Find an Exterior Painter Near Me
There are lots of great reasons to paint the exterior of your home. You might be thinking about selling in the near future and are looking to increase your property value. Or you’ve noticed that the outside of your house is peeling and faded, making it appear shabby compared to the rest of the neighborhood. Not only does repainting make the house look better, but it provides an added layer of protection that helps to keep weather and pests from damaging the underlying structure.
If you’ve decided it’s time to improve your curb appeal and give the exterior of your home a fresh, new look, be sure to use Great Guys Painting to find the perfect contractor in your hometown. Just one click will provide you with a variety of quotes from licensed, insured painting contractors who can do the job properly. Click now for free quotes in just minutes!
Exterior House Painting Services
Whether you live in a warm, sunny climate or a place prone to inclement conditions, your home’s exterior is going to take a beating over time. Sooner or later, it will be time to paint your house and you’ll want to find a reliable, licensed contractor to do the job properly.
Great Guys Painting can get you estimates for exterior painting services such as:
Deck & Fence Painting and Staining
Your deck and fences are an extension of your home. You want them to look great and last a long time so you don’t need to constantly make repairs. Painting and staining will not only protect the wood but bring out the natural beauty of the materials. Decks and fences take a beating from the elements. The excess sun can dry out the wood, making it prone to crumbling and warping. And months of snow and rain can cause water to seep into the boards, resulting in swelling and potential mold or mildew growth. The best way to protect these exterior structures is to hire a professional exterior painter to seal and either stain or paint them. They will look terrific and last for much longer.
Patios and Railings
Patios, like decks, are exposed to the elements and sustain great damage from both the sun and the rain. If you’re looking to add some color to concrete patio flooring, you can hire experts who will either paint with epoxy-based paints which provide high durability and stain resistance, or acid stain, which seeps into the concrete’s pores to become a part of the concrete surface. To protect the structural integrity and overall appearance of railings you’ll want to have them professionally stripped, and either stained with a water- or oil-based stain, depending on the environment, or painted. When painting, you will probably want to go with a high-quality, water-based latex paint which is more flexible than oil-based paints and can withstand wood’s moisture fluctuations better.
Power Washing & Prep
One of the most important forms of maintenance you can perform to prolong the life of your home’s exterior is power washing. Whether you’re preparing to paint your home, in which case you’ll want a clean surface, or just remove layers of dirt and grime, power washing is the easiest, fastest option. A power washer uses a high-pressure stream of very hot water to blast away dirt and debris from your home’s exterior. The hoses on a power washer clean with water jets pressurized at 100–200 times the pressure of the air around us (1500–3000lbs per square inch). The combination of the high pressure and the temperature of the water guarantees that even the hardest to remove debris will be dislodged from surfaces.
Stucco Repairs & Painting
Stucco is one of the most popular and inexpensive forms of siding you can use to treat the exterior of your home. Stucco—a mixture of Portland cement, sand, and water—performs well because it has a natural resistance to fire, lasts a long time, and requires very little maintenance. But, like any siding material, there will be times when you need to repair cracks and broken areas in your stucco, or you may want to freshen its look with a new coat of paint. Great Guys Painting can help you find stucco experts in your area who will be able to patch your stucco seamlessly and paint the area to match. Or they can refresh the entire exterior with a brand new paint job.
Siding
- Brick: Painting old, faded brick can quickly give it new life. First, it needs to be cleaned with soapy water and a stiff-bristled brush. Next, a coat of latex primer will be applied, prepping the surface. When choosing the paint, experts advise going with elastodynamic paint to fill and cover cracks.
- Wood: If you have wood siding, like clapboard or shingles, the pros will prep it for painting by first power washing to remove old dirt and debris, repairing holes, sanding patched areas, applying a coat of primer, caulking and sealing cracks, and then applying a couple of coats of exterior paint.
- Fiber Cement: If you’re looking to repaint fiber cement siding, the steps are the same as with wood. First, the painters will clean the surface. Then, if there are gaps in the plank seams, those will be re-caulked. Once everything dries, it can be painted with high-quality exterior grade acrylic latex paint.
- Vinyl: Older types of vinyl siding did not accept re-painting well as the paint wouldn’t absorb well and would quickly peel and crack. But modern vinyl siding covers easily if you use acrylic latex paints (specifically, those containing urethane). These are considered “vinyl safe” and don’t typically need a primer coat.
- Aluminum: Aluminum siding can be painted any color with the right prep. The first step is to clean the siding, then scrape off peeling paint, apply two coats of metal primer, and then paint with 100% acrylic latex paint. Aluminum siding typically requires two coats of paint to look its best.
Exterior Trim
Crisply-painted trim on a home’s exterior gives it a cared-for, high-value look that is extremely desirable. If you’ve noticed your trim is looking faded or the paint is peeling, it might be time for some TLC. Great Guys Painting can connect you to painters in your area who specialize in performing this meticulous, detail-oriented work. First, they will thoroughly clean all surfaces to be painted. Then they will scrape off any peeling paint using a scraper. Existing holes and cracks will be filled with exterior wood filler and sanded when fully dried. Any gaps between the trim and the siding will be caulked and then you’re ready to paint. Homeowners typically prefer a semi-gloss exterior paint as it highlights fewer imperfections than a high-gloss finish.
Fascia and Eavestrough
Eavestrough, soffit, and fascia are all important sections of a home’s roof. Eavestrough, also known as rain gutters, collects rain and melted snow and drains it away from the house through downspouts. Soffit runs along the bottom of the roof and fills the space between the roof and eavestrough, protecting the house from the elements. Fascia boards cover the space between the soffit and the roof, protecting your house from water. All of these pieces work together as a protective barrier and must be properly maintained with regular priming and painting to keep them impermeable to moisture. Painting your roofing structure is difficult, however, and is best left to professionals who are used to getting up on ladders or scaffolds and accessing these hard-to-reach areas.
Garage Doors
Most homes have a garage door that faces the street. If it looks shabby, it brings down the overall appearance of the home. Rather than replacing it, you may want to have the door repainted. A painting contractor’s first step will be to clean the door thoroughly. Then, they’ll release the automatic opener so it can open and close manually. Next, if there are any rust spots, they should be scrubbed down and patched. When painting, they’ll start from the top row, utilizing an exterior paint and primer in one with a satin finish. As each row is completed, they’ll push the garage door back a section until reaching the bottom. The door will then dry in the open position, preventing drips in the driveway.
Exterior Painting Process
So, you’ve made the decision to paint the exterior of your home. How do you get started?
- Most importantly, weather conditions make a big difference when painting a home. Too hot or too cold and the paint won’t cure properly. Generally, the best time to paint your house is in late spring or early autumn
- First, you’ll get as many estimates as you’d like from Great Guys Painting from painting contractors in your area. Ask around. Maybe your friends and neighbors have used some of these folks. See who they recommend and then check their reviews online.
- Once you’ve chosen a likely candidate, you’ll want to get a detailed estimate. Have each contractor come to your home and inspect it from bottom to top. Ask them to outline each section of the painting job and give you a breakdown of what everything will cost. If the estimate works for you, move on to the contract stage. If you’re under a time constraint, make sure to have them include a deadline with a “Time is of the Essence” clause to ensure the job’s timely completion.
- Once the painters arrive, they will begin by power washing the dirt and debris off the home’s exterior. Then they’ll remove any old, peeling paint by using a power sander or electric paint remover.
- If there are any holes or other damage to the exterior, it will be fixed before painting can begin. Rust will be removed and mold and mildew scrubbed away.
- Any areas that are not to be painted, like windows and doors, will be masked off with plastic sheeting and painter’s tape.
- The contractors will calculate the amount of paint needed, and then prime the surface, matching the type of primer to the type of paint.
- Depending on the size of the house, the painters will paint using either a sprayer or rollers. Brushes will most likely be utilized in areas requiring more precision. If there is a lot of area to cover, the painters may choose to employ the “paint and roll-back” technique where one person covers with a sprayer and another uses a roller to spread the paint, quickly and evenly.
- Typically, painters choose to paint the siding first, followed by the trim. This ensures that the larger areas get covered first. They’ll work from the top down, covering any drips along the way, and left to right so they can see any missed spots as they go.
- Once the first coat dries, they’ll add a second to ensure smooth and even coverage. This is especially important if the house is being painted a bright or vibrant color.
- After the siding is dry, the contractors will paint the trim. This takes a while due to the level of precision required. It is advised to pay special attention to windowsills as they receive the most exposure to the sun and are prone to drying and cracking. These may require 2-3 coats of paint.
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Tired of your house looking old and tired? Give it new life with a fresh coat of paint. Get free quotes from licensed painting contractors in your area quickly and easily with Great Guys Painting!
