Setting Expectations
When it comes to an exterior repaint, the below outlines our procedure for doing an exterior paint job on your home.
The extensive preparation and premium quality products are key to producing a 12-15 year paint job.
Cleaning the substrate with Jomax is required to eliminate mildew spores and dirt.
The cleaning solution has bleach in it, and is applied with a sprayer. Please remove outdoor patio cushions, umbrellas, BBQ , hot tub covers and window screens for safe keeping. We need all vegetation trimmed back 12” from the house, prior to our arrival to power wash.
We may use an oscillating tip to power wash your home. This will remove the failed paint. Depending on the amount of failure, this may create a rain of paint chips in your yard. We will rake, sweep, vacuum at the end of the job and get as much, as is possible.
The power washing can take all day, depending on the size of your home. We ask that someone be in the home to watch for seepage under doors and around windows. Sprinklers turned off and it’s greatly appreciated that all pet waste be removed daily.
The house is allowed to dry, 3-5 days. A moisture meter is used to determine if the wood is still wet. Moisture level needs to be lower than 15% before applying paint.
Preparation consists of sanding all failed paint off the substrate. We use power sanders and sand by hand. We spend a great deal of time in the sanding process. Failed paint left on the substrate can lift off your new paint. The sanding dust is removed with high pressure air and the substrate is wiped with a cloth. Contaminates left on the substrate would interfere with adhesion and likely cause premature paint failure.
An ample amount of caulking is applied to areas’ mentioned in the scope, the finger is used to gently push the caulking in the crack and then leave a smooth, straight line. We use butyl rubber caulking that has 300% elongation, for maximum expansion and contraction, providing an ideal moisture barrier.
We cover the windows, doors, brick, with tape, paper and plastic, protect the roof, concrete and plants with drop clothes. We will wrap light fixtures unless you plan on installing new. Please remove the fixtures on our first day of prep. We are not allowed to install your new fixtures, per insurance restrictions.
Primer and Paint; Primer is applied to all bare wood with a sprayer, back, brushed and rolled to insure proper penetration & mill build, and allowed to dry 4 hours or overnight if needed, to lock out cedar tannins. If the wood is not bare, primer is not necessary. The paint is self priming.
Paint is applied with a sprayer, back brushed and rolled. The first coat is allowed to dry a minimum of 2 hours, before applying the final coat. This is an important step. The first coat must dry completely, for the paint to do what it is designed to do; provide a protective layer. The millage is built upon layering.
Remember the prep is the foundation to providing a protective, long lasting paint job. Premature failure exists for a variety of reasons; most of them are due to improper preparation and application.
We specialize in preparing and painting the way it should be, and this takes time to do correctly.
Our cost typically falls in the middle, when compared to other contractors of the like.
Clean-up we rake beds of paint chips; we pick up every piece of tape, paper and plastic. We sweep and blow off surfaces, so you don’t have to.
For more information call us today at 425-488-1192
