Even if the paint colors on a person’s home seemed perfect when they were new, paint fades and, in time, the home will need to be repainted. Depending on where a house is located, the weather conditions might be hard on paint. Sometimes, a house looks old and faded and a new coat of paint in new colors will make the house look new again. A person can also purchase a home with colors they do not like, planning on having it painted in the near future.
Is It Time To Paint the House?
Planning for painting your house is a personal matter that can be daunting. Hiring a painting contractor to repaint a house is a sizable investment. Painting the house yourself can be a time-consuming and unpleasant task. Many people do not have the skill, experience, or inclination to paint a whole house. When the house needs a new coat of paint, it might be worth the time to get several quotes from painting contractors and compare the quotes with the material costs and time needed to paint the house on your own.
Some people will find great satisfaction in choosing the type of paint and colors and then doing the painting themselves. Others will choose to hire a competent painting contractor to get the job done quickly and correctly. The success and durability of the new paint job will depend on choosing the correct paint, doing the prep work correctly, and painting with an expert touch.
Each person must decide when it is time to repaint the house. But, when the paint is faded, stained, and peeling in places, it is time. If the colors are no longer pleasing, it is time to paint. If a person is thinking of putting the house on the market, a new paint job may add to the house’s value and saleability.
Choosing the Correct Type of Paint For your House Exterior
The average paint price in the 1970s was around $7.00 per gallon but, by 2017, a gallon of paint could cost as much as $49.00 or even more. One way to get a paint job that lasts longer is to choose some of the new painting or coating systems such as TEX.COTE products. This new technology makes coating systems that are heat reflective, longer-lasting, moisture resistant, and more fade-resistant.
- If the homeowner feels they can not afford the higher upfront cost, they can choose good-quality, traditional exterior paints, knowing they will need to be recoated a little sooner. The types of exterior paints include solvent-based or oil paints and latex water-based paints. If the house was painted with an oil or solvent-based paint, special surface preparation will be needed to repaint with latex exterior paints.
- Oil-based paints are especially good for doors and metal railings because they dry to a tough, durable finish. Latex paints are good for the exterior of a home because they dry faster and clean up easier. They also are able to expand and contract with temperature changes, allowing them to last longer. Both types of exterior paints come with different finish choices including gloss, semi-gloss, satin, and flat.
- Since there are a lot of paints on the market, it is important to choose a paint that will do the best job. look for a paint that has good hiding power, guaranteed color retention to avoid fading, chalking resistance and quality resins, and blister resistance. For any paint to work properly, the surface must be dry and clean before painting begins. Look for the mid-level to premium paint in each line. Read the product information and know how long the producer backs the paint.
- It is important to use a high-quality exterior primer as needed. Let the primer dry completely before applying the outer paint coat. Primer also comes as oil-based or water-based options. If the house paint is latex, a latex primer must be used. Before primer is applied, old or loose paint should be scraped off and damaged siding or trim should be repaired.
- Ask the painting contractor or the paint store experts what paints work best in the area.
Choosing the Perfect Paint Colors For Your House
The best-quality paint won’t make up for bad color choices. It is important to choose the paint colors for the exterior of a house carefully. Some tips for paint choice success include the following.
- Decide what the house’s style is and what the accepted colors for that style are. What paint colors are found on other houses of similar style in the neighborhood?
- Drive around the area and take photos of house colors that are appealing. Notice the trend in colors in the neighborhood. It is nice to be unique without looking out of place.
- Avoid temporary paint color trends because they will soon pass. Choose classic color combinations that will look good in the future.
- Let the house be a guide to color choices. The brick or stone trim, roof color, or window trim color must be considered in the choice of paint colors. The size of the house must also be considered.
- Consider the color guidelines from the paint manufacturers. Their suggested color combinations or color wheels can be very helpful.
- When the colors seem right, get samples and test them on the house before buying the paint for the whole house. Look at the swaths of paints in different lights to be sure they are right. A person might decide to go a shade darker or lighter after seeing the sample paint on the house.
Should you paint Your House Yourself or Hire A Paint Contractor to Paint It.
Not everyone has the skill or experience to paint a whole house. A one-story house might be a good DIY painting project, but a two- or three-story house might be best left to the professional painters with safety equipment. Consider the time the prep, priming, and final painting will take. A professional painter will get the job done faster. Do you have all the painting supplies on hand? If you need to buy all the supplies, ladders, and the paint, the cost will add up.
If a house has simple lines and minimal trim, doing it yourself might be a good idea. But, if the house has a complicated exterior with odd angles and lots of intricate trim, hire a professional. If you have no experience painting a house, the whole exterior is not the place to start learning. In the end, the decision about doing the job yourself or hiring a professional painter will depend on the size and intricacy of the house, the time you could dedicate to the project, and your skill level.
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