How often should a house be pressure washed?

At Most Wanted Painters, we recommend your first pressure wash to be done 2 years after your new paint job, and then once a year after that. If your home is not freshly painted, a once a year pressure wash will help maintain the clean, fresh appearance of your home, especially her at the coast. Removing the dirt, mildew and other debris that accumulated on your home surfaces will keep your paint looking good and lasting longer.

Are all paints the same?

While all latex paints contain the same basic ingredients, there are quality difference in regards to application, finished appearance and longevity associated with upper grade paints. Higher quality paints use more refined pigments and resins, which cause the paint to spread and apply easier and last longer, allowing for better color retention as well. At Most Wanted Painters, we use high grade paints for the best finished appearance and a long-lasting paint job.

What causes paint to bubble and/or peel?

There are several reasons that paint will bubble, but the two main reasons are moisture or heat. Painting a surface when there is too much moisture on the surface, or there is water trapped inside a porous surface (such as concrete block) can cause the paint to bubble because when the sun hits these painted surfaces, moisture is always drawn to a heat source, so the water tries to evaporate but the paint prevents it from doing so and will bubble. Painting a surface when the surface and/or ambient temperatures are too hot can cause the paint to peel, once dry, as the paint is drying too quickly and has bad adhesion as a result. Other reasons for paint peeling have to do with bad adhesion of the prior paint layers, or multiple layers of paint under the new coating. Over time, paint naturally loses its adhesion to the surface and adding a fresh layer of paint could add to the problem of paint peeling up. The new paint is more flexible that the old paint layer(s) and so while the new paint will stick to the old paint, the old paint has lost adhesion to the surface, causing peeling paint to occur. The best situations for painting calls for a clean, dry, dull and properly prepared surface. Old coating may have to be removed completely and the surface primed and painted, for best results. At Most Wanted Painters, we are experts at paint prep and application.

How often should a deck surface be recoated?

There are many different deck stain options, but for the most part you should plan one recoating a deck every 1-3 years, depending on the type of stain was used. For example, a deck with a transparent stain or semi-transparent stain will need to be recoated every year or so, whereas a deck with a solid color stain will need to recoated every 2-3 years, depending on wear. An easy test you can conduct to see if your transparent or semi-transparent stained deck is ready for a new coating is to simple toss a cup of water onto the deck surface and observe. If the water absorbs into the surface, than the product has worn to the point that a new coating is needed. A good, once a year pressure wash will help the surface stay fresh and nice looking for as long as possible.

Why does paint fade?

Paint fades when the pigments in the paint fade due to exposure to sunlight. Neutral colors tend to not fade as quickly, where as primary or secondary colors fade faster because of the bright pigments used to create them. Choosing neutral colors over primary or secondary colors will help your paint colors stay truer for longer. Using a higher grade paint will also help, as high grade paints use higher grade, more refined pigments to help resist fading.

Why is it important to seal gaps on siding and around windows?

Sealing these surfaces can prevent water from penetrating through the outside, causing damage to the wood leading to dryrot areas or mold or fungus growing under the siding or window trim areas. A high quality grade caulk, properly applied to these surfaces will help seal the areas, preventing further, more costly damage or problems down the road.

Can my stained and lacquered cabinets be painted?

Yes, as with a great paint job, it all comes down to the prep. At Most Wanted Painters, we are experienced experts in the finishing and refinishing of cabinets. We thoroughly clean, prep and then paint the cabinets for a beautiful, lasing finish.