Lasting beauty

Now that the weather is turning the corner, it's time to take a good look at the deck and the exterior of our homes. How did they fare through the cold temps, snow and ice of the past few months? 

Dan Peck, owner of Painting Solutions, has been maintaining decks and painting and staining homes for more than 20 years. If anyone understands the havoc the Northeast Ohio weather can wreak on your home's exterior and outdoor spaces and how to repair the damage, it's Dan. 

“Flexibility is key in our business,” Dan says. “As we all know, the weather can turn very quickly, and we need to be ready to pivot from inside work to outside work. I've been doing this for so long and I'm nothing if not flexible. Whether it's outdoor deck cleaning and staining or home exterior work, Painting Solutions is ready when you are.”

Whatever the siding of your home, Painting Solutions will update the look with a fresh paint job, a new color, or bring your cedar siding back to life with a cleaning and staining. 

“We have the correct process in place for the best results, no matter which type of job we're doing,” Dan says. “With painting, a primer is applied first, and the paint adheres to that primer. With cedar siding the stain absorbs into the wood grain. This requires a wet-on-wet application. If you let the initial coat dry, the following coat(s) won't absorb into the wood.”

Dan says the different surfaces of your home have their own way of aging. Wood flakes, peels and fades and aluminum and vinyl fade and get dirty. If not addressed correctly with regular maintenance, you can be faced with a much larger investment down the road.

“You can spend tens of thousands for new siding, or a fraction of that for a good paint or stain job that will transform your home,” Dan says. “If the job is done right, it will last for 15 to 20 years. My crew has the experience and training necessary to do the job right.”

For example, Dan does not advise pressure washing for cedar siding. Although the wood must be clean before applying a stain, pressure washing can cause more problems by damaging the wood and leaving it open to moisture, mold and dirt. It must be cleaned by hand.

“Cedar siding needs to be cleaned gently,” Dan says. “But it does need to be clean. That's the mistake people make. You need a raw surface to absorb the stain and preserve the wood.”

Dan recommends both cedar siding and decks be professionally cleaned and stained every couple of years or so, depending on your home’s environment. Lots of direct sunlight causes fading and heavy trees and shrubbery can produce more mold and mildew buildup. 

And now is the time to get on the list for deck cleaning and staining before you break out the outdoor furniture. 

“Between the weather, foot traffic, pets, furniture and grills, our decks take a beating," Dan says. "We do recommend a power wash for the deck before staining because of the level of dirt and mold. It has to be clean. But, again, like all of the jobs we do, gentle but thorough is best to get the best results and protect the surfaces of your home.”



Dan offers in-house financing for all Painting Solutions services. 

Contact Painting Solutions at 440-636-2979, by email contact@paintingsolutions.com or the website PaintingSolutionsOhio.com.