House painting in Pleasanton is the best way to enhance the exterior of your home. To achieve exterior painting success, follow these suggestions.

1. Clean the entire exterior of your home. For areas that have mold and mildew, you may want to scrub the areas for more exhaustive cleaning. To clean the uppermost part of the house, you may use a pressure washer, which will also speed up the cleaning process. Using a power washer will also get you a cleaner, better-looking surface.

To kill mold and mildew that you see on your exterior walls, combine bleach and TSP (trisodium phosphate). Be sure to follow the instructions on the TSP package. This mixture will also prevent the growth of mold and mildew in the future. It can take some time doing this step to make sure that all the dust, dirt, mold and mildew, grease, and grime are removed. After all the cleaning and washing, let the surface dry completely, especially if the underlying material is made of wood because it may have absorbed some of the water.

2. When you see that the paint is peeling, be sure to scrape or sand the surface to remove the loose paint. This is a very important step because new paint will not adhere to the surface properly and will peel off along with the old paint. The process of scraping and sanding roughs up the surface a bit which enables the paint to adhere better, and last longer. Sure, it will take time to scrape and sand the surface, but the results will be worth it.

After sanding, take the extra step to remove the dust and residues, even if it means washing the surfaces all over again, as well as letting them completely dry.

3. If you find any flaws such as cracks, holes, and edges, repair them with caulk. Inspect window and door frames and edges where cracks may be present but not easily noticeable. Repair and caulk these flaws completely. Smoothen the applied caulk and let them dry. Depending on the type of caulk, they should be sanded before painting the surface. Read and follow the instructions on the caulk tube.

4. Use two types of masks. One is a face mask that will protect your nose, eyes, mouth and lungs from dust and debris while prepping the walls. Another type of mask you will want to use is the masking tape to cover the windows, trim, and other areas where you do not want paint.

5. While priming is not really necessary, it is recommended in order to achieve a successful exterior painting. Priming helps the top coat of paint to adhere better, as well as last longer. You can also use priming to transition between colors of the exterior. Use only good quality primer to achieve the best results.

Following these important tips is a foolproof way to achieve successful exterior painting. Of course, a professional painting contractor will provide an excellent exterior paint finish that means you will not need to do the actual house painting in Pleasanton.