Prep work, sanding and priming: step by step

A painter can make a frame look good in two hours, and in that case the paint also comes off again quickly. Paint only bonds well to a clean, dry, sanded substrate. Grease from hands, dirt, loose paint and wet wood are all reasons why a new coat lets go within a few years. You do not see that at completion, because then everything still looks good.

This is also why two quotes can be so far apart. The difference is often not in the paint but in the hours before it. So always ask which steps are in the price. Comparing painters' quotes helps you with that.

Between the coats we sand lightly and the paint gets the drying time given on the technical data sheet. That waiting time is not lost time: topcoat on a coat that is not dry yet wrinkles or lets go later.

We sand with Festool and work up through grit 150, 180 and 240. Coarse where paint has to come off or wood has to be flattened, finer as the coat gets closer. Wood sanded too coarse shows through the topcoat as streaks, especially in high gloss. Sanding too fine gives the primer less grip.

We also want to feather edges and transitions well, so an old paint layer does not stay visible as a step. On profiles and glazing bars we do a lot by hand, because the machine cannot reach there. On the front door and other doors you see up close every day, this takes the most time. You can see that attention straight away at the exterior doors in Bolsward.

Sanding is not always safe. Old paint can contain lead. White lead paint has been banned indoors since 1939 and outdoors since 2009, according to OnderhoudNL. On older houses in Friesland it can therefore still be present in the bottom layers, especially on frames and doors that were never stripped completely.

If in doubt, we do not sand dry, because you do not want that dust in the house or the garden. Then we choose a method that produces no dust. If you have an older house, or do not know what is on your frames, read what you need to know about lead in old paint before you pick up the sander yourself.

We only prime where it is needed: on bare wood, on repairs and on spots where the old paint has been removed. We use Sikkens Primer Extra and Primer Express, and we also choose based on what goes on top. On some doors a double primer coat goes on: in Bolsward there were two coats of Primer Express under the Rubbol Satura 9010.

On other material, such as Trespa, we first look at the pretreatment. Trespa can be painted, but only if it is cleaned and sanded properly. For the difference between the paint types that follow, read water-based or turpentine-based.

How much prep is needed is not something you decide from a distance. We still like to look along in advance, so this is handy to send:

• Photos in which you can clearly see the condition of the paint, from close up and in daylight.
• Whether bad paint has been painted over before, as far as you know.
• The year of construction, for the question about lead.
• Whether you want a different colour or gloss level.
• Whether there are spots that already feel soft.

At the site visit we look at the substrate and agree what goes in the quote.

Prep is labour, and that lands on the hourly rate. Nationally that hourly rate is from €30 inside and from €40 outside, and exterior painting costs from €35 per m2 as a market indication. The worse the condition of the old paint, the more of those hours go on sanding and repairing.

What helps the most is starting in time: a closed, dull coat is finished faster than flaking paint. Colour changes and high gloss ask for more too: high gloss shows flaws sooner, so then we sand finer. If bad paint was painted over before, that has to come off first before it makes sense to carry on. After the site visit you get a fixed price from us with the agreed work, so no surprises afterwards.

In photos of our work you can see the in-between stages: taped-off windows, primer on the wood, sanded doors. We show that because that is where the difference lies. In their reviews customers also mention the neat taping off and the clear communication.

Want this on your house? Call or WhatsApp Mohamed on 06 3006 0558, or request a quote. More about the whole approach is at exterior painting in Friesland. You get a quote from us in which every step is named, so you know what happens before the last coat goes on.