Spring has officially sprung in New England—daffodils are blooming, birds are singing, pollen is absolutely bonkers, and somewhere in the distance, someone is pressure washing their house with the intensity of a person avenging winter. It’s that time of year when we emerge from hibernation, take a good hard look at our homes, and realize: yikes. That paint didn’t quite survive the snow, wind, ice, and what we’re pretty sure was a sideways rain/hail hybrid.
If your home’s exterior is looking a little worse for wear, you’re not alone. Spring is the prime time for exterior painting, and professional painters of Catchlight are here to help!
Prep Work: The Glamorous Side of Painting (Said No One Ever)
Let’s set the record straight: a truly exceptional paint job begins long before a single brush touches the siding. In fact, up to 90% of the time spent on exterior painting might go toward surface preparation. Pressure washing, scraping, stripping, sanding—it’s dirty, it’s demanding, and yes, it’s absolutely essential.
Think of it like painting a masterpiece on a cracked and dusty canvas. You can use the finest paint in the world, but if the surface isn’t properly prepped, you’re just decorating deterioration. And in New England, where homes get smacked around by snowstorms in February and sunbaked in July, surface prep isn’t optional—it’s essential.
Historic Homes: Beautiful, Beloved, and High Maintenance
If your home is celebrating its 100th (or 300th) birthday, first of all—congratulations. That’s some serious architectural staying power. But historic homes have unique needs, especially when it comes to paint.
Many older homes have layers of paint built up over the decades. These old coatings become brittle with age, unable to expand and contract with seasonal changes in humidity and temperature. As a result, they fail, first by alligatoring then peeling —leaving your home exposed to the elements, irking your neighbors and looking like it could use some love.
For these homes, gentle but thorough prep is critical. It’s not just about aesthetics—it’s about preservation. We treat these structures with the care and expertise they deserve, using the right tools and techniques to protect them for generations to come.
Lead paint – take it seriously
Any home built before 1978 must be assumed to have been coated with lead-based paint – it’s almost impossible to prove that a house is lead paint free so ensure you hire a company which is both state and federally licensed to handle the risk of lead paint disturbance. Catchlight has been a licensed and RRP-certified company since 2010!
Let the Pros Handle the Dirty Work
Pressure washing, scraping, and sanding don’t exactly scream “fun weekend plans.” But to us? It’s just another day doing what we love and doing it really, really well.
At Catchlight, we combine careful and appropriate preparation with premium coatings and expertise to deliver finishes that are not only beautiful but built to last. Whether your home is a 19th-century colonial or a modern urban retreat, we approach every project with care and precision. So if your home is due for a spring refresh, now is the time to take action; don’t wait for Mother Nature to cause more damage.
