Painters in Stone Harbor, NJ

Yes. Older Stone Harbor cottages often need careful prep on aged wood, while newer raised homes need a lift and more height work on tall walls. We plan each job for the house in front of us. Our crew paints siding, trim, garage doors and decks on both kinds of homes, and the inside work is the same either way.

That is one of the most common requests we get on the island. We suggest booking in winter or early spring so walls, trim and cabinets are done well before Memorial Day. We protect floors and furniture, keep the house tidy each day, and leave rooms ready to set up for guests or family.

It depends on which side of the house faces the ocean wind and how much sun it gets. South and east walls, decks and railings usually wear out first. Instead of waiting for the whole house to fail, many owners have us touch up and recoat the worst sides on a shorter cycle. We will walk the house with you and point out what needs work now.

Either can work, and it depends on the look you want and what is on the shingles now. Bare or lightly weathered cedar takes a semi-transparent stain well and keeps the wood grain visible. Shingles that were painted before usually need paint or a solid stain again, since clear products will not cover old color. We check a few shingles on the shaded side and the sunny side before we suggest a product.

We bring a ladder and walk every level. Up top, we check the siding, trim and deck rails that take the wind, and we note where a lift or staging will be needed. At ground level, we look at garage doors, stair stringers and entry walls for mildew and peeling. Then you get a written estimate broken out by area, so you can do the whole house or start with the side that needs it most.

It does. A shut house with the heat turned low holds damp air, and ceilings, closets and bathroom walls can show mildew spots by spring. Before painting, we wash those areas, let them dry, and prime with a stain blocking primer so the spots do not bleed through. We use a mildew resistant finish in bathrooms and near sliding doors. Running a dehumidifier over winter helps the new paint stay clean.