Painting your home can be a tough job, even if it’s just one room. It’s messy, tedious, time-consuming, and oftentimes quite the upper-body workout. Giving the entire exterior a fresh coat of paint can seem a Herculean task by comparison. But if you plan on selling your home, you’ll need to prepare it first, and that means biting the bullet and painting it. Don’t fret though – Atlanta Exterior Painting is here to help. With these tips, you can make one of the toughest home maintenance jobs manageable, and give your property serious selling power.

First of all, you’ll need to ensure that the “canvas” to which you’ll be applying your paint is free of rips and tears. That means seeking out and repairing any leaks or damaged wood before you even think of applying your primer. Look for peeling, blistered, or discolored areas in the old coat of paint.

Next, you’ll need to remove the old paint from your siding. First Pressure Cleaning, then scrape and sand your siding to remove paint the wash might have left behind. All paint must be removed from the siding before the new stuff can be applied. After you’re done removing the old coat, you’ll just need to fill all the gaps and cracks in the home’s exterior where water might leak in with sealant. Once everything is sealed up tight, you’re ready to apply primer.

There are two main types of primer to choose from. Which one you choose depends on the kind of siding you’re painting and how quickly you need it to dry. Both alkyd and acrylic primers are appropriate for most siding types, but alkyds must be applied with a natural-bristled brush, if applied by brush. They also can take over 12 hours to dry, whereas acrylic primers only take 1 to 4 hours.

After your primer has dried, it’s finally time to paint. You can brush and roll or use an airless sprayer, depending on your skill level and the part of your house you’re painting. Sprayers are only for the more skillful painters. Use brushes and rollers on the body (the largest surfaces) and brushes on the trim. The trim includes things like gutters, corner boards, door frames, etc. Staining wood siding is a little tougher than painting, since it’s thinner and more likely to drip, but the same techniques apply.

This may all seem like a lot of effort just to get your home looking attractive enough to sell, but think of it as an investment. A solid, well-prepared paint job is a home’s last line of defense against the elements. Buyers want a home that’ll last as much as a house that looks pretty. This way, you can give them both.