Summer painting tips with Resene Paint Expert Jay Sharples

The sun is shining, so roll up your sleeves and get stuck in with these helpful summer painting and maintenance tips from Resene Paint Expert Jay Sharples, plus some fun weekend DIY jobs and paint projects.

What are the essential summer home maintenance jobs?

Top of my list is always cleaning – I have two boys (14 and 11) and two big dogs, so everything always needs cleaning. My next priority is my deck. I recently treated it with Resene Moss & Mould Killer and will be staining it with Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain in Resene Natural.

What are some quick and affordable ways to spruce up our outdoor entertaining areas?

I love Jacob’s BBQ wall buddy, but I’m not quite skilled enough to make my own! Anywhere you can add colour always helps. Another job on my list is painting my timber chairs. They’ll definitely need treatment with Resene Moss & Mould Killer, and as I’ve stained them previously I’ll prime with Resene Wood Primer. I’ll then paint them with Resene Lustacryl – I’m currently negotiating colours with my wife.

What are your best tips for getting an effective outdoor clean?

Bribe your kids with Roblox and get them to do it for you! Or, after sweeping, spraying, water blasting and scrubbing, attach a Resene Deep Clean pack to your hose and spray all the areas. It’s a slow-acting cleaner that will help maintain the area for a longer period of time.

Anything we should avoid during the hotter months?

Don’t paint or stain in direct sunlight. Start earlier, break during the hottest part of the day and then continue later in the afternoon. Or follow the sun around the house. Painting in direct sunlight will cause the paint to dry quickly which can lead to an unsightly finish or more visible brush marks. Staining in direct sunlight can lead to the stain drying on the surface before it can penetrate into the timber and not lasting very long or getting scratched off really easily.

What’s your best hot weather painting tip?

Protect yourself! Slip, slop, slap with the sunscreen, hat and sunnies. As always, plan your day and start earlier when it’s a bit cooler. Use Resene Hot Weather Additive or Resene Brushing Additive were required. And remember to drink plenty of fluids!

Summer painting and decorating projects:

Painting your windows inside and out is not only an essential part of home maintenance, but you’ll be surprised at the big impact this relatively simple DIY job has. While the process is very similar for both sides, the exterior will require a little more prep work due to the surface being exposed to the elements. On the inside, clean with Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner, fill any holes with Resene EzyFill Quick, then sand smooth and remove sanding dust. Prime with Resene Quick Dry and topcoat with Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss in your chosen colour. Outside, treat with Resene Moss & Mould Killer and clean with Resene Paint Prep and Housewash, then follow the same prep, prime and paint steps as the inside.

Window painted in Resene Lustacryl in Resene Permanent Green and weatherboards in Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen in Resene Green White.

Like windows, French doors can look like new with a fresh coat of paint. Clean and prep as per the windows above, then spot prime with Resene Quick Dry, and prime fully with Resene Wood Primer. Once dry, apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl in your chosen colour.

French doors painted in Resene Lustacryl in Resene White and walls in Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in Resene Half Fossil.

If you prefer the look of solid colour to stain, or you’re keen to stick to the colour palette of your home exterior, painting your deck is a great option. It not only looks great, it also protects the timber for years to come. It needs to be cleaned first with Resene Moss & Mould Killer, then scrubbed with Resene Timber and Deck Wash. If your deck is natural timber, prime it with Resene Quick Dry, if it’s been stained before, prime with Resene Wood Primer. Fill any nail holes and spot prime as required, then apply two coats of Resene Walk-on flooring and paving paint mixed with Resene Anti-Slip Grip Additive for a non-slip finish.

Deck painted in Resene Walk-on in Resene Green White, balustrade in Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen in Resene Green White and Resene Permanent Green, weatherboards in Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen in Resene Green White and trims in Resene Lustacryl in Resene Permanent Green.

Bring the vibrant hues of summer and nature into your home to enjoy all year round with Resene wallpaper. Beautiful and bold wallpapers are a feast for the senses and can transform a space into a living work of art. And thanks to today’s paste-the-wall wallpaper, it’s easier to apply than ever. Head into your local Resene ColorShop to browse the designs and chat to the helpful staff.