Exterior Painting

Exterior Preparation – Wood Only

• Set all nails below surface using a hammer and nail set. Putty, sand and prime.
• Scrape any paint that will come off with a scraper.
• Sand all wood and paint with 80/120/150 grit paper and/or power sanders. Removing more, and feathering paint.
• Spackle all rough areas and defects on siding and trim as agreed upon or specified. Generally most, especially around entrances, porches, etc.
• Caulk all seams, cracks, etc. 60 year acrylic latex caulk.
• Prime all bare wood, repairs, and any bare area.
• Sand all primer by hand.
• Clean all areas. Apply paint by brush or airless sprayer — first coat of high end exterior paint.
• Check for defects, and caulk, fill, hand sand lightly as necessary.
• Apply by airless sprayer or brush second coat exterior paint.

Exterior Preparation – Hardie Board and Wood Composites

• Set any nails that are not at the surface. Putty, spot sand and prime as needed.
• Scrape any paint that will come off with a scraper. (Sanding is not recommended on composite wood or Hardie board.)
• Spackle all rough areas and defects on siding and trim as agreed upon or specified. Generally most, especially around entrances, porches, etc.
• Caulk all seams, cracks, etc. Using 60 year caulk.
• Clean all areas. Apply paint by brush or airless sprayer — first coat of high end exterior paint.
• Check for defects, and caulk, fill, hand sand lightly as necessary.
• Apply by airless sprayer or brush second coat exterior paint.

Exterior Preparation – Stucco

• Repair/caulk stucco cracks as specified.
• Spackle all rough areas and defects on siding and trim as agreed upon or specified. Generally most, especially around entrances, porches, etc.
• Caulk all seams, cracks, etc. Using elastomeric caulk with texture to mimic finish.
• Clean all areas. Apply paint by brush or airless sprayer then back roll or back brush — first coat of high end exterior paint.
• Check for defects, and caulk, fill, hand sand lightly as necessary.
• Apply by airless sprayer or brush then back roll or back brush — second coat of exterior elastomeric exterior paint.

Exterior Preparation – Metal

• Scrape any paint that will come off with a scraper.
• Sand all metal and loose paint with 150/180 grit paper and power sanders. Removing more, and feathering paint.
• Prime all bare metal, repairs, and any rust spots with an anti-corrosive DTM (Direct to Metal) Primer.
• Sand all primer by hand.
• Clean all areas. Apply by brush or roll first coat exterior DTM (Direct to Metal) paint. In certain situations an airless sprayer can be used.
• Check for defects, and hand sand lightly if necessary.
• Apply by brush or roll second coat of exterior DTM (Direct to Metal) paint. In certain situations an airless sprayer can be used.

Exterior Preparation – Decks, Smooth Wood and Rough Cut Wood

• Set all nails below surface. Set all screws below surface as needed.
• Sand all smooth wood removing any failing stain. (It is not recommended to sand rough cut boards.)
• Stain with agreed upon type of stain (Translucent, Semi-transparent, Semi-solid, Solid or Specialty stain).
• Apply manufacturer’s recommended number of coats guaranteeing good coverage. (Keep in mind that all wood stains differently; if you want an even, uniform look you want to paint not stain.)

We do not provide lead abatement services. For homes built before 1978, lead-safe testing or remediation may be required before preparation or painting begins.

Probability of Lead Paint by Age of Home:

• Before 1940: 87% of homes likely contain lead paint.
• 1940–1960: 69% chance of containing lead paint.
• 1960–1978: 24% chance of containing lead paint.
• After 1978: Very low risk.