top of page
IMG_5586.jpg

Residential Repainting

We categorize jobs as residential repaints when the homeowner is living in the space. Some of the reasons for repaints could be to:

  1. Redecorate

  2. Freshen up an old home or worn out paint

  3. Prepare the house for a sale

​

With the exception of preparing a house for a sale, residential home repaints require a high degree of finesse and care. That is because we must take the homeowner into consideration and how we affect their daily routine. Here are some of the common challenges with interior repaints:

  1. There are lots of furniture and floors which need to be moved and masked. Sometimes we must mask the furniture at the beginning of the day and unmask at the end of the day so that the homeowner can use the furniture. 

  2.  Crew members must contain the project so that the entire home does not turn into a construction zone while the homeowner is living there. The order of operation for painting is less optimal and there is less space to work & navigate.

  3. The homeowner is constantly looking and judging the work because they see it everyday. We must be meticulous with detail and prep because the homeowner is redecorating for aesthetic purposes.

​

Unlike a new construction project, repaints require us to work from room to room, setting up and closing out each room before moving on to the next. This helps contain the project and allows the homeowner to live in the home while we work. Not everyone is suited for residential repaints. We have worked with excellent painters who we would never put in an occupied home. They may be great painters, but they are too rough around the edges and are more suited for empty new construction sites. Our company specializes in home repainting projects and as such, all of our staff have been vetted and trained to work in your home. They are courteous, friendly, trustworthy and clean. We always coordinate with the homeowner the schedule of the areas we will be painting and pride ourselves in being predictable. Below is our process for residential repaints:

Residential Repaint Process

Step 1 - Protection

The first step in a residential repaint project is to protect the surrounding areas. That means sealing off the rooms we are working in so that the dust and debris doesn't spread to other rooms. We then carefully move all of the furniture to the center of the rooms or to another area where we are not working. We then thoroughly mask the furniture with plastic and protect the floors with dropcloths or construction paper. Features such as wallpaper and kitchen cabinets are all masked with plastic to protect against overspray - especially in the case where ceilings are being painted. In cases where the trim is being sprayed, we have to make sure that the masking is tight to the edges and seals all the areas. We remove all switch covers and drop down & cover pot lights if there are any.

Step 2 - Wall & Trim Repairs

The second step is to thoroughly repair the walls and trim. For walls repairs, we use standard drywall compound to patch and fill holes, scratches and scuffs. Depending on the depth of the damage, we may have to apply several thin coats of compound while letting them dry in between. We then mark the repair areas with tape for later sanding (it can be difficult to see patched areas of the walls are white). For trim repairs we first punch in any protruding nails. We then fill/reform damaged trim with wood filler to restore the shape of the trim. Wood filler is our preferred filler for trim because it dries hard and forms a bond with the wood fibers. If the existing caulk is lifting, we cut out the old caulk before applying a new bead of caulking. 

 

Additional rounds of hole filling after applying the primer or top coat is common because the paint can reveal areas which were initially missed.

Step 3 - Sanding & Priming

Step 3 is to thoroughly sand all the areas that were patched/repaired. This process smoothens the patch so that it can blend in with the rest of the surfaces. In addition to sanding down areas that were repaired, we also do a light sand to all of the walls and trim. A light sand helps to remove dust & texture and to give the paint a profile to adhere to. Our team uses Festool dust extractors with our sanders to provide a dustless experience while sanding.

​

Areas which were patched are then primed to seal in the filler/compound, promote adhesion and prevent flashing of the finish coat. We also look for  stains (water marks, grease, pen, etc...) and prime them to prevent the colour from bleeding through the finish coat. The primer sometimes raises wood fibers or drywall compound so it is important to lightly sand those areas after.

Step 4 - Applying Paint

After all the prep work is complete, we are finally ready to paint. Our order of painting is:

  1. Cut & roll the ceilings

  2. Roll the first coat of paint on the wall

  3. Apply 2 coats of paint on the trim

  4. Cut the walls in

  5. Cut the 2nd coat of paint on the walls

  6. Roll the 2nd coat of paint on the walls

​

The reason we roll before cutting on the first coat is because it allows us to see if we missed any holes or areas that need to be filled. We can then fill those areas and let them dry while we paint the trim and cut the walls (which takes more time). On the second coat we always cut first and then roll to hide brush marks and prevent flashing. 

bottom of page