General Questions:

1. When is it time to consider painting?

• Most of the time the impetus for painting is cosmetic—wanting to update or change the look of the house.
• However, preserving or protecting wood is also a reason to restain or paint your house. Even if the house and deck look fine, it is wise to maintain these surfaces before problems present themselves. Waiting too long means that problems such as peeling, fading, rotting and other water damage due to failed caulking will appear, thus making the job that much more difficult. And, the end result won’t be optimum.

2. Why hire a professional painter?

• The expertise of professional painters means that you will get high quality work in a fraction of the time it would take you to tackle the job yourselves. You probably wouldn’t invest in commercial quality tools and equipment (power washers, professional brushes, rollers, ladders, etc.) and the finished product will reflect that fact alone. And, if you cannot devote yourselves full time to the job from start to finish, then the piecemeal approach of working “a month of Sundays” will also reflect in the finished product.
• A professional crew with over twenty years’ experience will yield the highest quality result with a minimum of disruption to the household.

3. Is it worth the extra cost to use high quality paint?

• In almost all cases it is well worth the extra cost to use a high-end product. There are a few exceptions such as touch-up painting, where a less expensive product will produce a flatter finish, and therefore blend in with the overall paint job.
• Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams and Cabots are manufacturers we favor. Painting professionals know how these paints will spread and handle. Every manufacturer’s paint has unique characteristics that we have come to know and can manipulate for the best end result.

4. How much will a good paint job add to the value of my home?

Given the exploding value of homes in our area, a top quality paint job (complete interior and exterior) can easily add $10,000--$50,000 to a house’s value. And, the “first impression” factor is never more evident than the comparison of a beautiful paint job to a house in dire need of new paint.

5. Do you offer a company guarantee?

Rainbow G&J Painting will consider a guarantee based on the present paint conditions. Please understand that every home presents very unique paint-related issues and each has to be looked at individually for us to consider applying a guarantee.

Just as every piece of real estate is unique, so too are paint jobs. The surface conditions of your house, both interior and exterior, reflect the age of the materials, the maintenance that has been done (or neglected), the wear and tear of time, and even the affect sunlight and shade can play.

Rainbow G&J Painting has been in continuous operation for over twenty years. We stand behind every job we do and will service you even after the job has been completed. No blanket guarantee will cover all jobs, but we will gladly offer a professional analysis of your home’s unique condition, and offer our best advice as to how to get the most out of your new paint job.

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Exterior Painting:

1. How often should I paint the exterior of my house?

In general, every 5-8 years. The variables include how much and how intensely is the surface exposed to direct sunlight, the overall condition of the existing surface (is there evidence of moisture problems such as rotted wood), are there areas where mildew tends to appear regularly? Etc.

2. When is it necessary to prime before painting?

• Typically, unless you are making a drastic color change, priming for interior painting is only necessary if new drywall or trim work has been installed or if these surfaces are in very bad shape (water stains, crayon marks, etc.).
• For exterior painting, spot priming problem areas is usually sufficient, again unless a drastic color change is being made. New or dry surfaces do require a full prime coat.

3. What steps are necessary to prepare the exterior for painting?

Always clean surfaces by means of power washing with a biodegradable bleach solution or house wash. This will remove any surface mildew, chalkiness, loose or peeling paint, etc. Next, depending on the amount of time our customer is willing to pay for comes scraping loose, failing paint, hand sanding or electric sanding to get down to a smooth surface. Different surfaces or substrates will require different methods and a combination of approaches to achieve the best result. Ultimately, a very old surface, painted numerous times (that may be alligorating or peeling very badly) may be a candidate for using an exterior type of spackle sandwiched between two layers of oil primer. This may be the best way to achieve a smooth substrate again. Carpentry repairs need to be made at this time to replace rotted wood, fill in carpenter bee or woodpecker holes, etc. All open joints around windows, doors and exterior trim should also be recaulked.

4. How many coats of paint/stain should be applied?

In some rare instances, one coat of paint may be applied if the same color and product will be used. This approach, though claimed to be effective by many paint manufacturers, rarely yields a high level of customer satisfaction. A two-coat procedure is always preferable. It is possible, however, to apply one coat of primer tinted to the finish coat and one finish coat of paint. This method will not always work because of the finish (flat, eggshell, etc.), where one finish coat will not cover over a dead flat primer finish

5. What is the optimum method of applying exterior coatings?

Methods of paint/stain application will be discussed at the time of the estimate. The three standard application methods are brush, roller and spray. Different siding surfaces and whether the home is new or is an existing home will determine which method is optimum for each home.

6. How long should a new paint job last?

In general, every 5-8 years. The variables include how much and how intensely is the surface exposed to direct sunlight, the overall condition of the existing surface (is there evidence of moisture problems such as rotted wood), are there areas where mildew tends to appear regularly? Etc.

7. Can old paint/stain be completely removed?

Old stain and/or paint can be removed completely. However, this process is the choice of last resort as it is extremely labor intensive and therefore most expensive.

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Interior Painting

1. How can I achieve a professional quality job myself?

Taking the time to do all the necessary prep work--moving all furniture to allow room to work, spackling, sanding, caulking, and selecting the right color(s) by means of color swatching and observing these colors under different light. Using top quality brushes and other equipment--will make your job much easier and the results that much better. Don’t be afraid to spend $15.00 on one paintbrush!

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