Painting Over Stone Exterior Walls: How To Get It Done Right

Stone exterior is something that a lot of people like the look of, but you may have some stone on your home that isn't your style at all. Removing the stone may cost a lot of money, not to mention, you'll have to replace it with something else, which is another added cost. Painting over it is something you can do, and it's a budget-friendly way to update your home. Painting stone, especially depending on the type of stone you are painting over, can have its own set of challenges, as it can be time consuming, and you need to ensure you do it the right way to prevent it from peeling off. Read on for tips to help you get this job done correctly.

Clean The Stone

The stone needs to be thoroughly cleaned to ensure all of the dirt and other outside elements that have been stuck to the stone for years on end are removed. You may have mold or mildew growth on the stone as well, all of which need to be removed. You should be able to use a pressure washer to give it a good cleaning, or you can use a garden hose, scrub brush, and exterior cleaner to clean the stone. 

Find The Right Paint

You need to find exterior paint that is made to cover the type of stone you have. Brick paint may not adhere properly to your stone, so you need to be sure you have the right type of paint for the stone that you have and ensure that it will adhere without peeling or flaking off. Do your research on the type of stone you have and the type of paint available. You should also test the paint on a small part of the stone to be sure you like the paint you will be applying to the stone. Read the paint instructions before applying it to also be sure you don't need to use primer beforehand. 

Paint Your Stone

Once you have the right paint, you can begin to paint the stone. Depending on the type of stone, you may have a lot of nooks and crannies to deal with, as in limestone. You can try to spray the paint onto the stone, or you may have to use a paintbrush to apply the paint and get it into all of the grooves for the right coverage. This is also going to require more than one coat of paint if you are looking for all-over coverage, so this may take some time to get the job done.

If you have stone on your exterior and you don't like the style any longer, but removing it is out of the question (and out of your budget range), hire a professional painter to help you paint over your stone to give it an updated look you'll love.

Contact an exterior home painting contractor for more information.