How to Paint Exterior Siding
Have an unoccupied weekend and looking for a do it yourself project around the house? If your exterior siding is in a bad shape and gives off an unappealing look about the whole place, utilize this weekend to transform it. All you have to do is to paint it of a color that will give it a fresher look. This is something you can do yourself because all it asks for is time and knowledge. Arrange for the first one and leave the second to the guide below.
Things required:
– Drop cloth
– TSP
– Sponge
– Garden hose
– Acrylic primer
– Exterior latex paint
– Wide brushes or roller
– Ladder
Instructions
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1
Clean the siding:
You need to get off the flaky layer off the siding. Cover any plants and areas where you do not want paint with a drop cloth. Make a TSP solution in a bucket by adding chlorine and water to it. Add a cup of TSP and chlorine each to a gallon of water. Use a sponge to wipe this solution over the siding to clean it. After you have covered the whole siding, use a garden hose to rinse the siding. Let the siding dry before proceeding. You can also use power washer to clean the siding. However do take care while operating it because the pressure is very high and can damage your building and the water can also seep inside through windows and doors.
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2
Primer:
Get a good quality acrylic primer from a home improvement store. The primer gives your paint a long lasting finish and also help in adhering it to the siding. Use a roller or brush to apply a coat of primer over the siding. let it dry overnight. Check if you need another coat. If you do, re-apply and wait. If you do not, proceed to step three.
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3
Paint:
Exterior latex paints are best for siding because they are stronger and more durable than interior ones. Get the paint color you want. you can also mix paints according to preference. Paint colors can be lightened by adding white color into them and can be darkened by adding the base color.
Once you have decided on the color, use a wide brush or roller to apply paint over the siding in a top down way. At edges, whisk away the brush so that you do not get stop marks. You will need two coast of paint. let the first coat dry well before applying the second one. When the second one dries, you have a feat to celebrate because the job is over.
