Painting outside

Getting it on

Whether to brush, roll or spray will depend on your level of experience, the tools you have at your disposal (or that you can rent) and the size of your project. When brushing, use the largest brush that is practical. For example, if you are painting siding with a 4″ exposure, a 4″ brush will maximize your efficiency. If you want to roll, match the nap of the cover to the job. Knobby stucco will paint up faster with a thicker roller cover, and higher-sheen trim paint can be laid on smoothly with a foam or low-nap trim roller.

Spraying with an airless sprayer is great for speedy application of lots of paint, especially over shingles, but for a good bond, it’s often advisable to backbrush the sprayed paint with a brush.

Fine weather makes painting more enjoyable, but beware of painting when it’s too hot outside; and avoid painting a surface that is in direct sun, as the paint may dry too quickly. This makes the application difficult and the results spotty.

Chilly weather is also to be avoided, unless the paint is specifically formulated for low-temperature application. Follow the directions on the can, and if in doubt, call the manufacturer to get advice.

Look like a pro

You can improve the flow of both latex or oil paints without thinning them by mixing in additives called Floetrol or Penetrol. Talk to your paint manufacturer first, to be sure that its warranty won’t be voided.

It‘s a good idea to do a test patch of the primer and paint that you are hoping to use, in advance of tackling the whole project. In my experience, sometimes a chosen combination just doesn’t work properly, re­fusing to cure or not sticking to the substrate as expected. It’s better to find this out after doing a relatively small area than when the whole job is done.