Applying Primer & Paint

 

Paint downward from the top of your house, covering as much surface as you can reach comfortably without moving your ladder or scaffolding. After the primer or paint dries, return to each section and touch up any unpainted areas that were covered by the pads of the ladder or ladder stabilizer.

 

Like doing preparation work, applying primer and paint requires good planning and execution. If you use a quality primer that is tinted to match the color of your house paint as closely as possible, you can often achieve good coverage with only one coat of house paint.

 

Keep an eye on the weather when you are planning to paint. Damp weather or rain that falls within an hour or two of application will ruin your paint job. Do not apply paint when the temperature is below 50°F, or above 90°F. And avoid working during high winds—it is unsafe, and dust and dirt are likely to blow onto the freshly painted surface.

 

Tip: Apply primer and paint in the shade or in indirect sunlight. Direct sunlight dries primers and paints too rapidly, causing moisture to become trapped below the dried surface. This can result in blistering, peeling, and other types of paint failure. Also, lap marks and brush marks are more likely to show up if paint is applied in direct sunlight.

 

Tips for Applying Primer & Paint

 

Use the best type of primer or paint for the job. For best results, use a metal primer with rust inhibitor for metal surfaces, and use masonry primer with an anti-chalking additive for masonry surfaces. Always read the manufacturer’s recommendations for use. Follow a logical painting sequence. For example, priming and painting wood stairs and porch floors after walls, doors, and trim prevents the need to touch up spills.

 

Options for Applying Primer & Paint

Use paint brushes for maximum control of the materials. Have clean 4" and 2-1 D2" or 3" brushes on hand, as well as a tapered sash brush. Using brushes that fit the area helps you create a professional-looking finish.

 

Use paint rollers to paint smooth surfaces quickly. Use a roller with an 8" or 9" roller sleeve (top of photo) for broad surfaces. Use a 3"-wide roller to paint flat-surfaced trim, like end caps (bottom of photo).

 

Use a power sprayer to apply paint to porch railings, ornate trim, shutters, and other hard-to-paint metal hardware. Read the manufacturer’s directions before you start.

Note: Professional-quality airless sprayers can be rented for large spray-painting projects.

 

Tips for Painting with a Paint Brush

Load your paint brush with the correct amount of paint for the area you are painting. Use a full load for broad areas, a moderate load for smaller areas and feathering strokes, and a light load when painting or working around trim.

 

Hold the paint brush at a 45° angle when painting broad, flat areas. Apply just enough downward pressure to flex the bristles and "squeeze" the paint out of the brush. Load your brush properly, use good brushing technique, and avoid overbrushing to achieve smooth, pleasing results.

 

 

How to Apply Paint to Flat Surfaces

 

  1. Load your paint brush with a full load of paint. Starting at one end of the surface, make a long, smooth stroke until the paint begins to "feather" out.





  2. As you finish the stroke, lift the brush gradually from the surface so you do not leave a definite ending point. If the paint appears uneven or contains heavy brush marks, smooth it out with the brush. Be careful to avoid overbrushing.


  3. Reload your brush and make another stroke from the other direction, painting over the feathered end of the first stroke to create a smooth, even surface. If the area where the two strokes meet is noticeable, rebrush it with a light load of paint. Feather out the starting point of the second stroke to avoid lap marks.



Tips for Working with Paint

 

Mix cans of paint together, called boxing, in a large bucket. Stir thoroughly with a stir stick or paint-stirring attachment for your power drill. This ensures that the paint is uniform in color. Pour the mixed paint back into the cans after it is blended (if you are painting with a paint brush). If you are painting with a roller, leave the paint in the larger container.

 

Use a roller screen inside a five-gallon paint bucket when painting with a roller. Before starting, wet the roller nap with water (if using latex-based paint), then squeeze out any excess water. Dip the roller in the paint, and roll back and forth across the roller screen. The roller sleeve should be full, but not dripping, when lifted from the container.

 

Tips for Cleaning Painting Tools

 

Clean roller sleeves with the curved side of a paint-cleaner tool. Remove as much paint as possible, then clean the roller with a solution of warm water and household soap (for latex-based paint). Continue squeezing paint and water solution from the roller with the cleaning tool until all of the paint is removed. Rinse thoroughly and hang roller sleeves to dry.

 

Clean paint brushes in a solution of warm water and dish soap (for latex-based paints—use paint thinner for oil-based paints). Rinse thoroughly, then comb the bristles of the brush with the spiked edge of a paint-cleaner tool.

 

How to Apply Primer & Paint to Your House

 

Of all the steps involved in painting your house, applying paint is perhaps the most satisfying. Prime all surfaces to be painted, then go back and apply the paint. Allow ample drying time for primers before applying paint. If you use quality primer that is tinted in the color range of your house paint or trim paint, you should get sufficent paint coverage with just one coat.

 

Everything You Need:

 

Tools: 4" paint brush, 2-1 D2" or 3" paint brush, sash brush, scaffolding or ladder. Materials:primers, house paint, trim paint, cleanup materials.

  1. Paint the face of the fascia first, then cut in paint at the bottom edges of soffit panels. Note: Fascia and soffits are usually painted the same color as the trim.
    Tip: Paint gutters and downspouts after painting the fascia, beginning with the back sides and working toward the front. If you use metal primer, you can paint gutters and downspouts with trim paint.
  2. Paint the soffit panels and trim with a 4" paint brush. Start by cutting in around the edges of the panels using the narrow edge of the brush, then feather in the broad surfaces of the soffit panels with full loads of paint. Make sure to get good coverage in the groove areas.
    Tip: Paint any decorative trim near the top of the house at the same time you paint soffits and fascia. Use a 2-1 D2" or 3" paint brush for broader surfaces, and use a sash brush for more intricate trim areas.
  3. Paint the bottom edges of lap siding with the paint brush held flat against the wall. Paint the bottom edges of several siding pieces before returning to paint the faces of the siding boards.
  4. Paint the broad faces of the siding boards with a 4" brush. Use the painting technique shown on. Working down from the top, paint only as much surface as you can reach comfortably.
  5. Paint all the siding all the way down to the foundation, working from top to bottom. Shift the ladder or scaffolding, and paint the next section. Note: Paint up to the edges of end caps and window and door trim that will be painted later. If trim will not be painted, mask it off or use a paint shield.
    Variation: On board-and-batten or any vertical-panel siding, paint the edges of the battens or top boards first. Paint the faces of the battens before the sides dry, then paint the large, broad surfaces between the battens, feathering in at the edges of the battens. Rollers are good tools for panel siding (use a 5 D8"-nap sleeve for rough-textured panels).
    Variation: On stucco siding, paint the walls with a paint roller and 5 D8"-nap sleeve. Use a 3" trim roller or a 3" paint brush for trim.
  6. Paint the foundation with anti-chalking masonry primer. Start by cutting in the areas around basement windows. Then, paint the broad surfaces of the foundation with a 4" brush, working the paint into any mortar lines.
  7. Paint doors and windows, using a sash brush.
    Follow the correct sequence: First, paint the beveled edges of raised door panels, and the insides of muntins or frames on windows; next, paint the faces of the door panels before the edges dry; next, paint rails (horizontal frame members) on doors and windows; last, paint the faces of the stiles (vertical frame members).
  8. Use a trim brush or sash brush and a moderate load of paint to paint the inside edges of door and window jambs, casings, and brick molding. Note: The surfaces on the interior side of the door stop usually match the color of the interior trim.
  9. Paint the outside edges of casings and brick molding, using a sash brush (mask off freshly painted siding after it has dried).
  10. Paint the faces of door jambs, casings, and brick molding, feathering fresh paint around the painted edges.
  11. Paint wooden door thresholds and porch floors. Use specially-formulated enamel floor paint for maximum durability.