Painting exterior walls

Gotta paint the house exterior tomorrow, managed to put it off all last summer but the time has come. Think it's just a case of powerhosing the wall, when that's dry firing on thinned down primer, and then putting as many coats of the chosen colour paint on top of that as are necessary. Anyone know anything about this stuff? Heard the golden rules are get extendable poles for rollers, and cover all downpipes.

edit: actually the only thing i've learned about decorating worth mentioning (apart from the usual importance of preparation) is NEVER BUY CHEAP, SHOP-BRAND PAINT... you'll need twice as much as decent paint so it's false economy.

Going with Dulux. They have an old english sheepdog on their ad, think that swings it.

good choice taht's a fine paint manufacturer.

You're smart in pressure-washing the exterior (what is the exterior made of, by the way? Wood paneling Hardi-plank? brick? stucco? something else?) first, but also make sure (again, depending on the surface) that you also get rid of any old cracked, or peeling paint - putting primer over that (and then eventually your base coat) will undermine your efforts in a few years.

Also, what style of paint are you using? flat (no-no), satin/eggshell, semi-gloss (he he, "semi"), or gloss? Visually that will impact greatly what colour(s) you're putting down.

Are you doing just one colour, or doing the trim/accent in an alternate colour?

Yes, besides WATMM I do home improvement. And yes, ironically (or perhaps not), my house is still unfinished just like this website

House is about 4 years old, never painted, so still has that smooth finish left by the builders - it's not plaster I guess, is it sand and cement?

As for paint, was planning on this...

http://www.weathershield.ie/products/weathershield_smooth_masonry_paint.jsp

A few people have said to me that the first coat should jut be that paint, only thinned. Others say gotta go with primer. There is no algae or mould on the walls, still pretty clean but will powerhose for dust and cobwebs.

If by trim you mean windowsills and edges, might just go with white for the time being. Save time anyway, I guess, particularly if white is the undercoat...which again is screwed up if I go with using a thinned version of the actual colour...

  On 4/16/2010 at 4:22 PM, Joyrex said:

what is the exterior made of, by the way? Wood paneling Hardi-plank? brick? stucco?

we only tend to have wooden holiday cabins or garden sheds.

sounds like conor has a *rendered exterior.

edit - stucco as you call it

  On 4/16/2010 at 4:22 PM, Joyrex said:

Yes, besides WATMM I do home improvement. And yes, ironically (or perhaps not), my house is still unfinished just like this website

Do you have a secret cupboard that only you and your select guests are allowed entry to aswell?

  On 4/16/2010 at 5:05 PM, Gary C said:

  On 4/16/2010 at 4:22 PM, Joyrex said:

Yes, besides WATMM I do home improvement. And yes, ironically (or perhaps not), my house is still unfinished just like this website

 

Do you have a secret cupboard that only you and your select guests are allowed entry to aswell?

Yeah, it's where I keep my BANHAMMER.

hey have you seen this new 'magic' white paint that goes on pink (while wet) and fades to white as it dries? so you can tell where you've been.

amazing.

  On 4/16/2010 at 5:23 PM, keltoi said:

hey have you seen this new 'magic' white paint that goes on pink (while wet) and fades to white as it dries? so you can tell where you've been.

 

amazing.

You see when I'm painting my house and I want to know where I've been, I look for the parts that have WET PAINT on them, it's not that hard to spot is it?

This is just another example of the dumbed-down, "media studies" world we live in.

  On 4/16/2010 at 5:42 PM, gettinpumped said:

  On 4/16/2010 at 5:23 PM, keltoi said:

hey have you seen this new 'magic' white paint that goes on pink (while wet) and fades to white as it dries? so you can tell where you've been.

 

amazing.

 

You see when I'm painting my house and I want to know where I've been, I look for the parts that have WET PAINT on them, it's not that hard to spot is it?

 

This is just another example of the dumbed-down, "media studies" world we live in.

gettinpumped!

You'll be "getting pumped" in a minute, my good man. By me.

ace

*pumps you*

where are you gettinpumped?

In the butt.

Wait, what? London. I'm in London.

gettinpumped in london. ace

ace in the hole

i never even say ace.

ace!