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.