Exterior House Painting Preparation – Doing it Right!

Exterior house painting can be one of the most time-consuming tasks. While professionals make it look easy, doing it yourself starts with checking the long-term weather forecast to avoid rain damaging exposed wood or unfilled gaps. In this article, we’ve put together a simple Guide to Exterior Paint Preparation for Brisbane Homes to help you prepare like a pro and achieve excellent results.

Equipment You Need for Exterior Paint Preparation

If the weather’s clear for a few days (and you’re comfortable with heights), here’s a checklist of equipment you’ll need to get started.

• Access Equipment: A sturdy ladder or scaffolding to safely reach high areas, especially for Queenslander-style homes with elevated designs.
• Protective Coverings: Plastic sheeting and drop sheets to protect concrete driveways, garden beds, and timber decks from paint splatters.
• Surface Preparation Tools: A scraper with spare blades, a putty knife, a wire brush, and sugar soap to clean and smooth surfaces.
• Repairs and Filling: Paint stripper, surface-appropriate fillers, coarse and fine sandpaper, and a scrubbing brush for preparing damaged or cracked areas.
• Protective Gear: Leather or cotton work gloves, a dust mask, safety goggles, and rubber gloves to keep you safe while working.
• Cleaning Tools: A garden hose with a brush attachment or a high-pressure cleaner to remove dirt and debris from walls.
• Masking Materials: Painter’s masking tape and plastic bags to cover windows, light fixtures, and other areas you want to protect.
• Painting Tools: Paint rollers (various sizes), brushes (various sizes), a paint tray, an exterior undercoat or primer, and a weatherproof topcoat suited for Brisbane’s climate.

Prioritise Safety

Your safety is the most important part of the job. Always wear gloves, safety goggles, and a respirator mask to protect your skin, eyes, and lungs from paint, dust, and chemicals.

Protect the Outdoors

Even though you’re working outside, using drop sheets or plastic coverings is essential to avoid staining driveways, paths, or Brisbane’s famous verandahs and decks. Preventing a mess is much easier than cleaning one up later.

Don’t Work Alone

If your job involves working on a ladder—especially to reach the high ceilings or facades common in Brisbane homes—never work alone. Have someone steady the ladder and assist with tools when needed.

Consider Brisbane’s Climate

Brisbane’s weather can be unpredictable, with sudden rain or high humidity affecting your project. Plan your painting schedule around a clear weather forecast to ensure your surfaces dry properly and your work isn’t ruined by the elements.

Exterior Painting Preparation – Tasks to Complete

When we do the exterior paint preparation for your home, here’s how we do it:-

• First we check for old lead based paint. If we find it, we take extra precautions with your health and ours. We wear dust masks and keep you and your family safe too.
• We then scrape off all flaking paint and repair any cracks or holes.
• We use sandpaper to remove any blistering and clean off mould or mildew.
• We carefully sweep up and dispose of the paint flakes so that they don’t mess up your garden or driveway.
• Next, we thoroughly clean the surface and ensure everything gets a good wash. This needs to be done even if the paint looks clean, because many household cleaning products prevent new paint from bonding to the surface.
• We then wash off and make certain there is no residue.
• After leaving the surface to dry, we cover all areas that are not to be painted – such as paving, light switches, door knobs, window panes, and taps.
• We are now ready to apply the primer or undercoat.

Leave the Hard Work to Brisbane’s Painting Experts

Taking on an exterior painting project yourself might seem like a great idea, but there are some things you might not have considered. For example, what do you do with all the equipment once you’re done? And how much time and energy will the job really take?

If you’re finding exterior paint preparation more challenging than expected, don’t worry—we’re here to help! As professional Brisbane painters, we can handle the job quicker, better, and often more cost-effectively than a DIY approach. Plus, you won’t have to stress about the long-range weather forecast or any of the tricky details.

Call our friendly team of exterior painters today for a free, detailed assessment and quote. Let us make your home look its best without the hassle!