Exterior Painting

In order to submit an accurate proposal to you, we begin with a thorough inspection. Other companies may submit a base line quote to get your contract and then hit you with loads of additional required repairs later; or, worse yet, just cover up damage, such as rotten wood, that really needs to be replaced. Such shortsightedness may result in runaway unbudgeted expenses or paint jobs that need to be redone at greater expense in a short time.

We believe that giving you more information up front helps you make better informed project decisions. Although we cannot foresee everything during your project evaluation, we do our best to include everything uncovered during inspection. Oftentimes, rotten wood is hidden behind seemingly O.K. paint. Power washing then reveals the rot. Although each home has unique needs, a quality exterior painting project normally consists of the following critical steps.

Exterior Painting Project Steps

Surface Preparation and Repairs
- Power Washing
- Carpentry Repairs
- Scrape & Hand Sand, Nail Down, Oil Primer and Sealant
Masking / Protection of Areas Adjacent to Paint
Full Strength Paint Application
Complete Cleanup
Walk-through & Final Inspection with Customer

Power Washing

Power washing is the best way to clean painted surfaces. We pretreat with a biodegradable solution and then power wash to remove dust, dirt, chalky oxidation and loose paint. Power washing also helps reveal bad wood hiding under old paint.

Carpentry Repairs

Some homeowners want to minimize expense by ‘holding off’ on carpentry replacement. Sometimes budgets require this, but it’s much better, and typically costs less in the long run, to make the needed repairs. We would rather see you wait a month or two before beginning your project so you can have it done correctly and thoroughly. We love James Hardie siding and spec it for areas where it makes good sense. It holds paint well and does not rot!

Scrape & Hand Sand, Nail Down, Oil Primer and Sealant

Surface prep is critical to a long-lasting, quality paint job. Don’t fall for a company who won’t do the prep. It may look good for 6 months, but will quickly deteriorate and need to be redone properly later, leading to more expense and headaches. We scrape loose and peeling paint. Then we lightly sand to score the surface so the new paint bonds better. Sometimes cosmetic sanding is done, but it is often more cost effective to replace a badly peeling board than to spend lots of time sanding. We generally do not sand composite siding as this typically makes the delamination worse. Loose boards are secured with new nails and screws where necessary. Exterior primers serve two purposes. The first is to aid paint-to-surface bonding, and the second is to block stains from rising to the surface of the new paint. Special primers, normally oil based, are applied to bare wood, rust, bare galvanized metal and water stains. Paint in decent condition does not normally need to be primed as new water-based paint bonds well to old water-based paint. Watch out for companies who want to sell you a complete primer coat; although sometimes recommended, be sure that is really what you need before you agree. Sealant, often referred to as caulking, is applied to seams and joints where wood meets wood or brick. We reseal existing caulked joints. Some joints, such as the freeze board below the eaves, are generally not caulked. We use top quality sealants, not cheap latex caulks.

Masking / Protection of Areas Adjacent to Paint

Although masking is not difficult, this is a step many companies skip. Sadly, the result is a mess that is difficult to clean up. We protect your brick, windows, shingles, pool, landscape, light fixtures, etc.

Full-Strength Paint Application

After prepping, we apply paint, which is like the icing on the cake. While areas may be brushed, rolled or sprayed, we always apply paint full strength and never try to stretch and save money by adding water. We spray the paint on where practical because it leaves a nicer finish than brushing and we can lay the paint on much heavier than with brush and roll. We only use top-quality, proven paints from major manufacturers such as Kelly Moore Limited Lifetime Warranty Paint, Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore, etc.

Cleanup

No one likes a mess. We try our best to keep the jobsite clean and at each day’s end, even though the painting may be done, our work is not complete until all trash is removed. We want to leave your property as clean as we found it.

Walkthrough & Final Inspection with Customer

Once the painting and cleanup is complete, we go over the job once more with the homeowner for additional touch ups and to ensure total satisfaction. Customers like you are the reason we exist and our mission is to make you a happy customer who returns with future home improvement jobs, referrals and satisfied reviews. When Phillips Painting has finished your exterior project, you can be assured that our work is, as always, done “The Phillips Way”, ensuring “workmanship beyond your expectations”.

**If your home was built before 1978, EPA lead regulations require a different process for painting your home.

Our Interior Painting Services Include:

Walls
Cabinets
Windows
Ceilings

Stain to Paint Cabinets
Stain to Paint Paneling
Trim
Paneling

Doors
Glazing
Antiquing
Texture Repairs

Sheetrock Repairs
Carpentry Repairs

Quality Interior Painting begins with selecting top-line materials. Low-grade materials may save a few bucks up front, but savings can quickly be lost when additional paint coats are required or the material fails to wear well. We suggest using top-shelf paints, stains, primers, and sealants.

Green Paints

We also offer the new, environmentally-friendly green paints and low VOC, low odor paints. Please click here for more information on these products.

Masking & Property Protection

The last thing we want to do is make a huge mess at your home. So, we create a protected work area by masking off flooring, furniture, etc., to ensure we leave the job-site as clean as or cleaner than we found it. Accidents happen. Paint spills. Masking not only helps us contain the mess while we are working, but makes for easy cleanup when we are done. Many painters skip this important step to try and save time and expense. In reality, the masking is not that expensive, and the time invested is worth the return and the guarantee that no mess is left behind. The potential damage caused by an unprevented accident can easily exceed the cost of a paint job. When accidents happen, many painters walk off the job, never to be found, leaving you holding the bag. One of our pet peeves is paint left on light switches, electrical outlets and door knobs, so we take time to protect them with masking and remove any mishaps.

Filling Holes and Sealing Joints

Filling nail holes with spackling and resealing (caulking) joints is standard procedure. A typical complaint we hear from homeowners concerns large cracks that begin to appear between the ceiling molding and wall/ceiling. Often the cracks spread too wide for standard caulks to adhere. We use a highly elastic sealant with good adhesion properties to deal with this issue. Once the crack is properly sealed with this sealant, you rarely have another issue with it.

Repairs

Whether you have hairline cracks in your walls and ceilings due to expansion and contraction occurring due to seasonal temperature changes, large cracks caused by foundation problems, or bad wood and sheetrock from water damage, we can fix it. We are experienced with all types of repairs and textures and know how to blend them well. Sheetrock cracks must be properly taped, bedded and textured rather than just spackled. If you merely spackle a crack, it will reappear quickly, requiring repair and repainting. It’s best to make the repairs correctly the first time.

Carpentry

We install and replace all types of trim. Many customers like to add crown molding to some or all of the rooms to enhance their home’s interior appearance. We replace rotten or termite-damaged trim. We also occasionally replace trim damaged by the beloved family pet.

Surface Preparation: Priming

Interior priming does more than just make paint coverage better. It actually works as a stain blocker by preventing underlying issues, such as water stains, from bleeding through. It also helps the paint absorb evenly into the wood and sheetrock surface so the finished product’s sheen appears even. Some painters use leftover paint as a primer. Although this is sometimes harmless, it is generally better to use a primer formulated for the specific application.

Surface Preparation: Sanding

Sanding glossy paint trim is important because it scores the surface, helping the new paint bond well to the old paint. We lightly sand and clean all trim before painting. We have seen many jobs where the “do-it-yourselfer” or previous painter failed to sand the trim, resulting in peeling paint, which requires stripping and repainting, a labor-intensive process best avoided by sanding and cleaning trim and cabinets prior to painting.

Painting

With all the masking, surface preparation, and repairs complete, paint application is usually a snap, but you still need to know what you are doing to avoid costly repainting. There are different techniques to applying various paints, which are necessary to ensure a good looking finish. Many paints boast one coat coverage. That might be the case when repainting with the same color, but it is rare when changing colors. We quote your job on the number of coats it will require, so we need to know if you want a color change in advance. We offer a full line of decorative textures.

Cleanup

When all the painting is done, we clean up the mess. No, we do not fill up your trash cans. We haul off the trash and dispose of it properly so you don’t have to look at or deal with it. We also put the furniture back where it goes.
Final Inspection and Walk-Through
We always perform a final walk-through with the homeowner through each area to ensure job completion and quality.

Payment

We ask for 50% progress payments before job start. We are a COD company and collect final payment at job completion.

**If your home was built before 1978, EPA lead regulations require a different process for painting your home.

Deck & Fence Staining

We only use top-line oil-based stains. Not all stains are equal. It is important to use a tried and true stain that will protect your wood for more than a few months. Whether your fence or deck is brand new and simply needs some color and protection from the elements or is showing signs of age, we can make it look great.