If you have the time, patience, and tools, you may be interested in painting the outside of your home yourself. Sure, this approach is a bit harder than hiring professional painters, but many homeowners can handle it if they're willing to put in the time and effort. You might, however, run into a few challenges or problems along the way. Here's some advice to help you solve them. 

Problem: Scraping is taking forever.

It is very important to scrape any loose paint off before you apply any new paint to the home. However, this process can be really time-consuming. An easy way to speed it up is to use a power washer. On a higher setting, a power washer will blast away most of the loose and peeling paint. Then, after the home has dried, you can just go over it quickly with a scraper and get any remaining pieces that have yet to peel away.

Problem: Your previous paint color is showing through.

This tends to be an issue if your home was dark and now you're painting it with a light color. The easiest solution is to buy a good-quality primer and apply a coat of primer before you apply the new, lighter-colored paint. The primer should "seal in" the older color and give you a lighter-colored base over which you can apply the new paint.

Problem: Your paint looks too textured in some areas.

If you're having trouble getting the paint to look smooth in some spots, that is probably because the siding in those spots is not smooth. Wait for any paint you've already applied to the area to dry. Then, use some rough-grit sandpaper to sand it off. Keep sanding until the material is smooth to the touch. Then, re-prime and re-paint the area. Your results should be much more uniform.

Problem: Your paint is not drying.

If your paint is taking forever to dry, you may be painting when it is too cool or too humid outside. Wait for a day when the humidity drops or the temperature is a bit higher. The paint you have already applied will eventually dry, so just leave it. If it ends up looking uneven and textured when it dries, you may want to go over it with another coat on a day with better weather.

Now that you know how to solve these common problems, you're ready to paint your home. Contact a local exterior paint service to learn more.