When you undertake a painting project, it is always best to plan in advance as carefully as you can. One of the questions to ponder is how many coats of paint you will need on your home exterior painting project. Here at A.G. Williams, we’ve been painting home in New York and Connecticut for over a hundred years. As an experienced painting contractor, here is what we recommend:
Exterior Painting Project
No matter how many coats of paint you plan to use, prepare the surface thoroughly first. Any number of coats of exterior paint will fail if it cannot properly adhere to the surface.
If you are simply recoating the surface of the house with the same color as was previously used, it is possible to use only one coat, as long as the paint is not peeling or severely weathered.
Even if you can get away with one coat, two coats are better if you can afford it. Two coats of exterior paint will retain the color and sheen far better and longer, protecting your home more thoroughly and extending the time before the next repainting.
Painting a new Color
If you are changing the color of your home, you are going to need at least two coats of paint. When changing from a light color to a darker one, two coats are often enough. If you wish to cover a dark or bold color with a lighter one, however, this can sometimes require many coats.
One tip that painting contractors use to reduce the number of expensive topcoats is to apply a tinted primer. This is a cheaper way to block the color of the previous exterior paint and begin building up the desired color on the surface.
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