How to Paint Home Exterior Siding

Fastest Way to Paint Home Exterior Siding

Here we are going to cover tips on the fastest ways to paint the siding on your home. But here is one fun fact prior to us getting started. Did you know that it can cost up to $53.000 to have siding installed on your average 2-story house?

How can you best protect the wood sections of your house? Avoid this cost by having a good maintenance regimen for your existing siding. Painting provides a protective layer that has significant longevity along with obviously looking good.

But did you know that good-quality house painting is proven to raise the value of your house? But who has the time for painting sidings?

Planning & Researching Paint Materials

Maybe you remember the famous Abraham Lincoln Quote: “Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the ax.” The fastest way of painting the external surfaces of your house is to plan well.

Have you decided what color you will choose? The most popular color for large exterior surfaces is white. However, if you decide to include a contrasting color, you may have to think some more.

The Best Exterior Siding Brush

Next, you need to choose your brush type. You may be surprised to see that there are 2 types of bristle: Natural and synthetic. Our favorite is the Purdy Pro Extra paintbrush.

If you are applying latex-based paint on an exterior surface, it is better to choose synthetic bristles. Despite their higher price, they will last longer and maintain their shape for a longer time than natural brushes.

If you maintain and clean them thoroughly after each use, they will serve you well for years.

Preparing for the Process

This might sound like a simple step, but it is one that many overlook. Before you start preparing your exterior surfaces, you need to ensure that you avoid damaging the surroundings.

This means removing items for external windowsills and cutting back plants close to surfaces that you will paint.

Preparing Exterior Surfaces for Paint

Before you can lay a brush or roller on the wood surface, you will need to examine it for damage.

If your exterior wood surfaces have not been regularly maintained, you may need to do some work to see the real state of your wood siding. A quick and easy way to remove dirt and mold is pressure washing.

If you have a layer of existing paint, you may want to check its condition before painting over it. Try some spot testing.

Take some adhesive tape and stick a 10cm strip on the paint in a few locations. Rip the tape off, and if flakes of paint are removed with the tape, you know you have some work to do to remove older paint before applying the new.

You can use a chemical stripper or a heat gun to remove the loose paint.

At this stage, you may also want to check your wood siding for signs of any rotten or decaying materials. If you see major damage, you may need to have some parts replaced. For small holes and indentations, you can use a high-quality wood filler or 2 part epoxy.

Before painting, you will need to sand all areas. Simple general-purpose sandpaper is your friend for external wood surfaces.

Applying Primer Were it’s Needed

You have now stripped back the wood surface to its base. Once you have ascertained its quality, you are ready to apply primer.

If you are sure that the existing paint is sound and without major staining, you may be able to apply primer only to scraped or repaired areas.

Amongst other reasons, primer is used prior to your main color to seal strong colors that may emerge later through light colors. This can include knots in the timber board siding or trim or other strong stains.

Brushing Exterior Siding Techniques

We are finally ready to paint. The previous steps will ensure that your paint will both look good and be durable.

Get your paint, roller, and brush. Starting at the top of the wood siding. Work side to side in line with the grain of the siding.

Paint a maximum of 3 boards before carefully applying paint to the edges. Carefully examine your work to ensure that you are not applying too much paint and which will cause drips.

After you are sure that you have covered all surfaces, leave them to dry. You will likely need to apply 2 coats to sanded and well-primed surfaces.

Avoid Making These Mistakes

Even if you apply all these steps, there are still some traps that you need to avoid.

Wait for the right weather conditions

It might sound obvious not to paint exterior surfaces whilst it is raining, very windy, or particularly dusty. However, even smaller changes in weather can affect your work.

Hot weather and direct sunlight can cause your paint to dry too quickly. Cooler temperatures can stop the paint from sticking to the surface as it should. The best temperature is between 50-90 degrees Fahrenheit.

Drips

Drips are common and look bad but are completely avoidable. How can you remove drip marks? If you notice a drip when your paint is still wet, then simply brush it into the surrounding paint.

If the paint has dried, leave it until the surrounding is completely dry, and then carefully sand the area before touching it up with new paint.

Interested in Replacing your Siding?

Painting exterior siding can be a large task. With all the energy and skill it takes, you want to make sure that you are not painting over siding that ultimately needs to be replaced. Or, you can hire an exterior painting contractor that can tackle the entire project.

From siding installation to deck repairs, we have you covered. Contact us, and let us show you how we differ from the others.