Attempting to paint a house can be a huge, overwhelming task! But it doesn't have to be. My husband and I broke the house down into sections to make it easier. First, we completed the prep work, next we painted the brick, then the pergola and dormers, followed by the sides of the house.
Before Pictures
This is what our home looked like when we bought it - an overgrown jungle. I'm all for greenery and shrubs, but I definitely like mine to be more tamed.
And this is our stage 2, after the first couple of years. We cleared off all of the overgrowth and put in some landscaping. We replaced all the vinyl siding with hardy board as well.
After all that, we weren't done! I knew that I eventually wanted my house white, but I wanted to do it myself. It turned out easier than I expected.
Prep Work
First up on the agenda? Prep work. We live in an area where there is a lot of wind. Our siding was suffering some damage after some major windstorms, so we decided to go a different route and use hardy board.
Another step of prep work - caulking and sealing any crack. This will prevent water from getting in and it also helps to prevent bugs or critters from entering.
Make sure you have a good ladder to use. We spent a lot of time on that thing...
How to Paint a House
And before painting, remember to tape off any areas you don't want paint or overspray on. This includes doors, windows, and even flower beds if you can cover them with a temporary plastic while you paint.
Supplies to Paint a House:
- Paint - I used Sherwin Williams Bright White
- Primer
- Graco paint sprayer
- Roller
- Painter's tape
- Painter's paper
- Paint brush
Remember I said we split our house into sections? First, we painted our exterior brick that covers the whole front of our house. I used my Graco paint sprayer to get good coverage. See the full post here on painting brick. Video can be seen here.
Next, we tackled the pergola. See the post here. Not all houses will have a pergola attached, but you can use the same technique for any porch addition. (see my post here)
Then, our next section included the sides of the house. You can see a complete video here on how we completed this side.
And finally, we are completing the last remaining side of the house.
Everything turned out so well! Learning to paint a house was easier than I expected. By splitting everything into sections we simplified the workload.
Don't be afraid to tackle a big project like this DIY painting a house. Although time consuming, we saved loads of money by doing it ourselves. And I love how it turned out!
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