Your home’s exterior painting is one of the first things visitors see, and it's also the most noticeable element. A good paint job can impress visitors and send a strong first impression, while a dirty and poorly maintained exterior ruins even the most well-designed homes. It's not just aesthetics either. Your paint is the first line of defence against harsh elements like UV rays and moisture, and it protects your siding and the layers underneath. That's why painting maintenance is of the utmost importance. It keeps your home looking its best, and more importantly, protects it from the sun, wind, and moisture. In Raleigh, paint maintenance is even more crucial because of the humid summers, sudden storms, and tree density. Humid summers mean higher risks of mold, mildew, moisture damage, and paint deterioration. Sudden storms mean rain, dirt, and debris can be blown into your home before you have a chance to close your windows. And lastly, Raleigh is aptly nicknamed the “City of Oaks” due to its abundance of mature oak trees that are large and provide ample shade. This shade is normally nice to have, but it also means more falling leaves, twigs, as well as sap and pollen. All of these can damage or stain your paint. The high density of trees also means more dampness, especially after storms. You'll also likely encounter more bird and squirrel droppings, which can stain and degrade your paint finish. Painting maintenance is essential either way, but Raleigh’s conditions make wear and tear an even bigger issue, necessitating more frequent and thorough upkeep. Don't let that scare you though. Painting maintenance is actually easier than it sounds. All it takes is regular cleaning and timely touch-ups to keep expensive repairs at bay and extend your paint’s lifespan. Not sure how to carry out those steps? Well, that's what this guide is for! Whether you're staying in a modern townhouse in North Hills or a historic bungalow at Oakwood, you'll find everything you need to ensure your paint and home stay healthy and look sharp all year-round. Let's dive right in! What Painting Maintenance Entails You might be wondering what there is left to maintain once the paint has been applied. Is it coating? Or some kind of protectant or sealant? The answer is neither. Most of the time, paint maintenance is really just cleaning and inspection, and on the rare occasions when you do discover any issues, remedying them. And then, once every 5-10 years, repaint the surface. Note that this can be longer or shorter depending on the type and quality of paint you use and the conditions of your region. So as you can see, maintaining your paint job really isn't a super tedious task. The important thing is to do your cleaning and inspections regularly and thoroughly. Now, let's dive deeper into how to actually carry out the cleaning, inspection, fixing issues, and repainting. 1. Cleaning Painted Surfaces In Raleigh
When it comes to house painting, most people spend the bulk of their time worrying about what color to use, making sure it complements their aesthetics, and choosing the right shade. In many cases, little thought is given to the type of paint. In fact, many people don't even know that different types of paint exist, and that choosing the wrong paint could be disastrous. Using the wrong paint will usually lead to it peeling off relatively quickly, or at the very least, unsightly bubbling. Needless to say, nobody wants these to happen, which is why we created this guide on the different house paint types and when to use each of them. By the end of this guide, you'll know all the different types of paints, and you'll know how to choose the right one for the surface you're painting. Let's jump right into it! Water-Based vs Oil-Based Paint First up, let's begin with the two main categories of house paint — water-based and oil-based. 99% of the time, you're going to be using paint that falls into either one of those two categories. Here are the main differences between the two. Water-Based Paint Water-based paints (aka latex paints) are the most commonly used type of paint for house painting because they release much less odor, dry quicker, and are much easier to clean up. Water-based paints can dry within an hour or two, which is multiple times faster than oil-based paints. And unlike oil-based paints, since water-based paints consist mostly of water instead of oil, they have less toxic fumes and much less odor. On top of that, water-based paints can be cleaned off surfaces easily, which can’t be said for oil-based paints So why would anyone choose oil-based paints? One word — durability . Oil-Based Paint The main advantage of oil-based paints is that they’re extremely tough, a good deal tougher than water-based paints, and they’re also better able to resist stains and moisture. The downsides are many though: Much longer drying times (8-24 hours) Much stronger odor and more toxic fumes, sometimes to the point where certain regions restrict their use Much harder to clean off spills, will need the use of turpentine or mineral spirits Water-based paints nowadays are far more durable and stain-resistant than in the past, which is why, in many cases, the added durability of oil-based paints just isn’t worth the drawbacks anymore. Water-based paints are still less able to take a beating and resist stains and moisture, but technology has closed this durability gap significantly. As such, people nowadays are increasingly opting for water-based paints over oil-based paints, even for surfaces that might need a bit more toughness. The only time when it makes sense to choose oil-based paints is for surfaces that have serious human traffic or will be exposed to lots of moisture or harsh elements, which is really only your handrails. Other than that, even for areas like your bathroom walls that will be exposed to moisture, or outdoor surfaces, specially formulated or high-quality water-based paints will get the job done. Oil-based paints are essentially obsolete in modern day, with the exception of very specific situations. As long as you’re not painting handrails, go with a water-based paint. Interior vs Exterior Paint
When it comes to painting, the first image that comes to most people's minds is painting their walls with a roller. But did you know there are actually many different surfaces that each require different painting techniques, tools, and even paint types ? If you've got a bit more DIY experience, you may already know that trim calls for glossier paint and an angled brush. For most people, the walls and trim are the main areas that they ever paint, so even experienced DIYers may stop there. But there are actually a few other surfaces, such as your pipes or fireplace, that, while much less commonly painted, are still good to know. You might not need to paint them now, but one day you might. So put on your reading glasses, and let's begin. 1. Walls And Ceilings First up are your walls and ceilings. These are the most commonly painted surfaces, so you might already know how to paint them. If that's the case, feel free to skip this section and any others that you already know how to paint. With that said, let's get back to painting walls and ceilings. For your walls and ceiling, before you start painting, you need to prepare the surface. This involves repairing damages, cleaning, and applying primer if needed. Before we go any further, a word on repairing damages. You could try to DIY the repairs, but if it's anything larger than a tiny dent or hole, we highly recommend that you leave it to the professionals. Repairing wall and ceiling damages is a deceptively tricky task that most homeowners just don't have the expertise and skill to tackle. Any DIY attempts usually result in an even uglier sight than the original damage. So trust the pros, and leave it to the pros. After repairing the damages and cleaning your walls and ceiling, you’ll need to apply primer (2-3 coats) if: You're painting relatively new drywall or plaster You're painting a light color over a dark color You've removed wallpaper You've patched the area. Note that you can apply primer over only the patched areas if you didn't have to patch too large an area. But if you've had to patch a large area or many areas, it's best to just prime the entire painting surface. Once the prep is complete, paint with a roller using the “W” technique. For a complete in-depth guide on how to choose paint, prepare your walls, and the tools and equipment you’ll need for house painting, check out our DIY house painting guide . 2. Wooden Surfaces (Trim, Doors, Cabinets)
House painting is generally not an expensive home project since all you need is really paint, a roller, a brush, and a few other relatively cheap tools and equipment . Even if you factor in the cost of labor, a professional paint job is still on the lower end of home projects. Nevertheless, you still need to have a proper, accurate budget for it. If you budget too little, you won't be able to finish the job or may have to compromise on paint quality, and if you budget too much, that leaves less for your other home projects. To budget accurately, you obviously need to know the costs involved, which is why this article will break down the costs of house painting, as well as give you two ways to calculate how much to set aside based on the size of your house and the room you're painting. We’ll also be going over the cost of professional vs DIY house painting so that you can make a decision as to whether to engage professionals or not. Let's get started. House Painting Cost Per Square Foot The easiest way to get an accurate idea of how much you'll need to spend is to calculate the surface area that you'll be painting and multiply that by the cost per square foot taken from national averages. According to Angi , here are the cost averages nationwide in the US for professional painting the interior of your home: For just walls: $2.75/sqft Including ceilings and trim: $4.70/sqft These costs are inclusive of both materials and labor, so they're all-inclusive. In Raleigh, NC, you can expect to pay between $1.50 and $3.10 per square foot for just the walls, and between $2.40 and $5.40 if it’s including ceilings and trim. So to get an idea of how much your home painting project will cost to have a professional do it, measure the length and width of all the walls and combine them to get the total surface area. Then, simply multiply this number by the averages provided above. On average, the cost of interior painting an entire home is $2,021, although costs can go up as high as $5,800 or as low as just $350. Keep in mind that many factors affect this price, mainly the size of your home, but also other factors like the paint used, the complexity of the job, and the amount of prep work needed. If you don't want to go through the hassle of measuring all the walls in your home, you can simply take the average cost of interior painting for a house, which is $2,021, and increase or decrease it accordingly based on whether your home is larger or smaller than average. Or if you're only painting certain rooms and not your entire home, read on to our next section, where we break down painting costs by room type. House Painting Costs By Room
Painting your home is an exciting venture that can transform your home and give it new life — but only with the right tools. Without the necessary tools and equipment, even the best professional painters would find it difficult, nigh Impossible, to properly paint a home and achieve a smooth, flawless finish. You can't just use a single brush or a single roller for every part of your home. Different areas and different techniques require different tools and equipment, and it's crucial to know what you need for each part of the job to ensure a successful project. Here are the tools and equipment you'll need to paint your home. Painting Tools & Equipment First up, here are the must-have tools you'll need for the actual painting itself. 1. Paint Brushes Paint brushes are a must to start off and finish your painting project. You can't just use a roller for everything. Rollers are great for covering large areas quickly, but for precision work like edges, corners, and trims, you're going to need a brush. There are mainly two types of brushes — angled and flat. Honestly, the flat brush doesn't really have much of a use, because for corners and edges of your walls, doors, and so on, as well as trim work, it's best to use an angled brush that allows you to get to awkward angles more easily. A single angled brush is going to be enough to serve you for all your precision work, especially if you're painting walls. And if you're painting the main areas of your walls, doors, cabinets, etc, you're going to either be using a standard or a mini roller. There's just no situation in which a flat brush is the best option. When buying your angled brush, you'll also need to choose the right thistles. If you're using latex (water-based) paint, use synthetic bristles, and if you're using oil-based paint, use natural bristles. 2. Paint Rollers Next up is your paint roller. Note that the paint roller actually comes in two parts — the roller frame and the roller cover. When it comes to rollers, there are really only two types — standard and mini ones. Standard 9-inch rollers are the ones you use to paint your walls, and mini 4-inch rollers are the ones you use for your doors, cabinets, and any other smaller surfaces, excluding precision work like edges and corners of course. The thickness of the roller cover is important too. For smoother walls, you want thinner ones, while for rougher walls, you want thicker roller covers. The reason for this is that thicker covers hold more paint, so when used for smooth walls, there's nowhere for the additional paint to go, which means it pools, runs, or results in a fuzzy or pebbled texture. Thicker covers are used for rough surfaces with dips, bumps, or crevices. They can push paint into these dips and crevices since they hold more paint. Here's how to decide: Smooth surfaces (drywall, wood): 1/4 to 3/8-inch Semi-smooth surfaces (old doors, old cabinets): 3/8 to 1/2-inch Textured surfaces (brick, stucco): 3/4-inch or more 3. Paint Trays And Liners
Thinking of painting your own home ? Painting can actually be pretty therapeutic, especially if you love DIY projects or creating art. Even if it’s not enjoyable, for the sake of cost-efficiency, many people still opt to paint their own homes, especially if it’s a small area or just a single room. However, it’s not worth it to save on the cost of a professional if you’re going to end up ruining your home’s aesthetics with a poor paint job, which is why it’s important that if you’re planning on painting your house, you know the proper techniques. While painting walls may look simple on the surface, there’s a lot that goes into it — surface prep, pressure, angle, and consistency. These techniques require practice to get the hang of, so be prepared that even if you know the theory of how to perform the technique, smooth and successful execution is still going to take some hard work and practice. The fact is, even with practice, painting is still a tedious and messy task that involves many steps. And when fatigue sets in, DIYers often subconsciously start applying more or less pressure, resulting in thicker or thinner patches. So even if you know the right techniques, success is far from guaranteed. Nonetheless, knowing the techniques is definitely one of the keys to success, and that’s what we’ll be covering in this article. Technique 1: Cutting In
Painting a house is no mean feat. It's definitely not as simple as buying the paint, covering your roller in it, and rolling over your walls. Before you even begin the painting, you need to prepare your walls. And before you start prepping your walls, you need to have the paint ready, which means you need to know how to choose the right paint and finish. And then there's the painting. You'll be painting your walls, your doors, your windows, and so on. These require various painting techniques and tools for different phases of the painting. So if you're DIYing your house’s painting, you're going to need to know how to choose the right paint and finish, how to prepare your walls, the techniques to paint for different areas and phases, and the right tools to use, as well as the pitfalls to look out for. Not sure how to do any of that? Then you’re in the right place. By the end of this article, you’ll know exactly how to go about each step of your house painting and you’ll have a clear idea of what it takes to successfully paint a home. 1. Choosing Paint
