Surface Preparation Services
Comparing painters in Nashville? You’re probably looking at services offered, reviews, photos, and that all-important price tag, right? There’s one more thing you really need to add to the list: surface preparation.
Believe it or not, surface preparation literally makes or breaks your painting project. It’s not glamorous, so a lot of painters skim right over it focusing on the more fun aspects of the painting process and the immediate wow factor.
Benefits of Surface Preparation Before Painting
Here’s a practical example: when you’re getting an exterior repaint, your painter will likely talk about how they offer a beautiful, sprayed finish. It sounds like you’re getting the top-shelf treatment, right? Spray finishes are beautiful, and we offer them too, but we start with a back rolling/brushing technique (depending on the type of siding you have) to really work the paint into the substrate. Otherwise you’re just spraying a topcoat that sits on the surface and doesn’t bond nearly as well. That’s a 4-6 year paint job as opposed to our work that routinely lasts 10 years and longer.
Does our way involve more time? Yes, but it’s the right way to do it.
Whether it’s indoors or out, surface preparation sets the stage for a successful painting project. Let’s put it in a better way: it builds a strong foundation. You need to create the right profile for your paint to grip as well as possible, in turn lasting as long as possible.
Surface Preparation for Exterior Painting
Please note that every project is unique, and different types of siding call for a slightly different approach. This summary will help you understand our process in broad terms, but we’ll clearly lay out our recommended approach for your own property in your estimate.
Pressure wash to remove mold, mildew, algae, pollen, etc. Even newer siding needs to be washed.
Loose, failing caulking is scraped or cut out.
We replace the caulk we had to remove, plus caulk air gaps, and use only premium products that are rated for 12+ years.
Failing paint is razor scraped to remove it fully. We never simply paint over these sections, otherwise your new paint is gripping onto a surface that’s pulling away from your siding.
Rotten wood is addressed and preferably upgraded with PVC.
We only use a few select primers for exterior painting. The products we use bond to the surface exceptionally well, and offer superior stain blocking and “hide” qualities. This eliminates discoloration and bleed-through.
As we mentioned above, we back roll/ brush at least one coat so that the paint really saturates (depending on your type of siding). Otherwise your paint will lie on top and fail in 4-6 years.
Finally, we spray the topcoat for an even finish.
Surface Preparation for Interior Painting
Many of the principles of exterior painting prep apply to interior painting as well: cleaning and preparing the surface is so important. Here’s what that looks like in most cases:
We cover your floor in paper, with perimeter paper for all hard floors, and perimeter paper and drop cloths for carpeted areas.
We patch any holes using a specialized patching product that minimizes dust during the sanding process.
Next, we pole sand your walls to remove old roller fibers, irregularities, drips from past paint jobs, etc.
We’ll spot prep the trim as needed.
Finally, we’re on to priming and painting!
Why Choose Nash Painting?
Well, because every detail matters. If you want an exceptional paint job that looks fantastic and lasts, you need a Nashville painting company that takes every step seriously. Even the ones that you might not see or fully appreciate until you experience the long-term value.
Surface Painting FAQ
What surface preparation services do you offer?
Cleaning, sanding, caulking, wood repair/replacement, patching, and priming are all essential parts of our process. Even before that, we focus on protecting your home and property overall by carefully masking and covering surfaces. From your hardwood floors to your prized landscaping, we want to make sure your property is protected.
What is surface preparation?
It can look a little different for different types of surfaces (drywall vs. stucco, wood siding vs. brick, etc.), but it can be summed up as the necessary steps for ensuring the very best outcome.
Is surface preparation really necessary?
It absolutely is. If you skip these early precautions you will see unavoidable issues down the road. Our warranties are way beyond industry standards, and that’s only possible because we know from experience what an impact our meticulous approach makes.
