Painters in Haddonfield, NJ

No. The borough's Historic Preservation Commission states that it does not regulate building color, so a new paint color needs no HPC application. Replacing siding or roofing, or changing the exterior appearance in other ways, does need a Certificate of Appropriateness. If your project goes beyond paint, check with the zoning office before work starts.

Cracked plaster is normal in houses this age. We clean out loose material, fill and tape the cracks, skim where needed, sand and prime. Then the finish coats go on. Badly loose plaster that has pulled away from the lath may need more than paint prep, and we will tell you if we see that.

Old wood sash and paneled shutters need careful scraping, sanding and a primer on any bare wood. We brush on exterior enamel and keep sash moving so windows do not get painted shut. Shutters are easier to do well off the house, so we take them down when the hardware allows.

September and early June are our favorite months here. Tall street trees keep porches and north walls shaded, so clapboard there dries slowly after rain and holds morning dew longer. We start on the sunny sides early in the day and move to shaded walls once they are dry to the touch. Summer work is fine, but humid stretches mean more waiting between coats.

Yes, and they deserve care. Built-in bookcases and cabinets usually have old oil paint, so we clean, sand and use a bonding primer before an enamel finish. Stair rails get handled every day, so we take them down to a smooth surface and apply a hard wearing coating. Balusters are brushed one at a time. We mask the treads so the wood floor stays clean.

We walk the outside first and look closely at the cornices, brackets, sash and porch floor, noting where paint has failed and where the wood is soft. Inside, we check plaster for cracks and old wallpaper. You get a written scope that lists each surface, the prep it needs and the products we plan to use. Nothing is rushed, because older houses hide surprises.