Exterior Painting Preparation Standards

LEVEL 2: BASIC PAINTING PREPARATION
This level is recommended only if aesthetics are not critical, or you don’t need the job to last as long (still guaranteed for 2 years). Examples include: outbuildings, rentals etc.

  1. Wash all dirty areas with a detergent. This kills mildew and removes the dirt on the surface.
  2. Caulk cracks that have been caulked previously. Areas that are typically caulked: around window frames, door frames etc. This includes filling in where the caulk is missing or cracked (not including hairline cracks), it does not include removing and replacing caulk unless specified.
  3. Re-putty where previous putty is missing or loose. Putty is the product that holds the glass in the windows and keeps drafts from cooling your house in the winter. Level 2 preparation does not include filling hairline cracks in the putty.
  4. Scrape loose paint. Loose paint must be removed with a scraper until a firm edge is reached. Sanding is not included in this level.
  5. Prime bare wood. All bare wood needs to be sealed and protected.

LEVEL 3: STANDARD PAINTING PREPARATION
Level 3 preparation includes everything in level 2 above, but also includes sanding to all rough edges. We use a combination of power sanders (disk sanders, belt sanders) and/or hand sanding. This does not leave the surface completely smooth, but makes the edges less apparent. Be aware that we spend more time with the sanding of 1st floor areas and high profile sections than we do with 2nd and 3rd floor areas.

LEVEL 4: UPGRADE PAINTING PREPARTION
Level 4 is a step up from level 3 without going as far as total paint removal. This level can be performed on the entire house if you want a smoother “look” or just on high visibility areas of house.

  1. Heavy and light sanding to rough edges. We first go over rough areas with duty sanders as in level 3 preparation. Then we re-sand these areas with a lighter grit and “finishing sanders.” This makes for a much smoother surface.
  2. Fill hairline cracks in putty work with caulk. This makes the putty work much “cleaner” and more aesthetically pleasing.
  3. Remove and replace caulk that is rough. This makes the edges of the trim much cleaner.

LEVEL 5: COMPLETE PAINT REMOVAL
This includes full paint removal and starting from scratch. This is recommended only in high visibility areas. This level is most often applied to front doors, garage doors, door frames and window sills.

This level includes everything in level 4 plus:

  1. Total removal of paint to bare wood.
  2. Sand entire surface until smooth. Similar to techniques used in level 4 preparation.
  3. Fill all holes and cracks with wood filler.
  4. Re-caulk all seams.
  5. Prime entire surface.
  6. Very light sand before finish coat is applied.