If an exterior painting project is on your list to get done this summer during Vancouver and Portland’s short painting season, there are a few tools you’ll need to complete the job correctly and efficiently. As an addition to a previous post where we discussed some tip to extend the life of your exterior paint, we’ve provided a list of what those tools are and how you might use them in your painting project.

• Power washer – If you are repainting an entire building, (your home, garage, storage shed etc.) a power washer can be used to clean off any dirt or debris. It can also remove paint that is not well bonded to the surface. Paint that has bubbled or chipped. It is this very reason that it is NOT recommended to use a power washer for standard cleaning of painted siding if you are not planning on repainting.
  

  A hammer for exterior painting? Yes - use it to pound in loose nail heads as you find them.

• Paint scraper – This little tool is a must have for any time you are painting over existing paint. There will be areas where the old paint has begun to bubble, chip or peel. The paint scraper will help you to remove the paint in these areas. If the paint scraper will remove it, then that paint needs to be removed.
• Wire brush – Use the wire brush for final cleanup after scraping to remove any leftover flakes. The wire brush can be used for tight areas and crevices too.
• Extension ladder – If you are painting your home, you are going to need an extension ladder to help you reach anything above the top of your head. If your home has two or three stories, you will need to put up scaffolding to reach all the areas safely.
• Hammer – You may not have been expecting this item to be on the list, but you should have one ready and available in case you need it. Many times you will find nail heads that are beginning to work themselves loose. This is the perfect time to pound them back into place.
• Caulking gun – If you find areas around your window or door trim where paint has bubbled, you will want to put a fresh bead of caulk in that joint to prevent the problem from recurring.
• Paint brushes – You may need several different widths of paint brushes, depending on the width of your trim and siding. You will always want to use a brush that fits the area that you are painting as closely as possible. It will help the job go faster and look smoother. Always purchase high quality bristle paint brushes. When properly cleaned and stored, they can be reused over and over again.
• Paint sprayer – The best means for painting the exterior of a home, quickly and evenly, is to use a paint sprayer. These can take a little practice to master, so a smaller trial project would be recommended before taking on the painting of your home. Coverage of any plants or items that might catch the over-spray is very important when using a paint sprayer. You will also want to avoid using one outside on a windy day if you don’t want angry neighbors.
• Drop cloths – You’ll want to use drop cloths to cover your landscaping around the building that you are painting. Even professionals need to cover the ground and plants when they are painting out of doors.
• Razor blade – You should have masked off any windows before you started painting, but paint still often ends up on the glass. The paint is very easy to scrape off with a utility razor blade, just have one available if painting around windows is part of your exterior paint project.

Local Resources

Parr Lumber Co. has locations in both Vancouver WA and Portland OR, and an excellent selection of tools for all your home maintenance needs, or visit one of Vancouver’s many other hardware stores. You can find a list of locations by clicking here.

If you decide you’d rather not do it yourself, we’ve recently taken our experience in building and painting high-end homes and joined the ranks of Vancouver WA Painters with our new company, Salmon Creek Painting. Check out the site and make an appointment for a free quote.