Painting your house.

If you own a home, most people face the need to paint. With the exception of permanent siding products such as aluminum, steel or vinyl, most exterior sidings such as wood, hardi, or fiberboard require painting on a regular basis.

The first step in painting is to determine the type of paint that is currently on the walls. If the house was built prior to the 1970’s you should test for the presence of lead. If lead is found you should log on to www.epa.gov/lead  to learn the proper procedures to protect your family and the environment.

Most painting starts with a good cleaning of the surface. TSP, available at any hardware store is an excellent product to remove dirt and debris from the structure. Replace any rotted material and pre prime the new material front and back. Make sure all loose paint is removed. Many paint manufacturers give a great warranty on their paint. This warranty does not apply if the prior coat peels. Fill all nail holes, seams and cracks with a good grade of caulk. Don’t skimp here, as cheap caulk will ruin an otherwise great paint job. Apply 2 coats of a good paint, vinyl acrylic seems to be the best devised so far.