What sheen do you recommend for exterior painting?
A: Satin is the sheen most recommended for exteriors. Using a flat will retain water, causing mildew and premature paint failure (Efflorescence).
What is the remedy for any flaking or bubbling paint on the exterior of my house?
A: Remove all loose paint with high pressure cleaning and scraping. Loose ends should be blended in with an elastomeric patch, areas primed, then painted.
What is the difference between paint vs stain?
A: Stain is translucent, which allows the wood veining and texture to show through. Paint is a solid coating, utilized as a topical product, and is designed to encapsulate the substrate. Stain does not hold up as well as paint.
Do you caulk the expansion joints on hardie board siding?
A: Hardie Board websites recommend not caulking in vertical lines at the joints, as to allow expansion and contraction. They do recommend caulking the ends that meet the corners of the home. Horizontal boards are never to be caulked in to allow moisture to fall through.
Do you have someone who can help choose paint colors?
A: Yes, we can offer suggestions! We also suggest grabbing a color swatch from your chosen paint manufacturer, which will help tremendously in picking a suitable color for your home.
Why is my paint peeling on my trim on the interior of my house?
A: Typically, it is due to improper preparation, or the wrong products used on the prior coating.
What is the difference between flat paint vs eggshell?
A: Eggshell allows for easier cleaning and durability in high-traffic areas. Flat paint is almost never recommended outside of rooms that people don’t go into frequently, as it scuffs, and stains much more easily than paint utilizing a sheen and tends to wear quicker as well.
What do I have to do to prepare my interior rooms for painting?
A: All we ask is that any items on or around the walls be moved away in order to allow our painters easy access to the areas of the home being painted. Remove any nails from holes you would like patched as well. If assistance is needed in moving some heavier furniture around, our painters will be glad to help!
What prep work do you do before painting interior trim and doors?
A: We will caulk any separation in any trim elements, and then sand it with 220 grit sandpaper. Afterwards, we will wipe it all down with denatured alcohol to promote adhesion of the paint.
What paint/manufacturer do you recommend for Interior painting?
A: We have several manufacturers that we use, which all have different levels of products. We will coordinate with each customer to make sure that their needs are met, and that they are satisfied with the service that we provide.
Are you able to paint the fascia and soffits?
A: Yes, if you apply the paint using a spray application and a fine finish spray-tip, you will not have to worry about the holes in the soffits being clogged.
How many coats of paint do you apply when painting an exterior?
A: This is one of our most frequently asked questions. Please understand that just because a contractor says they will apply two coats or three coats of paint, the most important item you should be concerned about is that the proper thickness of paint is applied to the structure. Most standard exterior paints require the paint to be applied at 4.0 mills(wet) to be in accordance with the manufacturer warranty. This is what Lou Phillips Painting guarantees to our customers.
Do you back-roll?
A: We are happy to provide any service requested by the homeowner, however in most cases exterior painting projects do not require back-rolling the paint. With the proper spray techniques such as over-lapping your spray lines by 50%, and spraying the area in all directions, you will be able to guarantee that the paint is applied to all nooks and crannies of the surface. In certain cases, if the texture on the walls is severe, a “true back-roll” would be beneficial.
What paint manufacturer do you use/recommend?
A: Our company has accounts with all manufacturers, and we are happy to use any paint requested by the homeowner. However, we do highly recommend Florida Paints. Even though they might not be as well-known as Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore; Florida Paints makes their products specifically for our sub-tropical climate. All their paints have great additives for mold/mildew and color retention properties to help with color fading. With pricing being competitive to the other manufacturers, we feel that Florida Paints will provide the best protection for the best price in our Florida climate.
Will the chemicals you use when pressure-washing the house kill my plants?
A: When pressure-washing a house, we make sure to use a TSP solution. In order to ensure there is no damage to plants or landscaping, we saturate all surrounding areas with water before applying the solution to the building. Once the section is cleaned, we then rinse off the landscaping to ensure no chemical residue is remaining.
Why do we prime or seal before painting exteriors?
A: This application is to promote adhesion of the new coat of paint to the old surface. It is imperative to reduce the chance of peeling paint in the future.
We provide a project manager and a foreman on every job… why?
A: The project manager is your liaison to the foreman, and the paint crew to ensure your project is completed to your wishes and specifications.
Can you paint pool or lanai decks, and what products do we use?
A: We provide an excellent cost-effective solution to make your pool or front porch concrete decks look fantastic. We will clean the surface, repair the cracks with elastomeric, prime the deck to promote adhesion, and top coat it with a high quality deck paint utilizing an anti-skid additive.
What type of repairs are you able to provide or do you have any referral?
A: Upon our free estimate visit, we can advise you if the nature of your repairs can be handled by our staff. If your home needs extensive repairs, we will advise you of the best means to proceed, and even have several contractors we can refer to you for assistance.
