Clean the outside of your house.
Sounds difficult but it isn’t. As long as you have the right tools, it is possible to do yourself. It is best to wait for a dry day to start cleaning your house. A windy day will cause overspray. If possible, cover all light fixtures, electrical outlets and plants if they are near the house. All windows and doors should be closed.
Now is the time to get washing. A fungal wash is ideal for getting a house ready for new paint.
Mix the fungal wash 4 to 1 and spray onto the house. It is best to leave this for 24hours.
You will need ether a power washer or hose to really give your house the perfect clean.
Work from the bottom to top, taking a small section at a time and using a downward angle.
Once complete, leave for up to two days and using your power washer or hose, rinse using only water.
Repair.
If possible, repair damaged surfaces and remove loose paint before you begin adding colour to your house. Fill cracks and gaps around windows or doors and paint your window sills, plinth and coins with a primer.
Wait for this primer to dry, usually 24hours. Primer provides a good foundation for the paint and will help it to last longer, as it provides extra protection from our Irish weather.
Start painting.
If you are painting a new build, new plaster or house which hasn’t been painted before you will need to water down your paint with 10% water for a better first paint. Second coat doesn’t need to be watered down.
Cover the area around your home with drop cloths, to prevent any paint from getting everywhere.
Whether you use a brush, roller or paint sprayer to paint your house is ultimately a matter of personal preference. Each method has its benefits - using a brush gives you greater control over the painting, using a roller makes the job more efficient, and using a paint sprayer provide heavier coverage.
Paint the trim last as this gets the bulk of the work out of the way, and also speeds up the process as you won't need to switch between colours. Apply a second coat. Once you have waited the recommended amount of time for the paint to dry, you should consider applying a second coat.
A second coat will even out the paint and provide more protective coverage for your home. It will help the finished product to look better and last longer.
As most windows are now PVC you will need to cover windows and sills with blue film. If you have pre case concrete, just prime.
Pay special attention to window sills when painting, as these bear the brunt of bad weather and can look more worn than other areas. If necessary, give them 2 or 3 coats of paint and don't forget to paint the undersides.
A few extra tips.
Calculate amount needed. We can help you with this. Just estimate the size of your house and we can do the rest.
You can pop in store and chat to one of our paint experts for a free colour consultation and any other advice you feel you may need. Send us your Eircode or Postcode and we can have an image of your house straight away to see what we are working with.