Steps to Painting the Exterior of a House

Preparation

• 1

  Move portable items, such as barbecue grills, garden furniture and container plants, away from the house so that they will not get damaged while you are working. Cover with a canvas drop cloth items that cannot be moved easily.

• 2

  Remove all fixtures from the exterior of the house, such as exterior light fixtures, the mailbox and shutters.

• 3

  Power wash the exterior on the lowest setting.

• 4

  Scrape off any remaining loose paint with a paint scraper and a putty knife; not all paint will be removed with the power washer. Use a putty knife 6 to 8 inches wide. Find a loose part of peeling paint, slide the knife under it and scrape, lifting the paint off as you work. You can also chip at stubborn paint patches with the corner of the putty knife. Take care not to gouge the wood while scraping.

• 5

  Use a heat gun paint remover to loosen particularly thick paint, keeping the gun moving while you work to prevent a build up of heat. Use the putty knife to scrape away the softening paint.

• 6

  Fill in cracks and holes in the exterior of the house with exterior epoxy wood filler and let it dry.

• 7

  Sand the exterior with 80 grit sandpaper and an orbital power sander for large areas. Use a sanding block and 120 grit sandpaper in smaller areas. Try to get rid of the hard edges between where the paint has been removed and where it remains.

• 8

  Wash the house exterior with the power washer again at the lowest possible pressure setting to remove all dirt, dust and grease from the surface.

• 9

  Use a car wash brush if you would rather wash the house by hand; attach this to your garden hose to make the task easier. Mix water and trisodium phosphate (TSP) in a large bucket. Wearing eye goggles, apply this mixture to the exterior surfaces for a deep clean. Work your way down from the top of the house, rinsing each section with fresh water after it has been cleaned. Let the house dry; this is critical to keep the newly applied paint from peeling. If you are using latex paint, wait at least one full day after washing. You must wait at least one week if you are using oil-based paint.

Painting

• 10

  Apply primer over all surfaces; make sure you use the correct primer for your exterior surface. Let the primer dry.

• 11

  Apply a coat of exterior paint and let it dry. Use paintbrushes on woodwork and a roller or sprayer on everything else. Work methodically around the exterior, working from top to bottom.

• 12

  Apply a second coat of exterior paint. Make sure you follow the manufacturer's instructions for drying time.