Exterior painting in Ottawa
Paint that has to survive an Ottawa winter starts with the prep underneath it.
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The outside of an Ottawa house takes real punishment: hot, humid summers, wet springs and falls, and winters that freeze and thaw over and over. Paint on a badly prepared surface lifts, cracks and peels within a few seasons. Paint on a properly prepared surface lasts.
Carleton Prime Painting paints the exteriors of homes and cottages across Ottawa and the Ottawa Valley, with prep done first and done thoroughly.
- Free in-home consultation
- 2-year warranty on painting
- Liability insurance
- WSIB coverage
- Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore paints
- Our own painters, family owned
- BBB Accredited Business
What exterior prep involves
- Washing off dirt, mildew and chalky old paint
- Scraping and sanding loose or peeling paint
- Repairing or filling damaged spots before they're painted over
- Priming bare wood and repaired areas
- Protecting windows, roofs, decks, plants and walkways
When to paint outside in Ottawa
Exterior paint needs the right weather to cure: dry surfaces, no rain on the way, and temperatures above the minimum printed on the can, overnight as well as during the day. For many exterior paints that minimum is about 10°C, and paints made for cooler weather go down to about 2°C. In Ottawa that usually means late spring to early fall. Spring and early summer dates tend to go first, so it pays to plan early. Our exterior painting season guide explains the timing in more detail.
Painting the whole house, or one part
You can have the whole exterior painted, or just the part that needs it: trim, a front door, a porch, a garage. The estimate spells out exactly which surfaces are included.
Where exterior paint fails first
Paint rarely fails evenly. Look first at the walls that get the most sun, and anywhere water sits: window sills, the bottoms of trim boards and door frames, porch posts and railings, and the ends of boards. If wood there is soft, it needs repair before it's painted. Painting over rot only hides it for a season.
A note on vinyl and aluminum siding
Vinyl and aluminum siding can be painted, but they need the right products. With vinyl, a much darker colour than the original can make the siding soak up heat and warp, which is why paint companies offer special "vinyl-safe" colours. Ask us about your siding at the consultation.
In writing
What your written estimate spells out
Two painting quotes only compare fairly when they cover the same work. Ours lists the job in plain words, so you can see exactly what you are paying for.
- Which rooms and surfaces are included, and which aren't
- The prep for each area: repairs, cleaning, sanding and primer
- How many coats
- Who supplies the paint
- The schedule, and what you need to move or clear
- The 2-year warranty on painting
What a painting customer said
I asked them to re-paint some rooms in my house, and the painter did an excellent job. The mistakes from years ago were erased. He even painted behind the toilets.
Eric Clara, interior painting, several rooms, on Google
Our process
How your exterior painting job works
Free in-home consultation
We come to you, walk the rooms or the outside of the house with you, and listen to what you want the finished result to look like.
A written estimate
You get the scope in writing: which surfaces, what prep, what's included and what isn't, so there are no surprises later.
A schedule that fits your life
We book the work around how you use your home, and tell you ahead of time what needs moving and when we'll be there.
Prep, then paint
Prep comes first and gets the time it needs. Then the painting, done carefully, and a clean site at the end of each day.
Walkthrough together
We go over every room or wall with you before we call it finished, and fix anything you're not happy with. The leftover paint stays with you for touch-ups.
Questions people ask
When is the best time of year to paint a house exterior in Ottawa?
Usually late spring to early fall. You need dry surfaces, no rain coming, and temperatures above the minimum on the paint can, at night as well as during the day. Early summer dates tend to go first, so book early.
Can you paint over peeling paint?
Not if you want it to last. Loose paint has to be scraped and sanded off first, or the new paint peels off with it. That prep is a big part of any exterior job.
Do you paint cottages?
Yes, inside and out, across the Ottawa Valley. See our cottage painting page.
Does the warranty cover exterior painting?
Yes. Our 2-year warranty on painting covers exterior painting too.
Related services
Tell us what you'd like painted
Start with a free in-home consultation. We'll look at the job with you and follow up with a written estimate.