Your professional painter has refreshed the exterior of your home so well that it looks nearly brand new. The enhanced curb appeal makes you feel proud every time you pull into the driveway after a long day. Naturally, you want that fresh look to last for years. Here’s what skilled painters do — and what you can do — to help maintain it.

What Your Painter Will Do

A long-lasting paint job doesn’t happen by accident. Professional painters follow critical steps to ensure durability and a polished finish. Here are some of the most important ones.

• Clean external surfaces: Your painter will make sure that the surface of your exterior is scrupulously clean. They’ll not only clean it, but they’ll also repair any damage, such as rotted boards, dents, dings, blisters, and alligatoring. Damaged exterior surfaces can cause even fresh paint to fail.
• Use a high-quality primer: Primer serves as a sealant and a base for the top coat of paint to adhere to.
• Be mindful of the weather: A good painter won’t paint your home while it’s raining. They also won’t paint in scorching sunlight or freezing cold. The best weather for exterior painting is an overcast day or two where the temperature ranges from 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

What You Can Do for Your Exterior Paint Job

After the job has been completed and left to cure for a while, there are several things you can do to prolong its appeal. Here are some of them.

• Clean your gutters: You may think that what happens to your gutters can’t affect your paint job, but it does. When gutters get clogged with leaves and other debris, the dirty water in them can spill over and damage the paint.
• Clean the exterior regularly: Though it can be onerous to regularly clean the entirety of your exterior, keep an eye on areas that are mildewed, stained, or just grungy. Make up a solution of white vinegar and water, and then clean the surfaces with a soft bristle brush or soft cloth.
• Give the exterior a yearly pressure wash: You can do this yourself or hire a professional if you’re nervous about handling a pressure washer.
• Take down the ivy: Ivy and other vines such as Virginia creeper can make a home look stately, but they can also be disastrous for your new paint job.

By partnering with a skilled painter and staying on top of simple upkeep tasks, your home will continue turning heads and making you proud for years to come. For more advice or if you’re in need of exterior painting, call us at All American Painting in Fresno, CA.