Your Painting Questions, Answered
Straight answers to the questions homeowners and business owners ask us most, from peeling paint and mildew to cabinets, decks and commercial work.
Don’t see your question? Call our Lawrence office at 785-330-9619 or our Topeka office at 785-235-4400, and we’ll answer it, or ask us at your free proposal appointment.
Jump to: Exterior · Interior · Cabinets · Deck & Fence · Commercial
Exterior Painting
How much does it cost to paint the exterior of a house in Lawrence, KS?
A 2,000-square-foot home in Lawrence usually runs $6,000 to $12,000, including washing, prep, caulking and two finish coats. Price depends on how much is wood, vinyl or brick, the number of stories, work above the roofline, scraping and wood rot repair, and how many colors you choose. Wood rot repair is common here and can add significantly.
Why is my exterior paint peeling after only two years?
Usually because of poor prep. If the siding isn’t cleaned properly, the right primer is skipped or the caulking fails, paint won’t stay stuck. Kansas freeze-thaw winters also push trapped moisture out through the paint. We find the cause first, scrape to sound material, prime bare wood and fix the water source.
What causes paint to bubble or blister on my siding?
Blisters come from moisture or heat getting under the paint, or from coats that never bonded. Painting a hot, sunny wall or damp wood can cause them. If a blister shows bare wood, it’s moisture. If it shows an older paint layer, the coats didn’t bond. We diagnose the cause before we repaint.
Why does my siding feel chalky when I touch it?
Chalking is the powder left when the sun breaks down the binder in old exterior paint. It shows first on south- and west-facing walls. You can’t paint over it, because the new coat would stick to loose powder. We loosen it with a mild detergent that’s safe for plants, pets and people, then wash it off before painting.
Why does the north side of my house get mildew?
The north side gets the least sun and stays damp longest after rain and dew, so mildew and algae grow there first. It’s a moisture and shade problem, not a paint problem. We kill the growth with a cleaning solution instead of blasting it off, then use a mildew-resistant coating on shaded walls.
Does my house need painting or just a good cleaning?
If the paint is intact but dirty, streaked or mildewed, it needs washing, not painting. If it’s chalky, cracked, peeling or showing bare wood, it needs repainting. Try rubbing a dry white cloth on the siding: heavy powder means the paint is worn out. We’ll tell you honestly which one your house needs.
Should I repaint my siding or replace it?
Repaint if the siding is still solid and only the paint has failed. Replace boards that are rotted through or coming apart. On most Kansas homes, the answer is to repaint and replace only the bad boards. We do carpentry and wood rot repair in-house, so the same crew fixes and paints.
Should exterior paint be sprayed, brushed or rolled?
It depends on the siding, and spraying isn’t a shortcut. On LP and other engineered wood siding, the most common siding on Kansas homes, two full sprayed coats work best. On stucco, we back-roll after spraying. On rough or weathered wood, we spray and then back-brush to work the paint into the surface.
Do you paint house exteriors in the winter?
Yes, within limits. We paint exteriors whenever the surface temperature and dew point allow, usually down to about 35 degrees, and the surface has to stay warm for several hours afterward. From about December through February, we shift most work to interiors, cabinets and popcorn ceiling removal, and book exteriors for spring.
What happens if it rains during my paint job?
We stop before the rain, not during it. We watch the forecast and won’t apply paint that can’t dry before the weather arrives. If rain does hit fresh paint, we inspect it once it’s dry and recoat it at no cost to you. Weather delays move the schedule but don’t change your price.
How soon can I wash my newly painted siding?
Wait at least 30 days before pressure washing newly painted siding, and even then use low pressure and a mild detergent. Paint feels dry within hours but keeps hardening for about a month, and high-pressure water can cut through a soft finish. A light rinse with a garden hose is fine after about two weeks.
What’s the difference between paint being dry and fully cured?
Dry means the paint can be touched, usually in one to four hours. Cured means it has fully hardened, which takes about 14 to 30 days for most exterior paints. In between, it looks finished but scratches, marks and washes off easily, so hold off on leaning ladders against it or scrubbing it for the first several weeks.
Interior Painting
How much does it cost to paint the interior of a house in Lawrence, KS?
Usually $600 to $1,200 or more per room, or $5,400 to $10,800 or more for a whole average home. Price depends on ceiling height, trim and doors, whether ceilings are included, wall repairs and color changes. We price each room separately, so you can paint it all at once or room by room, starting with a free written proposal.
Do I need to move my furniture before you paint?
Only a little. Take down pictures and knick-knacks, put away valuables and family keepsakes, and move furniture to the middle of the room. Our crew takes it from there. If you have a heavy piece you can’t move, we’re happy to help, and full furniture moving can be added to your proposal.
Why do the cracks in my walls keep coming back?
Usually because the house is moving, not because of the paint. Settling and Kansas’s big seasonal swings in temperature and humidity reopen cracks. We repair them properly by opening, taping and rebedding them before priming, which lasts longest. If the movement continues, though, even a well-repaired crack can come back over time.
What causes yellow or brown stains to bleed through my ceiling paint?
Usually tannins, nicotine or old water damage bleeding through the new paint. Latex paint can’t block them, no matter how many coats you apply. The fix is a stain-blocking primer, shellac- or oil-based, over the stain before the finish coat. On every project, we use the right primer for each surface.
Why does the paint in my bathroom keep peeling?
Steam condenses on the walls faster than the room can vent it, and moisture gets behind the paint. Flat paint, a weak exhaust fan and painting over glossy enamel without sanding make it worse. The fix is good ventilation, proper prep and a moisture-resistant satin finish in a premium paint, which is how we do bathrooms.
What’s the difference between flat, eggshell, satin and semi-gloss paint?
Sheen is how much light a finish reflects, and shinier paint is easier to clean. Flat hides flaws but marks easily and is hard to wash, so it suits ceilings and low-traffic rooms. Eggshell and satin work for living areas, bedrooms and hallways. Semi-gloss belongs on trim, doors, kitchens and bathrooms. We recommend sheen room by room.
How long will my house be a job site for an interior repaint?
A single room usually takes one day. A full interior repaint of an average home takes three to seven working days, and up to two weeks if we’re painting all walls, ceilings and trim. Our Project Manager plans the order of the work with you ahead of time to keep disruption low, and the crew cleans up every day.
Is interior paint safe with kids and pets in the house?
Yes, with normal ventilation. Nearly all interior work today uses low- or zero-VOC water-based paint, which has far less odor and clears within hours, and we offer zero-VOC paint where needed. In older homes, the real concern is lead, and we’re EPA Lead-Safe Certified to work on pre-1978 paint. Keep kids and pets out of work areas.
How do I touch up a scuff on a freshly painted wall?
Clean it first with a damp cloth and mild soap, since most marks come right off. If you need paint, use the leftover from your job, stir it well and apply as little as possible with a small roller or brush, feathering outward. Touch-ups blend on flat paint but can show on satin and semi-gloss, sometimes meaning a full-wall repaint.
Cabinet Painting
How much does it cost to paint kitchen cabinets in Lawrence, KS?
An average kitchen usually runs $5,000 to $12,000. Price depends on how many doors and drawers you have, the door material and wood grain, and the condition of the current finish. We count your doors and drawers in person and give you a free written proposal, and our 8-step process gives you a quality, long-lasting finish.
Should I paint my kitchen cabinets or replace them?
It depends on your goal. If you’re changing the layout, or the cabinets are damaged or falling apart, replacing may make sense, though it’s expensive and slow. If you’re keeping the layout and want a fresh look, painting is a cost-effective way to update your kitchen, and our 8-step process gives it a long-lasting finish.
What kind of finish do you spray on cabinets, and why does it matter?
We spray fast-curing cabinet coatings that harden into a tough finish that resists fingernails and grease and keeps doors from sticking to the frames. Ordinary wall paint never gets that hard, which is why many DIY cabinet jobs feel tacky and chip at the edges. Spraying also leaves a smooth, even finish with no brush marks.
Is refacing cabinets better than painting them?
Refacing replaces the doors and drawer fronts and puts new veneer on the boxes. It lets you change the door style and costs more than painting but less than replacing. Painting is the better value when your doors are in good shape and you mainly want a new color. Refacing wins when doors are damaged or dated. We offer cabinet painting.
Can you paint oak cabinets without the wood grain showing through?
Yes. Oak has a deep, open grain that shows through paint unless it’s filled first, with grain filler sanded flat and sometimes repeated before the finish coats. That takes extra work, so it costs more than painting smooth maple or MDF doors. We offer grain filling as a premium upgrade if you want a very smooth finish.
How long does cabinet painting take?
An average kitchen takes three to six working days, from setup to rehanging the doors. We spray the doors separately from the cabinet boxes so both get an even finish. Your kitchen stays usable most of that time, since the doors are simply off, and we give you a day-by-day plan so you know when it won’t be.
Do I have to empty my kitchen cabinets before you paint them?
It depends on how your cabinets are built and whether you want the insides painted. In many cases, you can leave your things inside, and we cover and mask the openings. At your free proposal appointment, our project consultant looks at your cabinets and tells you what, if anything, needs to come out before we start.
Can I use my kitchen while my cabinets are being painted?
Mostly, yes. Your sink, stove and refrigerator stay usable for nearly the whole job. You lose the cabinet doors and easy access to what’s behind them, and countertops need to be cleared. Usually one or two days are off-limits while we spray. Plan simple meals, and we’ll tell you at the start which days those are.
Why is the paint chipping off my cabinets around the handles?
Usually because the paint went on over grease and the factory finish without degreasing, scuff sanding and a bonding primer. Cabinet doors get more hand contact than any other painted surface, so shortcuts show up there first. Our 8-step process degreases, scuff-sands, bonding-primes and sprays a cabinet-grade finish, so the paint bonds to the door.
Why do my cabinet doors still feel sticky months after they were painted?
Sticky doors mean the finish never fully cured, usually because wall paint or a general-purpose enamel was used, or a coat went on before the one underneath had dried. If doors are still tacky after a month, the finish has to be stripped and redone. Our 8-step process makes sure the coating fully cures and lasts.
How do I clean painted cabinets without ruining the finish?
Use a soft cloth with warm water and a drop of dish soap, then dry them. Skip magic erasers, bleach, ammonia and anything abrasive, because they dull the finish for good. Wait 30 days after painting before any real cleaning so the finish can fully cure, and wipe grease near the stove weekly so it never builds up.
Why are my white cabinets turning yellow?
Either an oil-based finish is ambering with age, or grease, smoke and sunlight have discolored it. Grease yellowing washes off with a degreaser. Ambering doesn’t, and it takes a refinish in a non-yellowing waterborne enamel. Doors above the stove and the insides of closed cabinets yellow fastest. We can inspect your cabinets and give you a custom solution.
Deck & Fence Staining
Should I stain or paint my deck?
Stain it. We don’t recommend painting decks. The best choice is usually a semi-transparent oil-based stain that soaks in and shows the wood grain, recoated every two to four years. A solid stain can cover a deck with mixed colors, but it sits on top of the wood, so floors and steps need recoating about every two years.
Why is my deck turning gray?
Gray boards are sun damage. Once the stain’s protection wears off, UV breaks down the top layer of wood, and it weathers gray within a season or two. Gray wood is unprotected wood, so Kansas rain and freeze-thaw cracking follow. The good news is it’s reversible: a proper cleaner and wood brightener bring back much of the color.
Why is my deck stain peeling in patches?
Stain peels when a film-forming product, usually a solid stain, went on over a damp, dirty or already-coated surface and sat on top instead of soaking in. Walkways and flat boards fail first, often within one to two years. Penetrating oil stains fade instead of peeling. We strip the failed coating before restaining, rather than recoating over it.
What’s the difference between transparent, semi-transparent and solid stain?
It’s how much pigment they carry. Transparent shows the most grain and lasts one to two years. Semi-transparent tints the wood, keeps the grain visible and lasts two to three. Solid hides the grain like paint, but it sits on top of the wood, so it wears and peels faster in high-traffic areas. We’ll give you options.
Does a new pressure-treated deck need to dry before staining?
Usually, yes. New pressure-treated wood is often still wet from treatment and won’t absorb stain. To test it, sprinkle water on the boards. If it beads up, the wood isn’t ready. If it soaks in within a minute, it is. We wait until the wood has weathered, usually three weeks to three months, before staining.
Commercial Painting
Do you paint businesses?
Yes. We paint offices, stores and other commercial buildings, inside and out, in Lawrence, Topeka and across Johnson County. Every commercial job starts with a free written proposal, and we plan the work around your hours and the timeframe you need, so your business can keep running while we paint.
Can you paint around our business hours?
Yes. We plan commercial work around your hours and the timeframe you need, so customers and staff can keep using the space. At your free proposal appointment, we’ll walk through the building with you, talk through which areas can be done when and set a schedule that keeps your business running.
Ready for Your Free Proposal?
Every job starts with a free written proposal, and the price is good for a full year. We’ll come out, look at your project with you and answer every question on this page and any others you have.