For the new paint to adhere to the surface, you must clean the house’s exterior of all dirt, grime, mildew, and chalky residue. A power sprayer provides the easiest way to accomplish this, but hand scrubbing with a stiff-bristle brush is just as effective and often doesn’t take much longer because it requires little preparation and setup time.
Use a hammer and a nail set to tap all nailheads below the surface, then fill the holes with exterior-grade putty. Once the putty is fully cured, sand it flush. If you’re applying new caulking around windows, doors, and trim, be sure to use a caulk that’s paintable.
You can paint directly over the old painted surface as long as it’s in good condition. Be sure to scrape and sand any spots where the old paint has blistered or flaked off. And you must prime any bare wood before you paint it.
