Should I pressure wash my house before painting?

What to do before painting my home?

Painting the exteriors of a property is part of the routinary maintenance to keep it in shape and increase its value. Sometimes, when property managers or owners are in a hurry to get the job done, they skip a vital step before painting, pressure washing the exterior. But is it that important? Yes, it is!

Pressure washing the exteriors of the property is vital to ensuring a good and even paint job. By taking this preparation step, all dirt, debris, mould and cobwebs are removed before painting. This step is the best way to ensure that the fresh coat would bond better with the undercoat. Once all the gunk is removed, the paint goes smoothly, with no dirt underneath. You will not roll over the dirt. 

Frequently properties can have mildew on the sides, and the only way to eradicate it with bleach or other chemicals. Not removing those chemicals can result in a hazard for the people living there. Therefore, it is essential to use suitable pressure washing techniques to eliminate any chemical residues over the surfaces. 

Another advantage of using a pressure washer before the painting job is its ability to clean hard-to-reach spots. You can reach high up surfaces or get into crevices, places that have never been cleaned before!

Pressure washing is the indisputable step one in preparing your property for its paint job. In addition to step one, it is highly recommended to scrape and sand, reset loose nails, patch cracks, and prime bare areas. By doing good prepping, it is very likely that you will get a high-quality painting job. Prep time is sometimes more important than the painting itself. 

Why should we leave pressure washing to professionals?

Although we have explained all the benefits of pressure washing before a painting job, there are some risks involved. It is best to handle any pressure washing job to a professional, as it requires good technic, equipment training, and knowledge about different kinds of surfaces and materials. 

For example, an unskilled person might use inadequate pressure on a vinyl shingle and accidentally crack it. In other cases, wooden surface or even bricks can be deeply damaged. Another scenario can be damaging your fence or deck, leaving gouges in the wood. Professional pressure washing companies usually train their staff on all these matters. More importantly, they are licensed and fully insured. So, please leave it to the professionals. 

If you plan on painting your place, perhaps it is better to hire a company that can provide both services, pressure washing and painting. If the painting if for exteriors, it is recommended to use antigraffiti-coatings to protect your house from vandalism. After all, it is a considerable investment, and ideally, the outcome should last as long as possible. 

Should I Pressure Decks and Fence?

Before you paint or apply stain to wooden surfaces, you need to ensure it is spotless from dust, fibres, grease, moisture or mildew. Wood is particularly tricky; if it is not clean, the paint doesn’t stick, and the stains have a hard time penetrating the wood. In the case of wood painting jobs, a dirty surface turns into premature peeling. Even worse, most of the unclean spots and blemishes will show through the varnish or stain. Do not waste time and money. Better pressure wash first!

Differences Between Pressure Washing and Soft Washing?

An important thing to know! Standardised pressure washing techniques use high pressurised water to remove build-up dirt from surfaces. The pressure used goes from 1500psi up to 3300psi depending on the materials of the surface. When used correctly, it restores the surfaces almost to the original state with no damage—the ideal scenario for a repainting job or just fro hygiene and aesthetic reasons. 

Soft washing is a low-pressure technique. Usually, this is combined with safe and eco-chemicals. It is not as effective as pressure washing, but if it is used systematically as part of quarterly maintenance activity, the result is as notable as a pressure wash every 8-12 months. Perhaps it is the best approach if the property is built with wood materials on the vast majority of the structure. 

Both techniques, pressure washing and soft washing, can be used effectively for prepping your surfaces for a painting or staining job. A qualified professional would be able to determine which technique is better for any particular case, as well as the ideal chemical combination, to achieve the desired result without damaging your surface.

If you have any painting job ahead, call us and find the best solution for you.