Why Pressure Wash Before Applying Paint
As experienced pressure washing professionals, we know the importance of properly preparing a site before applying paint. Whenever you attempt to repaint an area, it's prudent to get the area properly pressure washed before applying the new coat of paint.
Remove Old Paint
Some of the old paint you want to paint over may be old and flaking. When you pressure wash the area you may end up removing a large amount of old, flaking paint that you would have otherwise painted over. Painting over flaking paint can cause the new coat of paint to wear out faster and fall off since it wasn't applied to a stable base.
Remove Debris
The wall you are painting should be free of any debris or growths that could have collected on the surface. Pressure washing with professional help not only gets rid of the dirt and contaminants but also sanitizes the area making it germ-free. It may not be a big deal if you were to only paint over some dirt, but if that dirt had bacteria or growths accumulating around it, the growths might persist and spread. If that happens, all the new coat of paint accomplished was trapping the moisture within the wall where it can't be cleaned off without removing the new paint.
This could also result in the paint wearing out faster when the growths spread and loosen the foundation of the paint from underneath. If this happens, you would have to reapply the paint essentially starting over from scratch. Getting a thorough pressure washing beforehand prevents this possibility from happening by removing the growth and dirt before it becomes an issue.
Prepping the Wall for Adhesion.
Depending on what you want to paint, the pressure washing may actually help bind the paint to the exterior of your home better. For example, if you have a wood exterior, the pressure washer will not only remove dirt from the wood but lift up the fibers on the wood's surface making little "teeth" for the paint to grab onto once it's dry.
Even giving a brick wall a quick pressure washing can help the paint bond better. Pressure washing helps loosen the surface just enough to help the fresh paint bind better.
Professional Help
If you are really looking to apply a new coat of paint to your property, it's important that it's done correctly during the initial application. Improper application of paint on your home's exterior will only lead to more problems in the future. The paint may not bind correctly, growths may spread beneath the paint, and the paint may become discolored.
There's nothing more frustrating than having to do the work all over again because it wasn't done right the first time. That's why having professional help with your exterior painting is the best way to go.
