How to Get the Longest Life Out of Your New Paint Job

Providing your property with a fresh coat of paint is exciting, but it can also be expensive. Like any other renovation, a residential painting project is an investment. As such, you want to make sure that all the time, energy, and money doesn’t go to waste so that the long-term benefits outweigh the short-term costs. Let’s explore how to get the longest life out of your new paint job.
How to Get the Most Out of a Paint Job
Get the Prep Work Right Beforehand
Ensuring a long-lasting paint job begins before the paint job itself. Your surfaces must be optimized to receive a fresh coat of paint, otherwise the incoming coatings won’t adhere as strongly to the substrate and may begin to peel away in short order. In order to get your surfaces in the right condition, you must start by thoroughly cleaning them. Then, any loose material from previous paint jobs must be scraped away and sanded down. Surface damages should be patched up as well. After that, surfaces should receive an initial coat of primer to ensure a more even and adhesive coat of paint. It’s equally important to apply high-quality paint, as these are built to last longer than their cheaper counterparts. If you’re unsure of your ability to properly prep your surfaces, hire reliable Raleigh house painters. These experts will also work in the right conditions (e.g., not too hot or cold, dry, etc.) to make sure the paint retains the proper consistency when applied -- another factor that determines paint longevity.
Wash Your Surfaces Periodically
After the painting project is complete, it’s up to you to take good care of it. For starters, you’ll want to keep your painted surfaces clean. For interiors, this means dusting, vacuuming, and gently scrubbing walls and other surfaces with a damp cloth at least once a month and as needed. Doing so will prevent dust from accumulating and remove any dirt and grime that may deteriorate your paint. As for exteriors, power washing is usually the way to go, offering a powerful and efficient cleaning method. That said, power washing can also damage your outdoor surfaces and put people in harm’s way, so make sure you know how to operate such a device before going at it (or hire pressure washing pros). This task should be done at least twice a year, if possible. Cleaning your exterior and interior painted surfaces on a regular basis will keep your paint job bright, beautiful, and structurally sound.
Protect Your Paint from Moisture, Sunlight, and Impact
Paint is vulnerable to a variety of threats, including water, ultraviolet radiation, impact, and more. If you want to extend the lifespan of your new paint job, then you must defend it against these dangers. While you can’t put a pause on precipitation, you can minimize water damage by maintaining a fortified roof and keeping your gutters clear and operational year-round. As for blocking sunlight, protecting interior paint is as easy as shutting the blinds/curtains when the sun’s rays are directly focused on your walls. Exterior paint is harder to protect against sunlight, but going with a lighter paint color and using UV-resistant paint can help. Maintaining your landscape (like pruning/trimming trees) will help you prevent impact damage outdoors, and installing baseboards, chair rails, and other protective trim can help defend your interior paint job from scuffs and scrapes.
Don’t Wait to Perform Repairs and Touch-Ups
Despite your best efforts, your interior and exterior paint jobs will undergo some damage now and then, such as dents, cracks, faded sections, and so on. As long as you address these minor concerns in a timely fashion, they won’t grow into more serious issues. Storing leftover paint and maintaining a supply of tools for repairs and touch-ups will help you quickly fix up any areas that need attention. Your Raleigh painting partner can also help out with touch-ups and repairs if necessary.
Attaining a Paint Job That Lasts
No one wants to repaint their property every couple of years. We all want to enjoy beautiful paint jobs that stand the test of time. At Anderson Painting, our thorough preparation process, use of high-quality paints, and repair/maintenance offerings will help you get the longest life out of your paint job. To learn more about us and all we do, call today at 919-610-1855 or email us at info@andersonpaintingnc.com!