The exterior painting job is one of the first things people see about your house, so it’s natural that you want it to look good. Many homeowners hire a professional who has experience in painting house exterior surface. But the truth is that in most cases, you can do the house painting job yourself. You just need to know the right house paint, tools, and common mistakes to avoid.

Exterior House Paint

Before you start a house painting project, make sure you have the right kind of paint. You should only use exterior house paint for the outside of your home, which is designed to hold up under natural conditions and weather. If you’ve added new wood to the outside, such as siding, you’ll need to first put a coat of exterior primer on it before you apply the final coat of house paint.

Exterior House Painting Tools

Depending on the size of a home, some exterior painting jobs can be big. Luckily, there are several tools available to help make the job a little faster.

• Caulk: Latex caulk is useful for filling up any holes or cracks in the exterior.
• Heavy plastic sheeting or canvas: This is used to cover certain areas such as decks and landscaping so they don’t get covered with house paint.
• Paint brush: The painter’s favorite tool, which is used to paint tight areas where a sprayer cannot reach or to clean up any drips.
• Paint shield: A long, flat piece of metal or plastic that has a handle and is used to cover or “shield” another area so paint does not get on it.
• Paint sprayer: When used properly, a paint sprayer is much faster than house painting with a brush.

Common Exterior Painting Methods and Mistakes

House painting can be tricky the first time. Any cracked and peeling paint must be removed or it will show through the new coat of house paint. Cracks in the siding must be caulked, and any raw wood should first be primed with a good exterior primer.

Before house painting can begin, everything that’s up against the house that should not be painted needs to be covered with heavy plastic and drop cloths–most people don’t want their plants and flowers covered in house paint!

Painting house exterior surfaces can be particularly tricky if you have a tall house. All the work must be done from either scaffolding or an extension ladder. If you don’t feel comfortable exterior painting on either one, hire a professional. But if enough care is taken and the weather permits, doing your own house painting can be quite rewarding.