Shutters Making You Shudder?

If the exterior of your Athens home is looking a little worse for wear these days, painting the house shutters on your home may be all you have to do to give it a fresh, updated look. While this isn’t the hardest exterior painting project, there are certain things you can do to make it easier and quicker, while getting the results you’re looking for. If this is something you don’t wish to take on, contact your Athens painting contractor for a professionally finished project.

Preparation

Before painting house shutters, there are a few things you need to keep in mind.

Weather

Paint your Athens home’s exterior on low humidity days when the temperature is between 75 and 85 degrees. Any hotter or colder and the paint won’t adhere properly.

Color

Make sure the color you choose for your shutters complements the color of your siding. You don’t want to use any colors that will make your house stand out in the neighborhood or you may catch heat from your neighbors or in worse cases, the township. Be aware that choosing a dark color will cause the shutters to absorb more heat, which can eventually lead to buckling or warping.

Thoroughly Clean the Shutters Before You Paint Them

Odds are you’ll find all kinds of debris, bugs and dirt stored behind your shutters, and if they’ve been up there for a while they may have an old layer of paint starting to chip and flake. Wash the shutters of any dirt, mildew or chalk, scrape away any flaking paint and allow the shutters to fully dry before you begin priming.

Priming the Shutters

Use a good quality exterior-grade primer to coat your shutters before you paint them. To increase the coverage of the paint and to minimize the number of coats applied, get the primer tinted in the same color as your paint.

Painting House Shutters with a Sprayer

Using a paint sprayer to paint the house shutters is the fastest, most efficient way to get the job done. It also minimizes the chance of unattractive drip runs if used properly. If you’re going to use a paint sprayer, remove the shutters from the side of the house and paint them elsewhere.

Paint sprayers can be rented from your Athens home improvement store or tool rental shop if you don’t own one.

Using a Paint Brush on the Shutters

If you don’t want to go through the hassle of taking the shutters down, painting them and re-hanging them, paint them in place using a paintbrush. The best brush for this type of job is the angled sash brush.

Keep a wet edge when painting house shutters with a paint brush to prevent the dry film from buckling.

Additional Tips

• If you remove the shutters, paint them under a tree or somewhere in the shade to allow the paint to bond to the surface of the shutter. Painting in direct sunlight will cause the paint to dry before it has a chance to bond.
• Choose an exterior grade paint that is comprised of both acrylic and urethane. This type of paint is often not found at your Athens hardware store; visit your Athens paint supply store first.
• Do not apply a light color over an existing dark colored shutter and do not apply a dark color over a light colored shutter.
• If you’re painting the shutters in place, slide a piece of cardboard behind the part you are painting to prevent paint from accidentally getting on the siding, brick or stone of your Athens home’s exterior.

Article Source: http://homeimprovement.lovetoknow.com/painting-ideas/painting-house-shutters