Why Exterior Painting Should Be First on Your Spring To-Do List
March 15 2012 - 3:34PM
Business Wire
As the springtime weather shifts from messy to mild, every
homeowner’s attention turns to the out of doors. It’s time to clean
things up, tend to the garden, and make needed repairs to both the
home and its surroundings. Where to start? Assuming that your
exterior paint is failing, it’s best to focus on that first,
according to experts.
Debbie Zimmer, paint and color expert for the Paint Quality
Institute, says there are plenty of good reasons to start spring
chores with exterior painting:
“First, spring is a very comfortable time to do outdoor
painting. Second, it’s smart to paint before putting down mulch,
which along with your plants, will just get trampled if you paint
later on. Third, why not get your painting done before more
pleasant ‘distractions’ like gardening, sports, and barbecues
begin?”
Zimmer says that if your house paint is near the end of its life
expectancy, you’re taking a chance by postponing repainting. It
doesn’t take long for exposed wood to begin to rot, and other types
of exteriors also suffer when the paint wears off. Wait too long
and you may have to make repairs before starting to paint.
Another reason to get to your painting first: Exterior latex
paint forms the most durable, protective finish when the weather is
mild. “It’s always best to do exterior painting when the
temperature is above 50 degrees F., but not too hot,” says Zimmer.
“Very hot days can cause the paint to dry too quickly and impair
good paint film formation. By painting in moderate weather, you’ll
likely get a longer-lasting paint job.”
If a day starts off mild, but turns very hot, try to avoid
painting in direct sunshine, since sunlit surfaces can be 10 to 20
degrees hotter than the air temperature. Work your way around the
house so that you are always painting in the shade. As a bonus,
you’ll be more comfortable!
When painting, pick a day that isn’t too windy. Like the heat of
the sun, wind can cause latex paint to dry too quickly and prevent
optimal paint film formation. Plus, wind can stir up dust and other
contaminants that can imbed in the paint to create an inviting
surface for mildew, which feeds on such matter.
You should also try to steer clear of “weather events” that
could affect the paint, waiting for another day if it has rained
within the last 24 hours, or postponing the job if several days of
rain are expected right after you finish painting.
Of course, it’s important to properly prepare the surface before
doing any exterior painting. That includes applying a coat of
primer to any new surface that has never been painted, or
spot-priming previously painted surfaces where the paint is worn
away.
To extend the life of your paint job, Zimmer recommends that you
apply the very highest quality 100% acrylic latex paint, which is
especially durable, flexible and colorfast. Top quality paint often
lasts 10 years or more, compared to about four years for ordinary
paint, saving you time, work, and money in the long run. For the
longest-lasting paint job, always apply at least two coats – either
a coat of primer and a coat of paint, or two coats of house
paint.
Once you’ve finished your exterior painting, you can turn your
attention to the other things on your to-do list. What’s more,
you’ll have peace of mind knowing that you’ve done right by your
biggest investment – your home.
For more information on exterior painting, visit
blog.paintquality.com or www.paintquality.com.
Editors Note: Visit our image library for images that accompany
this release,
http://www.paintquality.com/media-center/press-releases/downloads/pr-images.html
About the Paint Quality Institute (SM)
The Paint Quality Institute (SM) was formed by Rohm and Haas
Company (now a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company
(“Dow”)) in 1989 to educate people on the advantages of using
quality interior and exterior paints and coatings. The Paint
Quality Institute's goal is to provide information on the virtues
of quality paint as well as color trends and decorating with paint
through a variety of vehicles, including television appearances,
newspaper and magazine articles, and instructional literature.
Please be sure to visit the Paint Quality Institute at
www.paintquality.com.
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