Time To Spring Into Action On Painting Projects, Says Expert

SPRING HOUSE, Pa., May 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- With winter slowly giving way to more pleasant weather, it's prime time for painting in much of the country.  Where to begin?  With a careful visual inspection of your home exterior, says Debbie Zimmer, paint and color expert with the Paint Quality Institute.

"If you've been huddled inside for the past few months, you may not be aware of the price your exterior paint has paid keeping winter weather at bay.  Freeze-thaw cycles, rain, sleet, and snow can cause paint to fail quickly, especially if you didn't use a top quality paint to begin with," she says.

Start your visual inspection by looking for peeling and flaking paint.  If you see any on your siding or trim, is it confined to a small area, or is the paint failing everywhere?  That will tell you whether you need to do only some touchups, or re-paint the entire exterior.

Deal with small trouble spots by scraping off the loose paint, then sanding the edges smooth.  Prime areas where bare wood shows through.  When the primer dries, apply one or two coats of your leftover touchup paint.  This may enable you to put off painting a while longer.

On the other hand, if your paint is failing in many places, it's time to bite the bullet and re-paint the entire exterior.  In that case, it's wise to put things in motion as soon as possible, according to Zimmer.    

"Assuming that you're a do-it-yourself painter, you'll find it much more comfortable to do your surface preparation and painting now, when the weather is mild," she says.   

"Your paint may even last longer if you act quickly.  Exterior paints tend to 'cure' better in moderate temperatures, which enables them to form an especially durable paint film," says Zimmer.

If you plan to hire a painting contractor, there's another reason to act fast:  Professional painters book up quickly at this time of year, and it's smart to get on their schedule as soon as you can. 

No matter who does the work, there's one last reason to paint in springtime -- so that you can enjoy your home's freshly painted appearance all summer long, when you, your friends and neighbors spend the most time outdoors. 

Even so, Zimmer adds that springtime isn't just for exterior painting.  It's a great time to do interior painting also.  You can throw open the windows, let in some fresh air, and add fresh color to your home's interior while working in perfect comfort.

Whether your home painting plans involve the exterior, the interior, or both, Zimmer recommends that you always use top of the line paint.  "A top quality 100% acrylic latex paint will provide the best-looking and longest lasting results no matter where it is used," she says.

For more advice on spring painting, visit the Paint Quality Institute blog at blog.paintquality.com.

SOURCE Paint Quality Institute