Fall to me is cuddling time. That means switching from DIY mode to "buy fall clothes" mode. And, boy, have I. I headed to a department store the other day to check out a sale on boots, and the store was crowded. I had to wait in line to buy my boots; I laughed when the clerk apologized. "I don't care. I can't believe there's a line. The recession's over. Wo-hoo! Let's all buy shoes."
I'm not abandoning my house makeover. This weekend, I start planning to paint the exterior of my house. My first task is to head to a real paint store and get some samples -- and some decent advice. I want to paint the house a darker gray, with a hint of brown, to make it look like those beautiful arts and crafts homes in Portland, Oregon.
But before that -- prep. Pressure washing a 1939 home might mean trouble. I might sand a few areas, but the wood's so old I'm afraid it might break off.
Any suggestions on good prep? Should I try to master a sprayer, of will a good ole paintbrush work instead?
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I power-washed my 1887 house before I painted it, but I had the washer on a lower pressure. I wanted to take off just dirt and really loose paint, not whole clapboards. :) I was careful with the angle of the sprayer, too, so I wasn't jetting water behind the siding. Good luck, whatever you decide. It's a big job, but very satisfying.
ReplyDeleteHi there, I am loving your blog and your shout-out to beautiful Portland houses (I'm a little partial to my city). We painted our 1911 house this summer and started with a serious pressure washing job. I didn't notice any wood actually coming off. Lots of paint did so we had a big sanding job. Spraying the paint on is a life saver. I've heard that if you brush on paint the paint job will last anywhere from 5 to 10 years longer than a spray job...but the jury is still out on that one. Good luck!
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