If you haven't yet gotten around to painting your home’s exterior, do it now before the rainy season sets in.
Over and above regular maintenance, painting the exterior of your home allows you to fix up any cracks, sort out problems and keep the exterior looking good.You’ll need to set a week aside for prepping and painting. If you’ve prepped and painted properly, your home shouldn't need any attention for 5 to 7 years, that’s why it is so important to get it right the first time.
Your home is probably the most expensive investment you will ever make and annual maintenance is important to ensure that any defects or faults are attended to as quickly as possible. Over and above regular maintenance, painting the exterior of your home allows you to fix up any cracks, sort out problems and keep the exterior looking good.
Read on for top exterior painting tips.
1. Fix the cracks
For deep cracks, build up layers of filler, allowing each layer to set before applying an additional layer.Fixing exterior cracks is not just about slapping on exterior crack filler. If you want to prevent the cracks from recurring, they need to be chipped out and cleaned before you fill them in.
Use a hammer and cold chisel to remove any loose plaster, creating a 'V' as deep as possible to get to the source of the crack. Blow out any debris and dust before filling any large gaps with a cement-based mortar and smaller cracks with exterior crack filler.
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For deep cracks, build up layers of filler, allowing each layer to set before applying an additional layer.
Once dry, sand smooth. If you need to blend filler to a textured wall, use a sponge to match the surrounding texture before the plaster is fully dry.
2. Repair damp
Choose paints that provide excellent UV and water resistance, paints that bridge hairline cracks and offer high-hiding properties, which means you’ll use less paint to cover imperfections on exterior walls.Damp can cause severe problems if left unattended for too long. Over time, it will cause mortar to degrade and become weak, resulting in extensive cracks. Any signs of peeling or bubbling of paint on walls should be investigated to rule out damp, which generally presents itself in this way.
Where damp has become a problem, strip away the paint in the affected area, all the way down to the plaster, and apply Prominent Damp Cure as recommended by the manufacturer.
3. Paint exterior
Homeowners can now get a range of exterior paints in trendy colours on the market. They should look for paints that provide excellent UV and water resistance, paints that bridge hairline cracks and offer high-hiding properties, which means you’ll use less paint to cover imperfections on exterior walls.
Article courtesy of www.home-dzine.co.za.
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