PREPARATION
Besides the quality of the product being applied, the preparation is of utmost importance. Poor preparation is one of the biggest reasons why most paints fail. On houses that is very neglected the preparation can take twice as long as the actual painting.
GET ADVICE TO FIT YOUR NEED AND BUDGET
Before the decision is made on what product will be used it is most important to understand what product will work best on the specific substrate. A top quality paint will not last long on a porous substrate even with proper preparation and primer if there is no ideal bonding. In a case like this, it is better to apply a economical coating and to redecorate the specific area more often if needed.
Secondly, a good water based acrylic paint can, depending on the application, last a lot longer on certain steel structures than the best alkyd (enamel) paint. Not only is it quicker and easier to apply, it can cost 50 % less and last longer. Knowing what is best for specific applications only comes with years of experience as the paint specification guidelines from the guys with the white coats and thick glasses have been proved wrong more than once.
It is impossible to cover all options here, but all our quotes have detailed specs for the specific applications, however there are a few basic rules to follow for walls.
Prepare by cleaning thoroughly with a high pressure cleaner to remove all dust, dirt, lose and flaking paint. I must add, much care must be taken with older buildings, as a high pressure jet can do a lot more damage than good to old walls which can be costly to repair.
Cracks should be chopped or raked open (depending on size) and should be filled with cement or a good quality filler after being properly primed with a good quality masonry primer. Once filled and allowed to dry, the filled areas must be primed again.
In some cases a tin fibre tissue can be applied over the area where the crack was filled.
BEST SOLUTION FOR YOUR SPECIFIC NEED
If there are hairline cracks visible, it is best to apply a generous coat of flexible texture coat to bridge and obliterate all these fine cracks.
This can be followed by a second texture coat, but texture coats have a higher dirt retention and therefore often collect dust & dirt sooner than later. However a mid sheen pure acrylic is often the best choice for a second coat as it has a smooth low dirt retention finish which helps to keep the walls clean for longer and marks is also easier to clean than on a texture coat.
It is important to make use of a quality texture coat that allows for a bit of flexibility, as some econo-texture coats dry out to become a hard coating and many of the hairline cracks reappear within six months.
ASBESTOS GUTTERS
Most of the older asbestos gutters tend to be slightly porous which allow them to slowly absorb water from the inside, causing the paint on the exterior to blister & peel and therefore should not be painted with a high quality paint that forms a ‘solid ” coating. A lower quality (more porous) paint will often allow the water to simply slowly seep right through the paint, preventing it from peeling and therefore last longer.
Please tell the person who does the quote, your reason for the redecoration and ask him to give you the best product that will meet your needs and budget.
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