Procedure for a High Quality Exterior Paint job
While nobody wants to pay more than they have to for anything; most people prefer high quality services and results. You want to “get what you pay for”, but in the painting industry, that doesn’t always happen. If you plan to hire a professional, this will give you insight as to how SPEEDY-CLEAN Painting & Pressure Washing would handle the project.
Pressure washing
After a careful inspection to identify any necessary repairs, we start with a thorough cleaning. We use large scale commercial pressure washers with soap injection, removing any pealing paint that will come off. We go a step beyond here, removing window screens and brush cleaning them and the windows. Our machines are connected to water softeners which greatly reduce spotting as the glass dries. The windows come out looking very nice and really compliment your new paint job.
Repairs
Hopefully you won’t need any major repairs. However, small areas of dry rot are very common and usually easily repaired. Significant damage may require removing and replacing sections of siding and trim. If this is the case we are well qualified and equipped to get your property back to top condition. Now is the time to correct any issues. The repairs will protect your investment and improve the look and longevity of the paint job.
Pre-Paint Preparation
We never skimp on preparing the surface for paint, as this is a critical part of the process. the best paint in the world won’t make a bit of difference if the surface hasn’t been properly prepared. It has been said that preparation is 90% of the job and the actual painting is 10%. We start by scraping any remaining loose or peeling paint. Sanders are used to help smooth the surface as well as remove any failing paint.
Primer to any bare wood and repair areas. A quality bonding primer or oil based primers are recommended depending on what type of surface it is. We usually do all the caulking after the primer has been applied. Primer makes the areas that need caulk more visible, and the caulk will adhere better to the primer. We only use high quality caulk and plenty of it. Caulk is applied to help seal the house from moisture as well as improve the appearance. It is important that the trim above windows and doors are caulked well. Underneath of the trim is usually not caulked however. This allows any moisture to have a way out, which can be equally important.
Masking
We won’t go to far into the masking process here. We always have plenty of masking paper, tape, plastic, and drop cloths. A good quality hand masker is important as well. Basically anything that doesn’t get painted will be protected.
Painting
After all the previous stages have been completed; it’s finally ready to apply paint. You will get to see the fruits of our labor, although there is still plenty of labor left. There are several methods used to paint exteriors, but we won’t get too far into it here. Rather; we will just point out a few tools and several rules we always follow.
- We only use high quality paint and don’t skimp on amounts or water it down.
- We’re always applying two coats, but on rare occasion a third coat may be required.
- The tools for applying paint are: Airless Sprayer, brush and rollers. When using an airless sprayer we usually back roll as well. We do not count the back rolling as a second coat however.
As far as sheens go; the glossier the sheen the better the protection. We usually use a satin sheen on exterior walls. Trim and doors are done in satin or semi gloss. We also use a Urethane trim paint for better protection. We try to avoid flat paint and use Low Luster for Customer’s who don’t want any sheen. We use high quality paint that will still hold up well in flat however. Considering the heat in Chico and surrounding areas, having some sheen is a good practice and adds protection.
In Conclusion
If you want to make it easy on yourself and insure the job is done right, contact us today! SPEEDY-CLEAN Painting & Pressure washing. We look forward to hearing from you and completing your project on time and on budget. Serving Chico and surrounding areas of Butte County including Durham CA. Have your house painted….Feel Better!
