The Basics of Jacksonville Exterior Painting

​Exterior House Painting 101
Painting the exterior of your Jacksonville, FL. home is often considered a simple job and this explains how people hire terrible painters or resolve to do it themselves without proper guidance.

​Exterior house painting is not something that should be handled with levity on the assumption that it sounds simple to accomplish. In reality, the exterior is the more complex aspect of the house to paint and this is because it requires the strict adherence to several processes in order to achieve a specific target.

In this blog article, we would share with you, insights on exterior house painting, to help you complete the task yourself professionally without having to spend the bank or stress much. Before we dive into that, let us list the materials you would need to DIY exterior house painting.

​Materials Needed for Exterior House Painting: exterior flat or satin paint, exterior semigloss paint, (Resilience is good exterior paint) pressure washer, paint sprayer, paintbrush, painter's tape, drop cloths, ladders, paint scraper, stain-blocking primer, epoxy filler, medium-grit sanding block, Spackle knife, exterior caulk, caulk gun, plastic sheeting.

First Step: Pressure Washing for the Walls
Pressure washing helps to ensure that dirt and dust buildup on the exterior of your house are removed and this ensures best coverage and helps the paint to stick better. The best way to go about pressure washing is to work your way from top to bottom of the house in a smooth, controlled manner. Be mindful to focus on any peeling or loose surfaces.
Second Step: Fix all Damaged Surfaces
In order to make the finished work smooth and alluring, check around the house for damaged surfaces such as masonry, wood rot, metal, loose siding, cracked stucco, etc., and fill all cracks and holes with epoxy filler using a spackle knife. When the filling is dry, sand with a medium grit sanding block. Be sure to fix wood rot; don’t paint over it.
Third Step: Get Rid of Loose Paint
When the exterior is dry, move around the perimeter of your house and take note of any loose or chipped paint. Place drop cloths along ground, then remove chipped and loose paint using paint scraper or medium grit sanding block. You’ll want a solid base for the new exterior paint.
Fourth Step: Caulk Trim and Prime Stains
Fill any gaps between house and trim around doors and windows using exterior caulk and caulk gun. If house has mixed materials such as siding and brick, add caulk along surface where different materials meet. After that, move on to examine the exterior for any stains or visible wood knots on which you should then apply one coat of stain-blocking primer with a paintbrush on the area. In addition, apply primer to any of the patching or wood filler that you used previously.
Fifth Step: Cover Doors, Windows and Lighting Fixtures and Paint Exterior
In order to protect your doors, windows and lighting fixtures from getting drips or over sprayed with unnecessary paint, it is important to cover them with plastic sheeting and painter’s tape. After that, load the exterior paint color into paint sprayer. Depending on intensity of hue, apply two coats of the exterior paint to entire house. Be sure to work your way from top to bottom in a smooth, controlled manner, overlapping each stroke by 8 inches. Also, if you are using a paintbrush or roller, then it is advisable to work your way carefully through the exterior of the house. It’s always better to back-roll when spraying…this gives a more consistent finish and works the material into the surface.

 Exterior Painting Maintenance
Adhering to the basic steps of exterior painting above, you can have a healthy, protected and low maintenance exterior. And remember, one of the most important aspects is keeping up on the maintenance of your exterior surfaces. Power washing every 12-18 months will add years of life to your exterior paint surfaces. And be sure to always keep an eye on sealants near windows and doors. This will help to eliminate moisture intrusion.  Check with local Jacksonville painting companies, many offer painting maintenance plans for homeowners and businesses.