The porch is one of the most important and high utility area of a residential property. Because it is very important for the utility and aesthetical value of your house, maintaining it to the best level is very critical. However, painting a porch might appear as a very intimidating task at first. But, if you know how to paint it in the right way and efficiently, you can ensure you get the best results. While you can always connect with the professional painters at Dallaspaints.com, porch painting is a project that you can always try to do yourself. If you are a DIY enthusiast, a little preparation and know-how of porch painting can reap you great results. Here is an ultimate guide on porch painting that you should follow to ensure you porch is painted to perfection adding glamour to the curb appeal of your property.
Painting a porch
The thumb rule of painting any area of your house is to make it empty by removing everything. While you must remove everything that is easily removable, the items that cannot be removed must be covered with a cloth or other protective material.
Once the porch is empty, clean it thoroughly by sweeping every nook and corner. This way you can easily remove all the dirt and debris as well as any other type of impurities from the surface. Sweeping is an effective way to clean but depending upon the types of porch, the cleaning method would differ from one to another. Here is how you can clean and paint different types of porch surfaces:
Cleaning a Wooden Porch
Wooden porch are a little more sensitive and demand better cleaning and skillful maneuver. You need to sweep the wooden surface and wash it with water. Once done, wait until the surface is dry. Usually, it will take at least 24-hours for the wood to dry off completely. If the surface isn’t dry paint is applied, the paint will peel off easily and way too sooner than expected.
Peeling the existing paint
As soon as you have a dry wooden porch, the next step is to take off the existing layer of paint. You can use a high-quality and efficient orbital sander to remove the existing paint coating. Once done, sweep the paint peels off the porch.
Taping
Taping is a very important part of any painting project. You need to use a high-quality painters tape and apply it on any surface or area that you do not want to get the paint.
Primer
After taping, the next step is priming the surface. As you are painting an exterior part of the property, make sure you use a primer for exterior areas only. You need to be really quick while priming the surface because the wind might bring dirt and debris to the floor, making the primed surface uneven and grainy. Let the primer dry for at least 5 hours.
Painting
Now, finally, you need to start with the painting job. Choose the best color for the porch. You can consult with a professional painting company about the color and type of paint you should choose. Apply one coat of the paint and let it dry. Once it dries, apply second coat and then third if you want a darker shade. Do not apply excessive paint and make sure that the coats are thin and even throughout the porch.
Painting a concrete porch
Cleaning a concrete floor is tougher than wooden porch cleaning. You will need a range of agents and cleaning materials to ensure that the porch is thoroughly cleaned. Some of the essentials that you will need include concrete cleaning chemicals, water, and a scrub brush. Clean the surface thoroughly and once done, rinse it with water. Let the floor dry off before you proceed to the next step. To ensure the floor is completely dry, give it 24-hour time.
Taping
Taping is the next step. Just like wooden surfaces, tape the areas that do not need to be painted, using a painter’s tape. Include edges or any design element in your taping job.
Primer
Concrete paint primers are different than a wooden surface primer. Consult with a paint shop and ask for the best option. A skillfully primed concrete porch will retain the paint for longer time.
Painting
Once the primer is dry, you must start painting the porch. Concrete exterior paint are separately sold in the market and make sure you buy a high-quality product. These paints are made special to suit the exterior painting needs and stay on the harsh concrete floor for a longer time. Apply the paint in coats with limiting the maximum coats number to three. In most of the cases, you will get the desired results in the second coat only. Give the property at least 24 hours to dry, once dry, use it as per your needs.
Tips and tricks for porch painting
While porch painting is critical and best left to the professionals, you can try it at home if you have the desired skills, here are a few tips that will make your porch painting project have the best results:
- While cleaning the porch of any type, cover the sides of the porch if you can. This will ensure that the wind does not bring impurities to the area.
- Start applying primer from the outer most area of the porch and close the primer application towards the door or an exit. Same applies to paint application also. You certainly don’t want to step over a freshly primed or painted porch, will you?
- Buy specific paint and primer for the porch depending upon the type of surface. This will ensure long-lasting results.
Now that you know how to paint a porch, you can go ahead and bring a fresh look to your property. Porch painting is very important to maintain a property as well as enhance its aesthetical value. Moreover, your porch is the first place any guest or visitor would contact and hence it must be appealing enough to create the first impressions.
