Our team at Performance Painting recently completed a lead paint removal and repaint project in the Arlington, TX, historic home district, and we wanted to explain to our customers the keys to working on a historic home, and what you need to know. For a quick background, in the Dallas – Fort Worth Metroplex, there are many cities that have historic home districts including McKinney, Arlington, Frisco, Sherman, and many others that we have serviced over the years. These historic homes need delicate care and professional painting companies to work on them, and many times need lead abatement as well.
The first key to repairing and painting a historic home is Preparation:
Since these homes were built before the 1920’s, the siding, facia, soffit, and trim over time rot’s away which needs to be replaced. Along with that, the old paint had builds up over time making windows and other areas on the exterior of the home hard to access. In the video above, and for some of these historic homes, they have lead paint which requires lead abatement removal which our Performance Painting team is certified to perform. In order to know if it has lead paint, you need to have a certified company test the paint for lead. If in fact the paint contains lead, make sure the contractor covers the grass and all other areas surrounding the home so it is not contaminated. You also need to make sure your contractor sand’s down the old paint, along with pressure washing the surface so there is no dust and dirt when you paint.
The second key to repairing and painting a historic home is choosing the right paint:
Besides making the home’s curb appeal pop, most historic home owners want the home to be restored to its original condition for colors. We highly recommend meeting with a local historian, and professional painting company like our team at Performance Painting, to make sure they are up for the task at hand. Historic homes tend to have many different colors and edges, so the project takes time and personal touch to not miss any areas. Our team also recommends choosing a higher end exterior paint that will last, so you don’t have to repaint again in the short term. Especially in Texas with the harsh weather, it can wear away at the exterior paint over time.
The last key to repairing and painting a historic home is following local regulations:
Individual cities have their own rules and regulations, so before starting on a historic home project, it is best to check with the city to see what you can and can’t do for your historic home. Make sure your painting company has the correct permits and experience with painting a historic home, before you move forward to avoid any legal issues. The city may also have recommendations like our Performance Painting team on how to paint your historic home in McKinney, Arlington like the video above, or any historic home district in the United States.