After one bitterly cold winter, your exterior could surely use a summer makeover. With the warm weather settling in, now is the perfect time to touch up your front door colour—or maybe even change the colour completely! Whether your home needs a whole new design or just a little TLC, Sharon Grech shares her helpful tips for exterior painting.
Before you do anything, test out your colour. Paint a sample on a board and hold it up during different times of the day to really make sure you’re devoted when the sun hits it.
Brick Painting:
- Painting brick is becoming a huge trend in exterior design, but it comes with a few consequences: There is no turning back if you do this. It is permanent so make sure you and your family are fully committed to this colour before starting.
- Clean your brick with a pressure washer for a clean slate and easy application.
- The best coverage will come from a spray. You are completely welcome to use a traditional brush, but that could take a long time. If you have a compressor and a spray gun, Sharon highly recommends this method to save you valuable time.
- If you are using a rough roller sleeve, make sure it is BIG (we are talking 33 mm roller). It is important that it is rough so the paint can reach into all the little cracks of your brick.
- Sharon suggests Aura by Benjamin Moore exterior paint as it is more environmentally-friendly, has a beautiful low luster finish, and doesn’t require a primer.
- For best results, paint on two coats.
Door painting:
- Check the weather. Because this will be a day-long endeavour, you will need to leave your door open most of the day. A consistent temperature will help your paint cure, leaving you with an evenly-coloured door.
- If your door is metal, be sure to use steel wool to remove any rough spots before you start the application.
- Remove your door’s handle for precise coverage.
- A high-quality brush is best for your door so you can control the colour and really get into the panelling. If you want to save some time, use the brush to paint the panels and use a roller to apply the rest.
- Unless you begin painting in the wee hours of the morning, the paint won’t be completely cured by the end of the day. To avoid any mishaps, apply Vaseline to the side of the door where it closes to prevent the paint from sticking.
For even more tips, check out Sharon’s demonstration in the videos below:
Courtesy Sharon Grech