If you will be listing your home and land with a real estate agent next spring and are concerned about the garage's worn rooftop and weathered wooden siding deterring people from being interested in your property, use the following steps to improve the appearance of the structure.
Gather the Following Materials
- ladder
- water hose
- scrub brush
- detergent
- tape measure
- roofing membrane
- roofing adhesive
- paintbrush
- sponge
- paint chipper
- waterproof drop cloths
- exterior primer
- exterior paint
- paint gun
Clean the Shingles & Use Adhesive to Secure a Membrane
While standing on a ladder that is next to the garage, inspect the roofing materials. If the shingles are slightly damaged or stained and you are not willing to invest money to have the entire roof replaced, your best bet is to remove residue from the surface of each shingle before securing a roofing member to the roof. A roofing membrane will lay flat after removing residue and a membrane will prevent water from leaking into the garage.
Use detergent and a mop to remove stains from shingles before spraying water across the surface of each shingle. Allow plenty of time for the roofing materials to dry. In the meantime, purchase a roofing membrane that is large enough to cover the top of the garage. Use a paintbrush to apply a thin layer of roofing cement to the backside of one half of the membrane. Press the membrane against the shingles on one side of the rooftop. Repeat these steps to secure the other side of the membrane.
Touch Up Primer & Paint on Siding
Climb down the ladder and walk around the garage as you visually assess the wooden siding. If primer or paint is peeling from some of the wooden boards, clean the siding with detergent and a sponge or scrub brush before chipping away loose primer and paint. Lay drop cloths along the ground. Fill a paint gun with primer. Administer an even coat of primer to boards that are lacking coverage.
Do not stand too close to the garage while applying primer because the primer may puddle and drip down the wooden boards. After primer has dried sufficiently, rinse out the paint gun's tank and add paint to the reservoir. Apply one or two coats of paint over the freshly-primed areas. Wait for the paint to dry overnight. Afterward, remove the drop cloths from the ground. When people come to view your property, you won't need to worry about the garage sticking out like a sore thumb and discouraging viewers from being interested in your property.
To learn more about prepping your roof before listing your home, contact roofing services like Ulrich Builders.
