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Get ready to Exterior Painting

Preparation is the key to any successful painting project. In general, remove any items as you can (planters, mailboxes, shutters, house numbers, hoses, outdoor furniture, light fixtures,storm windows and screens). Put drop clothes in place under the areas you plan to paint. 


WOODEN SURFACES

  • Wash with appropiate cleaner to remove any oil, grease or surface contamination. Wash Undereavesto remove any dirt and contamination that may have accumulated. Rinse thoroughly and allow to dry.
  • Scrape and sand any pelled, checked or blistered paint to a sound surface 
  • Sand glossy surface dull. Seal stains *such as water,smoke or grease stainswith the appropiate primer.
  • Fill any nailheaddepressions, crack and imperfections with putty. Where neccesary, scrape away old caulk and apply new caulk and primer. 
  • Coat any scraped, sanded or putied areas with a high quality exterior primer. Unless using self-priming products, you will want to prime any surface that’s being painted for the first time. 





















Vinyl Surfaces  

  • Clean the surface thoroughly by scrubbing with warm, soapy water. Rinse thoroughly.
  • If you want to paint vinyl siding darker than the original color, choose a product with vinyl performance coatings technology to avoid damage from warping 

Concrete & Masonry 

  • All new surfaces must cure for a specified period of time / usually about 30 days. Check with supplier. If painting cannot wait 30 days, allow the surface to cure 7 days and prime the surface with concrete and masonry primer.
  • Remove all form release and curing agents.
  • Cracks,voids and other holes should be repainted with an elastomeric masonry patch or sealant. 
ALUMINUM SIDING 
  • Wash with an appropriate cleaner to remove any oil, grease or surface contamination 
  • All corrosion must be removed with sandpaper, steel wool or other abrading method. 
PROJECT CHECKLIST 

  • Primer
  • Spackling & Putty
  • Putty Knife
  • Masking tape & painters tape
  • Sandpaper
  • Caulk and caulking gun 
  • Cleaning Solution 
  • Drop Cloths
  • Roller frame and covers
  • Brushes
  • Paint tray and tray liner
  • Ladders
  • Extension pole
  • Paint shield
  • Gloves
  • Rags, paper towels, bucket
  • Paint thinner
  • Razor blades 
  • Hand cleaner


















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Estimating Exterior Paint – Calgary Painters

The size of the house, the condition of the surfaces, the type of coating you select, and the method of application are all factors that will determine the amount of paint you need to buy.
Narrow lap siding, shingles or shakes, masonry, or stucco exterior walls can take 10 to 50 percent more paint than smooth, flat walls.
Airless sprayers, which apply the equivalent of two coats of paint at one time, may require twice as much paint as brushes, rollers, or pads for the same surface dimensions.
You can get more standard, premixed paint if you run out. Or, if you buy too much, many stores will give credit or refunds for unopened gallons. With custom-colored paints, however, it may be difficult to get a precise match if you run short. Calculate your needs carefully, then buy an extra gallon for insurance.
To determine how much paint your house needs, measure the house’s perimeter. Then multiply that figure by the height, excluding gable ends. Take the measurements with a steel tape measure, or reel out a ball of twine around the house and mark and measure the twine. If you will use a different paint on your home’s trim, subtract 21 square feet for every door and 15 square feet for each typical window. Divide the final figure by the square-foot coverage specified on the can of paint to determine the number of gallons you will need for one coat.
If your house has gables, you can estimate by just adding 2 feet to the height when making your calculations. For more precision, measure the width of the gable wall and multiply that figure by its height. Divide the final figure by 2 to determine the gable’s square-foot dimensions.
For trim paint, the rule of thumb is 1 gallon for every 6 gallons of wall paint. To be more accurate, you’ll have to figure the areas of doors, windows, and shutters. For gutters, a linear foot is about equal to a square foot, so for 50 feet of gutter, buy sufficient paint to cover 50 square feet.

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Selecting Exterior Paints – Calgary Painters

One of the major differences between indoor and outdoor painting is, with outdoor painting, there is a wider range of exterior surfaces to consider. These surfaces include clapboard and aluminum siding, wood shingles, tar shingles, cedar shakes, brick, concrete block, stucco, and, of course, old paint. On many older homes, you’ll find a combination of these surfaces. Fortunately, there is a paint for every type of surface, and some paints are suitable for more than one surface.Like interior paints, exterior paints are available in either water-thinned or solvent-thinned formulas and in three lusters: flat, semigloss, and gloss. There are, however, several characteristics that distinguish exterior coatings from those used inside the house. For one thing, exterior paints are more expensive. They also contain more resin (for moisture resistance and durability) and more pigment (for color).
You may want to choose your paint based on what was used before. As with interior paints, latex works best over latex and alkyd works best over alkyd. If you can’t tell or are unsure about what type of paint is on the house, use an alkyd-base paint.
Latex paints are easier to apply, dry quickly, and can help minimize moisture problems because they “breathe.” Cleaning up is a matter of soap and water. These paints do not adhere as well to oilbase or alkyd-base paints or to poorly prepared surfaces, however. Alkyds, on the other hand, are extremely durable, but they are more difficult to work with and they dry slowly. Also, solvents must be used with alkyds to clean brushes, rollers, paint trays, and drips.
One of the alkyd types of exterior paint may be especially appealing because of its regulated, self-cleaning property. It’s called “chalking,” and that’s exactly what it does. Over a period of years, the paint surface slowly oxidizes. Each rainfall washes off a minute quantity of the paint — along with dirt. As a result of this shedding, the paint surface is constantly renewing itself. The price of this convenience used to be chalky residue on foundations and shrubs, but the newest formulas control the shedding so it doesn’t stain adjacent surfaces.
Chalking paint is not recommended for every house. In areas with little rainfall, for example, the powder tends to remain on the surface, dulling the paint. In wet regions, chalking paint may not be worth the extra expense because frequent rainfalls will keep the outside of the house clean no matter what kind of paint is used. If you live in or near either of these climatic extremes, ask your paint dealer if the chalking type is suitable for your area.

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Exterior Paints – Calgary Painters

Choosing exterior paints can be complicated because of the wide range of surfaces. These surfaces include clapboard and aluminum siding, wood shingles, tar shingles, cedar shakes, brick, concrete block, stucco, and, of course, old paint. On many older homes, you’ll find a combination of these surfaces. Fortunately, there is an exterior paint for every type of surface, and some paints are suitable for more than one surface. CVVV
The links at the bottom of this page will take you to articles that will help you pick the best exterior paint for your project. You’ll find a wide variety of exterior paint types and discover the best method to calculate the right amount of paint to use.
Like interior paints, exterior paints are available in either water-thinned or solvent-thinned formulas and in three lusters: flat, semigloss, and gloss. There are, however, several characteristics that distinguish exterior paints from those used inside the house. For one thing, exterior paints are more expensive. They also contain more resin (for moisture resistance and durability) and more pigment (for color).
You may want to choose your exterior paint based on what was used before. As with interior paints, latex works best over latex and alkyd works best over alkyd. If you can’t tell or are unsure about what type of paint is on the house, use an alkyd-base paint.
Latex exterior paints are easier to apply, dry quickly, and can help minimize moisture problems because they “breathe.” Cleaning up is a matter of soap and water. These paints do not adhere as well to oilbase or alkyd-base paints or to poorly prepared surfaces, however. Alkyds, on the other hand, are extremely durable, but they are more difficult to work with and they dry slowly. Also, solvents must be used with alkyds to clean brushes, rollers, paint trays, and drips.
One of the alkyd types of exterior paint may be especially appealing because of its regulated, self-cleaning property. It’s called “chalking,” and that’s exactly what it does. Over a period of years, the paint surface slowly oxidizes. Each rainfall washes off a minute quantity of the paint — along with dirt. As a result of this shedding, the paint surface is constantly renewing itself. The price of this convenience used to be chalky residue on foundations and shrubs, but the newest formulas control the shedding so it doesn’t stain adjacent surfaces.
Chalking paint is not recommended for every house. In areas with little rainfall, for example, the powder tends to remain on the surface, dulling the paint. In wet regions, chalking paint may not be worth the extra expense because frequent rainfalls will keep the outside of the house clean no matter what kind of paint is used. If you live in or near either of these climatic extremes, ask your paint dealer if the chalking type is suitable for your area.
In the meantime, the following articles should answer many of your questions about exterior paints.
The kind of surface you’re painting, the kind of look you want, and the kind of weather you’re likely to encounter are all key factors to consider when choosing the right paint. Learn which type is right for you.
Buy too much paint, and you’ve got yourself a guaranteed space-eater. This article will help you assess how much exterior paint you need for a given job.