Antonio’s Paint & Drywall serves Windcrest, TX and the surrounding areas of San Antonio. Your home is your largest investment, and a fresh coat of paint inside and out helps protect it. Whether you need interior or exterior painting, we bring quality materials and careful workmanship at a fair price.
Below is a home we painted in Windcrest, with photos of the preparation before, during and after painting.
Exterior painting basics
Prep the surface
- Clean. A pressure washer with the right detergent is the most efficient way to clean siding. Choose the nozzle carefully, because a concentrated stream can damage wood, force water under lapped siding and break windows. Where paint isn’t peeling badly, a garden hose and scrub brush work. TSP is a good, safe cleaner, and a quart of household bleach in three quarts of water treats mildew. Rinse when finished.
- Scrape. Remove loose or flaking paint with a wire brush or scraper. If the old paint is intact, you don’t need to scrape to bare wood. Sand it and paint over.
- Repair. Fill surface flaws with an exterior-rated compound and sand when dry.
- Caulk. Remove old caulk and re-caulk door trim, windowsills and other joints with a paintable exterior caulk.
- Glaze windows. Remove old putty, apply new glazing and let it dry before painting.
- Protect the yard. Cover flowerbeds and lawns with dropcloths and gently tie up and cover shrubs.
- Prime. Prime bare wood and every repaired area.
Basic tools and materials: garden hose, scrub brush, wire brush or scraper, bucket, caulk, window glazing, putty knife, exterior spackling compound, sandpaper and a cleaning agent.
Why prime?
Primer helps paint adhere and gives a more uniform appearance. Use it over new or bare wood, and when repainting over bright or dark colors.
Timing and weather
- Check the forecast. Rain or high wind can ruin fresh paint. Exterior latex dries fast but still needs time before rain, and oil-based paint needs curing time (follow the manufacturer’s recommendations).
- Paint when temperatures are above 50° and below 85°. Heavy rain or high humidity on uncured paint can cause blistering.
- Avoid direct sun. Paint the west side in the morning and the east side in the afternoon.
Application order
- Set the ladder on flat ground and cover bushes, flowerbeds, decks and sidewalks.
- Paint the siding first, starting at the top and working down horizontally. Use scaffolding if possible, or move the ladder often. Over-reaching is dangerous and makes lap marks hard to see.
- Paint windows and trim next. Don’t close windows completely right after painting, and leave a thin strip of paint around the glass edges to seal out weather.
- Paint the foundation last.
Common problems
- Sun and UV. Sunlight and moisture cause chalking and tint loss. Latex resists direct sun better than oil-based or alkyd paint.
- Moisture. Wood expands and contracts with moisture, which can crack and flake paint. Breathable latex lets water vapor escape. Moisture can cause blistering and mildew. Paint additives prevent mildew but won’t kill existing mildew.
- Temperature swings. Flexible, well-adhering paint resists cracking as surfaces expand and contract. Top-quality acrylic latex is an excellent choice.
- Aluminum and vinyl siding. Aluminum often chalks and can have dents, so pressure wash or hand-scrub, rinse, and use satin or low-luster paint, ideally sprayed, to hide imperfections. Vinyl can buckle in hot, direct sun, so choose a color no darker than the original.
Storing and disposing of paint
- Wipe the rim clean and tap lids tight with a hammer and a block of wood.
- Store solvent-based paint upside down to prevent a skin from forming.
- Avoid extreme heat or cold, and follow the label’s storage instructions.
- Disposal rules vary by community, so check your local regulations.
Want a pro to handle it? Call (210) 264-4784 or request a free quote.