Make hay whilst the sun is shining.
It’s a good rule of thumb. There’s probably a whole tonne of tasks waiting for you outside that you’ve been avoiding over the past months. And why wouldn’t you? Who wants to stand out in the pouring rain making hay? Not us, that’s for sure.
Of course, we’re not actually talking about ‘making hay’. In fact, we’re talking about a job that rarely has to be done at all: painting the outside of your property.
Have you looked at it recently? Have you looked up at those faded walls after a spot of summer gardening and thought to yourself “Sheesh! That could use a kick of paint”?
Perhaps you’re thinking of selling? Perhaps you just fancy tidying it up a bit? Perhaps you want a summer project and have decided to completely change what the home exterior looks like?
Whatever the reasoning, it’s not simply a case of finding some Duplex in the shed (other brands are available) and throwing it at the walls. This is going to take some thought and planning.
So, before you do anything rash, let’s put our brushes down and have a quick look at how you can prepare for painting the outside of your house.
Plan: Yes, we said it. It sounds like a terribly obvious thing to say, but you can’t just dash into the shed and splat on any old thing. Are ‘you’ going to do it, or are you going to get a professional in? When do you want to do it? Have you checked the weather? Do you have the equipment? Do you know what equipment you need?…Sit down and make a list.
Look Around: If you live in the middle of nowhere with nobody else around, you can pretty much do whatever you want when it comes to the colours you choose. However, if you live in an area with plenty of other homes, you may want to consider the overall flavour of your neighborhood. Do your ideas fit in with the local aesthetic? And would a buyer really want to go with bright pink? It’s your choice, but do be thoughtful.
Buy The Paint: Well, who knew this one would be on the list. You’ve made your plan, decided on a colour and now you get to go out and get what you want. But think to yourself, how much will you actually need? How much are you willing to spend? Don’t forget to check that the tin you pick up is actually the colour you want. If you’re unsure, ask a member of staff. They’re usually very good and know their stuff.
Wall Work: Stop! Put that brush down! We know you want to crack on and get the job done, but first you’ve got to make sure that that wall is clean. Give it a good scrub and you’ll see years of dust falling off it. Take down those cobwebs and assess any damage. You want it looking as good as possible don’t you? All done? Good! Now then, let’s…
Get Painting!: This is the moment you’ve been waiting for! Get on your sexy work clothes, pick up your tool of choice and get to work. Just one last thing…Please be careful! In fact, get some help and do it as a team. It’ll get done twice as fast and you can get back to lounging in the garden and catching some rays with a nice ice-tea.
Painting the outside of your home is a big job, but this time of year is the perfect opportunity to get at it, if it needs done at all.
Think it through. Make a plan. And don’t forget about safety.
From everyone here at Belvoir Edinburgh, we hope you are all well and that you have an utterly fabulous week.
Happy painting!
