How to Prepare to Repaint Your Wood Siding

Remove window shutters and exterior hardware, such as light fixtures, with a screwdriver.

Wear clear goggles and a protective face mask. Spread plastic tarps on the ground, under the area where you are working to keep the old paint off the ground.

Scrape away loose or peeling paint on the wooden siding with a paint scraper.

Attach a 60-grit sanding disc to a disc sander. Sand the surface area of the wood siding with the disc sander until most of the old paint is gone.

Remove the 60-grit sanding disc and replace it with an 80-grit sanding disc. Continue to the use the disc sander over the wood siding to smooth the wood and remove the last areas of old paint.

Take the 80-grit sanding disc off of the disc sander and replace it with a 120-grit sanding Sand the wood siding with the disc sander until all the paint is removed and the wood is smooth.

Remove old caulk from between the wood siding and trim with a flat-head screwdriver. Clean the area with a stiff-bristled brush to remove dirt and debris in the joint. Refill the empty joints with paintable caulk. Allow the caulk to dry for the recommended length of time stated on the package.

Examine the wood siding for loose boards. Use a hammer and nails to secure the loose wood siding back into its original position.

Fill holes or cracks with spackling compound. Force a small amount of spackling compound into the hole or crack with a putty knife. Level the spackling compound even with the surrounding wood with the flat edge of the putty knife. Allow the compound to dry for the length of time stated on the package label.

Wash the wood siding with a power washer. The power washer will remove dirt, grime and sanding dust before applying the new paint. Allow the wood siding to dry for at least two days before proceeding further.

Paint the wood siding with one coat of exterior primer, using a paintbrush roller. Allow the primer to dry on the wood siding for at least 12 hours, or as directed by the manufacturer.

Apply even coats of exterior paint to the wood siding, using a paintbrush roller. Allow each coat of paint to dry before applying additional coats.