by Nigel Costolloe | Sep 21, 2012 | Belmont, Environmentally Friendly Paints, EPA-RPP, Exterior Painting, Wood Restoration
In these photos below we have removed all flaking paint from a Belmont, MA home. The exterior walls looked sound from a distance but up close, each shingle showed a latticework of cracked paint – in painting parlance this is called ‘alligatoring’. It...
by Nigel Costolloe | Jul 10, 2012 | Brookline, Exterior Painting, Historic Restoration
One of the earliest lessons I learned in painting was not to rush to apply the 2nd coat. Oil-primed exterior walls on a Brookline Victorian were taking forever to dry; the paint can label suggested 48 hours before recoating – I waited a full week then applied a...
by Nigel Costolloe | Feb 3, 2012 | Boston Painters, Exterior Painting, Historic Restoration, Water Damage
I had no idea either, until I moved to New England from San Francisco and encountered a multitude of paint failures that are unique to old wood houses and Old Man Winter. The above photo is of an elevation on the Fitch Inn in Bedford, the start of Paul Revere’s famous...
by Nigel Costolloe | Aug 22, 2011 | Customer Service, Environmentally Friendly Paints, EPA-RPP, Exterior Painting, Lead-Safe Certified
Each month seems to bring a new EPA clarification on how we are supposed to implement the RRP protocols while working on homes coated in lead-based paint. The article below introduces a new wrinkle, arguing that the current 10 foot rule is still inadequate in keeping...
by Nigel Costolloe | Aug 8, 2011 | Boston Painters, Exterior Painting, Home Improvement, Summer
The Friday before last, all craftsmen and women were given a paid day off to escape the heat. Even those who were working inside Boston’s older homes were without A/C and when the conditions were exacerbated by the need for respirator use and other personal...
by Brian | May 20, 2011 | Brookline, Exterior Painting, Water Damage, Winter, Wood Restoration
We have the privilege of tending to some of Boston’s grand old homes and we have learned that ongoing maintenance is the best approach to keep these buildings in top shape. The photograph below is taken from a gorgeous Federal house in Brookline, one that was...