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April 17, 2001

Preparation is the key to painting your home's exterior

By STACIE CARLSON
Special to the Record-Eagle
       For many homeowners, spring means rolling up their sleeves and beginning home improvement projects. At the top of many people's list is exterior siding maintenance.
      There are many issues to take into consideration when thinking of repainting a home. First and foremost is whether to do it yourself.
      "Last year," said Tracy Welch, "we decided to paint our house because the stain was really worn. My husband, Chuck, and I thought we'd save money by doing it ourselves. We had good intentions, but it was a lot harder than we ever expected."
      The Welches started painting their ranch-style home in mid-July and finished in September.
      "We worked primarily on the weekends and during some evenings," said Welch, "but because of the weathering on our home, we had to apply two coats of paint - it was definitely unexpected. We had hoped to finish within a few weekends, but the project took twice as long as we'd expected."
      Paint quality plays a role in the amount of coats, as does color.
      "The best paint covers in one coat; medium paint in two coats; and really inexpensive paint in three coats," said John Aldrich of Ace Hardware in Traverse City. "In addition, more coats of paint are needed for darker colors and, surprisingly, yellows."
      Aldrich is available to consult with homeowners prior to their beginning a painting project.
      "I always ask the type of material that people will be painting over; it makes a big difference in the type of paint they'll need," added Aldrich.
      According to Aldrich, the majority of homeowners want to paint the wood siding on their homes, with the remainder requesting paint for vinyl or aluminum siding.
      "With wood, people need an oil-based primer to penetrate and seal wood, " said Aldrich, "With vinyl, people need a primer and a high quality latex paint to seal. I suggest premium quality primers and paints. They last longer and provide superior protection."
      Prior to the actual painting, prep work is necessary. Painting stores and pros alike suggest scraping, sanding, power washing, or using steel wool to prepare the home's surface.
      "It's essential to do prep work before people paint," said Aldrich. "By preparing the home's surface, the paint adheres better."
      Before the Welches began, they wire brushed and power washed their home. Power washers can be rented from most paint or hardware stores with costs ranging between $50 to $75 per day, and many professionals use power washers prior to beginning a painting project. However, not all painting professionals recommend power washing.
      "I don't suggest power washing wood siding," said Kenneth Goslyn of K & M Goslyn's Painting Company in Copemish. "Power washing pushes water into the wood, saturating it. Then, people have to wait for the wood to dry before they can paint."
      Goslyn recommends scraping, followed by hand washing, especially if the house is older.
      "Power washing may actually damage older homes," added Goslyn. "The water is under such force that it can tear pieces of wood right off."
      After prep work is finished, homeowners can move on to the actual painting. Spring and summer months provide the best times to paint, with ideal painting temperatures between 50 and 80 degrees. Humidity levels below 80 percent provide optimum drying. In addition, in order for paint to adhere and dry properly, weather needs to be sunny or partly sunny; rain adversely affects the quality of paint.
      "We didn't get rained out often last summer," said Welch, "but if there was even a chance of rain, we didn't paint."
      The majority of paint stores will suggest paint colors. Likewise, most will mix paints to match previous colors, with several area stores actually matching colors with the aid of computers.
      "One gallon of paint covers approximately 350 to 400 square feet," said Aldrich, "so people need to have a rough idea of measurement before they come to see me. That means that the average 3,000 square foot home uses six to eight gallons for one coat."
      Costs for paint vary depending on its quality.
      "We spent about $475 for paint and materials," said Welch, "but that's because we had to apply two coats."
      There are several ways to apply paint and whether people use traditional roller methods or sprayers seems to be largely dependent on personal preference.
      "I recommend spray painting for wood siding," said Goslyn. "Sprayers actually push the paint into the fiber further. Then, people need to back roll or brush behind the spray to be certain that the paint is uniform."
      Wood siding can also be rolled, but it puts paint on in heavier coats. According to Goslyn, paint sits on top of the wood when it's been rolled. Goslyn notes that rolling is all right with a second coat.
      Vinyl, on the other hand, should be rolled or brushed, as spraying is difficult and doesn't always adhere.
      "A lot of commercial painters spray because it's faster," said Aldrich, "but I don't recommend it because of environmental reasons. Plus, overspray can land on neighbors' cars."
      If homeowners are considering hiring professional painters, costs begin at approximately $1,500 and up for a two story home.
      Stacie Carlson is a freelance writer who lives in Traverse City.