Painting Wooden Siding in the San Francisco Bay Area
Here in the Bay Area, our historic homes are famous for their elaborate exterior woodwork. It’s not just the iconic homes that have wood siding or trim, however. In fact, almost all of our homes have at least some wood on the exterior, be it siding, window trim, door trim, shutters, fascia, decks, steps, the front door, or the garage door. The important truth to keep in mind is that exterior wood needs regular painting to keep it looking great and to prevent it from deteriorating.
If you own a home with wood on the exterior, here are a few things you should know about caring for it:
4 things to know about exterior wood in the San Francisco region
Coastal Life is hard on wood. While we admire the weather-worn look of driftwood, we don’t want our homes looking that way! Strong winds, salty air, and strong sun exposure all work together to shorten the life of wooden siding and other surfaces. That’s why regular exterior painting is vital! It provides a barrier that keeps your wood from splitting, cracking or rotting.
Delaying your exterior painting can cost you more. Once exterior paint has begun to fail, it is no longer possible to simply apply a new coat of exterior paint. Instead, the failing paint needs to be removed manually, which can be a very time-consuming, labor-intensive (and costly) project. If you add new paint over failing paint, the new paint will continue to fail and your investment is worthless. However, if you recoat your home exterior before the paint has begun to fail, your home will continue to look great, and the paint will keep the elements at bay.
Deteriorated wood needs remediation. Once wood has begun to deteriorate, whether from dry rot, from splitting, or from animal damage, it becomes a weak point in your home’s defenses. Simply applying paint over failing wood is not going to solve a problem, as the wood no longer has structural integrity. In minor cases, wood filler and caulk can remediate small problems, but in many cases the wood must be replaced. Any new wood should be primed on every side before it is installed on the home.
Stained wood also needs maintenance. It's not just painted wood that needs repainting every 4 to 9 years. Stained woodwork, such as decks, railings, fences, garage doors, and entry doors, also needs new coatings to protect it from the sun and moisture, and to keep it looking great. A good maintenance plan includes yearly pressure washing and inspection to see if the waterproofing is still effective.
Exterior Painting Services
MB Jessee Painting is based in Oakland, CA, and we offer premium painting services to the whole San Francisco Bay area, including Piedmont, Hillsborough, Pacific Heights and beyond. We provide a full range of exterior and interior painting services to keep your home healthy and beautiful!
All of our exterior painting services include the following characteristics:
- Caution not to harm landscaping or other exterior home features
- Premium products and expert paint application
- Thorough surface preparation
- Courteous, effective communication.
If your San Francisco Area home (or business) has exterior wood siding that needs to be painted, contact MB Jessee today – we look forward to hearing from you!
