What this job really involves
An exterior paint job fights the weather every day after the crew leaves. Sun breaks down the surface, rain and snow get behind any crack, and wood swells and shrinks through the seasons. The coating only holds if it goes onto a clean, dry, sound surface in conditions the paint can handle. That's why most of a good exterior job is washing, scraping, repairing and priming, with the top coats near the end.
Washing and scraping
Old exterior paint collects dirt, mildew and chalk, the powdery residue that comes off on your hand. New paint over any of that can fail early. Most painters wash the house first and let it dry. Then loose and peeling paint is scraped back to a firm edge, and rough edges are sanded so they don't show through. Ask how the house will be washed. Pressure on old wood, soft stucco or around windows can force water where it shouldn't go.
Repairs and caulking
Painting over rot doesn't fix it. Soft trim, window sills and lower siding boards should be repaired or replaced before paint. Gaps at trim joints, around windows and doors, and at corners usually get caulked so water can't get behind the siding. Some gaps are meant to stay open, like the bottom edges of lapped siding, so ask what the painter will seal and what they'll leave alone.
Primer on bare surfaces
Bare wood, new repairs and some old chalky or stained surfaces need primer before the top coats. Knots and some woods can bleed through without the right primer. Ask which spots will be spot-primed and whether any surface will get a full coat of primer.
Wood, fiber cement and vinyl siding
Each kind of siding has its own needs. Wood siding needs sound paint, primed bare spots and well-sealed joints. Fiber cement usually takes paint well when it's clean and the right coating is used. Vinyl siding can be painted, but dark colors can absorb enough heat from the sun to make some vinyl warp, so many paint makers sell colors made for vinyl. Ask the painter what the siding maker and the paint maker recommend for your siding and color.
Stucco
Stucco is porous and textured, so it takes more paint and more time than smooth siding. Cracks should be repaired with a material made for stucco before painting. Newer stucco needs time to cure before it's painted, and some coatings for masonry let moisture escape from the wall better than others. Elastomeric coatings can bridge fine cracks but are thicker and may trap moisture if used in the wrong place. Ask what coating the painter plans to use on your stucco and why.
Weather and timing
Every exterior paint has a minimum temperature on its label, and many also warn against painting in direct hot sun, before rain, or when dew will settle before the paint has set. Damp siding holds paint poorly. A painter who reschedules for weather is protecting the finish. Ask how they decide whether a day is good enough to paint, and what happens to the schedule if it rains.
Height and access
Second-story walls, steep lots, gables and dormers need ladders, scaffolding or lifts, and take longer. Plants along the foundation may need tying back. Ask how the crew will reach high areas and what they'll protect around the house.
Older homes
If the house was built before 1978, exterior paint layers may contain lead. Scraping and sanding can spread paint chips and dust into the soil and onto porches. Ask the painter how they test for lead and how they contain and clean up chips. The EPA explains the federal rules for paid work that disturbs paint in older homes.
Questions to ask
- How will you wash the house, and how long will it dry before painting?
- How do you handle peeling paint, and how far will you scrape?
- Who repairs rotten trim or siding, and is that in the price?
- What will you caulk, and what will you leave open?
- What paint and primer will you use on my siding or stucco?
- What weather will you paint in, and what happens if it rains?
- If the house was built before 1978, how do you handle paint that may contain lead?