Exterior Painting Company in Chevy Chase

How Can You Tell If Your Fresh New Paint Job Will Last?

If you are looking for an exterior painting company in Chevy Chase, here are five things you should know. 

When you hire a painting company or a local handyman to paint the exterior of your home, you WILL NOT be able to tell how long it will last.  Only time will tell.  And it doesn’t necessarily matter what type of paint is applied, either.

In order for your exterior paint job to last as long as possible, follow these five principals:

  1. Kill mildew and have a clean surface
  2. The moisture content of the wood needs to be below 16%
  3. Use the proper primer 
  4. Apply paint during the right climate conditions
  5. Get a premium paint and apply two coats
Before picture exterior painting company in Bethesda is looking at job of painting an arts and craft house in Tacoma Park
Exterior Paint Company in Bethesda painted this house in Montgomery County

Klappenberger & Son Is Your Exterior Painting Company of Chevy Chase

Whether you have a rancher or a big home, consider Klappenberger & Son as your exterior painting contractor in Chevy Chase.   

With our 30 years of experience, we can advise you on the best products and methods to ensure your home is protected and beautiful.  

In addition to being a painting contractor, we also can do other carpentry and handyman projects around your home.  

  • Repair rotten wood with wood or composite
  • Replace decks and handrail
  • Install windows and doors.

This makes us an ideal one-stop-shop to get your most prized position looking awesome!

Before-Painting-Brick-705x397
After-Painting-Brick-705x397

Exterior Painting in Chevy Chase: What Do We Do Differently?

Power washing in Bethesda

Proper Power Washing Techniques

When power washing or pressure washing the exterior of your home, we let the chemicals do the work, not high pressure.  We leave the high-pressure to Time Share salespeople.

We use the least amount of chemicals that kill mildew and get rid of dirt and pollen collected on the home.

Our cleaning products will not harm your plants or flowers!

FYI – We insist that the chemical stay on for 15 minutes.  That’s the amount of time necessary to kill the mold spores. 

If not, the mildew will grow back much faster.  

exterior painters in Katy TX should test the moisture content of wood before painting

The Moisture Meter

It is impossible to feel the wood and know what the moisture content is safe to paint.  And believe it or not most painters do not own a moisture meter. 

Why this isn’t as important as a paint can opener is beyond me.

FYI – The most likely cause of paint pealing is water.

Almost all paint requires the moisture content to be below 16%.

Exterior Painting Company in Bethesda prepping house to be painted
Beautiful day to paint a house!
Exterior Painting Company in Bethesda paint Arts and Craft Home
Opening the windows and painting the edges will keep the windows from rotting.
From power wssh to completion (10)
Wilson is inspecting his tape job before he sprays.
Mad Dog Primer

Choosing the Right Primer

There is no “one size fits all” for exterior primers.  Whether you are painting Georgia Pine or pine from Canada, it’s not all the same primer.   

What happens if you choose the wrong primer?  The paint will peel.  

Why?

Because the wood, primer, and top coat of paint are not expanding and contracting at the same rate. 

With the sharp changing seasons of Chevy Chase, it is important to have all 3 surfaces expanding and contracting at the same rate.

When choosing Klappenberger & Son we can advise you on which primer will work best with your surface. 

Exterior Painting in Chevy Chase:  One Coat or Two?

Besides applying two coats satisfies the warranty, it also extends the paint job’s life for years.

For example, the picture on the right clearly shows where someone brushed the edges and seams and then painted the exterior wall with a roller. 

The areas that received two coats have significantly more paint left.

Applying a second coat of paint usually adds about 30-35% to the total cost of the job.  Considering it can extend the paint job’s life by 5 years, it is a wise investment.

The difference between one coat and two

                              Proper Weather Conditions

We are often asked what season is best for exterior painting.  It depends on the temperature.  Most manufactures like the temperature to be lower than 90 degrees and above the mid-’30s for at least 24 hours.  If paint freezes before it fully dries, then it can lose its ability to cure fully.  

Also, if it rains shortly after the surface is painted, the rain can seep through the paint, causing bubbles. 

Therefore, it is best not to paint when the chance of rain is above 30-40% for the next 24 hours.

Exterior Painting Company in Bethesda painting the exterior of a home
Exterior Painting company in Bethesda painting porch ceiling
Klappenberger & Son is an exterior painting company in Bethesda MD and this is a picture of a finished porch

Klappenberger & Son Is Your Exterior Painting Company in Chevy Chase

Not only do we know the ins and outs of painting, but we also have some terrific carpenters.

Whether you have rotten wood trim boards, a loose handrail, or other exterior maintenance projects we have you covered.  

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