If you own a home with wood siding that needs painting from time to time, you may want to find a painting contractor to do the work for you. The proper preparation and attention to detail are critical to ensure the paint lasts as long as possible and protects your home.
Getting Estimates
One of the most important steps in finding a painting contractor to paint your house is getting estimates for the job. The cost of the work can vary from one contractor to the next, so when you are talking to the painters, ask for a detailed estimate that will explain the process and detail the work to be completed.
Some painting contractors will provide more prep work than others, and that can make a significant difference in both labor and materials. The itemized estimate will help you determine what will be done and allow you to discuss the work directly with the painting contractor so that they understand what you want.
Preparation For Painting
When you are getting ready for a painting contractor to come and paint your home, it is good to walk around the house and look for things that may need to be removed or covered to ensure they are not covered in paint. If you have a lot of flowerbeds around the home, you may want to get some lightweight clear plastic sheeting and place it over the bushes and plants before the work begins.
The plastic will protect the plants and the beds during the scraping and painting process and is light enough to not damage the plants. You may also want to cover things like outdoor spigots and hose hangers on the house and remove decorative signs or other items on the house itself.
The painting contractor and their crew will come in and scrape all the loose paint off the house and prime any areas that have exposed wood on them. Once the primer is dry, the painting can begin.
Painting The House
Some painting contractors will use traditional painting methods to apply paint to your home with brushes and rollers. Others contractors prefer to use an airless sprayer to spray the paint onto the house, which can be faster and sometimes better.
Both methods will work, and as long as the paint is applied in smooth, even coats, the protection for the wood siding is the same. The cost of spraying versus traditional application may be slightly higher, but the job will be complete much faster.
Talk to your paint contractor about which method they feel will work better for your home and if the paint you have chosen for the house can be applied both ways. A painting contractor can provide more information.