Preparing Your Garden and Landscaping for Exterior Painting
Preparing your garden and landscaping for exterior painting protects your plants and outdoor features from damage and makes the painting process safer and more efficient. Whether you're doing the paint job yourself or plan to hire professionals, here are a few garden and landscaping preparation tips you can follow:
Assessing Your Garden and Landscaping
Evaluating the current state of your garden and landscaping before anything else will allow for seamless preparation for an exterior house painting project. Specifically, check the area around the base of the house. If possible, the space should be clear so you can easily and safely set up ladders or scaffolding to reach the higher surfaces of your home. Ensuring the workspace is accessible will also make the painting process smoother.
Determine what’s in or near the work area. Are there pots and planters or overgrown bushes and shrubs? Is there a plant climbing up the walls, like ivy? Are tree branches hanging near the wall? If so, you will need to do something about these issues.
Pruning and Trimming
Pruning and trimming are necessary for overgrown plants, bushes, and trees that are compromising the accessibility of the workspace.
Prune out diseased, dead, and damaged parts of your shrubs and trees. Make a small scratch on the stem using a pruner blade to determine whether it’s dead or alive. A dead stem’s bark will look brown, dry, and shriveled.
Remove one-third of old, mature branches blocking movement around the house's base.
Cut evergreen stems at the forks of the branches.
If you plan to remove old trees, don’t just cut them off at ground level because the roots will likely re-grow. Dig around the base to expose the roots, then cut off the remaining ones with a hatchet or ax.
Consider pruning plants around your house more frequently so it’s one less thing to do when you’re ready to paint your home exterior. It’s also best for the overall health of the plant.
Protecting Plants and Features
Paint may splatter or spill on plants and features near the working area. Since paint isn’t good for plants, taking precautionary measures is important. You should protect landscape features unless you plan to take on a landscaping painting project next.
Here are some tips for protecting plants and features:
Move potted plants to an area without the risk of paint spillage.
Cover plants with drop cloths or plastic sheeting to protect them from damage. You should also do this when garden painting (i.e., painting features like fences, decks, and patios).
Avoid using heavy covers, like thick tarps, on fragile and delicate plants, and don’t leave the cover overnight because your plants need to breathe.
Other Necessary Preparations for Exterior Painting
Proper preparation is generally the key to a successful residential exterior painting job. In addition to preparing your garden and landscaping, you’ll need to clean and prepare the exterior surface of your home. Ensure the surface is smooth by pressure washing and scraping. It’s also important to repair any damaged areas.
Another thing you need to prepare for is the paint selection. Different paint colors and finishes have varying effects. They can make or break your home’s curb appeal, so choosing a color and finish that will harmonize with your outdoor environment is important. A professional paint dealer or painter can help you find the perfect colors.
Hiring Professional Exterior Painting Services
Hiring professional painting services offers many benefits, like quality, enhanced safety, and time and cost savings. Professionals can deliver a flawless finish that can stand the test of time. However, you must choose your painting contractor wisely to avoid getting a botched job and wasting money. When choosing a professional exterior house painter, consider reputation, credentials, and experience. Explore their portfolio to see whether their work meets your standards and preferences.
Looking for a highly trusted and highly rated local exterior painting contractor to upgrade your residential property in Raleigh, NC, Wilmington, NC, or the Greater Triangle Area? Call Anderson Painting. We don’t just paint; we also repair damaged walls, install and fix siding, coat floors, and more!
