D.I.Y. Saturday #15 – How to Expertly Paint Exterior Wood & Trim

Entry #258, August 28, 2010

The exterior of your home is subjected to the sun, wind, and elements 365 days of the year.  Exterior wood siding and trim take a beating from the elements as well.  How about sprucing up the exterior of your home with a fresh paint job? I showed you how to choose exterior paint colors a few weeks ago, today I will show you the materials and process of how to paint the exterior of your home.

Painting the exterior of your home will protect the wood

Ensure that you first inspect and prepare the surface first. Here are some tips for surface preparation from, Dulley painting guide.

Surface Preparation:

The first step should be a thorough inspection of your home’s exterior, checking for peeling paint, dirt, grease, cracks, knots, rusty nail heads, bare areas and mildew. Follow these steps to obtain the smooth, clean, dry surface before painting:

• Scrape all surfaces clean of peeling paint and rust.
• Remove oil, grease and dirty by washing with a detergent or commercial cleaner recommended for washing paint. On siding, remove dirt and chalk with a solution of the above type detergent and a sponge, brush, or pressure washer. (Paints often chalk slightly to prevent dirt collection. Latex paints are sensitive to heavily chalked surfaces.)
• Remove all traces of mildew with a stiff brush and a commercial surface cleaner recommended for removing mildew. Or, mix one quart of household bleach with three quarts warm water. Rinse well with clean water before painting.
• Cracks in siding or open joints between building materials should be caulked. Prime unpainted surfaces before caulking.
• If siding has wood knots that contain resinous material, use turpentine or mineral spirits to remove resin, then seal with a special knot sealer available at your paint store.
• On iron and steel, rust should be sanded or wire brushed away.
• Fill particularly rough, unpainted masonry surfaces with masonry block filler — a thick material that creates a smoother, less porous surface.
• Glossy painted surfaces should be roughened with sandpaper — particularly important under eaves or overhangs. These areas must also be washed with detergent and water to remove soluble salts which have collected.
• Sand rusty nailheads, then sink them slightly below the surface with a hammer and nail punch. Apply corrosion-resistant primer over the nailhead and add putty if necessary. Then sand smooth.
• Spot prime bare areas. Even if siding is factory primed, spot priming will be necessary on bare or rusted areas. Minor scratches, dents and raw edges should be feather sanded and spot primed.

What a difference color makes.

Painting Steps:

Behr Paint has a step by guide on how to paint wood siding

STEP 1:

Begin your painting project by pouring thoroughly mixed paint into a bucket and dipping a quality 2”–2½” wide nylon/polyester brush into the paint.
TIP: When working outside, it is best to work out of direct sunlight and in temperatures between 50º–90ºF with moderate humidity.

Painting your home will not only make it look better, but it will extend the life of your wood siding.  But painting it you are painting a protective shield over the wood to protect from the damaging effects of the elements.

Paint your home like a pro!

STEP 2:

Starting at the top of your project area, paint (cut in) horizontally along the top and bottom of each sideboard. Next, cut in vertically along the left trim of the sideboards and then on the right trim of the sideboards.

TIP: Remove the excess paint that collects between the sideboard panels by working your brush between the grooves of the boards.

STEP 3:

Reload the brush when necessary to maintain a wet edge. Repeat the process until the cut in section is complete.
TIP: To eliminate unwanted brush strokes, smooth out the cut in section by taking a lighter stroke over the newly painted area.

Your home has so much potential when painted!

STEP 4:

From the bucket, pour paint into a paint tray and work your roller into the tray until it is fully loaded with paint. For best results, use a ⅜”–¾” roller cover.
TIP: For larger areas, consider using a 5-gallon bucket and a bucket grid.

STEP 5:

Starting at an upper corner of the cut in section, fill in the remaining areas of the boards with the roller. Be sure to roll over the cut in area as well.

STEP 6:

Reload the roller when necessary to maintain a wet edge. Repeat the process until the project is complete.
TIP: For optimum results in quality of color of finish, apply a second coat.

You Tube video:

How to paint your exterior wood and trim of your home.

For more DIY ideas on Stagetecture, & Stagetecture’s YouTube Channel, click here.