Many of our customers live in old, historic houses and want to preserve both the history and beauty of their home. We have been painting historic homes in New Jersey for years; our tradespeople are very experienced.

Here are some of our best practices for prepping older, historic structures. The most important thing to point out is that homes built before 1978 need to consider precautions for lead paint (Greenleaf is Lead Paint certified).

+ Power washing: The lead safe law enacted in 2010 prohibits the use of power washing on homes where lead paint exists on even the deepest layers of paint. + However, many homes require cleaning of dirt, mildew, and mold in order to ensure that the paint will adhere. Hand-cleaning with a hose and cleaning detergent serves as an excellent substitute to power washing.

+ Removal of loose paint: The entire surface of the exterior needs to be scraped to ensure that any loose paint is removed. The paint chips need to be gathered in plastic and safely disposed of.

+ Sealing bare wood & seams: Bare wood needs to be sealed with a top-quality oil-based primer to ensure that moisture cannot enter. Any seams between siding and trim need to be sealed with caulk. Our craftsmen repair or replace window frames, trim or other wooden features that are deteriorating. We also re-glaze windows where the glaze is failing.

+ Once the surfaces are prepped, you need a good base coat or sealant. These are not all created equal and can sometimes make a difference in the longevity of the paint job. We recommend using top-quality lines from Benjamin Moore or Sherwin-Williams.

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