If the exterior paint around your home is looking a little worse for wear, spring is the perfect time to give it a bit of a touch up. Check out our tips for retouching and fixing exterior paint.

Blistered or peeling paint is not an uncommon occurrence given the harsh nature of the Australian sun, but unfortunately, it can also make your home look shabby. If the exterior paint of your home is suffering from either of these problems, use the remaining few weeks of spring to freshen it up a bit, with our tips for repainting exterior paint.

Cleaning: With repeated exposure to the sun’s UV rays, paint will begin to oxidise and attract contaminants, stopping the new paint from adhering to the surface. For this reason, cleaning the surface thoroughly is the first and most important step in any painting job.

For large areas, you can use a power washer-try to aim the spray downwards to avoid driving the water underneath the siding or into the walls. Also use a detergent to make sure you clean off the stubborn dirt and grime-ask someone from the Q Paint team to recommend a product for you if you’re unsure what to use.

Scraping and sanding: After you’ve finished cleaning the surface, use a paint scraper to remove any remaining blisters or peeled paint, and then finish off by sanding the edges smooth and rinsing the surface off.

Keep in mind that if you’re working on a home built prior to 1970, there may be the chance that the old paint contains lead, which presents a number of hazards to adults and children. For information on working with lead-based paints contact the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water Population and Communities.

Drying: Whenever you add moisture to a porous substrate, you need to give it time to dry before you paint or prime it. It some instances it may take up to 2-3 days to dry completely, so keep that in mind when planning your painting job.

Priming: Priming isn’t always required, but even self-priming paints can benefit from primer on some surfaces, such as bleeding woods, cedar, redwood and certain metal surfaces. For the best advice about whether or not you should prime, contact the Q Paint team.