Outdoor Paint & Decor Tips for Readying Your Home for the Holidays

The “Ber” months are slowly approaching, and you know what that means – so is the holiday season! And what better way to spread the festive cheer than by preparing and decorating your home. 

While it’s up to you whether to go all out or not with the decorations, your home, especially the outdoor areas, can definitely benefit from a little change. Keep reading to learn valuable outdoor painting tips and other ways to get your home ready for the holidays.

Outdoor Painting: How You Should Do It 

Revamp your outdoor walls in time for the holidays with a fresh coat of paint in your chosen color. Make sure you know how with the following tips:

• Check the weather. Ideally, schedule outdoor house painting activities on days when you won’t expect any rain and the humidity is low. This way, there’s a low risk for delays caused by elements of nature. Likewise, don’t paint on windy days since it can cause the product to dry quickly, and wind can cause dust to land on your surface.
• Clean surfaces before painting on them: Dirty or rough walls are big no-nos when painting as they won’t let the paint stick to the surface. Make sure to clean the wall’s sidings and the trim using a pressure washer (if available), let the wall dry, and sand or scrape peeling paint. This helps you get rid of dirt, dust, and mold and provides you with a smooth surface for painting. 
• Get rid of rotten siding. Notice rotten wood and siding on the walls? Replace them right away with new fixtures since they’ll eventually deteriorate. If only a small area is affected, you can use a wood hardener paired with a wood filler that’s been previously sanded, or a similar exterior filler product.
• Repair damaged surfaces if needed. Do a thorough inspection of the perimeter outside your home to see if wood, masonry, metal, siding, or stucco need to be repaired. If there are spots to fix, use a spackle knife to apply epoxy filler in cracks or holes. Sand the surface thoroughly once done.
• Work on the trims. Check your doors and windows for possible gaps between them and trims. If you spot any, fix them with exterior caulk and caulk guns. Don’t forget to add caulk on the surface where mixed materials meet if your house is made of multiple materials.
• Discard loose paint. Use a paint scraper to get rid of chipped and loose paint on your exterior walls.
• Use a primer before painting.  Apply primer on newly-built walls, surfaces that look like they’re falling apart, or surfaces that need an extra color boost. 
•  Have your painting gear ready. If you’re using latex paint, opt to use one 4-inch and one 1 1/2-inch synthetic-bristle brush. They’ll help you paint large surfaces and areas that need more detail. Roller brushes are good for painting surfaces made of shingles, stucco, or brick. Specifically, make sure you have a heavy-duty roller cage, 1/2-inch nap roller covers for each color, and a roller screen. As for the brushes themselves, you’ll be fine with 7- to 9-inch brushes. Don’t forget to have paint cans and a spare bucket ready for clean-up.
• Paint from top to bottom. This method will help prevent streaking and other possible mistakes that’ll happen during the paint job.
• Protect doors, windows, lights, and other outdoor items. Cover these items securely with a cloth or a plastic sheet to prevent them from being splattered on by paint. 
  

Other Ways to Give Your Homes the Holiday Feels

Aside from painting your exterior walls, you can also follow these tips when preparing your home for the holidays:

• Declutter if you can. Whether it’s your front yard or back yard, make sure your space is presentable and not messy. Dispose of litter, leaves, and other debris properly, and trim plants and trees to make them look pleasing to the eyes. The same applies to your items indoors as well.
• Make use of holiday scents. A few spritzes of holiday-themed sprays or a holiday-themed candle may set the mood for the festivities.
• Use lights to your advantage. Nothing sets the holiday mood quite like sparkling lights strategically placed inside and outside your home. Just be careful about where and how often you use them to prevent accidents that are electrical and industrial in nature.
• Inspect surfaces before putting up other decorations. What proper holiday celebration wouldn’t be complete without decorations? However, most people don’t take into consideration that some items used for decorating can damage gutters, soffit, and even siding. Consider using heavy-duty hooks or zip ties that can hold decorations like Christmas lights, wreaths, garlands, and other similar decors, instead of nails and staple guns. 
  

The holidays may look different this year, but it doesn’t mean you can’t spread the festive cheer. Even when you’re at home, there are surefire ways to make everyone feel the magic – and with Island Premium Paints, you can. 

Since it’s the first local paint with a Product Satisfaction Guarantee, your family and friends will definitely be impressed with what you’ve done for your home! Head to the Island Premium Paints website today for more home improvement and decoration tips. 

Sources:

https://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/skills-and-know-how/painting/10-things-you-must-know-when-painting-a-house-exterior-pictures

https://www.haymespaint.com.au/info-centre/outdoor-painting-tips/

https://www.hgtv.com/design/decorating/design-101/how-to-properly-paint-your-homes-exterior

https://www.diynetwork.com/made-and-remade/learn-it/8/8-tips-for-getting-your-home-ready-for-the-holidays

https://www.familyhandyman.com/project/exterior-painting-tips-and-techniques/

https://allcountyexteriors.com/how-to-prepare-your-home-exterior-for-holiday-guests/