6 Steps to Perfect Home Exterior Painting Preparation

We Got Answers From a Professional Exterior House Painter

We spoke to Zeb Van Pelt, owner of Venture Painting in Dallas, to establish outdoor prep tips for painting your wood, brick, aluminum and vinyl siding. Our staff wanted to know the first question most homeowners ask him about home painting.

“Mostly, it's how are you going to protect my house, and how are you going to make this paint last the longest?” Zeb told us. "And my answer is always prep work. Then we dive deeper into that."

HOMR trusts Venture Painting for exterior and interior painting projects in Dallas-Fort Worth. They offer a 3-year painting warranty on their labor, and hold a perfect 5-star rating on Google Reviews.

5 Signs Your Home Exterior Needs New Paint

It's easy to tell when your interior paint needs a touch up — you'll see smudges and scuffs on the walls. Outdoor paint is harder to judge, since we don't normally check our home's siding up close very often.

Whether your home's exterior surface is metal or vinyl siding, brick or wood, there are 5 telltale signs that it's time for a fresh coat of exterior paint:

1. Loose, Flaking or Peeling Paint

Look for visible signs of failing paint on your home's exterior brick, metal surfaces and siding. These 4 visual signals include:

1. Loose paint peeling away from the surface;
2. Chipping paint — even one paint chip or two is indicative of peeling paint;
3. Bubbling or blistering paint that looks like your paint has a “sunburn”; 
4. Paint drip from a recent painting project — this indicates your last job was poorly prepped.

2. UV Damage (Faded Paint)

UV damage is a major house painting issue in hot climates like Texas, Florida and Arizona. Luckily, signs of UV damage are easy to spot over time — is your home's paint color less vibrant than it used to be?

Faded paint from UV damage is a common issue that's easily addressed with a fresh coat of exterior acrylic latex paint. 

3. Cracked Caulking

Outdoor paint doesn't just add color to your home. It protects caulk from rain and ice. Cracked caulk underneath new paint causes poor adhesion and leads to moisture damage. Zeb suggests 3 places to check for cracks in your caulking:

1. Cracks around windows;
2. Cracked areas where wood meets wood;
3. Any other area where caulking exists and you notice cracks, chips or peeling.

If you see cracked caulking in any of these areas, Zeb says it's time to paint your house. “Otherwise,” he explains, “you'll start to get water that goes between those cracks and rot boards from the inside out.”

4. Moisture Damage in Shaded Areas

Moisture damage is heightened in shaded areas. If a portion of your siding or exterior wood is under a tree or heavily shaded, check that area closely for mold or mildew damage. If you see mold of mildew, it's a sign your existing paint isn't protecting your home well enough.

Zeb's expert advice when checking for moisture damage? “Check the bottom of corner trim boards, if those are starting to peel. When it rains, that water keeps falling down until it has a ledge to sit on. It'll sit underneath trim boards and soak in until it dries out — especially on the north side of the house.”

If you notice it's black underneath the siding and the trim has rotted, it's time to paint that portion of your house.

5. Lead Based Paint

The EPA says 24% of homes built between 1960 and 1978 have lead paint. Test for lead paint immediately if your home was built in that timespan, or its siding was last painted before 1980.

These are 3 notable warning signs of lead paint in your home:

• Chalky residue when you brush against old paint;
• “Alligatoring”, or cracked paint that resembles alligator scales;
• Multiple layers of existing paint under your top layer, especially in homes over 40 years old.

Call an EPA-certified inspector any time you suspect the presence of lead-based paint. Many home testing kits for lead paint produce unreliable results. 

Do you know how to find a good contractor? Start with HOMR's 6-step contractor vetting process — we've helped homeowners complete over $4 million of home service projects.

How to Prepare a House for Exterior Painting in 6 Steps

Follow these 6 steps to ensure the highest quality paint project.

1. Waiting for Dry, Temperate Weather

Ensure quality surface preparation and paint adhesion by doing prep work on a moderate, dry day. Wait for a sunny day with temperatures between 55°F and 75°F. 

Do not start outdoor painting prep work if it's raining, damp, or extremely hot or cold. These conditions can cause poor adhesion.

What’s the best month to start painting your house?

The best month to start painting your house depends where you live in America. The driest month of the year varies from region to region. 

A rule of thumb that applies to most cases involves splitting the U.S. map in half. If you live north of Kansas, paint your house in late May or June. If you live south of Kansas, paint your house in October. These months tend to be dry and temperate enough for exterior paint to adhere properly.

2. Power Washing Your Exterior Walls and Home Siding

Good surface preparation always starts with thorough cleaning. If you're hiring a power washing company, make sure to indicate whether you want a pressure wash or soft wash.

Pressure washing is best for brick, stucco and metal surfaces. It clears your surfaces of dirt, grime, and loose paint which affect adhesion. It also blows off old layers of paint that may contain lead and other toxins.

Soft washing is best for vinyl siding and older wood siding. It uses lower water pressure and cleaning products to clean your exterior surface, and won't damage your siding.

GOT MILDEW?: Use a non-toxic mildewcide product to remove mildew from your siding. We like M-1 mildewcide — it's registered with the EPA and certified as non-toxic.

3. Repairing Damaged Surfaces and Wood Rot

Look for damaged bricks, nail holes, cracked vinyl siding and heavily damaged wood siding. Repair these surfaces before you prime and paint. 

Make sure to thoroughly cut out any wood rot from your siding or other wood surfaces before applying paint. If you paint over rotting wood, it simply continues to rot — address the issue fully before you continue.

BRICK WALL PRO TIP: Don’t fill in brick weep holes! They are required by code and have prevent moisture damage to your house. Intentionally leave them open.

4. Removing Loose Paint

Remove loose paint during your exterior paint prep process. Loose, chipped and peeling paint leads directly to poor adhesion. 

After you power wash, use a scraper to remove loose paint from your siding and other outdoor surfaces. 

Painting the outside and inside of your house at the same time? Check out our top interior painting tips to learn 4 cost-cutting DIY strategies!

5. Replacing Cracked Caulk

Use a caulk gun with exterior caulk to fill in any gaps where you removed cracked caulk. 

Be sure to thoroughly caulk all trim and areas around windows and doors.

6. Priming Before You Paint — No Matter What

“If you have paint and primer in one, I [still] think projects last a lot longer when we use a primer,” Zeb says. He advises people take the extra time in prep work to put the extra base coat of primer underneath their exterior paint, no matter how that paint is advertised.

“That primer adds another barrier of protection,” Zeb continues. “Paint adheres way better to primed wood than bare wood, and it tends to last longer.”

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Rather trust professional painters with your prep work? Get in touch with us for a free local painting quote!

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How to Choose the Right Exterior Paint

“The exterior of your home is one of the biggest assets a homeowner has,” Zeb explains. He believes that trustworthy professional painters should guide you through the paint selection process — which isn't the same for every scenario.

It's just as important to identify why you're painting your house as it is to determine what product you're using and where you're painting.

Here are some notes Zeb gave us regarding exterior paint selection for your home:

• Think of paint as home protection. The right exterior paint isn't just a beautiful color — it's a protective barrier for your house and its exterior surface. 
• Acrylic latex paint is the way to go. The concept of “acrylic vs latex paint” for exterior painting is old news. Most top-quality outdoor paints are hybrids, utilizing components of latex and acrylic paint in their creation. They're chemically based for longevity, and have enough latex to aid elasticity.
• Always choose the higher quality paint for your forever home. Always use premium acrylic latex paint on siding, exterior brick and metal. You'll pay 7-12% more upfront, but it’ll protect your house paint for 12-15 more years.
• But what if you're selling your house? If you're selling your home, mid-range exterior paint with a 6-10 year lifespan is fine. Still, you don't want to use the cheapest paint on the market — savvy buyers and appraisers will notice.
• How much sun exposure do you have? If your house is exposed to a lot of direct sunlight, UV protection is important — products like Sherwin Williams Duration are ideal. If you're in a shadier or wetter area, mildew protection is more valuable.
• Is budget your most important criteria? “I always give homeowners 3 options — good, better, best,” Zeb says. “Then I educate them accordingly. If they're really budget-conscious, I still want to provide at least a mid-level paint.”
• Price shop all your accessories! Approach your job like a commercial painting pro, and look into the tools and accessories that they use. Price shop your brushes, paint rollers, ladders, drop cloth and scrapers. 

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Best Exterior Paints for Wood Siding, Vinyl Siding and Brick Exteriors

We think Sherwin Williams makes the best exterior paints for wood siding, vinyl siding and metal. We chose BEHR Premium as the best for brick, masonry and stucco painting.

Best for Wood Siding: Sherwin Williams Emerald Exterior Paint 

Buy from Sherwin Williams: Emerald Exterior Paint ($98.99 per gallon at time of writing)

Sherwin Williams' Emerald line tops our rankings for exterior wood painting. It covers wood trim, panels and siding uniformly with smooth strokes and self-priming construction. We prefer the flat and satin finishes — the gloss finish dries a bit too quickly in the sun, which affects homeowners in hotter climates.

Concerned about volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and air safety? Emerald exterior paint meets the highest threshold of VOC regulations.

If you live in a rainy or moist climate, use Emerald Rain Refresh for high-level protection against moisture damage, mildew and wood rot. 

Pro Tip: Save time on color selection with the updated official Sherwin Williams Color Wheel — see every color swatch currently available.

Best for Vinyl Siding and Aluminum Siding: Sherwin Williams Duration Exterior Paint 

Buy from Sherwin Williams: Duration Exterior Paint ($93.49 per gallon at time of writing)

We like Duration's self-priming nature and its adaptability to various temperatures and climates. Homeowners can expect quality adhesion and performance to vinyl and aluminum siding when applied between 40°F and 80°F.

Duration is created with a mildew-resistant coating, as well as flash rust resistance that greatly benefits metal surfaces and nail heads. It's available in over 100 Sherwin-Williams VinylSafe® paint colors.

Best for Brick Exteriors: BEHR Premium Masonry, Stucco & Brick Paint

Buy from Home Depot: BEHR Premium Masonry, Stucco & Brick Paint ($35.80 per gallon at time of writing)

BEHR Premium Masonry, Stucco & Brick Paint topped our rankings for best adhesion to brick and concrete surfaces. It performed well in covering small cracks, and providing the needed elasticity to protect against high winds and rain.

We also rated BEHR Premium Masonry best at dirt-resistant waterproofing for brick surfaces. 

NOTE: Look for BEHR's Masonry, Stucco & Brick product specifically — not every BEHR Premium product is designed to perform this well for brick and concrete.

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Need pro guidance in selecting a paint product? Reach out 24/7 to our home service concierge!

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5 Things Your Residential Painting Company Should Do

If you hire a professional painting company like Venture Painting, make sure to walk into every project with specific expectations for your contractor. Zeb Van Pelt outlines 5 things every exterior painting company should offer homeowners:

1. Free estimate. Zeb says a quality pro painting estimate should include a “Q&A session, project walk-around, measurements, and on-the-spot estimate review”.
2. Thoughtful color selection. Paint quality is important, but you also deserve the perfect color for your home. A good contractor works with you to select a paint color that looks beautiful and lasts. 
3. Professional prep work. “A thorough clean, repair, and prep of your home's surfaces” is needed “to achieve the best possible results,” says Zeb.
4. Exterior painting best practices. A quality residential painting crew updates its skills with ongoing education on quality preparation, material options, paint brands, and current best practices for adhesion and paint performance.
5. Quality assurance walkthrough. Ensure your paint job went well. Ask your paint contractor for a quality walkthrough after the project's finished. Ask questions and look for advice on maintaining your exterior surfaces.

Bonus: Is a pro painting the exterior of your house? Ask them to stand behind their work with a labor warranty. Venture Painting offers a 3-year warranty on their paint jobs.