At Seriously Painting Ltd. we believe that thorough exterior cleaning is the most essential step in preparing an exterior for paint.
In this blog, we'll talk about why it needs to be done and how we do it.
The Importance of Exterior Cleaning Before Painting
Forget scraping, sanding, or priming-- If you paint or stain directly over mold, algae, or dirt the coating will definitely fail and you can also damage your siding and trim by locking in moisture.
The manufacturer for almost any paint or stain will recommend ensuring that the surface to be painted is clean prior to painting.
Failure to do so will likely void any manufacturer's warranty.
Exterior Cleaning vs Sanding, Scraping, or Priming?
To be clear, we always recommend cleaning, as well as scraping, sanding, and priming as needed before applying the finish coating.
Exterior cleaning isn’t a fix-all solution for preparing an exterior for paint or stain.
Exterior cleaning is an essential part of ensuring that your exterior paint looks good and lasts for as long as possible.
Peeling, bubbling, and blistering paint or stain should be removed before applying the topcoat. Cleaning will only remove the loosest material leaving plenty that still needs to be removed later.
If you have loose, or cracking paint it will need to be scraped and primed.
How does Seriously Painting Ltd. Clean Exteriors?
We hand wash most exterior surfaces with soft-bristled automotive scrub brushes using Eco-friendly cleaning products.
When cleaning stucco, brick, or concrete surfaces we hand wash and use pressure washers.
Natural, Eco-friendly Exterior Cleaning Products
We use a manual pump sprayer to apply a mix of water and pure white Vinegar to any mold, mildew, or algae which helps to remove and prevent regrowth without harming any nearby plants.
The other product we use is hypoallergenic, unscented natural dish soap.
Scrubbing exterior surfaces with the help of soap helps to remove mold, algae, or dirt and breakdown any oils.
Both the Vinegar and dish soap need to be thoroughly rinsed from exterior surfaces with water after scrubbing.
How To Proceed After Cleaning?
Depending on the condition and type of material being painted or stained you can either directly apply paint or stain to the substrate or continue with additional preparation.
Typically, stucco and Hardie Board don’t require any other prep before applying topcoat.
Wood usually needs at least lightly sanded for best results, with areas where the condition is worse requiring scraping and priming as well.