The Service Solution

House painting can be a time-consuming but rewarding task. If done right, it can completely change the way your house looks, and coincidentally also add value to your home. You can find many sites online where professional painters and builders share their expertise, such as House Painting Guide and Ask the Builder. Here are some of our favorite tips.

• Read the paint can label. The label will let you know what primers work best with the paint, as well as the drying time. It will also tell you to only apply it to a clean surface, which leads to our second tip. Reading the label will also let you check the ingredients. Make sure that the paint contains urethane and acrylic resins.
• Clean thoroughly–by hand. While pressure washing may give the illusion of completely cleaning your home, it’s just that: an illusion. There’s no substitute for hand-washing, even though it takes a little longer. Another benefit: pressure washing runs the risk of injecting water into the walls and causing paint failure.
• Pick a style. Choose the method of painting that works best for you and the locations you want to reach. Most people prefer using paint rollers, which are easier and require less skill. If you feel up to it, you can try using a paint sprayer.
• Be careful working on older painted homes. Homes that were built before 1978 often have lead hiding within their paint jobs. If you try removing this like other paint, you’ll open yourself up to ingesting lead dust, which is highly toxic and poisonous.
• Don’t be afraid to get dirty. You’ll be leaning up against walls, climbing ladders, and scraping paint. If you’ve got a weak constitution, you might want to look into hiring a contractor.