First impressions are of paramount importance, so the upkeep of the outside of your home should be at the top of your list of do-it-yourself priorities. As with interior decorating, time spent on essential preparation work will ensure the best possible result. It is best to start work at the top of the house and work down to the bottom.
Gutters and downpipes
Clear away any rubbish that has built up and pour one or two buckets of water into the gutter to clean the system. Modern plastic gutters should require little …

There are so many articles out today about how much work it is to properly paint a room, and how it may be easier to just hire professionals. You may be interested in finding out how painting a room can actually be rather fun if you take the right precautions and know how to be creative.
By painting a room on your own, you can decide what colors you want and where you want to put them. If you’ve got some artistic talent, you can even paint a mural, or certain …

1. Before painting an exterior wall, brush it down well to remove any loose material start at the top and use a fairly stiff brush.
2. Kill mould and algae with a solution of 1 part bleach to 4 parts water. Leave for two days, then wash down and brush off.
3. Rusty metal and leaky gutters can easily cause stains, so cure the leaks and clean and prime al metal first. Sterilize the stain and brush down.
4. Holes in the wall are often created when old down pipe brackets are removed. …

Fascias and barge boards run along the top of a wall just below the roof. Fascias support the guttering below pitched roofs and edge flat ones, while barge boards are fitted beneath the roof tiles on gable ends.
Because they are so high up, don’t worry too much about their appearance; the main consideration is protection as they are in such an exposed position. Clean out well behind the gutters as damp leaves or even bird’s nests can be lodged there.
Then, using a wide scraper, remove all loose flaking paint. sand …

Whether you like it or not, preparing the outside of your house before painting It is a job that has to be done. If you provide a sound surface the paint will last much longer.
If your house is in good order and has been decorated regularly, then the paintwork may need no more than a quick wash down and a light sanding before it’s ready for repainting. But if your house is in a rather worse state than this, take some time now to make a really good job of …

It saves a lot of time and trouble to have the right fools to hand before you start any job. The tools shown here are the ones you’ll need to prepare and paint the outside of your house — the walls, metalwork and the woodwork. Some large items which you’ll also need are a dust sheet, a large bucket and a ladder or tower platform.
1. Hot air electric stripper for stripping unsound paintwork
2. Gas blow lamp may be preferred as it saves trailing wires about
3. A selection of fine, medium …

To paint the outside of your house in comfort arid safety you need the right tools and equipment. There’s nothing worse than balancing dangerously on a makeshift working platform with a paint pot in one hand, trying to reach into an awkward corner with the other. But as long as you follow a few simple rules you should be able to work easily and safely.
Always work from a step-ladder or an extension ladder and make sure it stands on a firm and level surface. If the ground is uneven, push …

1. Ladders are an easy and convenient way of reaching heights, but since most domestic accidents involve ladders, it’s worth taking time to secure them safely.
2. Always lean the ladder at a safe angle so that for every4m of height, the base is 1m from the wall. Always tie it securely at the top or bottom to stop it slipping, and overlap an extension ladder by at least three rungs.
3. You ‘II need a roof ladder if you want to paint or repair the chimney or the dividing wall between …

Outside painting should only be done in dry weather and after at least two days without rain, fog or frost. The ideal time is late summer when the wood has had a good time to dry out and the weather is usually quite settled. Even a small amount of moisture trapped under a new paint film will vaporise, causing blisters and peeling.
For the same reason you should wait an hour after sunrise to let the dew dry out, and stop work an hour before sunset. On the other hand, don’t …

Painting the outside of your house can seem more of a chore than a pleasure, simply because of the size of the job. By breaking it down into separate, manageable areas and using time-saving tools and techniques, you can keep the weather at bay and complete the task more quickly than ever before.
The main reason for decorating the outside of your house is to protect it from the elements. But paint can also transform the appearance of your house and increase its value, so it’s a job worth doing well.
The …