After doing much needed research we found a way to paint our own house without paying thousands of dollars! Now that it is mid-winter I can give you my tips and reviews on the products used. I also want to note that this will cover both vinyl and aluminum siding. Take note: The whole house and garage cost us less than $800 (this includes having to buy a NEW replacement paint gun)!
Before.
After.
MAKE SURE YOU READ THE TIPS!
Shopping List:
1. 80 & 220 grit sanding block (one or two of each depending on the size of your home)
2. Paintable outdoor caulk (This is for filling in any holes on the outside of the house)
3. Small plastic scraper (I used a plastic putty knife)
4. Latex Paint Kit (I always buy the 3 pack at home depot as it is cheaper)
5. 1/2" nap rollers, both small and large (This is for your gutters and if you need to paint the basement cement .. that is the white on the bottom around the house) Get a couple of each as the cement wears them out.
6. Acrylic Primer (outdoor/aluminum friendly)
7. Mineral Spirits (for cleaning the sprayer)
8. YOUR choice of either aluminum or vinyl friendly paint (Once again I highly recommend Sherwin Williams). LOOK FOR DEALS! #Sales
9. Outdoor or multipurpose painters tape (For taping off windows and doors)
10. Rolls of plastic (AKA Drop Cloth (for blocking paint overspray), get enough to cover at-least the front or back of house so you can reuse in the front and sides if needed.
11. Ladder (size based on your one story or two story house)
12. Extension for paint roller
13. A tall boyfriend (for the gutters)
14. Paint shield (see below picture, you could also use a rectangular piece of cardboard to use around windows and doors to prevent overspray)
15. Scissors / Measuring tape (for cutting plastic wrap)
LAST BUT NOT LEAST: OLD CLOTHES AND GOGGLES/ MASK
Tips:
General:
#1 Make sure you paint within the specified temperatures (on the paint cans) and out of direct sun. We painted early Fall. Watch out for rain within 48 hours of painting as well.
#2 Preparation is EVERYTHING.
#3 Buy the 5 gallon bucket (cheaper & sign up for Sherwin Williams for sales)
#4 Paint on a NON-WINDY day ;)
Vinyl Siding
#1: You cannot paint a darker color over a lighter color. Explanation: The paint will peel and warp the siding. I used Sherwin Williams Vinyl Safe paint.
(Click Here to Learn More) -
Aluminum Siding
#1 Make sure you prepare your siding by using a heavy duty cleaner - See link for what I used. This stuff can harm your skin, read directions and take precautions with gloves. In addition if you have outdoor pets, keep them away while you are doing this.
#2: I also used the same paint (Vinyl Safe) on the aluminum siding. The employees at Sherwin Williams are very helpful and will make sure you buy the right paint for your project.
Choosing the Right Paint Gun/ Maintenance
I chose Wagner for my garage door job
Something happened to the pump after first use and we had to dispose of, if this happens don't lose your mind and throw it out... they have a warranty ;)! See link for exact model.
My second paint sprayer was a Graco
This gun did the job for the whole house and garage siding.
See link for exact model.
#3: Grab an extension for your paint sprayer while you're at Sherwin Williams!
#4: You HAVE TO CLEAN the gun immediately after use or else all the paint will dry up and it will explode on you!!! My poor deck got a blue paint job. Look up videos for your specific model on how to clean AHEAD OF TIME.
Preparation
1. Wash the siding (let dry 100% approx. 24 hours)
2. Fill in any holes in the siding with outdoor paintable** caulk
3. Scrape away any peeling paint (aluminum)
4. Lightly sand the spots (peeling paint) for primer (aluminum)
5. Whip out your primer and use a roller to spread 1-2 layers of primer. (make note of dry times / when you can re-paint)
5. Take painters tape to the windows and doors (I would recommend the thickest tape you can find, this is so you can leave a "lip" so you can tape the plastic to that "lip"). Have some scissors and measuring tape handy for the plastic!
6. Once done, I took a paint brush and hand painted around the close parts of the windows and doors, in addition to putting a hand painted coat on sections I needed to prime.
7. Make sure to plastic cover everything around where you are painting (wind is your ENEMY). I would say about 5 feet overspray possible to be safe, so cover plants etc.
Painting
**MOVE YOUR VEHICLES OUT OF OVERSPRAY RANGE**
Set up and prime your paint gun, depending on the paint gun (there are ones that you can physically put the suction into a large 5 gallon bucket or the gun itself has a bucket). I would recommend one that you can dip into a bucket. The second choice paint sprayer (Graco) I would recommend. There are videos for each brand and type, look up (on internet) whichever gun you have for help. I also wrote about this in a previous post (garage door painting).
You want to test your technique on a piece of plywood or cardboard to get a feel for overspray and how the nozzle works on your gun / extension. Link for technique to practice:
3. Last but not least you want to be about 1foot away and evenly spray in-between windows and along the house to prevent any uneven layers of paint. Make sure you have the tip in the right direction to match your siding layout.
Videos below on technique and how to prepare for overspray in the wind.
Drying Times:
Check the paint can if you did not go with Sherwin Williams. We waited 2 hours in-between and did only two coats. I would make sure there is no rain for a solid 48 hours after you plan to put the last coat on!
Finishing Touches:
. Paint the white trim around windows for a nice touch up
. Put up your shutters (if you have any!)
. Gutters - Our gutters were green so we used an outdoor white paint and primer in one, we used a small roller and an extension to reach them.
. Choose a new door color! Make sure you use a good outdoor primer for the first layer or two! Lightly sanding could also help (my door is aluminum).
. Paint the trim around cement basement (if you have one)
****Please note I am not a licensed contractor and everything in this post was based on my own experience and research. IF you are unsure of something, please reach out to a professional. ****
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