Flaking, fading paint is not a good look for the outside of any home. It's ugly, unattractive and it’s not a surface you can simply paint over. Whether you are looking to freshen up the exterior or transform the outside with a hot new contemporary color, preparation is the key.
You need to remove as much of the exterior paint as possible when to get the best finish, but you have to make sure that it's done right. Get it wrong and it won’t be long before your fresh new paint starts peeling and you’ll need to get ready for repaint, much sooner than you wanted. Here you’ll discover the techniques and tools you’ll need to make sure that the exterior of your home is prepared perfectly for a new coat of paint.
Before you start removing paint you need to make sure that you have all your tools nearby and PPE ready to go. If using a scaffold tower or platform make sure this is set to the right height for you to work safely. Start at the top and work your way down.
Older properties may have used lead paint on the exterior of a property. It's unlikely that your exterior has lead paint if it has been painted in the last 20-30 years. But be warned, the latest layers of lead-free paint could have been added over lead paint.
To check, use a home testing kit. These are available from your local hardware store, or online, like this . If you do have lead paint you will need to tape up and cover windows, air conditioning outlets and any other points that could let the paint into the i.