How to Paint a Deck

Posted on: August 31st, 2020

When you’re learning how to paint a deck, there are several important things to know and do. We go over those here. Though most homeowners prefer to stain deck boards, painting is a great way to add a splash of color to your outdoor space. Painting your deck opens up a world of opportunity for you. No more are you bound to a solid stain hue. With deck paint, the sky is the limit when it comes to patterns and colors. This allows you the luxury of truly making the space your own. 

If after reading this, you decide you’d like to hire a painting company to help you, we’ll give you a free quote. We have offices in Sacramento and Las Vegas.

How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Deck?

One of the first steps in painting your deck is figuring out how much you can expect to pay. Experts agree that the average cost to paint a deck is between $2 to $5 per square foot. This means that if your deck has a surface area of 300 square feet, it will cost approximately $1,050 to complete. However, this cost is variable and will rise or fall based on several factors including:

  • Labor costs to hire a professional
  • Condition of the deck boards
  • Quality of the paint selected

However, if your deck has already been painted, the cost may be higher. This is because of the additional cleaning and prep required to get the surface ready for a new coat of paint. A pressure washer may be required to help get the deck boards thoroughly rinsed of any debris. 

Deck Paint Pricing

Deck paint varies in price with $40 per gallon being the least you can expect to pay. Some higher quality paints may cost you $60 per gallon but others can be much less expensive. Each gallon of paint is rated to coat from 125 to 300 square feet. Paint coverage will be dependent upon the condition of the wood as well as the color you choose. 

If you want to save a little money on your deck painting job, it’s a great idea to consider this a DIY project. However, hiring a professional is often well worth the extra dollars. Our professional deck painters are careful to prepare your deck and make sure the paint will properly adhere. This ensures an even and more durable finish, saving you both time and money. 

Professional painters, including ours, are well versed in all aspects of deck painting. This expertise allows them to select the right paints to withstand all weather conditions including the hot, dry air in Las Vegas that you’re accustomed to. They also are up to date on the latest techniques and products to improve the longevity of deck painting jobs. 

How to Paint a Deck with Peeling Paint

Peeling paint is a common problem many homeowners face. To add a new coat of paint to your deck, you must first get rid of the old flaking paint. 

There are a few simple steps to helping you get your deck ready for painting. They include:

1. Scrape all peeling paint

You must first remove all flakes of paint from your deck before you can prepare the surface. A stiff brush or a scraping tool does the job well. 

2. Sand the deck

Be sure to sand all areas of the deck where paint chips have been removed. You need the surface to be completely smooth. 

3. Clean the deck boards

Once the surface has been sanded, you’ll need to clean it to remove any dirt. If any debris remains on the deck boards, the paint will not stick to that area. After the deck has been power washed, you must wait a minimum of 24 hours for the wood to thoroughly dry. You can then proceed to the next step: applying the paint. 

4. Paint the deck

When the deck’s surface is clean and dry, you may then begin painting. Thankfully, there are several different methods you can choose from. A brush or roller does an excellent job. For speedier results, consider a paint sprayer. 

5. Allow to dry

Allow the paint to dry overnight or up to 24 hours, depending on your climate. You can then apply a second coat if needed. 

How to Remove Paint from a Deck

If you need to completely remove a coat of paint from your deck, you’ll want to use a stripper. Unfortunately, removing paint from a deck with a stripper involves some mess. 

Strippers come in gel form and are applied to a deck to soften old paint. Once the paint is softened, it can then be rinsed away with a pressure washer or hose. 

However, though strippers do an excellent job, they don’t always get rid of the old paint in one shot. Sometimes, it is necessary to scrub the surface with a stiff brush then reapply the stripper for a second attempt. The deck then needs to be cleaned and allowed to completely dry before applying any paint. 

Can You Paint Composite Decking?

Composite decking is designed to be low maintenance. Its attractive appearance is reminiscent of wood. But if over time you’re thinking a change is in order, you’re likely wondering—can you paint composite decking?

Yes, you can paint your composite deck. This particular type of deck, also sometimes referred to as Trex decking, is intended to never need painting.  However, the surface will accept paint readily. As with wooden decks, you’ll still need to clean, prep, and prime the surface first. 

To paint your composite decking, follow these easy steps:

  • Remove or cover any plants on or near the deck
  • Clean the deck using household cleaners and a power washer
  • Sand the deck to a smooth finish
  • Prime the surface
  • Paint the deck

Thinking of giving your deck a new coat of paint? Follow our top tips to get the job done right or contact us for a free estimate if you live in the Las Vegas or Sacramento areas. 

Should You Paint or Install Floors First?

Posted on: August 24th, 2020

Should you paint or install floors first? If you’re renovating a room in your home, you’ll need to decide which comes first: painting or installing new floors. Most people think that painting should be done first to prevent any spills from marring brand-new flooring. However, experts agree that new flooring should always be installed before you have any interior painting done. If you live in the Sacramento area, and you’d like a professional company to help you install or paint your floor, contact us for a free quote! We serve the entire area including Stockton, Folsom, El Dorado Hills, and Elk Grove. 
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Why Is it Better to Install Flooring Before Painting?

It’s a natural assumption that painting should take place before installing flooring. However, the opposite is true, and we’re going to tell you why. 

There are several tasks that must be undertaken before laying new flooring in a room. Many of these jobs can cause damage to walls, meaning repairs are necessary. 

 

fAmong the steps you’ll need to follow before installing flooring include:

1. Removing the old flooring or carpet

Tearing up old carpet or flooring is a very messy job. When removing the old flooring, you’ll likely unearth a vast amount of debris, dust, and dirt. If you choose to paint first, these particles can land in your fresh coat of paint, marring the finish. 

When the flooring is newly installed; often, some damage to the walls can occur. This can leave your newly painted walls with unsightly marks and blemishes. When this happens, you’ll need to repair your walls and apply touch-up paint. These additional steps cost you both time and money, making it clear why flooring before painting is the best idea. 

2. Replacing or repainting trim

Depending on the type of flooring you’ve purchased, removing your baseboards and trim is usually necessary. Once you’ve removed these items, they may require repainting and some repair. When the trim has been reattached to the walls, the nail holes will need to be filled and touchup painting is done.  

By choosing to install flooring before painting, you give yourself the opportunity to do all of your painting in one shot. This is much more efficient and cuts down on the amount of mess involved in the project. 

Some trim and baseboards will need to be installed slightly higher than what was previously in place. If you’ve decided to do your painting first, you may find yourself with an area that still bears the old paint. This would mean a second application of paint is necessary to ensure the entire surface is covered. 

3. Preparing the walls before installing flooring

Depending on what the condition of the walls are, it is a good idea to do all preparatory work before the flooring is installed. This includes any patching, sanding, or wallpaper removal that can be messy and leave behind dirt or debris.  This is a particularly important step if you plan to apply epoxy basement flooring. 
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4. Masking 

Once the new flooring has been installed, you’ll be able to protect the surface through the use of painter’s tape and drop cloths. These two items are valuable tools that keep mess to a minimum and protect your floors. 

Most professionals consider painting to be finish work. As a result, they prefer leaving it until the end of the job. With the right precautions in place, installing flooring before painting poses no risk of damage. 

Does the Type of Flooring Make a Difference?

Different precautions must be taken for each type of flooring installed in your home. However, this does not change the fact that when it comes to painting first or flooring first, flooring takes the top position. 

Though some types of flooring such as finished hardwood can simply be installed as-is, unfinished hardwood will need to be stained then sanded. Stain can easily splash on walls, ruining a fresh coat of paint. If the correct amount of drying time has not been allotted, dust and wood shavings can get into the paint on your walls, ruining the finish. 

If your home renovation project includes refinishing existing hardwood floors, it becomes that much more important that your flooring takes top priority over overpainting. Refinishing hardwood involves a lot of sanding and buffing, two jobs that make a lot of mess. 

What If I Want to Install Epoxy Basement Flooring?

What should come first paint or epoxy basement flooring? Epoxy basement flooring still takes the number one position overdoing any painting to the room’s walls. Installing this type of flooring is a multi-step project with curing times required between coats. As with installing other types of flooring, the finished floor can be covered with tarps or drop cloths to protect from wall paint spills. 

Epoxy floors also require a layer of sealant. Any debris, dust, or dirt that falls in the sealer will become a permanent part of the flooring. This means that all walls should be prepared for painting prior to beginning the epoxy process. We also offer painting services for kitchen cabinets, fences, exterior, commercial spaces, and apartments. If you live in Sacramento and decide to install your floors first, we recommend reaching out to LNL Construction. 

How To Epoxy Your floor

How Long Should You Wait Between Coats of Paint?

Posted on: August 14th, 2020

How long should you wait between coats of paint?

Planning to do some repainting at your house? One of the first steps is figuring out how much paint you’ll need to get the job done. But it’s not just the amount of paint that needs consideration when repainting a room. Paint that isn’t allowed to dry before the application of a second coat is likely to peel, streak, clump, or flake when dry. Experts recommend leaving a minimum of two to four hours of drying time between each coat for best results. 

If you live in Sacramento and decide you’d like to hire professional painters to do the job, we’ll give you a free estimate. We serve the entire Sacramento area including Folsom, El Dorado Hills, Stockton, and Woodland.

How Long Does It Take for Paint To Dry?

What Can I Do to Ensure an Even Second Coat?

A second coat of paint is important to ensure even distribution on the walls. Two coats also ensure the paint is more durable, making it resistant to chipping and fading. 

There are several things to consider in applying your second coat. These include:

1. Curing time

Relying on touch alone is not an accurate measure of whether or not your walls are ready for a finish coat of paint. Each coat requires additional time to set. The type of paint also plays a determining role. Latex paint requires only two to four hours to cure. Oil-based paints can take up to 24 hours between the first and second coats. 

2. Treatment of tools

If paint rollers or brushes are left open to the elements, they can begin to dry. When this happens, it is difficult to coat a roller or brush for a proper application of the second coat. This means the surface of the finish coat may be uneven. For best results, cover all painting tools with plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator. 

3. Painting technique

In order to ensure an even application, paint should be applied to the walls in the same pattern as the first coat. Experts recommend first cutting in all edges. When all edges have been neatly coated, you can then use a roller to paint the walls in a large W. This can then be filled in with painted by rolling in an upwards and downwards fashion to ensure even distribution of color. 

4. Color consistency

Dark paint colors contain a lot of pigment that can settle to the bottom of the paint can when resting. Be sure to stir the paint very well before pouring it into a paint tray to load the roller. 

Trim Color Ideas

How Many Coats of Paint Do You Need?

Typically, interior walls only need two coats of paint: a first coat and a finish coat. However, dark paint colors may require an additional application to ensure an even finish. 

Some variables that can affect how many coats of paint you may need are:

1. Painting the same color

If you are simply refreshing the same paint color, one or two coats are all that should be necessary. 

2. Painting a new color

If you are painting a room an entirely new color, the number of coats of paint will vary. Dark colors will require a minimum of two coats. However, applying light paint over something dark in pigment may necessitate as many as six coats to cover completely. Using a primer will dramatically cut down on the number of coats required to cover a dark wall color with light paint. 

3. Paint quality

It is quite true that you get what you pay for. Cheap paint is often thin, meaning more coats are required to get a good result. Opt for the best quality paints. They will cost more money but save you time. 

If you follow these steps, you should have no problem painting your walls. You shouldn’t have to worry about things like “how long should you wait between coats of paint,” “what can you do to ensure an even coat,” etc. If you decide you’d like a professional to paint your walls for you, and you live in the Sacramento areas, give us a call or click here to get a free estimate. We even have Spanish speakers if you or your friends only speak Spanish. Whether you need interior or exterior painting at your home or business, nobody will do a better job than us. We also offer a host of other painting services at your home including cabinet painting, garage floor epoxy, and fence painting. If you live in the Boise area, we recommend hiring Boise Home Painting for your painting needs. Tell them we sent you!

Do I Have To Prime Before Painting?

 

How Often Should You Paint Your House?

Posted on: August 10th, 2020

How Often Should You Paint Your House?

Painting the exterior of your house can be a daunting undertaking. But just how often should you paint your house exterior? With your home being one of your biggest assets, putting off painting for a few extra years can cause serious damage. Painting is a great investment that lengthens the integrity of your home while protecting it from the elements. On average, your house should be painted every 5-10 years depending on the surface type, quality of paint, and signs of wear.

How Can You Tell If It’s Time to Repaint Your Home’s Exterior?

There are some definite signs that can indicate it may be time to have your exterior repainted. Once you notice any of these symptoms, it’s best to act sooner than later to avoid costly damage down the road. 

  • Time To Sell 

If you’re considering putting your home on the market, a fresh coat of paint is a cost-effective way to potentially up its value. Curb appeal plays an immense role when selling your home. A new paint job, using modern and trendy colors can really make your house stand out. Bright trim will make your updated house color really pop! 

  • Fading 

One of the most obvious indicators that it’s time to paint is exterior fading. The Sacramento sun can really do a number on your paint job, especially if your home is a dark color. The most obvious fading will appear where the sun hits it the most. If you notice fading on the shady sides of your house, you could have unwanted water intrusion. 

  • Hardened or Cracked Caulk 

Caulk is meant to expand and contract along with your house. It’s used to seal areas and cracks between your doors and windows. Over years of exposure to the elements, it has a tendency to lose its elastic quality and become hard. If you notice areas with missing caulk, cracked caulk, or caulk that has hardened, it may be time to bring in the professionals. 

  • Before Noticeable Signs of Wear and Tear 

Don’t put off painting until you see visible signs of wear and tear. Once you see chipping or flaking paint, it’s a sign the paint is no longer adhering to the surface. This allows moisture to penetrate the paint and cause issues underneath. Painting your house early on reduces damage and lessens the need for scraping bubbling paint, replacing planks of wood, and caulking seals. 

  • Patching Stucco 

It will save you money in the long run if you patch cracks in your stucco instead of re-stuccoing the entire house. Once patched, paint the entire house. Otherwise, you could have unsightly patches of stucco that are a different shade that doesn’t match or look streaky. 

  • It’s Just Time 

Sometimes it’s smart to paint your home’s exterior even if you don’t see any of the aforementioned signs. Repainting is a good idea if the appropriate amount of time has passed. No signs of wear indicate the paint has protected your home and is holding strong. Stay proactive and ahead of the game and repaint while everything is intact. 

How Often Should You Paint Your House? 

We recommend that exteriors be painted every 5-10 years. This number may change depending on not only the quality of paint previously used but largely what type of exterior surface you’re working with. Here are some good rules of thumb to follow: 

  1. Stucco should be repainted every 5-6 years. 
  2. When painting wood surfaces, 4-7 years is appropriate. 3. Aluminum siding needs to be painted roughly every 5 years.

How Long Does Exterior Paint Last? 

In order to maximize the life of your exterior paint job, you need to start by purchasing the right kind of paint. If you want your exterior paint to last for 5-10 years, there are some things to consider. 

A good quality paint usually will cost around $30 per gallon. Pay attention to labels and be certain to purchase the right kind of paint for your home. For example, if your exterior is made of brick, purchase paint specifically designed for brick or masonry. You’ll need different paint for wood, aluminum, or metal.

Best Paint for Your Home’s Exterior 

You’ll get the most longevity out of your exterior paint job by using superior acrylic or latex paint. Acrylic paints are composed of high-quality ingredients such as pigments and more acrylic solids. Acrylic paint lasts the longest and is widely known for resisting damage caused by weather and the Sacramento heat. Oil-based paints are generally thin and runnier than acrylic and also have a tendency to turn yellow over time from extreme heat. 

HOA’s And Exterior Paint 

An HOA (homeowners association) provides various amenities and benefits for your neighborhood. They set guidelines and boundaries to keep your community safe and cohesive. Some of these guidelines may indicate your responsibility to make certain repairs and touch-ups which may or may not require approval from the HOA. 

Also, your HOA might have specific rules on brand, quality, composition, and even the color of paint you may use. People can tend to be put off by strict guidelines, but they are in place to try to give your neighborhood a unified and well-maintained look. You can always request approval from your HOA but they still may deny your request if it doesn’t fit their standards.

How Often Should You Paint Your House Conclusion 

Painting the exterior of your home is never an exciting task. So, if you have questions about painting the inside or outside of your Sacramento area home, give PaintRite Pros a call. Whether you’re a new homeowner who wants to be proactive and change the color right away, or you’re simply looking to refresh your current color, we’ve got you covered. Our professional exterior house painting crew will improve your living experience by making your home brighter and the place you love coming home to. We serve the entire Sacramento area including Roseville, Stockton, and El Dorado Hills.

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Have questions about your residential or commercial painting needs? Contact us online or give us a call at 916-667-8050 to request a free estimate appointment.

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