I have a 3100 sq foot 2 story stucco house; I want to paint the exterior one main color with white trim. I already have the primer and want to spray & back roll one coat of paint, then just spray a 2nd coat.

How do I determine how many gallons of paint I need for the main color and the trim?
How would you deal with prepping & painting the high spots over grass vs driveway but especially over the koi pond? (FWIW, I have one 28' extension ladder and one 6' step ladder.)

Thanks!

BTW, Sorry, if the pics are displaying side ways like they are in preview...They are right side up...Not sure what happened there.

 

What kind of sprayer are you using?

Coverage changes depending on paint, as well. Look at the specs. If it says 450 square feet per gallon, count on getting roughly 300-350.

 

not sure if you have measured the building in question but length x wide x height of each wall would determine the surface area. Each gallon of paint will cover a specified amount of square ft. I would suggest renting a power washer and removing all dirt,dust and debris then letting it dry for a few days. Rent a commercial paint sprayer and purchase 5 gallon pals of paint from Sherwin williams or other supplier.

 

Even though the house looks fairly clean, it's always a good idea to clean it first. If there is any mildew you want to use bleach in your cleaning solution. Check for chalkiness! Paint degrades over time and paint won't adhere long term to chalk.

Except for the stucco repair I don't see any need for primer, I'd probably spot prime and then apply 2 coats of finish. Whenever spraying you need to be mindful of where the overspray will go! How close are the neighbors?

It's possible it might be expedient to remove the inside handrail on the little bridge so you can set a ladder against the house. They sell a brush holder that you clamp a brush to and then screw it onto your roller pole - I sometimes use mine to access difficult areas. They are a little hard to control but can be useful. If you find you have to have a different size ladder - they can be rented.

Stucco is probably the hardest substrate to estimate the amount of paint needed. Most paints cover approximately 400 sq ft per gallon but that is on smooth sealed surfaces. Depending on how well it's sealed and the texture [how rough/smooth] the paint generally goes 200-300 sq ft per gallon. The RB&B siding should be in the 300-350 range.

 

Thanks!

I plan on using 5 gallon buckets of Acrylux paint...They're a local place; been around for a while. Regarding coverage, the Data sheet for their exterior paint says "Theoretical coverage at 6.4 wet / 3.0 dry mils is 250 sq. ft per gallon. Material losses during application and surface porosity will vary and must be taken into consideration when estimating job requirements.". Oh & FWIW, the 2nd floor finish, which I believe was referred to as "RB&B siding" is stucco.

I'm not sure of which model sprayer but the Data Sheet says "airless spray. Recommended tip size: .015 to .021.". As for overspray, yes...neighbors are close but also is my own new white concrete tile roof and a rather large chimney right in the middle of the house. I'll actually have to walk on both roofs to paint that sucker so I'll be mindful of overspray but what do I do about it??

Definitely have mucho chalkiness and some mildew in areas. I own a 2650 pressure washer, to which I'm looking at adding this Telescoping Spray Wand: Power Care 18 ft. 3,800 psi Telescoping Spray Wand for Pressure Washers-AP31026 at The Home Depot Is there something similar to extend an airless sprayer??

As far as house measurements...I'll get those and post them. That said, how do I account for trim, soffits, columns, etc...?

It's definitely possible to remove the inside handrail on the little bridge...Heck, it's probably more difficult to keep it from falling off. LOL The bridge is too far and too rotten for me to feel safe putting a ladder on it. Also, on the inside of the pond (further away from the bridge, closer to the house) there's not enough room for me to feel safe putting a ladder there. Any other ideas?

 

Since you're the homeowner, I'd suggest rebuilding/repairing the bridge. As a contractor, I'd probably use some lumber to span the bridge to support my ladder. But you are there, I am not - walking around and inspecting/thinking might bring up better options.

I'd much rather use a ladder than a telescoping wand on a PWer! You know how much force is on your regular wand when you pull the trigger, times that by 10 when you extend the tip. IMO they are too unwieldy to work well .... but there are those that like them. A telescoping spray gun or gun extension has many uses. Again it 's not as easy to handle as the regular set up but not as difficult as a PWer extension. I mostly use my pole gun for painting ceilings and only occasionally for hard to reach areas.

Chalk is difficult to wash off. I'd use a bleach/water solution [never ever stronger than 50%] and add TSP to it. Once the house is dry from the cleaning, check again for chalk. If any remains you can either spray a masonry conditioner on it or add Flood''s EmulsaBond to the first coat of latex [primer or paint]

I don't think I've ever painted over cement tiles but have painted numerous houses that had the clay tiles and extreme care must be used so you don't break them! It's hard to get drop cloths to stay in place on them too. Basically you cover up the best you can and clean up any overspray/drips before they dry. I also like using spray shields but they can be unhandy and get [feels like] heavy after using them awhile.

Do you have the specs for your airless? it sounds like that paint can be sprayed by most pro units but might not spray well with homeowner type units unless thinned. With the exception of elastomeric paints [which takes a big airless to spray] the sq footage sounds low for the label [they almost always state slick substrate, not rough stucco] But I'd trust the label before I would someone that has never used that brand of paint.

The trim on most houses takes 1-2 gallons, if you have trouble estimating the amount, buy 1 gallon and see how far it goes.

 

Thanks!

Aside from rebuilding/repairing the bridge, or putting the ladder in the pond (yes, someone actually recommended that) anyone have experience & thoughts about a scaffold or perhaps some type of boom lift?

As for pressure washing...Some have suggested to just stand on the ground with my regular wand...
That said, with a 2650 gas washer, how close do I really have to get?

 

I'm not fond of PWing high up from the ground. Houses are built to stay dry from falling rain, when you force water under pressure upwards you run the risk of getting water behind the siding, you might be ok but it's a risk I'm not willing to take.

I rarely use scaffolding [too much effort for no longer than a painter needs it] but scaffolding on each side of the pond with an aluminum walk board would allow you to access that area. A boom lift is also an option but you have to make sure you have room to maneuver it into position.

 

Thanks!

FWIW, the siding is all stucco.

I was thinking the same thing about a scaffold & lift...
How difficult is it for one person to set up a scaffold?

 

Scaffolding isn't a big deal to set up. Basically you have a buck on each end [the heaviest part] which is connected by the braces. While 2 people make the job easier I have set up or torn down scaffolding by myself. The higher you build the scaffold, the more work it entails.

Even though it's all stucco you can still force water in around windows and other openings or protrusions including where the siding overlaps the stucco. Houses are built to withstand rain that comes from above, not necessarily water under pressure from below ..... so care should always be used when cleaning with a PWer!

 

Thanks!

Scaffolding may just the ticket for around the pond...and point taken on the PWer.

Speaking of PWers...I found this 20' Aluminum Hydro Tek High Reach Wand w/ Shoulder Strap, which claims to be very lightweight yet rigid. In the video, it looks much easier to handle the the fiberglass but it's more than twice the price with s&h ($294.83) of the HD 18" fiberglass one. Anyone have experience with this and/or like to share your thoughts?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk3WJBDi43E

 

I've never used a fiberglass PWer extension but even with an aluminum extension being more rigid they are hard to handle because of all the pressure. You might call up a rental place and see if they rent the extensions. Personally, I'd much rather climb a ladder than fight with the extension pole on a PWer.

 

Thanks!

That said, with a 2650 gas PWer, how close do I really have to get?

 

Try it in your yard. All the pressure is up close, I bet a person could stand 15 feet away and just get misted.

 

It depends on which tip I have on but I see what you mean...Kinda like this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTxmLw2C6MM Good thing the opposite side of my house should be easier to deal with as I trade a pond for a driveway. That said, and with 18' to reach 2nd floor soffits, which ladder would you use; 6' step or 28' extension?

 

What they don't mention is if you spray into the soffit vents you can introduce water into the attic
I'm not fond of spraying upward on a house! If the only choice is a 6' or 28', I'd choose the extension ladder. You can buy rubber 'boots' sometimes called 'socks' that go over the end of the extension to soften the the impact on the siding. They are sold at any paint store. I like applying the cleaner with a pump up sprayer because it gives you better control of the cleaning solution and some solutions can harm the pump on the PWer.

 

Thanks!
If the choice is something other than a 6' or 28'; ideally, what would you use?

 

It depends on how tall the house is and what the terrain is like. I have multiple ladders and normally pick the one that's best suited for the job at hand. An extension ladder that is extended all the way out won't be as stable as one that's not. The taller the ladder, the more it weighs and requires more effort to move it. It doesn't hurt to use a ladder that is bigger than ideal providing it will fit where you need it. You just don't want to kick the bottom out too far just because the ladder is too tall.

 

Thanks!
The house is 18' to the bottom of the soffits. The pond is the worst of the terrain...the rest is mostly concrete and the portion of the yard next to the pond. There's no landscaping around perimeter of the house to worry about ruining, at this point.

 

A 28' ladder sounds about right [a 24' might work], a shorter extension ladder might come in handy here and there - you'll be able to figure that out if you buy a shorter extension ladder for your house you'd probably want either a 16' or 20'