How to Repaint the Exterior Colors on a Cape Cod Home

Prepare your house for painting by removing screens, storm doors, and anything else that will not be painted. Protect nearby vegetation with tarps. Using a paint scraper, heat gun, or stiff wire brush, remove all loose paint. Remove and replace any loose nails. Fill holes or cracks with wood putty or epoxy filler. Sand any rough areas. Thoroughly clean all surfaces with a high pressure hose attachment or pressure washer set on low pressure. Make sure the house is completely dry before beginning to paint.

Select house paint colors. The main color of the siding will be the color most noticed from a distance. White-on-white is very traditional, but not very exciting. Draw inspiration from the colors of attractive surrounding homes. A building development with Cape Cod homes in Tempe, Arizona may be painted very different colors than cottages in Provincetown, Massachusetts.

The traditional pallette comes from the cool blue end of the color spectrum and the colors are typically muted. Jewel tones and hot colors like bright yellow, orange, and red are untraditional for the Cape Cod home. To add contrast and draw attention to details, dormers, windows, porch railings, shutters, and mouldings are often painted white.

Paint your house from the top down, beginning with gables, then main siding, windows, trim and doors. While spraying or rolling paint may seem to be a time-saver, it is not the best option for producing a durable finish. The action of agitation and pressing paint into your siding and trim enhances it's adhesion. Your paint will last much longer, saving you time, money and labor in the long run.