# Painting Detached Garage Exterior



## bsmith95610 (Feb 14, 2011)

I am a beginner at painting so I thought I would put down what I think needs to be done then list some questions I have. If anything should be done differently please let me know I would appreciate it.

I need to remove all light fixtures and electrical outlets then need to pressure wash the siding then fill in the nails heads with spackle or putty. Then once I’m sure the garage is dried I can start putting the primer on. I was planning on using a roller and brush to paint the garage. Then once the primer dries I can apply a coat of the paint then once that dries I should apply a second coat of paint. Then after that I should put some primer on the trim then putty in the nails then paint two coats on the trim then once that is done I was going to put some primer on the metal garage door then apply two coats of paint to the garage door.

Below are some questions that I have.

Since I just had the garage built and it has new siding on it do I still need to pressure wash or sand the siding?

Do people normally tape off the trim? I didn’t know if this matters or not say if I get a little bit of exterior paint on the trim can I just put the primer over it then paint the trim or do I need to sand off the paint on the trim first. Or should I just tape it off to avoid any problems.

Do people normally tape off exterior windows and doors / garage doors?

Should I mix all of the paint in five gallon buckets before I paint so the paint matches better? If so should I also add like an 1/8 of a cup of water to it so it mixes better?

I also read that airless sprayers can take twice as much paint as doing it with a roller? If that is true is the only advantage getting it done quicker? Would it be best for me to use rollers and brushes instead of an airless sprayer?

Is Sherwin Williams a good brand of paint?

I know the primer I will be using depends on the paint I should be using. What kind of paint should I be using for the outside of a garage? Should it be latex or Alkyd paint? If I get the latex paint do I want it to be 100% Acrylic?

Also will I need to caulk around the doors and windows before I paint?

Does the below sound correct for estimating the amount of paint that will be needed?

To determine how much paint your house needs, measure the house's perimeter. Then multiply that figure by the height, excluding gable ends. Take the measurements with a steel tape measure, or reel out a ball of twine around the house and mark and measure the twine. If you will use a different paint on your home's trim, subtract 21 square feet for every door and 15 square feet for each typical window. Divide the final figure by the square-foot coverage specified on the can of paint to determine the number of gallons you will need for one coat.

If your house has gables, you can estimate by just adding 2 feet to the height when making your calculations. For more precision, measure the width of the gable wall and multiply that figure by its height. Divide the final figure by 2 to determine the gable's square-foot dimensions.

Any help or tips would be much appreciated.


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## mazzonetv (Feb 25, 2009)

I know I read through your post quickly - but I didn't see anywhere what type of siding? How old? What kind of condition? and has it been painted before?? Seems like you have a pretty good handle on prep work - and yes, SW is a good brand.


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

If it's new wood siding, I prefer oil-base primer. To me it soaks into the wood and gives the topcoat a better "bite." After priming, you can caulk any gaps or other openings around windows and doors, etc. Sure you can brush and roll........it may take you a bit longer but you won't have worries about overspray or cleanup of an airless paint sprayer. Sherwin-Williams is great paint. I love their Superpaint for an exterior topcoat. Best of luck......seems like you have a pretty good handle on how to do things.


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## jsheridan (Jan 30, 2011)

I'm assuming the siding has come primed, which you may want to sand lightly but shouldn't need to powerwash. I'm also assuming the garage siding matches the house siding. Are those nail holes puttied? On some types of siding, it is not customary to do so. I like the oil primer for exterior wood also. Use a long oil though, one that takes overnight to dry. The longer the dry, the deeper the penetration. Ben Moore Penetrating Oil Primer. Paint quantity is a tricky question. Buy what you think will do one coat, calculate the amount used on first coat, then buy enough to have that same quantity. Second coat will stretch a little further than the first. I have an online tutorial about painting without tape, take a chance. Step up your game. Good Luck.


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