Georgia summers bring heat, heavy rain and humidity that test any paint job. When paint peels, blisters or grows mildew within a few seasons, the cause is usually something that happened, or did not happen, before the first coat.
Start with moisture
Paint will not hold on wet or rotting wood. Before painting, look for soft trim, failing caulk at windows and doors, gutters that overflow onto siding and sprinklers that soak the walls. Fix the water source first, then paint.
Clean, scrape and sand
Exterior surfaces should be washed to remove dirt, chalking and mildew, then allowed to dry. Loose paint gets scraped and sanded so the edges feather into sound paint. Skipping this step is the most common reason a new coat fails early.
Repair and caulk
Replace rotted trim, fill gaps and recaulk joints with a paintable sealant. Inside, patch popped nails and cracks, and skim-coat walls where texture or old damage would show through the new finish.
Prime bare and repaired areas
Primer helps paint bond and seals stains. Bare wood, patched drywall, stucco repairs and stained areas all need it. Masonry and stucco often call for a coating made for those surfaces, such as an elastomeric coating that can bridge hairline cracks.
Paint in the right weather
Every coating has temperature, humidity and dry-time limits printed by the manufacturer. Painting late in the day, right before rain or in high humidity can leave a soft film that marks easily or fails early.
Homes built before 1978
Older homes may contain lead-based paint, and federal rules regulate work that disturbs it. If your home was built before 1978, mention it when you request an estimate so precautions can be discussed before any scraping or sanding begins.
Paint prep for Fayetteville and Peachtree City homes
Many homes in Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone and Newnan have shaded, tree-covered walls that stay damp long after a rain. Those walls are where mildew and peeling tend to show up first, so they deserve extra attention during washing, scraping and priming.
Planning a paint project? See how we prep and paint or call (470) 488-9764 for a free written paint estimate.