Choosing to paint the exterior of your home can be a big job, but if you follow these exterior painting preparation steps you can save yourself a lot of work and headache.

You’ll first need to decide on which parts of the exterior will be painted.  Consider the shutters, trim, front door, and different sections of the siding. Now, decide which colors and the types of paint you will use. Make sure you consider any neighborhood rules determining which colors can be on the outside of your house, have any colors approved before you start painting. Many paint companies provide proven color combinations with their samples to show you what colors enhance each other.

After you narrow down your choices of paint colors, you should purchase a quart of each and paint a small test sample on the side of your home.  This will allow you to look at the colors in varying lights. More than likely, a latex paint will be a better choice because it is just as durable as an oil-based paint and is much easier to clean.

Once your paint colors are selected and before you begin the actual painting, there are still more exterior painting preparation steps to follow. Make sure you protect landscaping plants by covering them with canvas tarps.  For tall bushes and trees that are adjacent to the house, you can tie a rope around the top and stake the rope away from the house.  This will pull the plant far enough away from the house so you can work.  Remove all fixtures; lights, shutters, mailboxes, etc.

The surface of the house should be dry, clean, and dull.  Make sure to wash of any debris, including mildew, chalk, dirt, and tree clippings.  Consider using a power washer on low power to get the surface clean.   Once the house is clean, you need to hand scrape any areas of loose paint and sand those sections smooth.  This will likely be the most tedious part of the exterior painting preparation, so be prepared to take your time and finish it properly.

The house needs a good washing before it can be painted.  Again, you can use a power washer on a low setting to clean the house but you may want to consider buying a car wash brush unit that attaches to a hose.  If there were any areas of mildew, these need to be treated with a mildew killer before any painting begins.  You can purchase a mildew cleaner at any home store, or you can make your own using bleach and water.

Finally, make one last inspection to ensure that all nails are hammered in completely and any gaps are fully caulked.