I want to paint the exterior wood trim of my house?

any suggestions on what to do first,what kind of paint is the best to buy? and should I pressure wash it?


I would apreciate it. Thanks!I want to paint the exterior wood trim of my house?
First off, ignore the advice to pressure wash. It really does force water in where you don't want water. Here are your steps (I've done this before with beautiful, long lasting results).


1. Go to your local hardware store and get a scraper, a scrub brush, paint brushes and a small (4 in) roller, masking tape, paint of your choice, caulk in the self squeeze caulker, wood putty, sand paper, a hand sander or palm sander (borrow one from a friend if you want), and this stuff called Kilz. Make sure that you use latex paint and latex primer.


2. Caulk the parts of your window frames and wood trim that need it. Fill holes with putty. Let stuff dry (a day or so).


3. After everything is dry, sand the old paint down. You're not stripping, just roughing the surface. Sand even the putty filled surfaces.


4. Wash the wood free of paint and wood dust. Use dish soap, it's fine. Rinse the wood surfaces with your hose. Spray it off good.


5. Wait 2 days for the wood to dry. Paint the Kilz on. Let that dry. Paint with your fave color. Make sure you paint in the evening or later in the afternoon, because hot weather will cause your paint to bubble, then you have to start all over. Groan.





Hope this helps!I want to paint the exterior wood trim of my house?
pressure was first is a good idea as it gets out dirt bugs and such. you've not given much information about your house, you indicate just the trim, what about the siding etc? as usual on yahoo answers ....not enough information given. sherwin-williams is a good pait to use once you provide the other info
If the old paint is in good condition, pressure wash it, and apply a latex enamel of your choice over the top of it.





If the old paint is in bad condition (like mine is), it will probably require some hand-scraping with a paint scraper and possibly even sanding to make it look good. If you paint over paint that is starting to peel, it will make your new paint peel, and it also will just look rough. Put some time into it and you'll make it much better. Also, in this case, since you will have some areas of bare wood exposed, go with a primer first, and then with a latex enamel paint.





Also, if the existing paint is old, it could be lead-based. If you think it might be, wear a respirator when you are scraping (you can get at any hardware store)





Good luck!
yes pressure wash. if it still wood grain it will need to be primed with oil based primer and then chose the paint. if it is a significant color change, have your primer tinted for best coverage. and sherwin williams paint works best for me
Do not pressure spray your house, it forces water into places you don't want it. Preparation should include removing any loose paint with a scraper. Applying caulking to any that has cracked. Priming any bare wood surface. And painting with 100% acrylic exterior paint in your choice of gloss. Behr sold by Home Depot is consistently highly rated by Consumer Reports.
first test your paint for lead if not found use pressure washer or sand blast it for cleaner look,primed the area and paint it whatever colour you want it to look, good luck

freckles