Painting my house

YOUR SUPPLY LIST 

(CHECK LIST)

1. Power wash machine

   Esential for washing your house properly. Note: The nozzel does not have to be closer than 2 feet from your wall. Especialy if cleaning wood otherwize you risk damage

2. Kraft Liquid and Anti Fungus wash

   I recoment that you use a machine where the cleaning solution can be atached. This way you avoid having to do apply it manuely or with a spray box.

3. Power screwdriver & Rope

   Screwdriver helps you work fast when removing wall ornaments. The rope can be used for holding bushes ect away from the walls.

4. Ground covering

   Today many use thick paper. I tend to use heavy plastic or felt. Felt is good because its waterproof on one side and can be used over and over again. If paint drips land on it. Then it is obsorbed in the top layer, But yet does not seep through to the ground.

5. Masking Tape

   For the ground I use packaging tape as this is also waterproof. However for doors and windows ect I use blue tape as this sticks well, But is easy to remove if left on for many days.

6. Cooking oil

   An excelent alternative for washing paint from your hands. Just rub it in a little longer and wash off with warm water and soap. Alternatively wear gloves!

7. White Spirit

   For thinning paint, Cleaning brushes. Some beleave that oil brushes need to sit overnight in white spirit too, But although true, water works perfectly well and can hold for many days without the lingering smell :-)

8. Small pots and pothooks

   Making the work simpler with somewhere to hang your pot like when working off a ladder.

9. Sandpaper,Scraper

   I will let you figure out what these are for? :-)

10. Rags,Cloths,Sunblock,Mosquito Repelant,Shoe Polish,Sun Hat,water,Food, Shoes

    Shoe Polish can be used to prevent sun blindness,Good shoes for those standing on ladders all day. The rest is self explained!

11. Paint brushes

    I tend to use wide brushes for wooden panels and oval ones for windows, However use what you are most comfortable with.

12. Paint

    
    
    In my country we are making the use of oil ilegal. Therfor we use Acrilic paint outside which means we don,t need oil products for washing. However this is not the case world wide (YET) So I will leave this check list as it is for now!

13. Stirrer

    (Peice of wood for stirring paint) Alternatively you could ask them at the store to shake the pot in there machine!

14. Plenty to eat and drink

    I always have a bottle of water by my side and pasta as a filler. Gives me energy to work hard and not tire or dehidrate :-)

15. Ladders, Step Ladders, Lift/Scafolding

    Your life is worth more than your house. Play safe!

YOUR GUIDE LIST 

1. Order materials & Tools

   
   It can be an advantage time and money wize to shop everything you need for the work in advance and all at the one time. Measure your walls and order your paint,Remember that you will need more paint if you are applying more coats. Although a second coat normaly covers with less paint than the first!

2. Powerwashing your walls

   
   Make sure you have a good quality hose and that it reaches the whole house. Point the nozzle at an angle when spraying and not to close that you damage the surface. Be carefull especialy when working with old wood. Begin with using a soap wash atached to the powerwash. I would cover a wall at a time and remove in order to rinse off the soap successfully. After I have washed the whole house. I would use ans anti fungis solution which can be applied by using a spray container kinda like the kind people use to spray crops. This does not get rinsed off.

3. Scrape off any loose paint and scrub if neccesary

   Treatment can be somewhat different for different surfaces. I work mostly with cement and wood walls so I have added some youtube vids I like from american companies which can be found on this lens. Check out the comments on these vids too!

4. Ok after a day or two with warm weather you should be ready for the next step

   So remove any obstacles on the ground that may hinder your work. Cover the ground where neccesary. Tape whatever needs to be taped. I never tape myself as I have been doing this for years, However others may feel more comfortable with this idea!

5. Ladders

   
   A smart way to erect a ladder is to place the bottom into the wall and walk it up before pulling it out. I would advize you however to either use a foot safety device or sink the feet into the ground if possible. In order to place my ladder straight I tend to bounce it a little just to senter it. Even stand back an look from a distance just to be safe. I also use wheels on my extension ladder. This makes it easy to move up and down without damaging the wall. The wheels also lock when my body waight is on the ladder. Alternatively use a lift or scafolding if possible?

6. When painting your walls

   Begin at the top paint down a few lengths at a time when painting wood. Dont stop in the middle for lunch. Some paints may dry and show the stop point. Paint to the end and then stop. Dont work from the bottom of the wall and upwards as you may find yourself having to put your ladder on the paint or you may end up dripping on a previously painted surface. The problem today with many people is that they are afraid of the high stuff so they take the easy stuff first. Not always very smart unless its under a window! For cement walls I would do the same by starting at the top. But cement walls I find are very easy to paint and can be done often with a roller or spray or both!

7. Painting your windows

   
   Should be the last job of course all your repair work should be done before you start painting. ie Scraping,Sanding, Aplication of wood hardner,Primers ect and finaly paint. I like to use a small oval brush round my windows. But dont fill your brush with paint and start in a corner. Its better to start in the middle and brush out towards the corners in order to avoid flooding which results in flaking paint later. You can see this result often either at the bottom end of the frame or between the wood and the rubber/gumy sealent that protects the glass. What happens is that the painter puts way to much paint on in order to cover it. It basicaly does not take hold and then flakes off! This can be avoided by thinning your paint and spreading it. May need more coats though!
   
   Be careful not to put to much paint between your window and the frame in case you have problems closing the window later. I tend to thin this paint out with white spirit or leave it alone if possible!

8. Ok remember that although the paint may be dry the next day, That does not mean that you can put your ladders on the wall

   Leave it a few days before you replace wall ornaments, Lights or whatever they use in your neck of the woods? :-) (This does not apply for cement walls)

9. Tidy up afterwards

   Scrape off any drips ect. Oil brushes can be washed with white spirit, Hot water & soap and dipped in oil. I like this method as it keeps them smooth. Otherwize it would be pointless to re-use them. Dump your empty paint tins in the apropriate chemical waste department.

10. Now you can relax. Sit back and enjoy your success! :-)