Janice Anderssen - Decor and DIY Expert

Time to Paint

On the highveld, winter is the best time of year to paint your home without any rainy interuptions. However, bear in mind that its also not a good idea to paint during extremely cold weather - as if you would!

We spend an overwhelming amount on home maintenance. Seasons wreak havoc on the exterior of a home. For many South Africans. their home is their largest investment, it is therefore vital to stay abreast of maintenance, including repainting.

Here are telltale signs that its time to paint your home:

Chalking
The formation of a fine powder on paint surfaces which occurs after long-time weathering. Chalking may also occur if poor quality paint was used, over-thinned or was spread too thin or not primed and sealed. Left unchecked, chalking causes colour fading.

Scaling or Cracking
Paint begins to split, giving way to severe cracks. Cracking can be caused by over thinning; poor surface preparation; painting under cool or windy conditions; or, in multiple layers of old paint. The only remedy is complete removal.

Flaking
If cracking is left unchecked, paint chips are loosened and peel off, causing the exterior of your home to look unsightly.

Discoloration
Discoloration often appears when shrubs, vines or trellises are removed.

Loose caulking
Around window and door panes, this can give rise to rotting and further disrepair. The best results come from proper preparation and quality materials.

When a homeowner has determined its time to renew the exterior of his house with a fresh coat of paint, many find exterior painting too challenging to take on themselves due to scaffolding needs, or simply because they want to allow themselves more leisure time by the pool or at a barbecue with family and friends. Hiring professionals enables homeowners to rest assured that all preparation work, painting and cleanup will be performed on time and on budget with not a dirty paintbrush left behind.

Article courtesy of www.home-dzine.com . Click here for more home design ideas.