Update the Exterior of Your Home

So you plan to update the exterior of your home. Maybe you're ready for a change, or you want to increase curb appeal as you prepare to sell. Regardless of what type of finish your home has, from stucco to wood siding, there are ways to make it feel fresh and new as well as protect it for years to come.

4 Home Finishes to Update your Exterior:

Stucco

Stucco has been a popular choice for many years, especially in the West. Depending on when your home was originally built, you may have either smooth or textured stucco exteriors. Options for updates can range from a simple repainting to changing a textured stucco to smooth stucco.

Stucco should be repainted every few years, which will help fill any cracks that may have developed. Textured stucco can be recoated to create a smooth finish, which will also add new life to your home's exterior.

Brick

Maybe your current home has an outdated brick exterior that has become dingy and unappealing. You can choose to paint over existing brick or cover it in stucco - both are great options. You can also create a marriage of different finishes with stucco on the upper portion of your home and a new coat of paint on the remaining brick.

Wood Siding

Wood siding can bring a warm, traditional feel to your home, and it also gives you the opportunity to update with a professional paint application. Because wood siding needs to be repainted every few years depending on environmental factors, it also gives you the option to change the color and feel of your home's exterior more often.

Wood Shingle Siding

Wood shingles definitely give a wonderful rustic appeal to your home. Most homes with such shingles, however, feature shingles of stained wood, which makes color changes more of a challenge as the stain is designed to soak into the wood.

You can remove the current wood stain, but it will take a lot of work. An excellent alternative option to brighten up or change the color of existing wood shingle siding is to use a new solid stain. All shingle siding should be re-stained every few years to maintain the integrity and value of your home.

Trims and Accents

No matter what your base exterior you have, choosing a harmonious color palette for your home is essential. Most designers recommend sticking to two or three colors on your home's exterior.

If you do choose to go with three colors or more, make sure that the darkest hue is used the least. Apply this hue only in areas like shutters, the front door, or trims near the roofline, so that the overall look is not dominated by something too dark.

Care for Older Homes

If your home is older, make sure the exterior is solid as a key part of any exterior renovation. Closely examine windows, rain gutters, and masonry joints to guide you on the extent of the total renovation.

Rotted sills or damaged gutters can lead to water damage or a failed vapor barrier that will need to be replaced. You may also have to replace insulation that has degraded over time. Some cracks in a stucco-covered home may need more than a layer or two of paint.

When the time comes to start that update of your home's exterior, we hope you'll turn to us at Hastings Construction Inc. Because we never subcontract out work, you can be sure that everyone who works on your home is a trusted, long term member of our team who will do their best to make your home is the place you want to be for years to come.