Exterior Painting in Atlanta, GA

What this job actually involves

Exterior paint fails from the outside in: sun, rain, mildew and wood that moves. In west Georgia the work is mostly about drying the house out, stripping what has lifted and sealing every joint before a drop of finish goes on.

How the work runs

1. 1 Inspect for rot, moisture and failing paint We probe soft spots in trim, fascia, sills and the bottoms of siding boards, check caulk lines and look at where gutters have been overflowing. Rot gets replaced or repaired before painting. Painting over it just hides it for a season.
2. 2 Wash the house Mildew, pollen film and chalking are washed off with a low-pressure rinse and a cleaner. High pressure drives water behind siding, so we avoid it on wood. The house then needs to dry fully, often a day or more in summer humidity.
3. 3 Scrape, sand and spot-prime Loose and peeling paint is scraped back to a sound edge and feathered by sanding. Bare wood and patched areas get an exterior primer. On older homes, lead-safe work practices apply to paint disturbed before 1978.
4. 4 Caulk and repair Gaps at trim, corners and window and door casings are caulked with a paintable exterior sealant. Nail holes and splits are filled. We do not caulk the bottom of lap siding, which has to breathe.
5. 5 Paint in the right weather Two coats go on, brushed and rolled or sprayed and back-rolled, with trim last. We watch the forecast and the sun. Painting in direct heat makes paint dry too fast, and painting before the dew burns off or ahead of rain ruins the film.
6. 6 Final walkthrough and cleanup We check for holidays, drips and missed spots, remove masking, and clean the yard and driveway of debris. Plants and shrubs that were covered are uncovered.

What moves the price

• Size and height of the house. Two-story homes and steep gables need ladders or lifts and take more labor.
• Siding material: wood, fiber cement, brick, vinyl and stucco each need different prep and paint.
• Rot repair. Replacing trim boards and fascia adds carpentry before any painting happens.
• Condition of the existing paint. Heavy peeling or many layers means more scraping and sanding.
• How much gets painted: body only, or trim, soffits, shutters, doors, garage door and railings too.
• Access issues such as dense landscaping, slopes or close neighbors that affect staging and masking.

What does this actually cost? Real metro-Atlanta price ranges and what moves them — no email required. →

Materials

We use exterior acrylic paint rated for sun and moisture, an exterior primer on bare or repaired wood, and elastomeric or high-quality paintable caulk at joints, because the caulk and primer do most of the work keeping water out in a humid climate.

Questions we get asked

What time of year is best to paint a house exterior in Georgia?

Spring and fall, when it is mild and dry. Summer works too if we paint the shaded sides in the afternoon and the sunny sides early, but heat shortens drying time and storms interrupt. Pollen season in spring can dust wet paint, so we wash and schedule around the worst days.

How long does exterior painting take?

A typical house takes several days to over a week, counting washing, drying time, repair and two coats. Weather can add days. We tell you plainly when rain pushes the schedule.

Will painting disrupt my day?

Some. There are ladders, noise from scraping and sometimes spraying, and we may ask you to park elsewhere or keep windows shut. We do not need you to leave the house, and we keep people and pets away from wet areas.

How long will the paint last?

It depends on prep, the surface and how much sun that side of the house gets. South and west walls wear fastest. Good prep matters more than the brand of paint.

Do you fix rotted wood before painting?

Yes. We replace or repair rotted trim and fascia first, and we point out hidden damage we find so you can decide. Rot that keeps getting wet will fail again unless the water source is fixed.