No. 05 · Siding, trim, porches
Exterior painting, timed to the weather.
Siding, trim, porches, stucco and brick. Each side of a house weathers differently, so each is prepared for what it faces, then painted when the temperature and the dew let the paint cure.
About exterior painting
A house rarely wears evenly. The sunny side chalks and fades while the shaded side holds its color, and paint fails first wherever water gets behind it: under a leaking gutter, along a sill, behind shrubs pressed against the siding.
So good exterior work starts with causes, because new paint over a moisture problem fails the same way. Then comes the long middle of the job: washing, scraping back to a sound edge, priming bare wood before the sun weakens it, caulking where water gets in.
Randy has been painting since 1987. His exterior work runs from a three-story Victorian to a stucco ranch and painted brick, and it all starts the same way: with an unhurried walk around the house.
When it’s called for
Signs the outside is due
Chalk on your hand
Rub the siding on the sunny side. A powdery film means the paint is breaking down; a little is normal aging, a lot means it is time, and the chalk has to be washed off before new paint will hold.
Peeling to bare wood
Usually water behind the paint, from gutters, flashing, failed caulk or plants against the house. The cause is fixed first, or the new coat fails the same way.
Bare, graying wood
Sills, rails and trim that have lost their paint are weathering in the sun. Bare wood starts losing its grip on paint within weeks, so it should be primed soon.
A change of color
Most houses can go darker, but a deep color absorbs more heat, and on a sunny wall that means more movement in the wood than a pale color would cause. The preparation underneath matters more.
The painting season here
Most exterior latex paints need the air at 50°F or warmer, holding there for a day while the film forms; some are made for colder work, and the label decides. At Lehigh Valley International Airport, average overnight lows reach about 50°F in May, stay above it through September, and drop to about 44°F in October.
So the dependable season runs from late spring into early fall. October still has good painting days, but they are short: the morning dew has to dry off before work starts, and the paint has to set before the evening dew, because water on fresh latex can leave it streaked, faded or wrinkled.
Heat is the other limit. A wall in full summer sun is often too hot to paint well, which is why exterior work tends to move around the house with the shade.
The work
How an exterior goes
Every side, walked
Randy walks every side of the house with you, because the south wall and the north wall rarely need the same work. Both the walkthrough and the written estimate are complimentary.
Causes first
Where paint is peeling to bare wood, the source of the water is found and dealt with. Soft, rotted wood is repaired or replaced, because no paint holds on wet or decayed wood.
Washing
Dirt, mildew and chalk are washed off at a pressure that cleans without gouging the grain. The siding then dries completely before any primer or paint goes on.
Scraping and priming
Loose and flaking paint is scraped back to a firm edge. Bare wood is primed promptly, before the sun has time to weaken its surface.
Caulk where water gets in
Open joints where trim meets siding and around windows are caulked, and holes are filled. The bottom edges of lap siding are left open on purpose, so water can drain out and the boards can dry.
Paint in the right conditions
Finish coats go on when the temperature will hold for the paint, away from walls baking in full sun, and early enough to set before the evening dew. On most days that means following the shade around the house.
From the job sites
“Randy did an excellent job at our house. He painted the outside of our house and garage, fixed wood that was rotted, and also came another time to repair and paint the ceiling in the living room. He was professional, courteous, and timely…”
“Our house outside looks brand new, Randy is a nice guy, he knows his craft!! His workers Connie and Josh are very professional!! They get the job done!! Thank you for working so hard!!💓❤️💜”
Questions
Asked at the walkthrough.
Can I just paint over old exterior paint?
Yes, if it is sound. Paint that is only worn and chalky needs a thorough washing, then new finish coats. Where it is peeling, cracking or flaking, the loose paint comes off and bare wood is primed first, or the new coat fails with the old one. Chalky old oil paint is a special case: latex can’t grip it until it is cleaned and properly primed.
Why is the paint peeling on just one part of the house?
Peeling to bare wood in one area usually points to water getting behind the paint there: a leaking gutter, missing flashing, failed caulk, or shrubs holding moisture against the siding. Moisture from inside, such as an unvented bath, can do it too. Repainting without fixing the cause won’t last.
Should a house be pressure washed before painting?
It should be washed, because paint won’t bond to dirt, chalk or mildew. Moderate pressure does that; aggressive power washing erodes the soft grain of wood and leaves a ridged surface that is hard to paint well. Either way, the siding has to dry fully before painting.
How late in the year can a house be painted?
The forecast decides more than the date. Most latex paints want 50°F or warmer, holding for a day after they go on, plus dry weather without heavy dew. Here that usually means late spring through September, with good days in October when the nights stay mild.
Can brick and stucco be painted?
Masonry that is already painted can be repainted once it is clean, dry and repaired, with a coating made for masonry. Brick that has never been painted is a bigger decision, because paint is very hard to remove from masonry later without damaging it. That conversation belongs at the walkthrough.
Why does bare wood need primer so soon?
Sunlight starts weakening the surface of bare wood quickly, long before it looks weathered. In Forest Service tests, paint on wood left in the sun for a single week before painting began peeling years sooner than paint on fresh wood. Priming bare spots promptly avoids that.
Where
Exterior painting, town by town.
Randy works from Easton across the Lehigh Valley and Bucks County. Choose your town for what exterior painting involves in its houses.
Lehigh Valley
Consultation
Request a private consultation.
Private walkthrough & written estimate, complimentary. Tell us a little about the house and the rooms, and Randy will be in touch to arrange a time.
- Hours
- Monday – Friday8:30 AM – 5:30 PMSaturday10 AM – 3 PMSundayClosed
- Service area
- Easton, Bethlehem, Allentown and the greater Lehigh Valley; Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
Fully insured — proof on request. Residential and commercial.