Each exterior painting job starts with a complete exterior pressure washing. We treat all surfaces with a bleach solution to neutralize all mold and mildew. Surfaces are then washed clean. Remember to close all windows and doors tightly.
Trimming bushes back 6 inches to 1 foot away from the surface to be painted is best for us to obtain access to our work. We will do a walk through so you can point out special plants or bushes for us to watch out for and stay clear of. This also a good time for you to shut off any sprinkler systems on timers. Leave them off for at least a couple of days after painting is complete to allow paint to cure. We remove shutters if you have them so we can paint behind and paint them too if desired. Shutters will be re-installed after paintng.
After washing the home or building is allowed to dry.
This is the point where Top Dawg will provide sample colors for the surface of your home or building. Picking colors from a color card can be difficult. When you see it on the surface to be painted it makes a big difference. If its not the color you thought, you usually know which way to go (color-wise) from there.
Finishes will be discussed, do you prefer a flat or satin finish? There are benefits to both. Satin finish is a sealed finish with a shine. When your home is complete it will look like a new present. Satin may have variations in the amount of shine that can be noticed when viewing at and angle. This will allow you to wash the surface if dirt gets on paint. Flat finishes help hide imperfections in the surface, such as peeled areas. And some people prefer the look of traditional flat paint. Velvet is a finish offered by Miller paint and is in between flat and satin and Sherwin-Williams offers a low-sheen which is equivalent to a velvet finish. We provide up to 6 free samples per job. There may be a charge for more than 6 samples.
We proudly use Miller, Benjamin Moore and Rodda paints on our projects. We use only their top-quality paints. You can see more on our Products page.
We then scrape all loose paint. After scraping we sand all scraped and peeled areas. Feathering the edges of peeling areas will help to keep the edge of the old paint from peeling in the future.
We tape off or cover all areas to be kept clean of paint. When Top Dawg is finished painting your project there will be not a drop of paint anywhere it is not supposed to be.
A thick coat of top-quality primer is applied to all bare wood and is always brushed or rolled in to surface.
Any old loose caulking will be removed and we re-caulk around all door and window frames and between pieces of siding as needed. This is another important step in providing a sound painted surface.
Finish paint is applied to the surface. At Top Dawg we do not skimp on quality or quantity. We never thin paint by adding water. Paint is applied right out of the can.
We apply the paint by literally flooding the surface. We then back-brush and or back-roll paint into the surface. This will push paint in to the wood creating a maximum bond to the surface and filling cracks. A 2nd build coat is applied to build paint up on the surface for the wind and rain to beat on, but protecting the home or building for many years. We allow for full drying of the first coat before the 2nd coat is applied. Some contractors Spray more paint on over the back-rolled 1st coat while it is still wet and call it a 2nd coat. That is not a 2nd coat.
We then apply an alternate trim color to all desired surfaces to be painted trim color. It helps if you can determine what will be painted trim color at time of bidding as this will affect price.
All entry doors are prepared and repainted as desired. Using a 3rd color for front entry door and maybe address numbers and some other areas at or near the entrance adds to the dress up of your home.
We always clean up and haul away garbage from your property.
Because we do such a thorough job our bid might be a little more expensive than some others, but will be more cost effective in the long run. Our paint jobs last the longest and look great for many years.
Our work is backed by a 3 year warranty against peeling, cracking and blistering. We provide touch up at no charge. To help preserve the integrity of the coating and get the full length of life out of it, be sure to lightly wash the surface once a year (no chemicals). We can help with this if needed.
If you contact us for an estimate, you will be receiving a proposal in the mail or hearing from me by phone within a couple of days.