Exterior Paint Removal

I wish there were a way around this step but in the world of good paint preparation, removing loose paint and preparing the surface will always involve hand scraping and sanding. As mentioned earlier, even with power washing you will still have to scrape and sand to properly prepare the surface since not all loose paint is removed with a power washer.

• Only work on removing paint and sanding when the paint is dry. There are several tools you can use including a paint scraper, putty knife, heat gun paint remover, sandpaper and sanding block.
• To start scraping you find the weak link. Using a 6"-8" wide putty knife, find the loosest part of the peeling paint and get under it and lift and scrape.
• Use the corner of the putty knife to dig and chip at corners of the bad paint to remove as much poorly adhered paint as possible. You can try wire brushes too, but I've found they work only on the looser paint and you need the hard edge of a scraper or putty knife to really remove loose paint.
• A detail scraper is another scraping tool you may use to scrape away at loose paint in small detailed areas like around molding.
• On wood siding make sure you don't gouge the wood with scraping.
• A heat gun paint remover can be used to loosen thicker paint. Just make sure to keep the heat gun moving to avoid excessive heat build up. As the paint softens, scrape it loose with a putty knife.

Once the loose paint is scraped away and all remaining paint has good bond to the surface, the next step is to sand the surfaces where paint has been removed. It is important to feather or blend and minimize the hard edge visible at the seam of where paint has been removed and where it remains. Feathering is especially important on wood siding since siding is smoother than say a painted brick surface and surface irregularities are more noticeable on smooth siding.

• Before sanding fill in any cracks, holes or gouges with exterior epoxy wood filler and let dry.
• If you have large areas that need patching, either replace the wood or if it's not that serious, you can try an automotive body filler instead of wood filler.
• With the paint scraped and the holes filled, you are ready to sand. Start with about an 80 grit sandpaper and an orbital power sander for larger areas.
• For smaller sanding areas, a sanding block with hand sanding works well. Use about 120 grit sandpaper in these areas.
• Sand areas smooth working to feather and eliminate all hard edges.

Once the surface is scraped and sanded and the surrounding landscape area is protected with cloth drop cloths, it's time to give your house a good washing. Cleaning the surface free of dirt, grease, loose or flaking paint is essential for the primer and paint to properly adhere to the substrate.

• Remove your home's window screens, storm doors and storm windows and anything else that should not get painted.
• If you have a power washer use it at the lowest pressure possible while still cleaning the surface of dirt. Use a wide spread fan tip and NEVER place the tip close to the wall surface. Remember, you can do serious damage to your exterior wall if improperly used.
• If you're going to wash the house by hand it's worth it to get a car wash brush unit that gets attached to the garden hose to help make shorter work of this task.
• Put on your eye protection and in a bucket mix water and trisodium phosphate (TSP) to clean the wall surface and degloss any existing paint. Be careful using TSP, it is a powerful chemical.
• Work from the top of your house down. Rinse each section you complete with clean water.

If your house has any areas of mildew, you must kill the mildew with a mildew cleaner or make your own solution using bleach and water.
Once the house has been washed and cleaned, let the house dry. This is very important or else the paint will peel prematurely ruining the entire project. Not letting the house dry before painting is a common cause of paint failure.

• If you're going to paint with latex paint, then wait at least one day.
• If you're using oil based paint then you need to wait at least one week before you paint.
• If you have used a power washer at high pressure to clean and remove loose paint, then you may have to extend these drying time recommendations depending how wet the wall surface became.

Caulk gaps around windows, doors, between siding, molding, columns, etc. If you have wood siding, look for nail heads that may be sticking up a little bit. If you find any, nail them back down using a nail countersink and putty the hole.
Once you've completed these tasks, you're now ready to paint with the confidence that you have done a professional job in paint preparation and your paint job will last many years.

If all this sounds like alot, thats because it is. You must follow all these steps for you project to turn out right. For a free professional estimate, from a local Colorado Springs painter, call Bart Rafferty @ 719- 492-3176

Do it yourself Stucco Repair

The reason most homeowners paint their stucco is because the cost of restucco is more than just hiring a painter to paint over the existing stucco. Although seemingly less expensive up front, the misconception that painting is cheaper couldn't be more wrong. Here's why...Once, usually within 2 to 3 years, the paint starts decaying, chaulking and peeling. Cost of stucco repairs are subject to the amount of repairs needed, the age of the stucco and the difficulty of the job.

The range should start at a minimum of $300 for anything up to about 50 SF, plus about $5 per SF for the next 300 SF. As the amount of repairs increases, the SF cost should stabilize or decrease a little. New stucco should cost approximately $3.50 to $4.00 per SF.”
$400 is sort of reasonable as small repair jobs cost more (per sq ft) than large jobs.
Most contractors have a minimum charge and/or a charge for a service call.
That’s part of what drives the “do it yourself” market.
Get a couple of bids.
Be sure you get and check references.
Be sure your contractor carries liability insurance and workman’s comp for their employees.

Here are few other areas to cover in this article:

What is white-wash?
A. Getting your home "white-washed" is similar to getting your home painted. Typically when stucco is applied to an existing home there is a two-part process, a wash coat, and a texture coat. The problems that arise with only white-washing your home are the shortened life of the job, and the cost of future stucco repair and finishing. The reason stucco lasts so long is that the cement is also mixed with sand. Silica sand resists wear and weather for years, where a "white-wash" is just watery white cement brushed over the wall. This begins to chalk and wear within one year. To make things worse, just like painted stucco, it must be sandblasted off when a restucco is desired. A traditional stucco coating would consist of this same white-wash coat, however, over that another coat is applied consisting of a cement mixture including twice as much sand, thus creating strength and resistance to aging and weather. The white cement may also be colored for a pleasing look.

What is Kickout Flashing?
A. A critical location where moisture entry can do considerable damage is where a lower roof cornice stops in the middle of a stucco wall. Kick-outs should be fabricated with watertight seems and be big and broad enough to handle water run-off from a variety of roof pitches. Another critical element is the use of gutters to evacuate the water away from these sensitive locations. There are several local materials suppliers that now offer these kick-outs in both left and right versions. Installing the kick-out after the installation of the shingles is a very difficult procedure for the lather or stucco contractor to perform. For this reason it should be coordinated so that the kick-out is installed by the roofer as the shingles are being laid up. This "kick-out" flashing will help keep water from running down the new stucco wall and add life to the original appearance of your stucco.

It is best to get a qualified, professional to do stucco work as it gets very complicated and you want it done right the first time.

Click here for a free estimate from a local Colorado Springs stucco repair contractor. Or call Bart Rafferty or Rafferty Painting and Construction.

Colorad Springs Interior Painting

A room looks wonderful with a fresh coat of paint. But if you have a "Love-Hate" relationship with painting, you'll want to read our tips on getting a great finished product. You might even enjoy the project as much as the finished product! Don't try to get everything done in one day. Use the day before painting day to gather furniture in the center of the room, patch cracks and holes, put blue painter's tape around doors and windows, and cover wall and ceiling light fixtures (light bulbs removed, of course!) with large plastic bags. Now on to paint choices.

Latex paints

Latex Paints can be thinned with water and are easily applied. Compared to oil-based paints, the advantages of Latex paints are:

• Less odor
• Water cleanup
• Nonflammable
• Rapid drying
• Easy touchup
• Easy application, even on damp surfaces
• Better gloss and color retention (less fading) on exterior surfaces
• No yellowing on interior surfaces
• Remains more flexible and less brittle, which makes them less likely to crack and peel.

The disadvantage, especially of some lower-quality or promotional products, are poorer adhesion to blistered, peeling or chalking surfaces, and, in some cases, less-effective hiding qualities.
Latex paint films on wood allow moisture to evaporate through the film, reducing blistering.

Oil-Based Paints

Oil-based paints consist of a pigment in a vehicle made up of resins and thinners. When thinners evaporate, the resins form a hard coating while the pigment forms the color.
Major advantages of oil-based paint are:

• Better penetration of the surface
• Better adhesion
• Wearability
• Better flow and leveling
• Dry to a smoother finish with fewer brush or roller marks.

The disadvantages of oil-based paints are the odor, cleanup with solvents or thinners and longer drying time. Also, oil-based paints cannot be applied to moist surfaces.

Interior Paints And Enamels

Interior paints are available in flat (no shine), satin, semigloss and gloss (high shine).
Enamels provide a high-gloss washable finish for hard-wear areas or for rooms such as the bath and kitchen that require a high resistance to moisture, dirt and grease. Today, companies not only sell high-gloss, but eggshell or even flat enamels. Interior paints are sold in various formulations-oil based, alkyd based or synthetic based, latex, etc.
Flat paints usually have an alkyd- base that thins with turpentine or mineral spirits, or a latex base that thins with water. Latex paints are usually vinyl or acrylic based or a combination of the two.
Alkyd Flat paints may hide better with one coat than will comparable latex flats, but brushes and other tools must be washed with turpentine or a similar solvent. Latex flats spread easily, especially on porous surfaces, and seldom require a primer. Tools clean with water.
Flat wall paints are usually applied to ceilings and walls, except in kitchens and baths. Semigloss or gloss paints withstand the frequent washings required in these two rooms.
For windows, doors, wood trim and other woodwork, satin, semigloss or gloss enamels are recommended. These surfaces get more wear than walls, more fingerprints and soil. Because glossier enamels wash more readily, they are more desirable.
Semigloss Latex paints serve well as finishes for wood-trim areas. They have the advantage of water cleanup.
Because enamels and gloss paints dry rapidly, more care must be exercised in application because they tend to brushmark, especially on hot, dry days. Preparation of interior surfaces is vital to good end results. Surfaces must be free from grease, dirt, mildew, chalking, etc., washed well, thoroughly rinsed with clear water and allowed to dry before repainting. Cracks and holes must be repaired and patched areas spot primed.
If surfaces are badly soiled, a trisodium-phosphate (TSP) cleaner may be necessary. However, phosphates are a recognized pollutant and TSP is more prone to deposit crystals that impair adhesion than do some other products.
When repainting glossy surfaces, sufficient cleaning materials must be used to dull surfaces, or they should be lightly sanded. An alternative to sanding is the use of a liquid cleaning/dulling solvent. High-gloss surfaces typically do not provide good adhesion for new coats of paint.
Painting over wallpaper is not recommended; the old covering should be removed. Once painted, wallpaper is extremely difficult to remove.

Do's of Interior Painting

• Wash all grease and dirt off walls and woodwork.
• Patch cracks in walls and ceilings before painting.
• Seal all new surfaces with a primer.
• Scrape off all loose paint and sand the surface to a smooth finish.
• Stir paint thoroughly before any applications.
• Allow new plaster to dry before painting.
• Properly ventilate area to be painted.

Don'ts of Interior Painting

• Don't expect good results on dirty surfaces.
• Don't paint over a damp surface with oil-base paints.
• Don't apply the second coat of paint until the first coat has dried properly.
• Don't sand woodwork across the grain.
• Don't change cans of paint in the middle of a wall area.
• Don't add thinner to the product unless directions call for it.

Lead Warning

About two thirds of the homes built before 1940 and one-half of the homes built from 1940 to 1960 contain heavily leaded paint. Some homes built after 1960 also contain heavily leaded paint. The sale of lead-based paint for residential use was banned in 1978. Lead can be on the walls, the woodwork and on the outside of houses.
Lead paint in good condition is not usually a problem except in places where painted surfaces rub against one another and create dust. For example, when you open a window, the painted surfaces rub against one another. In older buildings where the paint is not in good condition, lead paint can chip off or wear off. Lead dust and chips can also be created during preparation of surfaces for painting and during renovating or remodeling. The dust and chips are especially hazardous to small children.
Lead can be harmful even at Iow levels. Even children who appear healthy may have high levels of lead in their blood. You can't tell if a child has lead poisoning unless you have him or her tested. In many cases, the harm lead causes cannot be reversed.
Being exposed to lead can affect a child's mental growth. Lead interferes with nervous system development, which can cause learning disabilities and impaired hearing. Children with lead poisoning may complain of headaches or stomach aches or become very grouchy, but they often show no symptoms of lead poisoning.
Adults can get lead poisoning through occupational exposure as well as through home renovation and remodeling activities. In adults, lead's health effects include high blood pressure. In extreme cases, lead poisoning can cause comas, kidney or brain damage, or death.
If you are remodeling, test for lead paint first. Some local health departments offer a lead testing service. If this service is not available, you should hire a qualified inspector.
If high levels of lead are detected, you should not attempt to remove the lead paint yourself. Instead, you should hire a person who is specially trained to correct lead paint problems, who knows how to do the work safely and has the proper equipment to clean up thoroughly. Improper removal of heavily leaded paint can endanger the health and lives of the entire family.
Contact the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-LEAD-FYI for information. The purpose of this federally funded service is to provide information to the public on lead.

If all this sounds to difficult or complex, that's because, it is. Your best, and safest plan is to hire a proffesional local, Colorado Springs painting contractor. Call Bart Rafferty of Rafferty Painting and Construction for a free estimate @ (719) 492-3176.

Colorado Springs House Painting Scams

In home improvement, scams do happen. Homeowners may not want to believe it, but scams are not limited to World wide web get rich quick schemes or pyramid schemes. They are a extremely real part of the residence improvement and home contracting game.

A painting scam can cost a homeowner a fantastic deal of funds, time and headaches. Trying to avoid these untrustworthy contractors need to be at the top of each homeowner\’s list when they are looking to get professional work done. When painters flake out in the middle of a job, it will not only leave the homeowner frustrated, but will grow to be a sore spot for the complete neighborhood. Having a house in the middle of the neighborhood that sits for days or weeks with a poor, unfinished paint job can aggravate even the neighbors. Some contractors might run their own painting scam by making a great very first impression only to flake out the day after. After dazzling their prospective clients with extreme promises, they may show up for work the next day promptly at 8am and work by way of until 4 or 5pm. The homeowner could come residence from work to see a terrific job, even though not finished, and could really feel satisfied with their hire. Their lawn may be clean and not littered with burger wrappers and soda cans that is frequent with so numerous construction or job web sites. Nevertheless, the next day the contractors might not show up. The homeowner may possibly leave for work thinking the crew is just running late, but upon coming property from work will discover that their trustworthy and friendly painting contractor has not shown up at all. The following day they may possibly not show up once more either.


This sort of painting scam can be very frustrating. The homeowner does not know when to anticipate the contractor or what to anticipate if they ever come back. Most will eventually come back and finish the job, but it may possibly take a week or possibly longer. Being left in limbo is never a pleasant experience. Not knowing what to anticipate can drive a homeowner crazy. So it is important to recognize certain clues when hiring a residence painting contractor. A homeowner may keep away from being victim of a painting scam by understanding just who they are hiring. Do some analysis on the business initial. Most will have a site with testimonials from past clients, whilst other people might be blasted on scam blogs. Neighbors and the World wide web could be the greatest sources of information when it comes to acquiring the inside scoop on home painting contractors.

Look for contractors who are genuine when they speak to you. Some contractors may appear very friendly and could talk a huge game, but these much less genuine individuals are normally pretty easy to spot. Most contractors searching to scam their clients will throw all kinds of bells and whistles at their clients. They may have colorful brochures and presentation packets and may possibly even go so far as to lie about their previous jobs to make themselves appear credible. Recognizing who is being genuine and who is not may possibly be the very best way to keep away from being scammed by particular house painting contractors. For a reliable, honest, highly reffered, local Colorado Springs painter, call Bart Rafferty of Rafferty Painting and Construction (719)-492-3176 or visit his website @ confidentcoating.com.