Prepping for Your Exterior Paint Job
Adding a fresh coat of paint to your home, whether you are changing the color or freshening the old color, can give your home a vibrant, clean look and enhance your home’s curb appeal. When repainting, in many cases, the process begins with stripping off the old layer of paint to prepare the surface.
The smooth, freshly painted look you want to achieve depends on having a smooth, properly prepared surface to start with. When preparing for your exterior paint job, old paint will need to be stripped off in the following situations:
Excessive Layers
Many times, multiple layers of old paint can obscure the material underneath it. For example, if you want to be able to see the texture of your home’s siding, you may need to scrape away and sand down the old layers of paint, so the texture becomes visible again.
Peeling Paint
If your home hasn’t been painted in a long time, it is likely that some of the old paint is peeling. If the peeling is severe or even if there is only minor peeling, it is crucial to thoroughly strip and smooth the surface before repainting. Without a smooth surface, the uneven and unstable surface caused by peeling paint will affect the integrity and the quality of the new coat of paint.
Lead Paint
Even though lead paint was banned in 1978, many homes painted before that were never stripped of their old paint. Lead paint has been deemed toxic by both researchers and consumers, so if your house was built before 1978, it is essential to remove the old paint correctly and with caution before repainting because lead dust is extremely hazardous.
Painting your home is not a small job, and it is essential to adequately prepare your home’s exterior to ensure your new coat of paint looks beautiful and fresh for years to come. If you are planning on giving your home’s exterior a fresh coat of paint, call a premier Pittsburgh painter like MasterBrush Painting to ensure you receive a beautiful and long-lasting result.
Author:
Henry Weber
Before starting Master Brush Painting in 1981, Henry worked at one of the top painting companies in Pittsburgh where he learned the trade from world-renowned experts. Since then expertise has satisfied clients in Pittsburgh and surrounding area as well as earning him awards such as the Angie's List Super Service Award.
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