Any advice on DIY exterior house painting?

[mbperrin]

2. First, find out what kind of paint is on the house now - latex or oil-base.

You can paint oil base onto latex, but never latex onto oil - it will just peel off. usually you will paint the same base, whether latex or oil.

2. Scrape, using a filter mask, any loose paint. I really don't advise sanding - it will blister the paint around it if it's latex, and those long chain molecules in oil base are very bad for you.

3. Use a good caulk, a 35 year or better exterior grade.

4. Set all nails that are loose or up.

5. You are never going to spray, a roller and brush are your best friends, and get a good one of each - go to Sherwin Williams or another pro shop and buy at least 1 4" brush and at least one 2" sash brush, both in very good quality. No tape - you bought good brushes so that you can flow paint up to, not onto, paint breaks, glass barriers, brick, and other changeups.

6. Take your time - buy all your paint in one lot so you don't have shade errors.

This is very basic, but will help give you a beautiful and long-lasting job. Pat yourself on the back when you're done - you will have saved an average labor cost of $400 per gallon of paint applied!

Hope this helps.