Image by Highmark Builders CC BY 2.0 Flickr

Every Austin house painter knows that the preparation part of a painting project usually takes up most of the project’s time. “Why so long?”, you might ask. It is mainly because the amount of prep work you spend on the project will define how long your paint is going to stick to the walls. This step of the project is imperative, so it is important for any painter to know how to do the prep work. Doing so will ensure that the paint job will last longer and not be a complete waste of money.

Take note of these 3 steps professional Austin house painters always take note of when preparing exterior surfaces before painting:

Cleaning the Walls

Cleaning exterior walls involve a lot of work, from removing old paint to power washing sides and corners. A dirty wall will not allow paint to stick properly to the surface. Just before painting the wall or priming, and after every sanding phase, it is also important to dust the area using a stiff-bristled brush.

For areas that are infected with mildew and molds, a cleaning solution mixed with fungicidal detergent will easily kill these. Just make sure that the fungicide reaches deep into the walls as the roots can cause the mildew or mold to regrow.

Fixing Cracks and Holes

Obviously, cracks and holes cannot be easily painted over. You need to use a filler to level out the surface and medium-quality sandpaper to smoothen everything out. Just be sure to clean the holes first before applying the putty as loose cement and dust can quickly ruin the paint job.

Priming the Walls

Using a primer to cover your walls is not required, but it will save you a lot of money and improve the quality of the paint job. Primers, you see, are designed to stick better to wall surfaces than paint and provide a good, smooth surface for the paint to stick on. These are generally cheaper than paint, so using these on a project will save you on paint costs. Primers also bring more color out of your paints, so the painting results will be way better than painting a few coats directly on the wall!

If you follow these painting tips closely, you will be able to save on time, money, and effort on your painting project. However, if you want only the best painters to work on your home, the Painting Pro Guys Austin are your best choice! Contact our professional painters today at (512) 865-6580 and get a FREE quote when you do so!