Exterior Painting

Highpoint Painting offers exterior painting in Tucson for stucco, siding, trim, doors and eaves. Your home is due for paint when a white powder rubs off on your hand, colors look washed out, or caulk cracks around windows. Catching these signs early protects the surface under the paint. We give free estimates.

The Chalk Test: Is Your Exterior Paint Worn Out?

Rub your palm across a wall that gets strong sun. If your hand comes away coated in fine powder, the paint is chalking. Chalking means sunlight has broken down the binder that holds the paint together. A little is normal on older paint. A lot means the paint is near the end of its life. Here is the catch. New paint put right over chalk will not stick well. The wall needs a good wash, and heavy chalk often needs a primer made to bond to it.

Stucco and Siding Need Different Paint

Stucco needs paint that lets moisture escape, while wood siding needs paint that flexes as boards swell and shrink. Hairline cracks in stucco are common. Thick elastomeric coatings can bridge them, but they can also trap moisture if the wall has a water problem behind it. Wider cracks need to be patched before any paint goes on. Wood trim and fascia boards take the most beating. Bare wood soaks up water fast, so any spot worn down to wood needs primer, not just a topcoat. Metal railings and doors need a rust-blocking primer where rust has started.

Warning Signs That Mean Repair Before Paint

Paint cannot fix soft wood, open cracks or water stains. Those need repair first. Press a screwdriver into trim near the ground and around windows. If it sinks in easily, the wood has rot. Blisters in one area often mean water is getting in from behind, not that the paint was bad. Peeling down to bare wood in long strips can mean the same. If you find these problems on siding boards, our siding repair page explains how to tell a small fix from a big one.

Weather and Timing

Exterior paint fails when it goes on too hot, too cold, or right before rain. Every paint can lists its own temperature range. Follow it. Paint on a wall in direct midday sun can dry too fast, which leaves lap marks and weak film. Rain or heavy dew on fresh paint can wash it out or leave streaks. Most painters follow the shade around the house for this reason.

Do You Need a Permit or HOA Approval to Paint Outside?

Repainting the outside of a house usually does not need a building permit in Arizona, but many HOAs require color approval first. Check your HOA rules before you pick colors. Some neighborhoods also have historic district rules. Arizona does require many contractors to be licensed by the Registrar of Contractors. Highpoint Painting is a Licensed Arizona contractor, ROC #353460.

Serving Tucson and Beyond

With 11 years of painting experience, we paint homes and businesses across our Tucson service area and nearby cities, including Phoenix. Ask for a free estimate.