Revitalize your exterior spaces with help from the pros at Painting Solutions

By Mary Malik

When the weather warms up, many homeowners’ thoughts turn to outdoor living. Have your outdoor spaces taken a beating this winter? How about the exterior surface of your home? It’s time to focus on the outside, and that means painting and deck maintenance.

Dan Peck, owner of Painting Solutions in Chardon, is scheduling now for spring and summer painting and staining projects.

“We paint aluminum, vinyl, brick, and, of course, stain decks and cedar siding,” says Dan. “All of these surfaces have their own way of aging. Wood flakes and peels and fades, and aluminum and vinyl fade and get dirty. This detracts from the beauty of your home and if not addressed can mean 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. And if the job is done right, it will last for 15 to 20 years.

Dan says decks and cedar siding need to be professionally cleaned and stained every couple of years or so, depending on your home’s environment. Sun, heat, rain and the fluctuating temperatures here in Northeast Ohio can do a number on any wood. It needs proper maintenance and protection.

“In a better protected area, you don’t need to clean and stain quite as often, maybe every three years,” says Dan. “The sun is really your worst enemy. If you wait too long the moisture seeps into those exposed areas and you end up with cracked wood that needs to be replaced. Just like almost every other building material these days, cedar is very expensive. Protect now and save later.”

Dan started painting as a summer job in high school over 20 years ago, working with old-school painters who taught him to never cut corners and that a quality job is in the details.

“I’ve passed all I’ve learned on to my crew,” says Dan. “We enjoy the satisfaction of painting. There’s no other home project like it. We love seeing the customers’ reactions to our work. They’re happy and it feels good to be a part of that.”

One of the things that sets Painting Solutions apart is preparation.

“It’s so important to remove all of the loose, peeling material, mold and dirt off of surfaces before you paint or stain,” says Dan. “We have power washers that are strong enough to do that and we know how to use them, so we don’t damage the material. When the stain is applied it goes on smoothly and evenly for the best outcome.”

Although power washing is a necessary step for cleaning the deck, Dan warns that it’s a big mistake when cleaning your siding.

“Don’t let anyone power wash your home’s cedar siding,” says Dan. “You will damage the wood and oversaturate it with water and cause a much bigger problem. We use a bleach solution on siding to gently remove any mold and dirt, then apply the stain to that heavily grained surface for a beautiful finish.”

And Dan and his crew protect everything around a home like it was their own.

“We cover your landscaping when painting your home or staining your deck and we always do our very best to keep the site as clean as possible,” says Dan.

Dan admits some homes present challenges and he welcomes that.

“One house was on a golf course, so the guys wore helmets because of stray golf balls,” smiles Dan. “We’ll do what it takes to get the job done.”

You can reach Painting Solutions at 440-342-4552, by email, contact@paintingsolutions.com, or the website, PaintingSolutionsOhio.com.