A wood fence can truly add great value and be a nice addition to your home, though it can also be an eyesore if not properly maintained. Wood fences do require some upkeep, and if you add fresh paint coats or stains on a yearly basis, your fence will last much longer, continuing to look great!

Step 1: Gather your materials

Purchase good quality outdoor paint that contains UV protection and inhibitors. Good quality paintbrushes are also important, as they will more evenly spread the paint and will not lose their bristles over time. Other items to purchase or to have on hand include: water, rubber gloves, sandpaper, broom, and other painting tools.

Step 2: Painting before building

If you are also assembling and installing the fence yourself, it’s a good idea to paint all of it before you build it. This way you won’t have to paint it standing up, and can easily paint all four sides. Don’t forget to paint every part of the fence, not leaving the tops and bottoms of fence posts unpainted as these areas can be easy ways for moisture to begin rotting the inside of the wood.

Step 3: Preparing the fence

Make sure to clean all dirt and debris from the wood fence, as well as removing as much existing paint as possible. A power washer will work great for this! Once the fence is dry, sand down as much of the fence as possible to give it a great surface to apply the primer. If you see any termite damage, it is a good idea to call you local exterminator. Overall, make sure the fence is secured tightly, and as clean as possible to apply the primer.

Step 4: Priming the fence

After cleaning and sanding, apply a full coat of primer to the wood fence. The primer acts as a defense as well as a strong/sticky surface to apply paint. You will apply primer just as you will with paint, and then let dry.

Step 5: Painting the fence

When the primer has dried you can begin applying the paint. I suggest beginning at the tops of the posts and working your way down in an even pattern. Work on one section of the fence at time so that the paint dries evenly. Another good tip is placing a piece of cardboard on the ground along the fence. This will help with 1) not letting the brush pick up dirt and grass, and 2) will catch dripping paint from falling onto the grass.

Once you have applied a full coat of paint, you have the option to apply a second coat, though this may not be needed. At the end of the day, as long as you maintain the fence on a yearly basis, your fence should last you a long time.

Being one of the more popular siding and interior design elements in Massachusetts and the North Shore MA, bricks can be altered in a number of ways. If you are looking to paint bricks, and want to do it yourself, we have listed a few of the steps you should take in order to complete the job in the best way possible. You don’t want an ugly finished project, or paint that peels soon after you are done. For these reasons we have listed some of the best techniques to paint your bricks below.

Cleaning Bricks

In order to assure the best paint application, thoroughly clean all of the bricks you intend to paint. If you are painting the exterior bricks of your home, it is a good decision to use a pressure washer to remove any dirt, stains, mold, moss, or other blemishes. For bricks inside your home, use a coarse brush to dust all of the bricks. Even if the bricks appear in great condition, remember that bricks can easily hide dust and dirt from the naked eye. Cleaning your bricks is a must!

Priming Bricks

If you have ever noticed bricks with considerable paint peeling, it is probably because the painter forgot to apply primer. Apply the correct primer to the bricks that you intend to paint. For bricks on the exterior of your home, fireplace or fence, use a latex primer. For all brick floors, patios, walkways, and decks, use an acrylic primer.

Painting Bricks

After priming all of the necessary bricks choose the paint you wish to use, and make sure it is the correct finish for the bricks you will be painting. Ask your local paint supply company what type/brand of paint they recommend for the bricks you will be painting. It is often suggested to use latex based paint for vertical brick inside your home and the fireplace. For exterior bricks use an acrylic latex paint. Use acrylic floor paint floors, and acrylic porch paint for decks, patios and walkways.

We hope this brief lesson will help you with your next brick-painting project. And like always, if you have any questions or would like to request a free estimate, please give us a call or fill out our CONTACT FORM. Thanks!

Is it your first time painting the interior of your Massachusetts home? Whether it is or not, you may benefit from learning how to choose the correct paintbrush for your next project. For starters, the paintbrush you need depends primarily on two factors 1) the paint being used, 2) the project.

If the painting project you are embarking on requires oil based paint, then natural brush bristles such as hog or ox hair will work the best as they hold paint much better than the synthetic bristles.

If you are using a latex based paint, then polyester or nylon brushes will work well since they do not absorb water such as natural fibers.

Brush Quality

• First off, if you want to get a high quality brush, then expect to pay slightly more. These more expensive brushes have more filaments that lead to a smoother paint application. These brushes also have a much longer life expectancy.
• If you take a visual scan of brushes you will notice that the higher quality brushes have bristles than vary in length, which causes a more even, smooth, and more consistent layer of paint.
• Don’t forget yourself in the process since you will want a brush that ‘feels right’ in your hand.
• Pick a brush that is suitable for the job since brushes can have many different purposes. Flat brushes are obviously the best for flat surfaces and angled brushes are better for getting into corners.
• And don’t forget that a quality brush needs quality care. Wash your brushes after each use, and leave a little soap in the brush, as it will store much better.

Roller Cover Selection

• For surfaces that are smooth such as wood and wallboard, choose a roller with a 3/8 inch or less nap.
• You will need larger naps for surfaces that have a lot of texture since this will reduce the amount of paint coats, and time.

If you have any other questions please give us a call or shoot us an email at admin@OlympicRoofing.com. Olympic Painting is proud to be the leading painter contractor in New England and Massachusetts.

Exterior painting is a great way to really bring your home or office building back to life. Whether you want a completely new color, or simply wish to bring back your homes true color, Olympic Painting professionals are here to help. We enjoy working with our clients offering our advice as well as taking your opinions and making them come to fruition. Though we also enjoy giving our local Boston area and Massachusetts’s residents some tips on exterior painting if they wish to take on some of the tasks themselves.

Top 10 Tips for New England Exterior Painting

1) Paint selection: You get what you pay for. If you are looking at purchasing high quality paint, we recommend Cabot, Benjamin Moore and Behr. These can be purchased at your local hardware or paint stores, as well as Home Depot and Lowes. What happens with these superior paints is that you will be getting more quality color, more square footage per gallon, longer life span, better results, and easier touch ups later on.

2) The best time to paint the exterior of your home is when the outside temperature is 50 degrees or higher. When there is a higher than average humidity, the paint may not set as well as at normal humidity levels. For those of us in New England, its best to wait until spring, summer or early fall to paint the exterior of your house.

3) We will be able to provide you with advice on paint selection and the endless varieties and textures available!

4) Paint is of course an exterior painters worst nightmare, and will delay the project.

5) Don’t hesitate to ask about paints for different siding materials, as there are paints for aluminum, brick, vinyl, wood, shingles, and more.

6) So how often should your home receive a fresh coat of paint? The rule of thumb is every 5-10 years. However, there are many factors that play into this. Where are you located (New England home are under some of the worst conditions due to the range of seasons and proximity to the ocean)? What type of paint was used? Siding material?

7) It’s difficult to say what paint colors are the most popular in the Boston area and surrounding Massachusetts towns. Whites and creams are some of the more popular colors that you often see on older homes. You will also notice many shades of green and taupe.

8) What often separates Boston painting professionals such as Olympic Painting are the ways they perform the paint preparation. It should begin with an exterior washing, scraping of old and chipping paint, and covering of windows and other unpainted areas.

9) If you are hiring a painting contractor, ask if they will be using their own painting crews, or if they will be hiring subcontractors. Olympic Painting has one of the largest painting fleets in all of New England. Olympic is also a certified, insured and licensed painting company.

10) On a final note, if your home was painted prior to 1978, it is highly possible that it was painted with lead based paint. You can purchase lead test kits at most hardware stores. If your test kit does show that there is lead in the paint, it is highly recommended that painting professionals remove the lead, as scraping or sanding paint with lead can be very dangerous to your health.

We hope these 10 tips on exterior painting in Boston and Massachusetts has helped give you an idea of best practices. If you have any further questions or would like a free painting estimate for your home, building, or condo, please feel free to give us a call at (978) 887-5870 or contact us via our website.

There comes a time for every home or business owner when they notice that their property is in need of a serious facelift. This may come in the form of redecorating, landscaping, building an addition, or painting. In fact, interior and exterior painting can provide you with that update your home needs. Not only does it add new life and character to the home, but it also increases its value and adds protection from mother nature and basic ware and tare.

You have come to the right place if you are interested in learning more about how you can redecorate and paint your home or office. We are a local Boston area painting contractor providing both interior and exterior painting service to the homes and building in the Massachusetts and New England area.

Adding a new paint color, color shade, paint scheme, wallpaper is a great way to spruce up a room. Think about what you would like to portray in regards to character, feeling, etc. What do colors tell? They can be cold, clean, vibrant, warm, and they can even add light to a room.

Exterior Painting MA

If your homes architecture is older, choose a paint that fits accordingly. Look at your surrounding environment and the homes on your street. Do you want to conform or do you want to stand out? If you live in the woods, consider whites, browns, greens, and colors that match the foliage. Think of New England and consider the seasons.

If you want your home to have appear larger, consider painting it in white. White makes homes and buildings look bigger than it usually is, and in this sense gives it a more dramatic effect. Though occasionally, people tend to go in for really intense colors for their homes and office buildings. This can be a problem because such intense colors will fade out long term, and can also be difficult to maintain. The advantage is that they won’t show any dust and stains. Choosing paint with glossy effect can be best for cleaning, but they tend to show imperfections on the wall surface.

If you are interested in learning more about home painting colors, or would like to inquire about our services please give us a call or fill out the contact form.