Painting Stucco......the right way

Painting stucco the right way requires using the correct type of paint product. Most stucco homes now days are completed in the "smooth" or "imperfect smooth" stucco finish. I recommend that the stucco then be "painted" rather than mixing in a "color" to the stucco before applying the last coat of stucco (better know as the color-coat).

Painting the stucco finish will give you the chance to touch up the stucco paint in the future or if you ever have to patch the stucco, it will be easier to paint the stucco patch rather than matching the color of the color-coat for a perfect color match to the stucco.

Knowing what "type"of paint to use for painting the stucco is the hard part. After the new stucco finish cures on the exterior walls, you will notice seeing lots of tiny hairline cracks. These cracks will show if you use the wrong paint when painting the stucco.

The best product to use when painting your stucco is a paint product called "elastomeric" paint. This paint looks like a wallpaper paste as it is very thick & dries "rubbery". This type of paint "stretches" with your walls so it will cover the initial hairline cracks & when your walls shift & move ever so slightly in the future (yes this happens), additional hairline cracks will form in your stucco. These cracks will be visible to the eye if you use the wrong paint product.

Painting the stucco with elastomeric paint will prevent any newly formed hairline cracks from showing as the elastomeric paint will stretch & "bridge over" these cracks. It's really a cool product. There are other brands of an elastomeric type paint available so check with your local paint store for what they carry,etc..

Elastomeric paint is not the cheapest type of paint to use when painting your stucco walls but it is the best type of paint hands down. Consider it an investment as this paint will last twice as long as conventional paint (or more) thus your realized savings.

You can also purchase a stretchable type of exterior caulking for all areas around trim edges,etc. which is highly recommended. Make sure you use the proper caulking so carefully read the labels before purchasing your caulking product.

Think twice before painting your stucco. Asking questions, getting answers, & making decisions on what paint to use for your stucco project are the most important steps of the process. Elastomeric paint should definitely be part of your game plan.

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Painting T1-11 Siding

Painting T1-11 siding is a snap. T1-11 siding is very forgiving as the siding usually comes rough sawn & painting imperfections are easily hidden so even a beginner can easily do this painting project. Here's what you need to know:

Painting over new T1-11 siding requires a little prep work first. Caulk all your trim piece edges, check for imperfections on the T1-11 siding itself & caulk where needed, check to make sure all nailing has been completed & nails are down flush with the T1-11 siding surface, caulk any visible nail holes. Now you're ready to apply the prime coat of paint.

Apply the primer with a paint brush at all the "groove areas". It's hard to cover all the T1-11 siding groove areas with a paint roller so it's best to use a paint brush.....or you can use a paint roller then re go over all the missed spots with a paint brush. Tinting the primer close to the finish paint color is also a good idea.

If you do use a roller, make sure you use something like a 1 1/4 inch lambskin roller cover or contractor series roller cover so you can fit into the grooves better. You will still need to use a paint brush to finish up though (at any missed areas). You will also need to use a paint brush around trim edges,etc., everywhere you can't get with a paint roller.

You will be using lots of paint primer as the T1-11 siding really "soaks" up the paint. Don't be bashful. You'll be done with the primer in no time. Then you'll be ready to apply the finish paint to your T1-11 siding painting project.

Painting the T1-11 siding will require 2 coats of finish paint. You could apply just one coat of paint but the paint will last longer if you apply two coats plus your project will come out looking better since your paint will have a "full body look" with 2 coats of finish paint.

Apply the paint pretty much like you applied the primer making sure you use a paint brush to "finish off" the groove areas & around the trim edges,etc.. Using an extension pole for your paint roller will also speed up your project so get aquainted with it.

If you are "repainting your existing T1-11 siding" then follow the above steps minus applying the primer. Don't forget to check all areas & "caulk accordingly". You can apply just one coat of finish paint if you are matching the same color you already have. If you are slightly changing colors, then I would suggest you apply 2 coats of finish paint. A drastic color change will require that you apply a first coat of primer.

Painting your T1-11 siding is an easy project you can do by yourself or with a few friends. It's a great way to save money & don't you need a little extra money right now? Who said you couldn't paint like a pro? You can do it!

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How to caulk.....like a pro

How to caulk....like a pro....is easier....than you think. How to install caulk takes a little practice but "caulk how to" is easy once you get the hang of it. There is a right way to caulk & a wrong way to install painter's caulk. Here's how to caulk & what you'll need to know:

* I'll be explaining to you how to install caulking with a painter's caulk gun & a tube of caulk. Before painting your wall, door frame, wall trim, or baseboard, it is important to caulk all the edges before installing your paint. It is important to realize that every "edge" will show if you paint your project without installing the caulk....no matter how tight your "edges" are. You may think that the paint will cover the tightest of lines but your project will not turn out like you want if you do not use caulk on "all of your visible edges/lines.

* Caulk is the "wonder material" that makes a paint job look great rather than just OK. Cut the tip of the caulk tube as small as you can letting only a little caulk out at a time. A small tip on your caulk tube will work better than making this tip too big. Most of your caulking chores will be easier to accomplish if the caulk tube has a small tip rather than a large tip. Cut the caulk tube at a slight angle then you're ready to go.

* Caulking around door jambs & door trim takes a bit of time so be patient & work kind of slow making sure you do a good job. You can always go a little faster once you get better. Put the bead of caulk on for maybe a foot or so then wipe off the edge with your finger. The caulking should blend into the edge you are working on without building up any caulking excess.

* If you are building up too much caulking on your finger or if the caulking is spilling over onto the adjoining wood trim as you are pulling it down, that means you have applied too much caulking. Try another section with a little less caulk & pull it down with your finger again. Keep working & you will eventually get the feel for how much caulking to apply. Now you're ready to install a longer bead of caulk. See why you need a small tip on your caulk tube?

* If you are working on an area that needs more caulk than a small tip will allow for (caulking exterior trim for example), you can always cut the tip bigger but once you cut the tip bigger (the first time) you should never use this caulk tube again for any small beads you may need to apply at other areas as the caulking gets very messy......you'll see what I mean.

* Depending where you are caulking, you may want to pull the caulk with your finger then wet your finger on a wet rag then wipe the caulking again to get off any excess you may have. This works pretty good so always have a wet rag handy when you are installing caulk.

* Latex caulk works well for painting projects. You can also use acrylic latex caulking too. Just don't use "real" silicone sealant because paint will not cover over real silicone. Save the real silicone for applying around tubs,toilets,sinks,& any other "wet" areas, etc..

* I know....you want to start painting....but caulking your project first (& spending the extra time making sure the caulking is installed properly) will make your project look better than ever!

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Paint Prep can be more important than painting

Paint prep can be more important than painting (depending on your paint project). Prep work is not as fun as the actual painting but paint prep is a must for your paint job to turn out looking good!

Paint prep can consist of alot of things but here's the most common items for interior painting:

* Before caulking: clean off any dirt/dust buildup on any wood trim areas needing to be painted or painted around.

* Caulking: prep any painted wood trim areas,inside corners,outside corners,cracks,visible lines & imperfections,nail holes,screw holes,staple holes,around trim pieces,etc.,look at all your sheetrock wall areas & prep those areas too (same things as described above).

* Remove: electrical outlet cover plates & switch plates,save all plates & screws & put in bucket or box....wash & clean these covers,replace any broken or stained covers,re-install after all paint is dry.

* Remove from sheetrock walls: staples,tacks,scotch tape,unused plastic anchors (or patch over),finish nails,etc..

* Install masking tape around: electrical outlets & light switches,trim,baseboard,light fixture bases,etc..

* Install drop cloths or tape down plastic to floor areas.

* Clean off: ink pen marks,color crayon marks,dark smudges,dirt,food markings,grease/oil buildups,etc. (whatever you cannot remove, you will then need to install a "kilz" primer or some other primer product before applying any paint).

* Check out any spray texture imperfections & scrape off any unsightly specks (interior sheetrock walls).

* Look for any water stains: treat these areas accordingly as you do not want any water stains to "bleed" through your paint job.

* Look for cobwebbs & remove any you see.

* Do any wall areas need to be lightly sanded? Check it out then wipe down wall areas prior to applying any paint.

* Exterior painting: review the above list to see what applies.

* Exterior painting: cover bushes/landscaping items,check you local weather forecast for possible rain & wind issues.

Prep your paint areas before painting & your paint project will come out looking better than ever!

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Painting tip...pour your paint from the "backside"

Here's another painting tip for you....there's a reason to pour your paint from the backside. This painting tip is vital since how many times have you needed some more paint & you looked at your paint can & low & behold....there's old paint all the way down the front of your paint can so you can't see what color of paint you need plus.......the paint type could also be covered up so now you don't know if it's flat,eggshell,or semi-gloss,etc..

Maybe there is old paint covering up the little tag that shows the special formula of the paint you were using & you need 1 more gallon but the paint store will not know how to mix the last gallon of paint you need because the label was covered up. You didn't "cover-up" the special formula sticker mind you. The last person who used this particular paint can did though.

You should always make it a habit to pour your paint from the backside of the paint can. That way, if any paint spills down the side of the paint can, you can wipe it up & not worry that you are covering any special wording on the paint can. Keep the "front" of the paint can clean & you will be better off. Follow this painting tip & you'll never have to worry about "this" again.

Here's another painting tip....check to make sure you know exactly where the special formula tag has been put on the paint can. Most of the time this label is placed on the lid of the paint can so be careful with the lid too although I have also seen this label stuck to the side of a paint can so check it out before starting your project.

Another painting tip for you is.....you might also want to pick up a little circular plastic goody that you can put on the top edge of your gallon paint can "before" you pour your paint out. This minimizes any drips you get on the side of the paint can when pouring your paint....still pour from the back though.

You may think, "Is this such a big deal?" & my answer is "Yes" as I see this kind of thing happening over & over. Just a simple thing with major ramifications if you know what I mean. Better to be safe than sorry. Follow the painting tips above & think it through before "pouring your paint".

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"How much paint do I need?"

"How much paint do I need?" Good question. Let's make the assumption we will be talking about painting your interior sheetrock walls so we will be working with "interior latex enamel paint" for our example.....fair enough?

How much paint you need will be determined on how many square feet a gallon of paint will cover. A good rule of thumb is to figure that 1 gallon of paint will cover apprx. 300 square feet of wall.

Let's look at a room size of 12 feet wide x 16 feet long (x= the word "by"). We will assume your wall height is say 10' tall (nice ceiling height.......you must live in a great neighborhood!). Were you any good in math? Here's where your math comes into play.....you know....the math you learned in school & you always said.....what am I gonna need this for? You never knew you were going to paint some walls for yourself one day did you? Length "times" width will equal your square footage. Pay attention or you're going to fail this last math test & this time it's going to cost you money.

Here we go: add up the total length of all of the walls. In our above example (assuming you have a square room), you have a total of 56 lineal feet of wall....meaning you have 56 "running" feet of wall: 12 plus 12 plus 16 plus 16 equals 56 feet or 56'. So far so good. Now we get to do your math. Length "times" width would be 56 "running" feet of wall "times" 10 feet wall height: so we have 56 "times" 10 equals 560 feet or 560 square feet. You remember I said you should figure (as a rule of thumb) apprx. 300 square feet of wall coverage for each gallon of paint. So we would take your 560 square feet & "divide" this by 300 square feet which would equal 1.86666 gallons of paint you are going to need. It's always good to use a calculator to add things up.

Now of course you know you cannot purchase 1.86666 gallons of paint at the store. You will need to purchase 2 gallons of paint for the example above. This is where you need to pay attention: the above example is only good for "1 coat of finish paint". Ask your self the question again: "how much paint do I need?". How many coats will you be installing? If you are just freshening up the existing walls with the same paint color in the same paint finish then you should only have to install 1 coat of paint so 2 gallons of paint should be enough.

However, if you are changing the wall color or changing the finish from flat paint to semi-gloss paint,etc., you may need to install 2 coats of finish paint so you would have to "double" the order amount so you would have a total of 1120 square feet of wall area to cover so you would "divide" this by 300 square feet for a total of 3.7333 gallons of paint needed. You will need 4 gallons of paint.

This will vary if you have lots of windows in your walls or doors so plan accordingly (you could add up this square footage for windows & doors & subtract that from the total of paint needed then divide this new number to get the "actual" paint needed). You get to decide how to figure how much paint you need.

Here's some things to consider: sometimes you can almost buy 5 gallons of paint for about the same amount that you can purchase 4 gallons for. That's if you buy a 5 gallon bucket of paint rather than 4 single 1 gallon containers of paint. This varies by paint store & paint brand so do some homework & see if this applies to you. It's always wise to have a little bit of paint left over so you can save this extra paint for paint touchup down the road.

If you were to purchase a 5 gallon bucket of paint, you would have over 1 gallon of paint left over. You're in a "quandry": "should I buy more paint since I can just about buy 5 gallons of paint for the same amount as 4 gallons but do I want to store over a gallon of paint left over or......can I use that extra paint for something else & still have some paint left over for future paint touch-up?".

If you want to keep your touch-up paint in a smaller container than a 5 gallon bucket then you could purchase an empty 1 gallon paint can & lid, pour the paint into this can & save the extra paint this way. Clean out your 5 gallon bucket & save it though. You never know when it will come in handy.....for something.Think about it & make a decision. It won't be earth shattering either way but I wanted you to know you do have options.

Other things to consider: semi-gloss & gloss paint go further than flat paint. You could probably squeeze out 400 square feet to the gallon (or more) depending if it's the 1st coat or the 2nd coat. If you are painting new wall construction, then you will be needing to install a separate coat of primer & my recommendation is to then install 2 coats of finish paint over the primer. Primer will also have a tendency to soak up more into the new sheetrock so you may only get 250 square feet of paint coverage to the gallon for the primer so "do your math accordingly".

If you're looking to cut costs a bit, most paint stores have some "stock/standard" colors pre-mixed in 5 gallon containers which may work for your project. This could be ideal for your project.

Also.....yes I have more to tell you...most paint stores have "mis-matched" paint that you could use as primer (that is...if you need primer). Make sure you ask for the mis-matched paint in "flat" if you're going to do this though. You could buy however many gallons you needed (go with the lighter colors of mis-matched flat paint though), mix them altogether & you will probably come out with something like a medium beige color & you could use this as your primer (a considerable cost savings depending on how large your project is).

There you go. Measure twice, order once, use a calculator, mix & match, be prepared "before" you start your project. Do what you need to do to get your project done & in the cost frame you so desire. Options.....you have options when doing it yourself. "How much paint do I need?" You know the answer for that one!

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Tell a Friend or make a Comment

I hope you are enjoying the blog posts. From time to time, you may read one of the posts & think "hey, so & so (you fill in the name) would like to read this". There's an easy way to send a post to your "friend(s)". "Really?".......Yes really....."How do I do that?".....I'm glad you asked. Here's what you're going to do:

All you have to do is go down to the bottom of whatever "post" you are reading & click on the little envelope at the bottom right (the envelope has an arrow on it). See it? Click on there & it will take you to another screen where you can "email the post to a friend". You would be such a great friend if you did this. Your friend(s) would appreciate your efforts. It's always nice to help out a friend once in a while so this would be an easy way to do it!

If you have a comment for me....there's a place to do that too! At the bottom of each post (right next to that envelope), there's a place where you can click on to make a comment. I've noticed most people don't make comments rather they read the posts & go from there. I hope I am writing about things of interest as I would like to "inform" you the best way possible. Information is "key" & I would like to give you the right info. for whatever you are trying to accomplish (project wise).

So........if you have something in particular you want to know (that I haven't talked about) or would like for me to comment on, please let me know. I'm here to help any way I can. Try out the comment area & see if you can "stump" me..... after all "VideoJoeKnows" alot about alot of things &....if I don't know (yeah right), I'll tell you straight up.

Thanks again!

VideoJoeKnows