painting front of house

[myanne]

Hello,
I am about to give the front of the house a new coat of white paint as it is looking a bit grey and nasty. However, the house is old (1860) and it has been rendered in the past and this render over the years has developed a few cracks. They are a little unsightly so I wonder if there is a special house/masonry paint that could cover these cracks. That would solve all my problems! (well nearly!)

 

[dcdec]

Paint wont cover cracks. You need to rake them out and fill them. Toupret do a very good cement base external filler. Prime the filler with thinned masonary paint once applied, dried and rubbed down

 

[myanne]

Thank you dcdec!
What exactly do you mean by "rake them out"? How do you do that? I think I understand the rest and it is very helpful. Thanks again.

 

[TheDec]

To rake out simply means to place a suitably sized screwdriver or similar object into the crack moving both up & down to rake out any loose masonry, also if the crack is hairline it's wise to open it out a little in order to offer the filler a greater bond. If working in direct sunshine it is wise to dampen down the area prior to application, Toupret also recommend to dampen again when the filler is dry to stop it powdering yet I have never felt the need to do this.

Dec

 

[myanne]

Thank you - you have been very clear and helpful. I will give it a go.