Exterior house painting not only beautifies your home, but also protects it. Unlike the interior of your home, a house’s exterior is constantly subjected to extremes of heat, sun and weather. As a result, a house constantly settles and moves. It’s amazing that a thin layer of primer and paint can serve as well as it does to protect a house and keep it looking good. A house expands as temperatures rise and contracts again as temperatures fall. On top of that, wood surfaces like clapboard, fascia and trim are constantly warping, splitting and moving. That’s exactly why it’s so important that a house painting contractor pay attention to every aspect of the process from start to finish. Remember that there are many, many different surfaces on the exterior of houses (sometimes with several on the same house):
Preparation is Key!
- Wood siding, usually cedar, redwood or pine. Some newer houses have a composite wood siding called T-111, which can be a challenge to prepare and paint.
- Masonite
- Vinyl and/or steel siding
- Stucco
- Brick
- Cinder block
You’ll need to think carefully about what types of paint you’ll want for each surface as well as your color scheme. We’ll consult with you on these choices, since we have plenty of experience to bring to the table.
The most satisfying (and possibly most important) part of exterior painting is trim painting. Your color choices for exterior trim are what will bring your entire vision together. Generally trim pieces are considered to be door frames, window frames, corner boards, fascia boards, gutters and soffits. Usually wood trim pieces are made from pine (although some newer houses have laminate or composite materials). Doors also need some TLC in many people’s paint projects; exterior doors might be made from wood, steel or fiberglass. Doors can be a special challenge since they are subject to more movement and settling than about any other part of the house.
We’ll give you plenty of advice and consultation on the best choices for painting doors and trim pieces as well. Get your free house painting estimate now.