Have you ever been in the middle of cooking and then realized you were missing a key ingredient? Or maybe you found yourself missing an important tool right in the middle of a DIY repair job? Do you pause the task to go get the missing item? Do you do your best to continue without it? What if that happened in the middle of an exterior house painting project?
One of the best ways to make sure you have a successful exterior house painting experience is to set up properly ahead of time. If you have all your tools and materials right there, and the work area is staged correctly, the whole project will be smoother and faster, and the results will turn out better.
Gathering Tools and Materials for Exterior Painting
To avoid the need to pause your work at an inconvenient point and run to the home improvement store, make sure you have all the items you will need beforehand. That will probably include the following:
- Enough paint to finish the job (and primer, if needed)
- A 2.5 or 3-inch angled brush
- A paint roller and 2 or 3 roller covers
- A paint roller tray and plastic tray liners
- Stir sticks
- A pint or quart-sized plastic container (yogurt, etc.)
- A ladder tall enough to easily reach your highest point
- Painter’s tape
- A large tarp
- Plastic sheeting
- Safety glasses
- Trash bags
- Paper towels or scrap rags
Once you have all the items you need, it’s time to set up your work area.
Setting up the Area for Exterior Painting
Begin by protecting any nearby surfaces or items you don’t want paint on. If you have anything moveable, such as lawn furniture, a grill, or decorative items, move them to a place where they will be out of the way until the project is over. Use tarps to cover the ground (walkways, driveways, stairs, decks…). The plastic sheeting can be used to cover plants, railings, windows, light fixtures, and so on. In some cases, you will need to hold this in place with the painter’s tape.
Next, plan out all your ladder movements. Anticipate each place you will need the ladder, and make sure it has level, solid footing. Be ready to move your ladder regularly as you progress through the project, rather than trying to reach way over to the side when you are on the ladder. Also, keep in mind that you don’t want to lean the ladder against wet paint, so be systematic.
You’re almost ready! Use a piece of cardboard, an old table, or a clean tarp as your area for tools so they will stay clean. Get out your paint brush(es), and put a roller cover on your roller. Stir your paint, and pour some into the roller tray, and some into the plastic container. This will be for you to dip your paintbrush into, so that you don’t have to carry a full gallon can with you the whole time.
You can start painting now, but don’t forget to put on those safety glasses! While it might seem silly, the likelihood of getting paint drips or splatters in your eyes is quite high. Much better to get it on the glasses instead!
The paper towel is for cleaning your hands if you get paint on them, or on anything else. The trash bag is for the cleanup process.
Hiring an Exterior House Painting Company
All this setup might sound intimidating, and you haven’t even started painting yet! Fortunately, there is an easier way! If you decide to hire an exterior house painting company, it can have numerous advantages:
- It saves you the time and trouble of purchasing all of the tools and materials.
- A trained professional spends that time up on ladders rather than you.
- The project goes smoothly and efficiently, and you are freed up to do other things.
- Experience pros do the preparation, painting, and cleanup, so that you can be confident in having beautiful, lasting results!
Cherry Hill Painting has been serving the New Jersey and Philadelphia region since 1968, offering exceptional quality and excellent customer service. When you work with Cherry Hill Painting, you can have peace of mind, knowing your house is in good hands!
In addition to our exterior house painting services, we also offer interior painting, kitchen cabinet painting, wallpaper removal, and much more! Call our office or use our online contact form (below) to arrange a free, friendly estimate for your exterior painting project. We look forward to meeting you!