Our Prep Process: Where a Paint Job Is Won or Lost

Before anything else we cover floors and furniture, mask trim, fixtures, and hardware, and set up containment where needed. Nothing gets painted that you didn't ask to have painted.

Exteriors get pressure washed to strip dirt, chalk, and mildew. Interiors and cabinets get degreased. Paint bonds to the surface, not to what's sitting on it, and chalk is the number one cause of premature peeling in San Jose.

All loose and failing paint comes off, and glossy surfaces get scuff-sanded so the primer has something to grip. On homes built before 1978 we follow EPA lead-safe practices.

Holes, dents, and cracks get filled. Stucco cracks get an elastomeric patch. Gaps around trim, windows, and siding seams get caulked so water has nowhere to get in over the winter.

Bare wood, patched areas, stains, and tannin-heavy woods get the right primer for that specific surface. Skipping this is why white cabinets turn yellow and why patches telegraph through the finish coat.

We walk the prepped surfaces with you and confirm colors, sheens, and repairs before a drop of finish paint goes on. Problems are cheap to fix at this stage and expensive to fix after.