- If you want to be able to use a previous coat of exterior paint as a base for a new coat, the old paint should be no more than five (5) years old. If you wait longer than that, you'll have a major job of scraping, sanding, and spackling.
- Don't apply paint in hot, direct sunlight or it will blister. Do your house's west side in the morning and its east side in the afternoon. Paint the south side when it's most shaded.
- Wait two (2) days after it rains before painting outside.
- Latex is almost everyone's first choice for exterior paint because it is easy to apply, cleans up with water, and dries quickly. On top of that, it's long lasting. On stucco it can be applied without a primer and bonds when the surface is damp.
- For doors, windows, and other places where durability is a concern, pick a glossy paint. Glossy paint contains more of the resins that give a paint body and hardness.
- When painting, try to time your breaks to occur where siding and trim meet or at some other visual transition point. This prevents lap marks and disguises subtle color differences that may occur when you start again.
- When painting the outside of your house, fold newspaper over the tops of doors and then close them. You won't paint the doors shut.
- Bothered by mildew on your deck, fence or roof? Scrub the affected areas with straight vinegar or a 50/50 solution of bleach and water. Then give them two (2) coats of wood sealer.
- To make new cedar shakes (shingles) match the old, weathered ones when repairing a roof, "age" them in the following manner: Combine a one pound package of baking soda with a half gallon of water. Then brush or spray this mixture on the new shakes (shingles). Over three or four hours, they'll assume a permanent gray color.
- Plant or prune shrubbery or tree branches so they don't touch painted exterior surfaces. The undersides of leaves hold moisture long after a rain, and prolonged moisture causes paint to blister and peel.
- Old sheets work great to cover plants and shrubs since they allow the plants to continue to breath.
- Don't use a sander with a revolving disc to remove paint from wood siding, as it will gouge the surface.
- If paint is blistering on hollow porch posts or columns, trapped moisture could be the problem. Cure it by boring small ventilating holes at the top and bottom of each post or column.
- The quickest way to paint a wire or chain link fence is with a sponge. Protect your hands with rubber gloves.
- Before painting exterior stucco, wash down thoroughly with a strong spray of water--allow this to dry for at least 48 hours.
- You can't repair a large hole or crack in stucco wall unless the lath--the wire mesh that the stucco is applied to, is in good condition. If the lath isn't intact, it will need to be replaced, and you may want to leave the job to a professional. However, a do-it-yourselfer can easily repair stucco that's slightly cracked:
- Enlarge the crack with a knife or a chisel. Under cut the crack so that the bottom is wider than the top. Wet the crack thoroughly with water.
- With a trowel or pointing tool, pack the crack with a ready mix mortar. Tap it down firmly.
- Over the next three (3) days, periodically moisten the patch so that it will cure properly.
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