Your Oregon City craftsman—sitting pretty near the Willamette—looks tired with peeling trim and mossy siding. Before that fresh coat hits, pros scrape, scrub, and sand like it’s a crime scene cleanup. Skip it? Paint flakes off faster than rain off a duck in Clackamas County downpours. Local painters swear by techniques tuned for damp wood, mildewed shakes, and 100-year-old homes in the historic district. No shortcuts—proper prep doubles paint life to 10 years. Here’s the step-by-step showdown, witty as a ladder leaning on a rainy day.
Power Wash Blast: Dirt and Mildew First Casualty (1-2 Days)
Start big: Pressure washer (2,000 PSI low setting) blasts grime, algae, and cobwebs off siding, eaves, and decks. Oregon City’s wet winters cake on green fuzz—think 80% of failures start here.
Workflow: Spray from bottom up to avoid streaks, 12-18 inches from the surface. Deck railings get wood cleaner first (oxalic acid for tannin stains). Pros tarp plants below; dry 48 hours minimum. Local must: Soft-wash roofs to dodge granule loss on asphalt shingles. Cost: $300-600 for a 2,000 sq ft home. Without it, new paint bubbles under trapped moisture.
Scrape and Sand: Flakes Meet Their Maker (2-4 Days)
Old paint’s gotta go—hand scraper or electric orbital for loose bits. Feather edges are smooth, so new stuff bonds tightly.
Exterior trick: Dull razor blade on windows for drips; 80-grit on siding, 120 on trim. Interior walls? TSP wash loosens nicotine ghosts from ’70s rentals. Oregon City wood siding (cedar common) sands to bare grain on rot spots—fill later.
Pro hack: Dustless vacuums suck debris mid-scrape—no neighbor complaints. Two-story? Scaffold over cherry picker. Time: Full house exterior, 3-day crew of two. Skip sanding? Paint cracks in year one.
Patch and Fill: Holes and Dings Disappear (1 Day)
Caulk cracks first—silicone for windows, paintable acrylic for wood gaps. Oregon fog swells joints; elastomeric seals flex.
Patching: Exterior stucco or wood rot gets Bondo or epoxy filler, sand flat. Drywall dents? Joint compound in layers, 220-grit finish. Historic Oregon City homes demand lime-based fillers to breathe moisture out.
Workflow: Prime patches solo (oil-based block stains), then caulk again post-dry. Decks: Wood filler for splintered boards before stain. Result: Surface flat as a fresh-mowed lawn at Pioneer Park.
Prime Coat Lockdown: The Adhesion Anchor (1 Day)
Primer’s non-negotiable—Zinsser 1-2-3 for versatility, oil for tannin bleed on shakes. Covers stains, boosts topcoat pop.
Application: Brush corners, roll big walls, back-brush sprayed exteriors. Two coats on raw wood or color changes (dark to light). Oregon City tip: Mildew killers in primer fight Willamette humidity.
Dry time: 4-24 hours. Pros mask off (blue tape, plastic sheeting) pre-spray—protects lawns from overspray. Without primer, the topcoat fails 50% faster.
Trim and Detail Dance: Edges Sharp as a Tack (Half Day)
Tape windows, doors, eaves—FrogTape for crisp lines. Brush trim first (cut-in), roll walls after.
Local quirk: Shake roofs need ridge priming to dodge water wicking. Garages: Sand garage doors rust-free, prime bare metal.
Final walk: Lint roller dust bunnies, inspect under raking light. Ventilation fans for interiors beat VOC headaches.
Prep pays: Oregon City homes skip it, repaint every 3-5 years; pros hit 8-12. Rainy season delay? Tarp wet spots. Cost breakdown: Prep 60% of job ($2k-5k exterior), paint 40%.
DIY trap: Borrow gear, botch it—rent pros instead. Your house thanks you with curb appeal that sells fast in this hot market.
Nail Oregon City Paint Prep with That 1 Painter
Don’t gamble your siding—That 1 Painter pros blast, scrape, and prime Oregon City homes right, rain or shine. Free quotes, mess-free. Book now for walls that wow.
Contact That 1 Painter, Oregon City
Address: 525 3rd St, Suite 200, Lake Oswego, OR 97034, United States
Phone: (971) 358-8810
Website: that1painter.com
Source: that1painter.com
Header Image Source: Photo by The New York Public Library on Unsplash
