Exterior paint jobs in Maryland are big jobs, there’s no denying it. Even a house that needs a lot of work can look immensely better with a fresh coat of paint. You’ll love your newfound curb appeal if you can get through the task at hand. Here are five tricks for painting your home exterior. 

#1: Don’t Forget Primer

A coat of primer can feel unnecessary when it comes to a daunting house painting job. Some professional Maryland painters say that priming before painting can add an additional 5 years of life to your home’s paint. Priming seals out mildew and provides an even tooth for the color paint to adhere to. 

When it comes to the age-old question of oil or latex based primer, most pros will tell you that latex is preferable since it’s easily cleaned with water. The exception is for wooden surfaces, where oil-based primers penetrate into the wood. 

#2: Cover Surrounding

Once things are clean and repaired, you’ll want to make sure to cover any areas that you do not want paint on. Paint can be messy, especially when you’re applying to large surfaces such as the exterior of your home. Be sure to cover any electrical outlets, plants, and air conditioners. You’ll want to lock these covers down with tape, too. Light fixtures and fans should be properly covered or put away before the painting process begins. 

#3: Choose Your Paint Carefully

Quality paint leads to quality results. It can be tempting to go for a more moderate or low priced paint, but your results will suffer too. More pricey paints utilize better ingredients and pigments to give you a richer color that will last longer. Most Rockville and Potomac home painting jobs use acrylic latex paint. It carries several benefits over oil options. These include less volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pliability over time which means less cracking, and messes can be cleaned easily with soap and water. 

#4: Use the Right Color

Last but not least, we recommend choosing your paint color very carefully. The color of paint can drastically change the feel of a room, for better or for worse. We recommend reading up on color psychology and how colors can affect your mood. In the right place, colors can make rooms feel bigger; in the wrong places, it can make it feel smaller. This is something a professional color consultant or painting expert can answer for you.

#5: Know When It’s Time to Replace

While it is always best to take care of any issues as soon as you notice them, we know this can’t always be the case. If any part of your home exterior is damaged to a point that it needs to be replaced, don’t worry! There are local Rockville and Potomac painting professionals out there that can take care of this for you in no time. The best companies will also provide a warranty with their work, so you don’t have to worry about repairing any issues for three to seven years!

Exterior Painting with the Pros

As you can see, there are a lot of moving parts to get the best exterior painting finish possible. That is why we recommend working with experts who know all of the tips and tricks of house painting. CertaPro Painters® of Rockville/Potomac have painted homes across Maryland, interior and exterior. To get started on your project, call us at 301-703-1646 or fill out our no-obligation form. We look forward to working with you!