Exterior House Painting Tips: How NOT to Ruin Your Landscaping
Have you ever tried to clean, repair, or improve one thing, only to discover that in the process you messed up something else? What a frustrating moment of realization! One way that homeowners in the D.C. area sometimes do this is during exterior painting. They become so focused on a quality paint job that they forget about the flower beds or shrubs. How can you avoid this? How do you protect your landscaping so that it doesn't get damaged during your exterior painting?
Here are a few tips from your local house painter, aimed to help you prevent mistakes as you paint your home exterior.
Hazard #1: Hoses
Wait, hoses on a house painting job? Yes! The first step of exterior painting is always to wash the siding to remove surface contaminants that would prevent paint adhesion. Whether you use a pressure washer or just a garden hose, you will need water for this process. Also, many people use spray painting equipment for exterior painting, and this also involves the use of hoses.
When you use a hose, it is natural to pay attention to the end you are holding. As you work, you pull the hose along with you. The problem is, however, that people often forget about the many feet of hose trailing behind them. As they pull, the hose can easily knock down flowers, scatter mulch, damage shrubs, and cause other unintended harm.
Prevention tip: Before you begin using the hose, unwind it to its full length and choose a safe path to lay it out on. As you move along through the job, don't just yank the hose. Instead, set down the end you are working with, then readjust the path of the hose to give you more working range.
Hazard #2: Ladders
Unless you are taller than most basketball players and you have a one-story house, you will surely need a ladder for exterior painting! As ladders get used and moved around the house, they often crush delicate plants or break branches off bushes. Also, if you have landscaping fabric under mulch or gravel, the ladder legs can put holes in this barrier, allowing weeds to grow.
Prevention tip: Each time you place the ladder, take your time. This is for your own physical safety, as well as for the landscaping. Move the ladder carefully, and set it up properly, according to the safety markings on it. Avoid quick adjustments, and consider all the plants each time you place the ladder.
Prevention tip: Keep four small squares of wood on hand, which you can place under the legs of the ladder. These provide stability to the ladder, so that the legs don't sink while you are on it. This is primarily for safety, but it also protects the landscaping fabric under your mulch or gravel.
Hazard #3: Tarps and drop cloths
Most homeowners understand that you need to protect the surfaces around your work area as you paint. That's why we use tarps, tape, drop cloths, plastic, and so on. Here is the trouble: tarps and drop cloths can be heavy, crushing delicate plants. Alternatively, plastic can suffocate and burn the greenery beneath them, especially on a hot day.
Prevention tip: Don't try to cover a large area with a huge tarp. Use your large tarps or drop cloths just on the ground. Use smaller, separate pieces of fabric or plastic to cover plants. Use light plastic sheeting, such as painter's plastic or an old shower curtain, instead of heavier canvas.
Prevention tip: If you need to, put something underneath the plastic to hold it up off the plants. Unused tomato cages, garbage bins, chairs... just about anything could work.
Prevention tip: Don't leave the plastic over your plants any longer than you need to. The quicker you remove it, the less likely there will be any damage.
Williams Professional Painting
The best way to ensure you get superb exterior painting results without damaging your landscaping is to hire a professional house painter. This saves you a great deal of time and effort, and it provides you with peace of mind, knowing your home will be beautiful and protected!
Williams Professional Painting has been serving northern Virginia and the Washington, D.C. area for over 40 years. We have built our reputation on superior customer service and exceptional results in both interior and exterior painting. Additionally, we provide a full guarantee for our house painting services, covering the materials and the labor cost.
Contact Williams Professional Painting for a free estimate for exterior house painting in Alexandria and the greater D.C. metro area.
