A 'How To' Guide to Interior and Exterior House Painting

By Jonathan D Hunt

Painting both the interior and exterior of a house will not only refresh peeling, dirty paintwork, but will also maintain the beauty and life of the wood, render, or wall plaster.
Preparation in house-painting is the key to success. Interior walls should be washed with sugar soap to remove all traces of grease and dirt and then thoroughly rinsed with clean water. Any flaking plaster or cracks will need to be sanded down and re- filled with plaster. It is possible to buy ready made filler suitable for plaster which is really easy to use. Interior wood also needs to be cleaned with sugar soap, rinsed, and then sanded with a fine grade glass paper to give the new paint a surface on which to grip. If you just paint over existing paintwork without preparing the surface, the paint may flake and peel off!
It is personal choice on whether to paint the woodwork first or the walls. Generally, it is best to paint the emulsion on the walls first as emulsion does not always 'take' over gloss paint.
Once all the preparation has been completed on the walls and any filler rubbed smooth with fine glass paper - begin painting! When painting a light color over a dark existing color it is best to use an undercoat of white. Either that or be prepared to give the walls two or three coats of paint to ensure full coverage. Nothing looks worse than pale walls with the dark color showing through; it looks most unprofessional and you will not be happy with the result. Start by painting the wall from the top down, this will enable you make sure there are no paint runs in the finished wall.
After the woodwork has been prepared, begin painting from the top of the room down. Use a good quality primer on new wood, followed by the undercoat. When re-painting over existing paintwork it is best to use a 'one coat' gloss paint which is readily available from DIY shops and most hardware stores.
In painting windows, use masking tape to cover a small strip of the four edges of the glass. Paint from the top down to avoid drips and runs. Be mindful not to put too much paint on the brush as this will produce drips and runs. Also do not try to spread the paint too thinly as this will leave unsightly brush marks. Do not be tempted to pull off the masking tape for at least 24 hours; otherwise it will be a waste of time using it!
When you paint doors it is advisable to also begin painting at the top and work downwards; use a final up and down stroke of the brush to blend the paint in the same direction to help remove brush lines.
Don't forget to paint the baseboards! Use the same approach of preparation then painting.
When painting the exterior of the house, all old and flaking paint or rendering needs to be dealt with first. Once this has been removed begin painting either by hand, which is an arduous task or by using a paint sprayer. Which ever method is chosen it is advisable to cover the ground below and any features on the house with old newspaper or sheeting. Begin at the top and systematically work downwards.
Exterior woodwork should also be rubbed down with glass paper before attempting to paint. Work with a systematic approach from the top down. Try not to chose a windy day for painting outside woodwork otherwise you will end up with dust particles sticking to the wet paint!
More information on exterior and interior house painting can be found at http://www.housepaintinghowto.com
Jonathan Hunt is a free-lance writer and creates websites He is interested in running, writing, and personal development.
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