QA

Quick Answer: How To Prep Exterior Trim For Painting

Outlining proper preparedness, painting your exterior trim like a Pro Pressure wash exterior siding & trim. Inspect exterior trim. Scrape outside trim showing failure. Caulk all exposed trim outside. Fill all holes, gouges, intentions. Prime, scraped trim, or bare wood.

How do you clean exterior trim before painting?

Preparing Exterior Trim for Painting, Step-by-Step Start by scrubbing off all dirt and chalking paint with a scrub brush and a solution of trisodium phosphate (TSP). Rinse the trim thoroughly, and allow it to dry completely before preparing the surface for primer and paint.

How much should you sand before painting trim?

Sanding Tip: If the trim is new or already smooth, lightly sand using 120-grit sandpaper until all shine disappears from the trim. If the trim is rough and worn, start by sanding with coarse, 80-grit sandpaper. Then, move to less-coarse sandpaper such as 100- or 120-grit to smooth the surface.

Should I pressure wash my house before painting?

Pressure washing before painting is a chance to remove all dirt, debris, and cobwebs before painting. It’s important to wash your house so that the new coat has the best chance to bond with the undercoat. By cleaning off all the gunk, we can make sure the paint goes on smoothly, not just rolling over dirt.

How do you prepare fascia for painting?

A: First you need to scrape and sand down the old fascia boards. Caulk all the joints and nail holes in the old and new boards with paintable caulk. Then apply a special wood primer to both old and new wood. Once that primer soaks in and hardens, then you can paint all wood with a 100 percent acrylic flat paint.

How do you prepare exterior wood for painting?

For the perfect finish, you need to start with the right prep. First, remove any flaking paint and sand down thoroughly. Then remove any dust, dirt or grease with a damp cloth. If you’re using our 10 Year Weatherproof Wood Paint, you don’t need a primer and can go straight to painting.

Can I just paint over old paint?

How Do I Paint Over Painted Walls? You probably don’t need a primer paint if the new coat is the same type as the old paint. You can just pick the paint color you want and keep going. If the current wall is also smooth and clean, you can head straight for the paint.

Can you paint trim without sanding?

Can you paint wood trim without sanding? Yes! I’m sharing all the details and products below, but suffice it to say that a good cleaning and a deglosser can help you prepare the wood trim without the mess of sanding.

What do you sand trim with?

Hand-sand all woodwork smooth with fine, 180-grit sandpaper until all shine disappears. Note: A coarser-grit paper will remove more than necessary (use 80- to 120-grit to smooth imperfections such as heavy globs of old paint).

Should I sand before painting?

While sanding is not required for every paint project, rough spots on walls, whether they have been previously painted or not, need to be sanded before they are painted to ensure the paint goes on smoothly. For oil-based paint, a medium-grit sandpaper (100- to 150-grit) should be used.

Why you should not pressure wash your house?

Do not pressure wash any fixtures housing electricity, even those on the exterior of your home or in your yard. Though built to withstand a rainstorm, pressure washing can force water into cracks and crevice and cause damage and costly repairs.

What is the best time of year to power wash your house?

In general, houses should be power washed at least once a year any time between March and November. As it gets later in a calendar year, you’ll want to make sure your home is taken care of before the freezing temperatures and winter weather arrive.

How long after pressure washing can you paint?

Moisture within the siding following power washing In a perfect world, you should wait about three to four days afterward before you start exterior painting. This gives typical surfaces like wood, brick, and other porous materials time to fully dry. It’s never a good idea to paint onto still wet surfaces.

How do you paint exterior fascia?

The Fascia Begin your painting project by pouring thoroughly mixed paint into a bucket and dipping a quality 2″-2½” wide nylon/polyester brush into the paint. Using your brush, cut in along the edge where the roofline and the fascia meet and/or where the wall and the fascia meet.

Is Primer necessary for exterior painting?

It’s important to prime bare exterior wood prior to painting because it seals the grain, prevents bleed-through and improves paint adhesion. It’s just as important to prime other materials, such as stucco, metal and concrete, for similar reasons. It seems like extra work, but it can save you time and paint.

Do you have to prime outdoor wood before painting?

Raw Wood. Unfinished wood should always be primed prior to painting. Primer, having high-solids content, helps fill in the wood grain and creates a smooth surface for the finish coat. Like the raw drywall, unfinished woods tend to really soak up paint, and primer helps seal the surface to prevent this from happening.

What grit sandpaper should I use before painting wood?

Sanding is critical to creating a smooth surface. For wood that is going to be painted, use 120-grit, followed by 150-grit. For closed-grain woods (such as Cherry, Pine, Maple, Birch or Alder) that will be stained with water-based products use 150-grit followed by 180-grit.

What happens if you don’t use primer before painting?

If you skip priming, you risk peeling paint, especially in humid conditions. Moreover, the lack of adhesion could make cleaning more difficult months after the paint has dried. You may find the paint wearing off as you’re trying to wipe off dirt or fingerprints.

How many coats of paint is a quality paint?

In general, we still say that two coats is a good rule of thumb. The thicker coverage, again, provides greater durability, and it also makes it easier for you to wash or scrub the surface if needed.

Do you have to wash walls before painting?

As noted above, most paint manufacturers recommend that you clean walls with at least mild detergent and water before painting. Although modern paints are so good that they bond well to almost any surface, it will adhere best to surfaces that are perfectly clean and smooth.