Exterior

Painting an exterior of any property can be tricky and demanding but very rewarding.
Lots of things have to to be taken into consideration including the age of the house/ the style/ the desired effect/ the clashing of colours or features.
More often than not if a house has not been maintained for a long time then some damage is irreversible and boards may need replacing.
It is always a good idea to repaint the exterior around every 10 years depending on the level of care that is taken in between.
If maintenance is upheld, for instance washing off mold, removing and sealing flaky paint quickly, covering split joins in board etc, then the time between large repainting jobs can be stretched out.
It is especially prevalent in New Zealand as the weather here can be more damaging to exterior surfaces than in other countries. That is why certain reputable paint manufacturing companies add extra additives to lengthen the life span on their product.
As with most other aspects of a decorating job, 80% of the work is in preparation.
If paint is applied without the subsurface being prepped properly, then it will start to lose its integrity way before its due date.
The basics are easy to understand in principle, however even with all the prep in the world, no amount of prep will help if the surface itself is too damaged, for example with rotten wood.
It might make your house look pretty but it wont hold it together.
There are four main components in paint, they are resin, additives, solvent, and pigment.
It does a good job of achieving a professional finish but only if what is underneath has been taken care of.

Staining Decks and Fences
Great looking houses can be made with the right colour scheme and features. Everyone has their own preference in colour choices. If the choices are becoming too much, you can get a professional designer to draw out a plan and have some samples with different ideas.
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Prep
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Prep
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Prep
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Paint
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Prep
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Paint
Before staining, it should be decided what desired finish is wanted. Stains can come in different types.
Semi-transparent: Really good at showing the natural look of the wood, easy to maintain.
Semi-Solid: Can still see some of the wood's grain but mainly hidden by the colour of the stain, which gives better UV protection.
Solid or Opaque: Will completely cover the grain of the wood and almost give a paint looking finish.
Staining is pretty straight forward and can really change the look of your outside area.
It should be done every few years, depending on the type of wood and even on the side of the house which may be more damaged by the sun.
The colour you decide will have a drastic affect on the outside character of the house.





Changing it up
Just like with everything else, changing the colour of something on your property can completely change the character and the feel of the area.
Whether going from the classic wooden feel to the new modern sharp look or even reversed.
Breathing in some new life
Sometimes years and years of multiple layers of paint can be removed to unveil a classic rimu frame.
On the other hand you can cover up old, tired wood and make it look brand new.