Preparing Your Home’s Exterior for a Perth Summer
As Perth moves towards summer, homeowners often spend more time outside and start noticing areas around the property that have weathered since the last repaint.
This does not automatically mean the whole home needs painting.
It does mean late spring can be a useful time to inspect exterior surfaces and understand their current condition.
If you are considering exterior painting in Perth, start by looking at the areas that receive the most exposure.
Walk around the whole property
It sounds simple, but many homeowners regularly use only one or two sides of their home.
Take some time to walk around the entire exterior.
Look at:
- walls
- eaves
- fascias
- doors
- windows
- timber
- rendered surfaces
- previously repaired areas.
Different parts of the house can deteriorate at different rates.
Look for peeling or flaking paint
Loose paint is one of the clearest indications that a surface needs attention.
Do not simply paint over it.
The condition underneath should first be assessed and unstable material removed during preparation where required.
Fresh paint applied over a loose coating does not correct the adhesion problem underneath it.
Check rendered walls
Rendered exteriors can develop visible cracking, chips and coating deterioration.
Some minor defects may form part of normal preparation.
Others may require further assessment.
Painting should not be used to hide a building problem that needs another type of repair.
Inspect timber carefully
Exterior timber often needs different attention from rendered or masonry surfaces.
Check doors, windows, fascias and exposed timber details.
Look particularly at:
- peeling coatings
- exposed timber
- worn edges
- joints
- areas that receive strong weather exposure.
Damaged timber should be dealt with before it is simply covered with new paint.
Compare exposed and protected areas
One side of a house can look very different from another.
Areas protected by verandahs or other structures may remain in good condition while more exposed elevations show considerably more wear.
That is why repainting decisions should be based on an inspection rather than assuming every surface has aged in the same way.
Look for staining
Recurring staining deserves attention before repainting.
If staining appears to relate to moisture, the source should be investigated first.
A coating can improve the appearance of the wall, but it cannot correct the underlying source of water entry.
Check difficult-to-reach areas
Two-storey homes and properties with high gables or elevated windows need additional access planning.
These areas should be considered during the quoting stage.
That allows the painter to determine what equipment may be required and include it in the project scope.
Do not focus only on colour
Homeowners often start a repaint by thinking about a new colour scheme.
Colour is important, but the existing condition comes first.
A new colour will only look as good as the surface it is applied to.
Before spending too much time selecting colours, establish what cleaning, repairs and preparation are required.
Decide whether maintenance or repainting is needed
Not every sign of age means a complete repaint is necessary.
An inspection may show that selected areas require maintenance while the rest of the property remains in serviceable condition.
Alternatively, widespread deterioration may indicate that a broader repaint should be considered.
The right answer depends on the property rather than a fixed timetable.
Plan before the work becomes urgent
Identifying deterioration early gives you more options.
You have time to obtain quotations, consider colours and decide when the work best suits your household.
Waiting until coatings are failing across several areas can make the project more difficult to plan.
Considering an exterior repaint before summer?
Nu-Vision Painting can inspect your Perth home’s exterior and provide a detailed quotation based on its current condition and preparation requirements.