A long time ago, painting the outside of a home was a hassle. Fortunately, painting the outside is now easier then ever, but is still a challenge. You may want to do the paint job yourself, since the average cost of a professional paint job is thousands of dollars. Investing in one of the many home design software packages will help you start off right. A program like this is helpful, since it will inform you of the amount of paint needed, assist in budgeting, and provide a list of materials.

Unless you know the effect of a particular paint on your home, try some small and inexpensive experiments. Get a pint of the color you want to paint your house and paint a small and out of the way section. Prepare an area by cleaning or sanding if needed. Scrape off any chips or cracking sections. Apply the paint and let it dry for a week and if possible, observe in different weather conditions. Take into account the amount of shade in your test area, as you may have to try it in more than one spot to get a realistic idea. 

As far as the type of paint to use, a while ago the hands down favorite for exterior work, but as paint products evolve, the choice is now a toss up. Latex paint is easier to work with and dries faster, but is less durable. It breathes well, allowing moisture in the wood to come out or in, unfortunately, more easily. Clean up generally requires no more than dish detergent and water. Oil-based paints are durable, making it especially good for trim, doors, porches, and so forth. Clean up is more difficult though, since disposal requires special procedures. You may have to give it to a special facility, usually for a fee, depending on where you live.

Choosing the Correct Exterior Paint

If you select latex-based paint, use a synthetic material roller, such as nylon. Also get some synthetic bristle brushes for trim and crevices. For latex, don’t get natural fiber brushes since this makes spreading more difficult. For oil-based paint jobs use a natural bristle brush and a roller made of lamb's wool or other natural material. Rollers come in different pile lengths, from very smooth to very rough. For smooth surfaces or a smooth look, use a smooth roller. In order to get good coverage on a rough surface, you’ll need a rougher roller in order to get good coverage with minimal hassle.

Before beginning, inspect the entire area and prepare the surfaces. Replace or sand any rusty nail heads. Put putty in the crack to smooth. Replace or sand any rusty nail heads if practical. Remember that paint dries slower on plastic than newspaper. Visit the local newspaper office and pick up a few stacks of returns to cover those plastic drop cloths. Aim for low humidity and moderate temperatures. Make sure to get several weather reports during your paint job.

To save time on cleanup when using oil based pains, you could try placing the brushes in a bag and putting them in the freezer. Whenever you are ready to start painting again, thaw for an hour and start where you left off.