Five steps for prepping wood siding for painting

The secret to a successful house-painting job is proper preparation. Usually that involves using a pressure washer to clean your house's exterior (whether it's wood siding or not). Here are five steps for prepping your wood siding for painting.

• High-pressure washer or garden hose
• Dishwashing detergent and bleach
• Long-handled scraper
• Dust mask
• Electric sander
• Extra-coarse and medium-grade sandpapers
• Awl
• Brush
• Oil or acrylic primer
• Paintable sealant
• Wood preservative
• Chisel (if required)
• Wood hardener (if required)
• Epoxy wood filler (if required)

• If your home's exterior is in good condition, simply wash it down with a garden hose.
• If the exterior is dirty and the paint is peeling, use a high-pressure washer, taking care not to let water shoot up between the boards.
• You should remove spots of mildew with a solution of dishwashing detergent and bleach.

• If areas of loose paint remain after washing, remove them with a long-handled scraper.
• Then, wearing a high-quality dust mask, use your electric sander to feather the edges or smooth any cracked or crazed paint.
• Start with an extra-coarse grade of sandpaper and move to a medium grade.

• Check for rotting wood, especially along any trim.
• If you find any soft wood, insert your awl to measure the depth.
• If the damage is shallow, simply sand it off.
• For deeper areas of rot, hollow them out out with a chisel, treat them with a wood hardener, and then patch them with an epoxy wood filler after the hardener has dried.

• Remove crumbling sealant around doors and windows with the corner of your scraper.
• Sand the edges and then brush them down to clear out any dust or paint particles.
• Prime the timber then fill the exposed gaps with a paintable sealant.

• Work your way around your house's exterior, applying a wood preservative to any potential problem areas.
• Next, apply primer to all bare wood and all newly sanded areas.
• Make sure your primer is a good match for your selected paint.
• Paint within two weeks of priming.

Follow these five steps for preparing your house's exterior for painting, and you'll have set yourself up for a successful house-painting.