Detroit is a brick city, so much exterior painting here is trim work: windows, fascia, soffits, porches and gables. Frame houses add wood clapboard, aluminum or vinyl siding. Freeze and thaw lifts paint at sills and joints, and the outdoor season runs from about mid May to early October.
On a typical Detroit street the walls are brick and the paint is on everything else. Window sashes and frames, fascia boards, soffits, porch columns, railings, dormers and the stucco or wood in a Tudor gable all need a coat every so often. Frame houses on the east and west sides add wood clapboard, and many of those were later wrapped in aluminum or vinyl. Each of these takes paint in its own way, so we look at what your house is made of before we talk about products.
Prep is the larger part of the job. We wash the surfaces and let them dry. Loose paint is scraped back to a firm edge and the bare wood is primed the same day. Open joints around windows and trim are caulked so water cannot get behind the paint. Soft or rotted wood is pointed out to you, and small sections can be repaired before painting. Chalky aluminum siding is washed until the powder is gone, since paint laid over chalk lets go quickly.
Weather decides the calendar. Paint needs a dry surface and mild air to cure, so outdoor work in Detroit runs from about May into early October. Spring and fall mornings can leave dew on north walls, and we start those sides later in the day. A house built before 1978 may have lead in its old exterior coats, so scraping is done over ground covers and chips are collected. Homes in local historic districts such as Indian Village need approval from the Historic District Commission before exterior painting begins.
Exterior painting in Detroit: common questions
Is it a good idea to paint the brick on my Detroit house?
Usually we advise against it on sound, unpainted brick. Brick needs to let moisture out, and paint can trap it, which matters in a climate with many freeze and thaw cycles. Brick that is already painted can be repainted. We are glad to look at yours and give an honest opinion.
Why does the paint on my window sills peel first?
Sills are flat, so rain and melting snow sit on them. Water gets into small cracks, freezes and lifts the paint. Sills that face south also take the most sun. Scraping, priming bare wood and sealing the joints help the next coat stay on longer.
Can you paint only the trim and the porch?
Yes. On a brick house that is the normal job. The quote lists the windows, doors, fascia, soffits, porch parts and any gable work, so you can see what is covered and choose to add or leave out items.
How it works
- Free estimate: Call, text or book online. We walk the job and measure.
- Written quote: Prep, paint and price in writing.
- Prep & protect: We cover floors and furniture, repair and prime surfaces.
- Paint & walk-through: Two coats, clean lines, full clean-up and a final walk-through.