How to Spray Paint Your House Exterior
Unlike spray painting on the inside of a house, which is usually a job for pros only, exterior spray painting can make sense for a do-it-yourselfer, especially if all the parts of the house are being painted the same color and luster. The biggest shortcoming to spray painting is the possibility of wind-blown paint—you have to wait for a calm, dry day to paint.
Spray Painting Equipment and Preparations
Power painters with built-in reservoirs are standard rental items, or you can simply buy one for less than $100. Once you get used to operating the paint sprayer, you’ll find that the tool is very controllable, so you don’t need to mask off the windows, doors, and other trim. You should, however:
- Remove all window screens
- Remove or mask all screen doors
- Cover all mailboxes, light fixtures, and other accessories on the exterior of your house
- Mask the foundation walls so they don’t get sprayed accidentally
How to Spray Paint
Once you’ve completed the above preparations, you can spray paint your house exterior as follows:
1. Clean the sprayer’s paint reservoir and mix the paint thoroughly. Then pour the paint into the reservoir.
2. Some power painters require that you prime the pump first. Once the priming is done, turn on the pressure switch and start spraying.
3. Most sprayers have an adjustable tip that regulates the spray pattern. A spray diameter of 8–10″ is a good choice for most jobs.
4. Start spraying at the top of the house. Keep the spray head about 8″ away from—and perpendicular to—the house surface at all times.
