Tools & Materials

 

An investment in quality primer and house paint will make your hard work last for years longer than if you use cheaper products. High-quality preparation and application tools are also a good investment because they produce better results with less work.

 

Traditionally, almost all house paint was oil-based. But new latex-based products now rival oil-based products in durability and appearance, without the hazards, odors, and disposal problems of oil-based paints.

 

Materials for painting include: tarps, masking tape, sandpaper, caulk, primers (tinted to match paint color), house paint, trim paint, and special-task paints.

 

Chemicals and cleaners for paint maintenance and for surface preparation include: muriatic acid for cleaning rust from metal, household detergent and TSP (trisodium phosphate) for general washing of surfaces, household chlorine bleach for cleaning mildew, and chemical stripper for removing thick layers of paint from delicate surfaces.

 

How to Estimate Your Paint Needs

 

Add: square footage of walls (length x height) square footage of soffit panels 15% allowance for waste.
Subtract: square footage of doors and windows

Find the coverage rate on the labels of the paint you will use (350 square feet per gallon is an average rate). Divide the total square footage by the coverage rate to determine the number of gallons you will need for each coat.

 

Tools for paint removal include: drill with wire-wheel attachment (A), stiff-bristled scrub brush (B), wire brush (C), 1 D3-sheet finishing sander (D), 1 D4-sheet finishing sander (E), heat gun (F), sanding block (G), putty knife (H), paint scraper (I), and detail scraper with interchangeable heads (J).

Tools for applying paint include: roller and sleeve with 3 D8" nap for smooth or semi-smooth surfaces (A), corner roller for corners and trim (B), roller with 5 D8" nap for rough surfaces (C), 4" paint brush for lap siding (D), 3" paint brush for siding and trim (E), 2" sash brush for trim and window frames (F), 3"-wide roller for painting trim (G).
Note: All brushes shown have synthetic bristles for use with latex-based paint.

 

Rent a pressure washer and attachments for the surface-preparation process. A pressure washer cleans siding thoroughly, and removes old, flaky paint. A nozzle with an extension pole attaches to the hose from the pressure washer. Accessories, like the rotating scrub brush shown, clean hard-to-reach areas.

 

The two photos help you visualize what tools you want to have on hand for your exterior painting project. Here's a checklist that you can download and print and take with you when shopping for tools.

  • Warner #103 Safety First Scraper for scraping paint from glass
  • Warner #279 Brush Comb to cleaner brushes and rollers
  • Warner #353 & #355 Hurricane paint mixer to mix paint fast
  • Warner #366 Utility Knife
  • Warner #411 Pot Hook to hold paint can on ladder
  • Warner 1 1/2" and 3" ProGrip flex putty knife to apply putty and spackle
  • Warner 1 1/2" and 3" ProGrip stiff knife for scraping surfaces
  • Warner #673 ProGrip 8-in-1 tool to scrape, spread, clean and glaze
  • Warner #648 Glazier knife to re-glaze windows
  • Warner #683 ProGrip bucket opener/scraper
  • Warner 4" and 6" flex taping knife for spreading patching compound over larger areas
  • Warner #433 & #434 Paint trim guides
  • Warner #709 Plastic edge scraper to take off old paint
  • Warner #803 & #807 Carbide 100 X scrapers for fastest paint removal and longer edge wear
  • Warner #202 Wire brush for cleaning metal railings, eve troughs
  • Warner #436 Sanding block
  • Warner #294 Caulk gun to apply caulk filler
  • Warner #382 Electric paint remover
  • Warner #380 Roller & Brush Cleaner - spins them clean
  • Warner #553 2/2 Quart metal paint bucket
  • Ground tarps
  • Pressure washer (rental)
  • 2" Sash brush for trim painting
  • 3" paint brush for siding and trim
  • 4" paint brush for lap siding
  • Roller with 3/8" nap for smooth and semi-smooth surfaces
  • Roller with 5/" nap for rougher surfaces
  • 3" wide roller for painting trim
  • Electric sheet sander
  • Masking tape
  • Caulk
  • Patching compound or spackle
  • Muriatic acid to clean rust from metal
  • Household detergent and TSP (trisodium phosphate) for general washing of surfaces
  • Chlorine bleach for cleaning mildew
  • Chemical stripper for removing paint from delicate surfaces
  • Hammer
  • Epoxy wood filler