If you have a home with a brick exterior, painting is something that you may not give much thought about. You may even think that this maintenance is not needed for your home. However, there are likely many different features of your home that require painting to protect them as a regular part of the maintenance. Here are some things that can help you prepare a brick exterior for painting maintenance:

1. Cleaning And Pressure Washing Before Painting

The areas of your home may have dirt and debris that needs to be cleaned. If it is just light dirt, a garden hose can be used to clean it. If there are areas of your home that are really dirty, consider using a pressure washer, which can also help to remove loose paint. This can also be done if your home has never been pressure washed and there is a lot of dirt and grime that cannot be removed with a garden hose alone.

2. Repairing Wood Trim To Prepare Your Home For Paint

Many of the features on a brick home that need painting are wood. This can include things like architectural details, trim around windows and cornice features. You will want to do any repairs to these materials before you do painting. You can use a wood filler to fill in cracks and replace pieces of wood that may have rot damage.

3. Sanding To Create Smooth Surfaces For A Clean Coat Of Paint

The surfaces of areas that are going to be painted need to be sanded. This helps remove any loose materials and creates a uniform surface for painting. It also helps to make the surface better for paint to adhere to. There may be dust after sanding, which can be removed with a damp cloth before paint is applied.

4. Taping Areas And Using Drop Cloths To Prevent A Mess With Paint

If you are painting the exterior of a brick home, keeping paint clean can be challenging. You will want to tape areas to keep paint off brick. You can use masking tape to paint around windows and doors. For eaves with wood, you may want to use a drop cloth or plastic to cover things that you do not want to get paint on.

These are some tips to help you with the painting maintenance that you need for the exterior of your home, even if it is brick. You can contact an exterior painting contractor like American Permacoat to help you with some of these maintenance and give features of your home a fresh coat of paint.