Prep Step You Cannot Skip

You’ve chosen the best exterior paint colors for the siding and trim, budgeted appropriately, picked up your supplies, and maybe even taken time off work for your big house painting project, and now you’re ready to begin.

The first part of any exterior house painting project is lots of prep work.  You’ll need to scrape, sand, caulk gaps, etc., but before you do any of that, there’s an important prep work step that cannot be skipped: pressure washing.

Many homeowners wonder, do I really need to pressure wash my house before painting?  What are the benefits of power washing a house before it is painted?  Here’s why it’s important to pressure wash your home before painting it:

1. Remove Grime – Pressure washing your home removes grime and buildup. Cobwebs, mold, mildew, insect nests, mud, sand, and salt are all removed with a high-quality pressure washing job, particularly when done by a good professional pressure washing company with the best quality equipment.  If you don’t power wash your house before painting, you’ll paint right over the dirt and debris, which can cause the coatings to fail.
2. Remove Old Paint – Pressurized water and cleaning solution will remove not only dirt and insect infestations, but also loose and peeling paint. When this peeling paint is washed away and removed by pressure washing, it will make it much easier for you to do subsequent prep work of scraping and sanding.
3. Review Repairs – After pressure washing your home’s exterior, all grime and loose paint will be removed, and you’ll be left with a “blank slate”, ready to prep and paint. Just as importantly, good pressure washing will reveal any areas of your house that are in need of repair prior to painting.  You’ll be able to more easily see rotten wood, holes, gaps, warped wood, rusted nails, and other areas that will need to be handled as part of the prep work.

Don’t skip the pressure washing.  Pressure washing cleans debris away from your home and gets it ready to receive primer, paint, or stain, and ensures those topcoats will adhere better and last longer.

Exterior house painting is a big project, and most homeowners opt to find the best local painting contractors to do the job.  Great painting companies employ great painters who know how to complete the multitude of prep work required, including pressure washing, and ensure the exterior painting looks great and is done correctly and thoroughly.

There are many great painting services in Northeast Florida, but The Painting Craftsmen is the best painting contractor Jacksonville FL homeowners trust with their homes.  Our commitment to quality and our eye for detail make us the trusted painting company in Mandarin, Ortega, Riverside, Southside, and throughout Jacksonville and the Beaches.  Give us a call and let’s get started planning your exterior painting project!