Home Painting Ideas For
Your Porch and Exterior

We love yellow homes. Do you?

Home Painting Ideas: Prepare the Surface

Photo courtesy of Jason York

• Remove oil and grease by sprinkling areas with cat litter or using a special de-greaser first. Then scrub the deck thoroughly with a non-residue cleaning solution like tri-sodium phosphate (TSP) and water.
• Rinse thoroughly using a garden hose set at "full spray" or a pressure washer.
• Get rid of mildew, fungus and mold with a solution of one part bleach and four parts water.
• Before repainting a previously painted deck, sand the glossy surface to make the new coating stick.
• A concrete deck with a smooth surface must be etched using a 10% muriatic acid solution. Acid etching can also be done on a previously stained or painted deck that has cracked or peeling sections.
• Use a patching compound to fill in surface cracks before you paint. Allow it to dry.
• Check for moisture by taping the edges of a two-square-foot sheet of transparent plastic on a concrete deck. Leave it for 2 days. If fluid accumulates, wait until the surface is totally dry before painting.

Decide on the Color

How about a relaxing blue?

• Choose a color that complements the exterior of your home.
• Darker shades stand out but a bolder tone like red or orange can provide a truly distinctive accent to a neutral home facade.
• To keep the look subtle, use light colors which are easy on the eyes and evoke an airy feeling.
• Lay down color swatches on the porch under natural light to get a feel of their effect.

Choose and Apply the Paint

How about a peach and turquoise combination?

• Use weather-resistant floor paint on wooden or concrete decks. Floor paints are specially formulated to withstand sustained foot traffic and regular washing.
• Use the best quality paint your budget can afford.
• A flat finish is better than a glossy one if you want to make the surface less slick during wet weather. To prevent a slick floor, mix a small amount of sand into the paint when coating the floor or steps.
• Tape the edges where the wall meets the deck to keep the deck paint from getting on the wall.
• Apply an exterior primer before painting or staining. Wood can be primed with two applications of thinned latex.
• It is better to apply several thin coats of paint rather than one thick coat.
• Lap marks can be avoided by applying a coat from a dry area to a wet area.
• Paint small areas at a time (two-square-foot) instead of doing long, extended strokes.
• If you want a glossy finish, use urethane paint. Acrylic latex is less glossy but has a non-slip finish and is ideal for a new wooden deck. Oil-based epoxy paint is abrasion-resistant and longer lasting.
• Add several drops of citronella oil to each gallon of porch paint to discourage insects from a newly painted deck

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