Every month, we seek to bring our readers insight from the worlds of home construction, home repair, and home maintenance straight from local Northwest Washington contractors in a segment we call “3 Questions.” Yep, you guessed it: we ask three questions, and the contractors answer them.
This month, we talk exterior paint with David Stegman, Owner of Stegman Painting in Friday Harbor.
Q1: How often is it necessary to paint the home’s exterior?
“With paint being the most durable of the options for a finish on the typical wood-sided home, you can expect to get eight to 12 years from properly applied quality paint. Higher sheen paints such as a semi-gloss will last a few years longer because some of the sun’s energy is reflected away from the paint. Sun is what most damages a paint, so areas such as fascia board and the sunny sides of buildings will likely wear out first.”
Q2: Caulking often fails. What’s the best quality caulking you recommend for exterior applications?
“Caulking has the number of months it should be good for on the side of the tube. The better caulks are rated for 45 years or more. One of the things I look for is caulk that contains Elastomeric. Elastomeric additives make the caulk very good at expanding and contracting as the building warms and cools.”
Q3: Do you have any pet peeves or advice for our audience about exterior paint issues and maintenance?
“I often hear from homeowners that they have been told they must repaint because they see black and green stains on the walls. Some contractors take advantage of the owner’s lack of understanding that mold and mildew is often the cause of these stains and can be removed with a fungicide or bleach. Often, there is no need to repaint.”
About Stegman Painting
Stegman Painting specializes in interior and exterior paint, stain, and varnish work (including pressure washing) for both residential and commercial properties. The company was started by Bill Stegman and his brother Ernie in 1925. Bill’s son Duane took over when Bill retired and moved the business to Anacortes in 1974. Duane’s son (David) now operates Stegman Painting LLC in Friday Harbor, which serves San Juan County. His sister, Deborah Stegman Steiner, runs Stegman Painting of Anacortes, which serves Skagit County, as well as parts of Whatcom and Island Counties.
A big “thanks” to David for his responses!
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