Exterior House Painting FAQ for North Kingstown, RI

Exterior painting is one of those projects that’s both extremely exciting and a little intimidating. Unlike a room that can be pretty quickly painted over on a whim, your outdoor colors are permanent. Or, at the very least, need to last for years and years. 

So, no pressure, but you need this project to turn out right… right?

At ELCO Painting, we’re all about working with our customers through every step and stage of the process. We want you to know exactly what to expect, and the “why” behind our approach. Very often, this conversation starts with fantastic questions from local Rhode Island homeowners just like you. 

Here are a few really good ones.

Extremely cold and extremely hot weather are the two extremes to avoid, largely because both extremes can cause adhesion issues (how well your paint sticks and dries). 

Thanks to advanced, modern paint formulas, the exterior painting seasons have extended quite a bit though. As long as the surface is dry, we can paint outdoors from early spring until late fall. 

Preparation is 80% of a successful paint job, and priming can play a big part in these critical early steps. In many cases we can just use a “spot priming” approach: priming over either bare surfaces or repaired surfaces. Full primes aren’t quite as common, reserved for more drastic scenarios like extreme color changes (especially light colors over dark). 

Either way, the right primer lays a strong foundation for your new paint to grip onto, and helps us build that smooth finish we all know you want. 

Some do, and some would prefer to just apply the paint of your choosing. If a painting company doesn’t have an in-house colorist, however, they likely can refer someone to you. The ultimate goal is to have the process and results reflect exactly what you were going for, so we do recommend getting professional color selection help if you can. At the very least you might get some fresh ideas and perspective to help avoid the dreaded scenario of finding the perfect color AFTER you paint…

It’s 100% worthwhile to buy the BEST paint you can. High-quality paint formulas have higher-quality ingredients, including binders, pigment, and resin. This all translates to a longer-lasting finish, better color retention, and better surface protection too. 

Working with a licensed and insured professional is essential. Otherwise you can be held liable for job site accidents, creating a mess that suddenly makes that cheaper estimate less appealing. It’s worth working with an established painting contractor even if it costs more up front. 

Yes! There are fantastic paint products on the market developed specifically for vinyl siding. That’s good news if you’re looking for a fresh look but don’t need a replacement.

We’re all ears! Reach out to our team at ELCO Painting today – we’d love to chat with you. Or, you can start by exploring our services in more depth here .