Repair and Paint Home Exterior

See how three homes were repaired and repainted as a do-it-yourself project.

12/2013

 

 

 

 

I took on the huge task of painting three home exteriors in my development. The three homes in question, including my own, were full of exterior cracks, chips, and one home in particular had extensive peeling and bubbling paint and required damp proofing.

I decided to do an update on these three home exteriors to show how the repair and painting has fared over the past three years. What prompted this decision was the state of two other homes, not done by Nancy and I, that were repaired and painted at the same time and were already starting to look terrible.

 

 

 

 

I already knew that my house was still crack-free and that the paint job was still looking good, but I wanted to see how the other two homes looked. The above two pics clearly show that they still look good and probably won't need painting for at least another three to four years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three years on and the repairs undertaken have withstood the test of time. This is how the exterior looked after repairs and painting were done in 2010.

 

 

In 2010 the home exterior had a severe damp problem, with plaster gone to dust and peeling paint. The walls were full of cracks and corners chipped.

 

 

 

 

Damp proofing and waterproofing

During 2010, and even more recently, many homes suffered extensive damage caused by torrential rain and flooding. Excess moisture in masonry causes paint to blister and peel, leaving areas of raw plaster. These areas need to be repaired before any painting takes place.

 

 

In 2010 we removed all the old paint with a paint scraper to get down to raw plaster. This is important, as damp proofing products should not be applied over paint. Where chalky plaster was encountered, this was chipped away and new plaster applied. For powdery areas use a wire brush to remove chalky plaster.

 

 

Plascon Dampseal is suitable for interior and exterior use. The product seals and protects against the effects of rising and penetrating damp. It also protects against paint peeling, efflorescence, and mould developing on the affected surface.

Plascon Dampseal reacts with any moisture present in the substrate and forms a barrier that water and dissolved salts cannot penetrate.

 

 

Crack repair

Cracks around window and door frames are fix ups that need to be done before painting. Cracks are easily fixed but if not fixed properly they will continue to reappear.

Use a hammer and masonry chisel or masons hammer to chase out cracks along their length to create a slightly wider opening, and chisel down in a 'V' shape from the surface until you reach the source of the crack.

 

 

DO WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES and THICK GLOVES.

 

 

 

 

Remove all loose and flaking paint and plaster and use a soft brush - a paint brush works well - to remove all traces of debris and dust. If your vacuum cleaner can reach - even better.

 

 

DIY Tips:

• Only apply small amounts of exterior crack filler or masonry patch at a time, and build up deeper cracks in layers - allowing each layer to dry properly before applying the next layer.
• When repairing chipped areas, remove any loose or flaking paint before applying Polycell Rockset to filled in chips and dents.
• Use a paint scraper to apply exterior crack filler to the crack, applying a fair amount of pressure so that the crack filler is forced deep into the gap.
• If you need to disguise cracks on a textured wall, dip a sea sponge into the wet crack filler and dab this over the crack and surrounding area until the repaired area is no longer visible.
• Once dry, sand with 60-grit sandpaper to roughen or smooth the surface, depending on the surrounding finish.

The time you spend on preparation is well worthwhile and will ensure that the exterior of your home stays looking good for longer.

 

 

Painting a home exterior

Micatex has been around for many years, and anyone who has used this product will agree that Micatex stands up to its guarantee. Plascon Micatex contains a unique formulation that offers improved water-resistance and, together with mica and marble, protects your walls year after year by filling existing hairline cracks and preventing the formation of new ones.

It might be slightly more expensive than other exterior paints, but my philosophy is 'You get what you pay for!" Spend a bit more on quality paint and save money down the line by not having to re-paint sooner.