If you’ve been eyeing areas of your home’s exterior that need a fresh coat of paint, it’s worth doing your research on the best paint sealers before breaking out the paint cans and brushes. Because if you want that fresh paint job to last for as long as possible, then you need to treat it right. Using a paint sealer will help block stains and enhance the appearance of the top coat of paint, but beyond this aesthetic value, a waterproof sealer is great for areas of your home that experience a lot of moisture, humidity, or extreme temperatures. Paint sealer will also help ward off water damage or mold.
Simply put, if you want to protect paint that’s exposed to the elements, then you need to use the right sealer. Keep reading to learn more about using different types of paint sealers and primers during your next home improvement project.
What’s the Difference Between Paint Sealer and Primer?
Primers are applied to the bare material that you’re working with, and many painters will tell you it’s the most important layer of paint you’ll apply. Primers stick to the bare surface of wall, brick, or wood and provide an even surface for the actual paint to stick to. Rainguard® Premium Project Sealers can be used as both a sealer and primer for paint on the surface you are working on.
While primers are applied before you start painting, sealers are applied afterwards. When applying a paint sealer on top of paint, the sealer creates a barrier between the top coating of paint and the outside world, which is especially important for outdoor surfaces. Because of constant exposure to UV rays, wind, rain, ice, heat, and humidity, outdoor paint can fade or yellow fast. With paint sealer, your new coat of paint can continue looking brand new for years to come.
Why Waterproof or Seal My Home?
Water damage and mold cost the insurance industry more than $2.5 billion every year. For homeowners, water damage and mold are an expensive nuisance, both to the appearance of your home and the health of everyone inside it. For example, applying a waterproofing seal can help keep your deck safer, by reducing structural damage that could be caused by mold or mildew. Without a good weatherproofing sealant, your deck could also warp or shift.
Plus, the overall value of your home can suffer if your deck or basement area — or other areas susceptible to water damage — aren’t properly protected. A protective sealer can go a long way towards helping to prevent water damage and ugly stains.
What Are the Other Benefits of Weatherproofing Paint Sealer?
Specifically, the best paint sealers should:
- Stop mold and mildew from growing
- Stop wood and masonry from absorbing water
- Stop stains from forming
- Create a hydrophobic barrier that is impervious to salt, cold, UV rays, water, and humidity
For the DIY-inclined homeowner, paint sealers are an important way to protect your investment. If you don’t use any type of sealant, you will inevitably need to repaint your home year after year. When it comes to protecting brick walls, wood, siding, or any other type of painted surface, the benefits of using a paint sealer are clear.