Learn How Professional Prep, Caulk, Prime, And Paint Create A Longer-Lasting Exterior

What Are The Steps Involved In House Painting, And How Does It Complement Coated Flooring? 

Want paint that actually lasts through Colorado sun, snow, and everyday life? We dig into the pro workflow that turns a simple color change into a durable upgrade: gentle exterior washing to remove dirt and webs, careful caulking that seals out moisture, and targeted scraping and priming on vulnerable wood like sills and door casings. From there, we explain how masking protects fixtures and masonry, why spraying the body and rolling trim yields sharp lines, and how premium coatings with solid warranties outperform bargain options when UV and weather go to work.

Inside the home, we get practical about scope: which rooms and surfaces to paint, how many colors make sense, and when to choose rolling versus spraying. We share real timelines for a modern 3,000–4,000 square foot home and the variables that speed things up or slow them down—architectural details, substrate age, and the number of windows and trim profiles. Washability takes center stage for busy households: cabinet-grade enamels for doors and trim, smart sheen choices for hallways and corners, and the balancing act between touch-up friendliness and stain resistance. You’ll hear how to match sheen to traffic so walls clean up fast without flashing.

We also cover site safety and sanity savers, including why pets and paint don’t mix and how a single curious dog can undo an entire cleanup in seconds. Throughout, we keep the focus on process over hype: the quiet steps that protect your home and make a fresh finish last years longer. If you want fewer callbacks, fewer scuffs, and a finish you can be proud of, this guide lays out the path from estimate to final walkthrough.

If you found this helpful, follow the show, share it with a friend planning a repaint, and leave a quick review to help others find it. Ready for a durable refresh? Get a free quote at MileHighCoatings.com or call 970-314-1023.

To learn more about Mile High Coatings visit:
https://www.MileHighCoatings.com
Mile High Coatings
970-314-1023 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:03

Welcome to the Mile High Coatings Podcast, where we elevate your spaces to a new peak in quality. Hosted by David Naniga, president of Mile High Coatings, this podcast explores how expert residential painting, concrete coatings, and epoxy flooring can transform garages, basements, patios, and commercial spaces across Colorado's front range. So grab your favorite beverage, sit back, and dive into the world of high-quality coatings.

SPEAKER_01 0:35

A beautifully finished home isn't just about color, it's about process, preparation, and how different upgrades work together to elevate the entire space. Welcome everyone.

SPEAKER_02 0:51

Hey, likewise, Julie, how are you doing?

Exterior Wash And Caulking Standards

SPEAKER_01 0:53

Oh, I'm okay. I'm excited to learn from you. So I guess you say let's get rolling. What are the steps involved in house painting, David?

Scraping, Priming, And Wood Trouble Spots

Masking, Spraying Body, Brushing Trim

Paint Choices And Warranty Options

SPEAKER_02 1:03

Well, um, so we'll we'll kind of just assume uh a typical project. So normally we're gonna start with uh cleaning the house, the exterior. So we're gonna do um, you know, light pressure wash. It's gonna, you know, clean dirt and cobwebs and and just get gonna get the you know the main main uh kind of stuff uh cleaned up, rinsed off um so that you know we have so we're not painting over dirt, essentially. Um so we have a good substrate. And then uh so from there, you know, we're gonna caulk. We we use a lifetime warranty caulk uh to you know reseal any seams. You know, sometimes it kind of varies house to house, but sometimes you've got you know siding joints that that butt up next to each other that that may need uh caulking, and sometimes not. Um, but then you've got you know trim boards um that they're gonna overlap on your siding that that oftentimes crack and um around doors and windows, obviously they're gonna be uh pretty important. So we check all those re- recalk as needed. And um sometimes we get you know the question of you know, do you do you rip out the old caulking uh and and recalk it? And so industry standard is that it if you you know, unl unless it's a unless it's a gap that's like you know, a half an inch and in the and the caulk is just kind of floating in there, then of course we're gonna rip it out, or if it's like super brittle. But typically um you can you can recalk right over old existing caulk. More often than not, the the cracks that we see are are are are not very wide. And so uh that the the the caulking has good elasticity and and and and it'll certainly adhere to a lot of surfaces, old paint, old caulking, and so so typically that's not a huge deal. Um it usually don't need to to remove old caulking, but um every now and then uh we do. And so um so after the house is you know sealed up, uh from that perspective, we want to make sure that we have any old loose flaking or peeling paint. You know, uh a lot of times you'll see that on real wood substrates. What I mean by that is um a lot of areas that are prone to flaking and peeling paint are going to be like a door jam and door casing um around garage doors, entry doors. Um, and then of course, um homes that have wood, like real wood windowsills, uh, those horizontal surfaces, you know, where moisture just kind of can sit, whether it's rain or snow, can can sit there and really cause a lot of contraction and expansion uh with the wood. And so what happens is that breaks down the paint film, that that contraction expansion over time breaks down the the film and it causes it to crack, and then you get moisture inside of it and it and then it starts to peel and and all that. And so so we want to make sure we scrape off that old paint um when and where possible. Um and then, you know, prime the very substrate. Um it's important to get to get a good primer uh back on that very substrate on those wood areas. Um underneath of siding too can be susceptible to to some some cracking and splitting. And so, you know, we want to look look to make sure that we have those areas covered. And um, and then from there, um you know, we're we're kind of start the beginning phases of the painting process. So, so after everything's prepped, uh we'll go through and we'll mask off uh anything we don't want to get paint on. So windows, you know, glass, um light fixtures, brick, stone, um you know, just kind of anything that that that we want to protect from from the paint. And then, and then we'll um it again, typically, and and and more more often than not, we're gonna spray the body, the main, you know, siding uh, you know, of the house, the so that so the the siding and the soffits and you know a patio ceiling or a front porch ceiling, and then uh and then brush and roll the the trim. And so that's kind of the whatever the a short explanation of of of the process of of painting a house. And then, you know, of course, the type of paint we use. Um, you know, we we we generally use paint uh lifetime warranty veins from Sherwin Williams, and they have a few different options there, kind of some different kind of good, better, best um sort of scenarios. And we do we do a standard five-year warranty and we have options for for upgraded warranties um up to 10 years. So um so it's always good to kind of learn about those options when you know talking to an estimator.

SPEAKER_01 5:57

So and like just for example, maybe a two-story house, I don't know, three to four thousand square feet, something like that. How does it or how long does it usually take to prep the exterior? And then after that, like literally how long does it take for like the paint to dry in general?

SPEAKER_02 6:16

So in northern Colorado, you know, Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor, Greeley, um there's a there's you know, the last, I mean, well, since you know, the the 2000s, you know, since what since the last 25 years, there's been so many homes built. And so, so, so a lot of times, you know, the those the newer homes um really because of the substrates or the because of the type of siding that's usually used, um, there's a there's a lot of cement board um that's used. And so those are usually manufactured um to to hold paint pretty well. So you you typically don't see a lot of peeling paint. Um occasionally you can see those those siding boards crack. So that might require some caulking. Um but but from just kind of a a pure prepping, you know, um, you know, from a scraping sanding standpoint, um most homes really don't require a lot. Of course, you know, a 50 or 60-year-old home that still has, you know, maybe some a lot more wood or older substrates, you know, those those may certainly require time. But so so you know to answer your question, uh, a typical three, four thousand square foot home that you might see might might only take a day to prep, um, you know, from a from a caulking and and and sort of scraping standpoint, and then um, you know, then a you know, two or three days to to paint. And and that can vary widely too, depending on steam, uh, depending on, you know, how much really how much trim and windows exist and in kind of the, you know, that that's why it's smart to have, you know, an estimator to actually come in and walk around the house and look at your house, because I mean, houses obviously vary. I mean, a 3,000 square foot, you know, home that was built in 2020 is gonna probably architecturally be a lot different than maybe, you know, a a 3,000 square foot home that was built in 1995 or whatever. So, so it's kind of a loaded question to say, you know, what's a typical cost? Because range, you know, or a typical time frame, you know, uh, because the it can just it it depends on a lot of different factors.

SPEAKER_01 8:40

Yeah, thank you for explaining that.

Interior Scope And Planning

SPEAKER_02 8:41

Yeah, no problem.

SPEAKER_01 8:42

And then when it comes to the interior, um what is that like? I mean, is it is the first step to like, you know, other than the estimate and take a look at what products are using, like covering the furniture and the the prep, what is all that like?

SPEAKER_02 8:56

Yeah, so again, that can, you know, case by case, you know, sometimes people just want want their bedroom repainted. Uh we're actually doing one this next week, um, where they're they're living in the house. Um, so so in this you know scenario, they're you know, um they're gonna have like the you know electronics um unplugged for us. Um they'll they'll they'll take down their their their TV. Um but big items usually we can help move. Um, you know, inevitably they're gonna have to get moved. Um it kind of shifted around as as we work around, you know, a room. And so so again, that that can vary too. Sometimes, you know, it depends on what what the goal of uh of the project is, you know, are they paint just uh for a new color to refresh it? Um are they painting it uh to because they're prepping it to sell it? Um and so so you know, or or is it a you know home they just bought and they want to add some color and they want to change the color and and maybe it's an empty room already and they haven't moved in yet. And so so or uh another scenario is is it part of a remodel? And so does it feel more like new construction as part of a you know um a remodelable? So so so those different scenarios um are all things that that need to be considered and and we'll you know, again, depending on the scenario, we'll depend on our approach. Do we spray it? You know, how many colors are involved? What are we painting? Are we painting just the walls? Are we including ceilings? Is the ceiling a different color? Is there an accent wall? Are we painting the Truman doors? Um, and and and you know, those are gonna be likely a different sheen. And so so there's a lot of different considerations that go into to uh to creating you know a price or an estimate uh for a particular project. And so it's kind of another one of those uh you know types of projects where it's good to look at it and kind of talk through all the the different um parameters uh uh you know the of the scope of work, as opposed to, you know, um, you know, we obviously we do a lot of garage floor coatings and in and and and concrete coatings. And so, you know, those tend to be a little bit more simple to ballpark price, because you're usually talking about square footage and and and the the the the variety of parameters are are usually a lot less.

Sheens, Washability, And Durability

SPEAKER_01 11:22

So and what about washable paint? Um are there uh brands or a type of paint that you think is the best? Because before, you know, before having a kid, like you know, I could just look at the color after that, like no way. We need washable paint.

SPEAKER_02 11:39

Yeah, so so that's so level of you know, quality of the paint is gonna be pretty, pretty important. Um there are some pretty neat um options. There's you know, there's there are paints that are tailored to to cabinets that are gonna have uh like a harder enamel um type of finish, they're gonna be scrubbable, um, and you know, easy to clean. And so so there's also the little similar types of paints for for trimming doors, is usually what you're gonna see. Usually, usually walls um tend to, although not always, but walls don't get quite as scuffed and dirty, um, although some corners, of course, can. And so, yeah, um that that's those are important considerations too, because you have different sheens that are gonna wear better than other sheens. And and so, so that that's another factor that that is is is pretty important. And you know, there's different, there's varying sheens and and and again, the different levels of quality. So it depends on budget, depends on why why is the you know the the homeowner painting what what's what's their goal again. If they're painting it to sell it, and and you know, they want to, you know, unfortunately a lot of times, you know, they're gonna, you know, probably not like care too much uh, you know, how it's gonna perform a year from now. And so they might want a lesser expensive paint. And so so yeah, there's that again, there's different different scenarios, but as far as yeah, washable paint, um you know, the by and large the paint that we that we use is is gonna is gonna wear pretty well from from from being able to be you know scrubbed and cleaned. Um you know, regular.

SPEAKER_01 13:26

If if there's a a crazy little person in the house that used the wall as their canvas, you know, with all the markers and crayons they could find.

SPEAKER_02 13:34

Yeah. Yeah, and that's better hope you have a dry erase. Uh um Yes.

Pet Mishaps And Safety Tips

SPEAKER_01 13:39

Yeah, that that would be handy too. Maybe that's part of the package deal. Here, use this dry whiteboard on a on a on a stand. Um, so yeah, before we were talking, before we um started recording these sessions, you've shared a couple funny stories about how how pets have definitely affected uh a job site. And maybe they're funny stories, maybe not so funny for the owner. Um, but if you could share a little bit about those couple stories, I know, or one of them, the dog or the cat that got into the paint or the paint water.

SPEAKER_02 14:14

Yeah, so it's been quite a while, but years ago, uh we were finishing up the day, and um the the the crew was cleaning out the sprayer, they're rinsing the sprayer, the paint out. We were working on an exterior project and uh you know, cleaning out brushers, brushes and rollers and and all that kind of and usually we'll do we'll ask the homeowner like where's a good area to, you know, usually, you know, it's it's water-based paint, so it's it's fine for the environment, doesn't kill the grass and all this stuff. So we'll find a corner, you know, in the backyard somewhere kind of hot away and and rinse brushes and and sprayers and all that stuff. Uh, because it has to be done at you know, every painting company is gonna have to do that. So uh anyway, so we're I was I was just standing there chit-chatting with the with the crew while they were um getting getting that stuff cleaned up and you know it's end of the day, and the homeowner um just out of the habit, you know, opens the door uh to let their dog out, and you know, obviously, wasn't fully thinking through the scenario. And uh the dog, you know, happy, you know, curious dog comes running around, um, kind of slosh steps the the the watery paint, um and and then runs, and then of course you know the homeowner can't be like you know, imposter or whatever the dog's name come inside and and so you know dog goes running back inside with with painty paws and and uh I I didn't I didn't see the ensuing disaster inside the house felt pretty bad. And uh this is one of those sort of learning experiences I I guess a little bit for for us too, but um you know, just to kind of re-emphasize the point, sometimes pets and paint don't always mix, uh for sure. And and and with that said too, uh you know, yeah, having a you know, having a guy up up on a ladder too and and and having a you know decent-sized dog run around is not always the the safest thing either. But but most people are we're you know, we're we're all pretty conscious of that and and uh and most people are aware and and uh and totally understanding, of course. And so it's usually usually not an issue, but you know, things happen.

SPEAKER_01 16:31

So yeah, it's like a nice, it's like a friendly warning. Keep your pets away from the site.

unknown 16:37

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 16:38

Yep.

Closing And How To Get A Quote

SPEAKER_01 16:39

But I like that, yeah. Paint and paws don't mix. I like what you just said. That's uh, yeah, that's also uh PSA for you dogs and cats, stay out of it. Well, David. David, thank you so much for walking us through all the steps. Um, we always appreciate this information. And it's always fun to chat with you. Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_02 17:00

Thanks, doing.

SPEAKER_00 17:05

Thanks for tuning in to the Mile High Coatings Podcast. Ready to give your space a fresh, durable finish? Visit MileHighCodings.com for a free price quote or call 970-314-1023. At Mile High Coatings, we're not just painting walls, we're setting a new peak in quality. Until next time, keep your standards high and your coatings higher.