Painting Gutters

Bringing the exterior of your house from imagination to real life is a great feeling. From the exterior decors to landscaping, every addition has an effect on the aesthetic appearance of your house. One potential eyesore is a gutter system. Read on to learn more about painting your gutters, from prep to finish.

Why Paint Gutters?

Often gutters are unpainted by default (aluminum) or may come in a color that won’t exactly match the colors of your house. Obviously the solution for this is to simply just have them painted and get it over with. However, this isn’t always the case. As easy as it may seem, painting still needs careful preparation. On the other hand, if your gutters are made of aluminum, it’s much easier.

Preparation

To prepare your gutters for painting, make sure they are cleaned. With a sponge or a brush and using washing soap mixed with water you will remove any excess dirt or any residue that’s left on the gutter. Cleaning the surface to be painted will ensure that the paint will last for the longest time possible. When rinsing, do not do it from the ground. Instead do it while on the roof. This minimizes mess, as doing it below will splatter residue that may stick to the house walls – and will leave a stain.

Materials Needed

Apply primer to the gutters to make sure the surface is even and the paint will have a good finish. Get all your painting tools ready and you’re good to go! The widely used method of painting the gutters utilizes either brushes and rollers. Since you’ll be using a ladder for the job, have an a-frame ladder. An A-frame ladder will have a small platform for tools and is more stable compared to normal ladders – not to mention the advantage of not having to lean your ladder against the roof. Others might prefer a paint sprayer. It gets the job done quicker, but can be more messy if done incorrectly. You can use a painter’s tape to protect your shingles, roof and soffits. Cover the walls with improvised protective sheets such as a garbage bag or plastic sheets of some kind, and you’ll have worry-free painting!