Anyone who has ever picked up a brush to paint a feature wall or save money on a renovation project will know a lot of work can go into painting.
For owners of large buildings such as apartment complexes, the thought of painting an entire building can be daunting. With so much surface area, so far off the ground, and no doubt more than a few hard-to-reach places, most apartment blocks are a job better left to the professionals. It’s more than just the size of an apartment building that makes it a challenge. Working at heights, around dozens or hundreds of tenants and neighbours, means safety is of real importance and all jobs should be planned and carried out carefully.
We’ll cover what goes into painting an apartment block and hopefully offer some hints on what you should be looking for when hiring painters for your next job.
Preparation is the key
In painting, preparation is more than half the battle. Paint sticks much better to clean surfaces, resulting in a tough and durable finish, and time spent on preparation is time saved in cleanup and touch up work later.
Clean all surfaces. A good painting contractor will have standard cleaning procedures in place so that you don’t need to organise or perform the work separately. In general, warm water and gentle soap are enough to clean a surface well enough for the paint to adhere, however on large buildings cleaning is better left to teams with the power washers and scaffolding needed to complete the work quickly and safely.
Mask off areas that don’t need to be painted. You should always provide a comprehensive list of what you do and don’t need to be painted around the building. For areas that need paint, external fixtures and fittings will be masked off to save on cleanup work later. That includes things like windows, air conditioning units, signage, external lights and any other parts of the building that need to be protected from overspray.
Perform any repairs the building needs. This could be as simple as replacing caulking around window frames or sourcing replacements for rotten siding panels. Make sure this work is done before painting begins so the repairs become a seamless part of the end product.
Ensure you have the right tools for the job
Whoever you hire to paint your building, it’s important to make sure they have access to the right tools for the job. Remember that you’re not only paying for the paint and materials, you’re paying for the labour invested in the project. Large painting jobs quickly become inefficient and expensive when the wrong tools are being used.
At a minimum, you should enquire about your painter’s equipment and find out whether they will be spraying the paint or applying it some other way. Also ask about whether they have access to ladders, scaffolding, cherry pickers or the harnesses they’ll need to reach tall and obscure parts of the building.
Safety first!
Your apartment building is probably full of people, and the painters working on the exterior will often be working at heights. Those two things both carry significant risks where work is carried out improperly.
As part of preparing for the job, you should perform a risk assessment that can be shared with your painting company. Your painter will perform their own risk assessment, but it’s a good idea to have one for your own records too. Speak to the team about their approach to safety and make sure they have a plan that protects everyone involved. Remember, if someone is hurt on a property you own, you may be liable for their injuries.
Need your apartment building painted? Speak to McAuliffe Painting today!
Calling in professionals is the safest and most cost-effective way to have your apartment and other large buildings painted. The right tools for the job will speed the work along, reducing the expense and ensuring painters and tenants alike are kept safe throughout the work.
So, if your apartment building is in need of a refresh, get in touch with us today! The McAuliffe team is happy to help, and we can walk you through the preparation and safety procedures we use to deliver stunning results.