I am a seasoned house painter for 7 years now, mostly serving major cities in AL and nearby states as well. Our company and team cater both residential and commercial establishments, making sure that we get the job done 100% of the time. In addition, I only use high quality paints.
For the exterior of this house, the customer went with SW Gaunlet Grey for the body, and GW Organ white for the trim. There was a large amount of wood rot that needed to be replaced prior to painting. We follow the same process every time we paint the exterior of a house. Since the prep work is key with it comes to exterior house painting, our painters never cut corners so we can deliver the highest quality to our customers.
This customer wanted a quick color change to their exterior from light to dark.
Once again, we provided a custom exterior paint job by painting the trim on each side of the house. We painted the exterior with SW Duration paint and sprayed two coats to give the house proper paint coverage.
We took the exterior of this house from a drab brown, to a beautiful, updated SW Summit Grey. We painted the exterior trim SW Origami White, and finished the custom look with some faux finish garage doors.
As with all of our exterior painting projects, prep is key. You can see in the pictures the amount of caulking we apply to the exterior prior to paint. This is essential prior to painting to properly seal the house and prevent water damage to the exterior. A good exterior painter pays just as much attention to the caulking as he/she does to the painting.
This house in Overland Park, Kansas had stucco exterior walls all the way around the house. With a house like this, you will get some painters that will tell you that you need to use elastomeric paint. Not true. We always use a high-end paint such as Sherwin Williams Duration with great results.
SW Duration should give the exterior of your house 10-12 years of quality protection. One other unique feature of the exterior of this house is that the trim is painted on all sides. This adds a more custom look to the exterior, and also increases the appeal.
Not only was the paint color dated on the exterior of this house, but the trim dated it also. If the exterior of your house looks like this, don’t worry, painting it can bring it to the 21st century.
For the exterior of this house, we used SW Peppercorn for the body, and for the trim we used SW Windfresh White. We added more appeal to the exterior of this house by painting only certain pieces of the exterior trim with SW Windfresh White, and painting the other pieces of the house trim with the body color. Proper placement of color on your house goes a long way in the transformation of the exterior.
My dad was a handyman, and I grew up helping him. I’ve painted my home from top to bottom, as well as the houses and apartments of countless other people. I’ve learned a thing or two over the years and I’m happy to share my tips and a step-by-step guide with you! It looks like a lot of information (because it is), but don’t worry or get overwhelmed. Painting a room is an easy, inexpensive DIY project and you can do it!
Prep Work for Painting
Fill any holes or imperfections with spackle, wait for it to dry, and then lightly sand the patches. If you have a crack, you must first widen it slightly before spackling or the spackle will just sit on top.
Scape away any peeling, cracked paint, then sand the area smooth.
Clean the walls if they may be dirty (especially in a kitchen or bathroom), and always take a damp cloth to clean the dust off of trim and the tops of doorways.
Use paintable caulk to fill any gaps between the walls and trim before painting the trim. Fill any dings and divits in the wood with wood putty, wait for it to dry, then sand smooth.
When in doubt, prime. Using a primer can hide dark colors, block stains, and help your new paint job last longer. It’s also a must when painting exposed woodwork, and there are many primers that adhere to glossy surfaces (allowing you to skip sanding first).
Stir your paint before you begin, and don’t paint straight from the can. Obviously you would pour the paint into a roller tray if you were about to use a roller, but consider using a small bowl when painting with a brush. Its easier to hold, and decanting paint will keep the can free of the impurities (dust, wood particles, etc.) that your brush may pick up as you work.
If you want to use tape, buy painter’s tape (it’s usually blue or green, and marked as such). Apply it in short, overlapping strips, and press down firmly along the edge to ensure a crisp line.
Painting Tools
You will need the following tools to prep for a typical room: Spackle, putty knife, fine grit sandpaper, and a damp lint-free rag. You may also need paintable caulk and wood putty if you’re working on the trim.
Tools to paint a typical room: Paint, a tool to open the paint can, stir stick, angled paint brush, small bowl (I don’t recommend painting straight from the can), roller, roller cover, roller tray, and a roller extension pole (if you have high ceilings). Painter’s tape is optional, and a drop cloth to protect the floor is a good idea. You don’t need any funny little gadgets to paint edges.
A 5-in-1 tool is a painter’s best friend. You can use it open the paint can, open cracks in the wall for repair, spread spackle (takes the place of a dedicated putty knife), scrape loose paint, and clean rollers.
Use a good quality brush. I like a 2.5″ angle brush for most projects (painting trim, doors, cutting in), and a 2″ sash brush for windows.
Use a good quality roller cover. Cheap ones leave a messy edge and can shed little fuzzies all over. I use a fresh cover for each paint job, but they can be cleaned. A 3/8″ or 1/2″ nap is good for most walls.
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