Use and care of your new exterior paint job

Putting your exterior back in service:

• Exterior paint takes longer to cure than interior paint.  It can take up to seven days for exterior finishes to fully cure. 
• Once the paint has dried to the touch, you can start putting items back in place but refrain from putting items back that will lean against the new paint or stay in contact with it for a prolonged period.  Wait as long as you can before placing items in contact with the paint. 
• Exterior floors should wait at least overnight before you walk on them and a minimum of 24 hours before placing anything on the floor. 72 hours would be much better if practical.
• Keep exterior doors open as long as possible so they do not stick shut against weather stripping.  The longer you can leave them open, the better.  If you close them at night, open them as soon as practical the next day.
• If your windows are painted, like the doors, keep them open as long and as often as practical.  Move them periodically throughout the day for the first week to keep them from sticking.

Care tips for exteriors:

Exterior paint requires very little care to keep it looking good and lasting a long time.  Here are a few tips you can follow to keep it looking good longer:

• Allow air to circulate around your paint.  Keep plants trimmed back from contacting the paint and inhibiting air flow.
• Keep dirt and mildew away by occasionally rinsing off accumulated dirt.  If mildew is a problem, a mild bleach solution will not hurt most paints. Northern exposures and protected areas are more likely to accumulate dirt and mildew. 
• Keep wood surfaces touched up if breaks occur in the film.  Moisture is the #1 enemy of a good paint job.  If paint chips off and moisture is allowed in behind, it will cause further peeling.  Touch ups don't need to be fancy.  You can dab on a little paint with a rag.  The important thing is to keep the wood covered.

Use and care of your new interior paint job

Putting rooms back to use:

• Furniture can go back in place and you can get back to living in your rooms as soon as the paint is dry to the touch. 
• Wall hangings should not be replaced for 24 hours to be sure the paint has cured. 
• Try not to touch any painted surfaces for at least 24 hours.
• Painted surfaces like shelves should be left to cure an absolute minimum of 24 hours; 72 hours would be best to allow for maximum cure. The longer you wait, the better. If you do have to start putting items back the next day, try moving them around for a few days to keep them from tacking to the fresh paint.
• Bathrooms should be left to dry a minimum of 24 hours; 48 hours would be better in the case of showers. Always keep rooms with showers well ventilated.
• Refrain from washing newly painted surfaces with cleaners for seven days. If you must wipe off a stain or spill, try just water to remove it.
• Interior floors should be left to dry at least overnight before you try walking on them.  Rugs should not be replaced for a minimum of a week. 

Care tips for interiors:

• Most painted surfaces will wipe clean with a damp cloth.
• Stubborn stains can be coaxed off with regular household cleaners and a damp cloth.  
• You should avoid using abrasive cleaners or abrasive cleaning pads on painted surfaces.
• If a stain fails to release with cleaner and a cloth, touch up the area with more paint.  We endeavor to leave you with all the touch-up paint you could require, clearly labeled.  If you can't locate your touch-up paint contact our office and we'll consult our records to find the color and sheen used for your project.  If you are touching up a wall, apply the touch-up paint with a small roller to maintain the surface texture.  If you are touching up trim, use a brush.