Exterior Painting Prep Guide

How to prepare your home or building exterior for painting. Proper preparation protects your investment and ensures a finish that lasts for years.

1. Inspect Your Exterior

Walk around the entire building and note any damage — cracks, peeling paint, rotted wood, or stucco damage.
Check caulking around windows and doors. Failed caulk should be replaced before painting.
Look for signs of moisture intrusion — bubbling paint, mold, or discoloration.
Note any areas where previous paint is flaking or chalking heavily.
Share these observations with your painter — they'll address them during surface prep.

Move patio furniture, grills, planters, and decorations at least 6 feet from walls.
Trim back bushes, trees, and vines that touch or hang over the building.
Remove or relocate items hanging on exterior walls — lights, signs, house numbers.
Clear driveways and walkways near the building for equipment access.
If you have a sprinkler system, turn it off near work areas to keep surfaces dry.

Exterior painting requires dry conditions — no rain for 24–48 hours before and after painting.
Ideal temperatures are 50–85°F. Southern California's mild climate makes most of the year suitable.
Spring and fall are the best seasons for exterior painting in SoCal — less extreme heat.
Your painter will monitor weather forecasts and adjust the schedule if needed.
Direct sun on a surface can cause paint to dry too fast. Painters work around the building following shade.

Ensure painters can access all sides of the building — unlock gates, provide codes.
For multi-story buildings, discuss ladder and lift placement locations.
If the building has security cameras, let your security team know about the painting crew.
For apartment complexes, coordinate parking so painters can access the building perimeter.

Professional painters will mask windows, doors, and fixtures — but closing windows beforehand helps.
Remove window screens if possible — they're easier to reinstall after painting.
Cover outdoor AC units, electrical panels, and meters if they're in the work area.
Protect outdoor lighting fixtures or ask your painter to remove and reinstall them.

Power washing comes first — expect noise and water for 1–2 days depending on building size.
Surface prep (scraping, caulking, patching) follows. This is the most important step for a lasting finish.
Priming ensures proper adhesion and color coverage.
Paint application typically takes 2–5 days for a home, longer for larger buildings.
A final walkthrough with your painter ensures everything meets your standards.

PMR handles surface prep, painting, and cleanup — we make it easy.