For houses, big cities are a toxic environment. Pollution dirties and discolors exteriors. Acidic particles in the atmosphere attack stone, causing deterioration of the surface. This toxic environment may extend to nearby cities and towns as well as the suburbs that surround the city. The best exterior protection of a building is paint. Paint weathers and needs to be replaced. On tall buildings this can be exhausting and time consuming, as well as somewhat dangerous as to falls and other accidents. The home or business owner is urged and is prudent to hire a professional painter. Jeff the Painter outlines some of the reasons why below!

Pressure Wash Before Painting

First step is to power wash the exterior to get rid of the dirt and grime that has accumulated over the years. Dried, weathered oxidized and curling paint must be removed or sanded smooth. The building’s surface may require repairs and preparation for painting.

Water Sealant for Wood

Any wooden trim or door frames cannot touch the ground. The wood is exposed to the water pooling on the concrete, and absorbs the water. This action creates swollen and split wood due to the wetting and drying cycle. Wood rot and fungus can infect this area close to the ground. The wood needs to be trimmed so that it does not make direct contact. A good idea is to use a paintable water sealant.

Can Rotted Wood Be Repaired?

Does your wood trim have any dark gray or black spots? Probe these areas with a nail. If the nail can be pushed into the spot by hand it is wood rot. Failure to penetrate indicates discolored but sound wood. You will need to sand the discoloration down to the natural wood, as the discolored parts will not hold the paint. Caulking is applied around window, doors, and trim to keep out moisture and to seal the cracks preventing heat to escape. Any small gaps or cracks over 1/8 of an inch need to be caulked with a paintable exterior caulking compound. You need to scrape and sand all of the wooden components. This can be arduous and time consuming. For proper results this should be left to the pro. Inspect stucco walls for cracks or patches that need repair. Any wood siding will follow the above listed procedure for the wood trim, window and door frames.

What is Masking when Painting?

All window and doors need to be “masked”. Masking uses paper and tape to cover the areas so that they will not receive any paint splatter or overspray from the walls.

Interior & Exterior House Painting & More in San Marcos, Vista, Oceanside, Encinitas, Carlsbad & Escondido, California

Many do not relish exterior home painting. It requires expert knowledge, tools and equipment and experience. An expert’s familiarity of the products is needed to repair and prepare the surface for painting. Wisdom with respect to the needed paint characteristics is necessary to select the correct product for application. Not all projects and materials are equal. Some products perform better under explicit circumstances than others. Any failure will disappoint. A professional will be familiar with the project needs and what materials to use for long life and a pleasing and attractive paint job. Not willing to go it alone? Call the professionals at Jeff the Painter for a consultation, we would appreciate the opportunity to serve you.