Painting the outside of your home is one of the easiest and best ways of improving curb appeal. Whether you just want to freshen up your property, or you’re getting ready to sell it, a new lick of paint can make all the difference. If this is the first time you’ve ever painted your home, there will be a few things you need to know before getting started. Here are the top three considerations:

Right away, your paint job can be ruined by picking the wrong products. You need to choose a paint that’s specifically designed for exteriors. If you're painting wooden panelling then choose an exterior wood paint. If you're painting bricks or stone then choose a masonry paint, it seems obvious but get this wrong and it doesnt matter how much of a good job you do as the product wont adhere to the surface properly and wont stand the test of time. 

Preparation is key with any paint job, and exterior painting is  no different. Start by cleaning the outside walls of your home, getting rid of any dirt and grime that's built up. A pressure washer is a good tool to have here as it can blast away any dirt and loose paint, leaving you with a fresh surface to begin painting. Of course, you should also repair any cracks that you see in your walls. Surface cracks aren’t big concerns and can be filled in pretty easily. This just means that you don’t have any visible cracks when you’re done painting. 

There is a technique to painting the outside of your house. To start, you need to begin from the top and work your way down to the bottom. This means you get the hardest part out of the way first - and be sure you have a sturdy ladder when painting the top of your home. In some cases, you might have to apply a layer of primer to the surface, but this is only for really dusty surfaces. Most of the time, you can begin with a thin layer of your paint. From here, you have to apply a second layer of paint to get a better coating. You might want to apply a third as well, but you should finish things off with something like this silicone top coat render from Licata. Top coats are very effective at sealing off the paint and providing a protective coating. This should mean that your paint is now completely waterproof and won’t run even in the worst storms. It should also mean that the paint will last for longer before it fades or chips. 

And there you have it; the three crucial considerations when painting the outside of your house. Start by picking the right type of paint, ensure the walls are prepped, then know how to go about the painting process. Just like that, you’ve jazzed up your home!