers, such as HVLP or high-volume, low-pressure sprayers, use compressed air as the pressurizing agent to deliver the paint. Airless sprayers pump the paint directly.

 

A final note: It may seem obvious, but when you’re painting outside, you want to start at the top and work down. Even the best painters using the best paints have drips, splatter and occasional spills.

 

Exterior painting clean up

 

Clean the paint from all application tools, ladders and other equipment. As a professional painter you should also consider ways to limit paint waste. You might also find opportunities to donate paint. If you find it necessary to dispose of leftover paint, consult your local city or environmental regulatory agency first for guidance on disposal options. Do not pour paint down a drain or into a storm sewer.

 

Depending on where you live, you may be able to recycle empty paint cans in your curbside recycling program. Check with your local recycling or trash services to see what is allowed. In most places, putting any liquids in the trash or recycling bins is prohibited. So, any cans you recycle or dispose of must be truly empty, and the lid should be removed so that trash collectors can see that they are empty.

 

Recycling leftover, unwanted paint is an option in some areas. For more information, visit paintcare.org or check with your local paint store.