Exterior Painting In Lehigh County

Exterior Painting in Lehigh County, PA

Exterior paint often looks fine right up until it doesn't. A small patch of peeling near the bottom of a porch column can be the only visible sign that wood underneath has been soaking up water for a season or two. The paint hides the damage instead of stopping it, which is exactly why exterior painting in Lehigh County has to start with a real look at what's actually going on under the surface, not just a fresh coat over the top.

Lehigh County's Older Homes Need Extra Care

A lot of homes throughout the county were built between the 1940s and 1970s, and whole blocks in places like Allentown's West End or the older sections of Bethlehem go back even further. Wood siding, trim, and porch columns on these homes have usually been painted over many times, with each layer adding thickness that has to be accounted for before a new coat goes on, and homes built before 1978 may also have lead-based paint hiding underneath those older layers. We talk through lead paint at the walkthrough, before any scraping or sanding is planned.

On top of that, Pennsylvania weather adds its own wear every year. Summers bring heat and humidity that push moisture into wood that isn't sealed well, while winters bring freeze-thaw cycles that expand and contract any water that worked its way in, cracking paint film from the inside out rather than the outside in. Shaded sides of homes near trees also tend to grow mildew and algae that needs to be cleaned off, not just painted over.

What We Paint

We cover the full exterior of a home, not just the easy parts:

• Siding (vinyl, wood, aluminum, stucco)
• Trim, fascia and soffits
• Front doors and sidelights, side and back doors
• Shutters and garage doors
• Porches, railings and columns
• Decks and porches stained
• Barns, sheds and outbuildings
• Metal railings and staircases
• Storefronts and commercial exteriors

Exterior painting protects the parts of your home that deal with the weather every single day, not just the parts people notice. If your home is showing early signs of wear, or it's simply been a while since the last paint job, schedule a free quote and we'll tell you honestly what it needs.

What Goes Into a Quality Paint Job

Most of the actual work happens before any paint goes on. We scrape every loose or flaking section back to a firm edge, sand rough spots smooth, and check trim, sills, and corner boards for soft or rotted wood, then pull and replace caulk anywhere it's cracked, since gaps around windows and doors are one of the easiest ways for water to get behind siding. Bare wood gets primed before it ever sees a finish coat, and skipping any of these steps doesn't always show up right away, but it always shows up eventually. The paint itself has to match the surface too.

Vinyl siding needs a flexible acrylic finish that can expand and contract with temperature swings without cracking, while wood siding does better with paint that lets trapped moisture escape instead of sealing it in, and metal railings and garage doors need rust-inhibiting primer underneath. Sheen matters as well, since flat finishes hide surface imperfections better on siding while satin or semi-gloss holds up better on doors, trim, and shutters that get touched and washed more. Timing plays into all of this too. Paint needs a minimum surface temperature to cure properly, usually above 50 degrees, and heavy humidity slows drying and can affect how the finish looks once it's done, which is why spring and fall tend to be the better windows for exterior painting in Lehigh County rather than the thick humidity of peak summer.

How Our Exterior Jobs Run

1. Walkthrough. We walk the outside with you, plan the colors and finish, and put the price in writing before anything is scheduled.
2. Wash. Siding, soffits, gutters and porches are power washed, and gutters are cleaned of oxidation.
3. Repair. Rotted wood and damaged trim are cut out and replaced, then primed.
4. Prep. Loose paint is scraped, rough spots are sanded, bare wood is primed and joints are caulked. Shutters come off to be cleaned, primed and painted, then go back up. On metal, the rust is ground off first.
5. Paint. Siding gets two coats, and trim, doors, shutters and porches are painted in the sheen that suits them.

Exterior Painting Questions

Do you pressure wash before painting?

Yes. Siding, whole house and barn jobs start with a power wash, then scraping, sanding and spot priming before the paint.

What about rotted wood?

We cut out rotted wood and damaged trim, replace it and prime it before painting. The lumber is billed separately as additional materials.

What about lead paint on an older home?

If your home was built before 1978 it may have lead-based paint under the newer layers. We talk it through at the walkthrough, before any scraping or sanding is planned.

What paint do you use?

Professional grade Sherwin-Williams paint, with Benjamin Moore on request.

Free Estimate

Tell Us About Your Project

Send the details and John will get back to you to set up a free estimate. If it is easier to talk it through, call or text (484) 705-4316.

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Painting Project!