There’s nothing sure to impact the look of a property than old flaking paint on an exterior wall.
You might think you have to spend hundreds of pounds on specialist stripper to get it off, or you might go in the other direction and just try to paint straight on top.
Neither are good ideas, which is why we’re going to talk you through exactly what you need to do.
Start at the top and work your way down
Taking pride in your work will ensure you go about it the right way, all while making sure nothing is missed as you go. Starting at the top and working down systematically will guarantee the surface is adequately cleaned and prepped ready for any future treatment.
If you use a ladder for the job, make sure it’s properly footed and that you’re comfortable working at height. There’s no reason to risk an accident, or to cause yourself undue stress, when you really don’t have to.
The experts are always available to get your exterior wall looking as good as new if you’d prefer.
Start scraping with a putty knife
When the paint is well-bonded and not flaking, you’ll have to push so hard with a knife to get it off that you’re bound to leave scratches and gouges in the brickwork.
This all changes when the paint is flaky thanks to the pockets of air between paint and wall. They allow the putty knife to glide underneath, knocking the last of the remaining paint to the ground.
Take your time, don’t try and race through your work, and don’t overreach. Making sure you regularly move your ladder when working at height is essential if you want to stay safe.
Reach for your stiff bristle brush to remove flaky paint
A putty knife works best where they are big bubbles underneath the paint work, but it can be much slower going when you have thousands of smaller flakes. While some will reach for a pressure washer, we opt for a stiff bristle brush to clean up the brickwork without delay.
The benefit of using a brush is that the care and attention it requires ensures nothing is missed. That way you can finish the job knowing that the surface is perfectly prepped for a fresh coat of paint.
Missing flakes and leaving them on the wall to be painted over may not seem like a big deal, but you’re putting a barrier between the new coat and the brickwork.
This will always mean that the lifetime of your paintwork is shortened and it becomes much more likely to start flaking again.
Want a helping hand with flaky exterior walls?
No one really wants to spend their Saturday afternoon up a ladder trying to clean up a wall, so why should you have to. The experts here at Advanced Painters specialise in taking care of these types of jobs quickly and quietly in the background so you can take things easy.
