When to Repaint Your Commercial Building

Every year, your commercial building takes a beating--hot summers, frigid winters, ice, snow, moisture, plus daily wear and tear all contribute to the deterioration of your property. Like all structures, your building requires regular upkeep to keep it looking good and well maintained. When the exterior paint of your building reaches the end of its service life, it can lead to:

Rust
Mold and mildew
Cracks and holes
Warping
Exposed wood, metal and steel

What to look for

Knowing when to repaint is key to preserving its value and appearance. Unfortunately, many property owners fail to notice the signs of paint deterioration, which can result in extensive and irreparable damage. Most commercial exterior paints are designed to last from 3 to 10 years, depending on the building materials used, exposure to the sun, weather-tightness, and so forth. Here are signs to look for when determining when to repaint:

#1 Fading color
While newer acrylics hold their color longer, fading is inevitable over time. Mostly an aesthetic issue, it can also point to the need to repaint for other reasons. While you want your building to look good to your tenants and the public, when the paint begins to fade it is time to assess whether there are other problems areas needing correction.

#2 Chalking
Chalking occurs when a chalk-like powder forms on the surface of your building's paint film. Again, while modern and high quality acrylic paints rarely chalk, older products often do. This occurs as a result of weathering, which causes the binder to slowly degrade. If left unchecked, excessive chalking can:

Seep into your building's brickwork and deface its surface appearance
Erode the paint film
Give the exterior paint a lighter look

#3 Mold and mildew
Are black, gray, or green stains starting to form on your building's exterior surface? If so, it's a sign of mold and mildew growth. This occurs as a result of poor air circulation and excessive moisture. Mostly unsightly, these can also have an adverse effect on people's health.

#4 Cracking paint
Another sign of paint deterioration is the appearance of web-like cracks in the paint film. This is common for buildings with many coats of paint. Also called alligatoring, these cracks can spread across large areas of your building and lead to paint chipping or peeling. Moisture then can enter through the cracks and gaps and lead to rotting wood, rust (if ferrous metal), and spalling (if concrete or brick). A

#5 Bubbling paint
Also called blistering, bubbling is the localized loss of paint adhesion as a result of:

Applying the paint on a hot surface or under direct sunlight
Exposing the paint film to rain or high humidity after being applied
Escaping moisture that's trapped inside the wall
Poor preparation by the previous paint contractor

#6 Efflorescence
Efflorescence is a white, chalk-like substance collecting on the surface of masonry products. These are salts that are common to concrete, brick, and block and result from moisture penetration and heat. Mostly unsightly, these salts can also cause paint to blister and peel.

If you're not sure if your commercial building needs repainting, contact T. L. Hart can help you. Our experts can inspect your property, identify any potential issues with its exterior paint job, and recommend the ideal solution. To learn more about our commercial painting services, give us a call today.

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Three Keys to Prospering in Your Work

By Terry Hart • January 13, 2023

“And every work that [Hezekiah] undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered” (2 Chronicles 31:21). There are here in this one verse three keys to prospering in your work. One, whatever you do should be in accordance with the word of God. God’s will is revealed in his word; it is to be found in no other place. I realize the Bible does not tell us whether we should be a carpenter or a financial advisor, a realtor or a nurse, but it does tell us to do what we do as unto the Lord. So if what you are doing can be so done, it is well and good as far as God is concerned. Better yet, find out what God wants you to do, and do that. I teach that a person should get a word from God as to his occupation. It could be that God puts a certain thing on your heart, to be and do such and such a thing. This is also good in God’s sight, as he gives us the desires of our hearts. He is in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure. That said, let it be “in accordance with the law and the commandments.” Two, seek God. He is a rewarder of them that seek him. Jesus taught, “seek and you shall find.” Having sought God as to what he wants you to do, keeping seeking him as to how to do it. This is a never ending endeavor. There is a verse in Scripture that goes like this: “As long as he sought the Lord, he prospered” (see 2 Chronicles 26:5). So if you are seeking God and prospering, if you want to continue to do so, keep seeking God. Three, do what you do with all your heart. The Bible says, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23). What is to be noticed here is who you are working for. You may think you are working for the government, or the auto-maker, or the real-estate broker. Or, if you are self-employed or own your own business, that you work for yourself. The Christian, however, is to work for the Lord. Verse 24 of this same book and chapter says, “You are serving the Lord Christ.” So, if you think a half-hearted approach to your job pleases the Lord, then go for it. Otherwise, you had better up your game. There is another verse in Ecclesiastes that addresses how you work. “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might” (9:10). In other words, in everything you do, whatever it is—your job, your service to your family or church, or even mundane things like mowing the yard or shoveling snow, give it all you have. Do it as for Jesus, as this greatly pleases him. It should be apparent, then, that if you wish to prosper, be applying these principles. And if you want to keep on prospering, don’t let up. I have found that after enjoying a measure of success, it is easy to ease off on the intensity with which you approach your work. Jesus says it best when speaking about prayer: keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking. The key words here being “keep on.” The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.

What Goes into the Cost of a Paint Job

By T.L. Hart • December 8, 2020

While you can get your property painted for just about any amount, hiring a reputable commercial painting contractor will ensure you get a quality end-product with a firm that stands behind its work. To provide this, there are three cost-factors that go into a good commercial contractor’s price: labor, materials, and profit.

Keep Your Commercial Property Watertight

By T.L. Hart • November 12, 2020

Moisture is among your commercial property’s greatest enemies. Wind-driven rain, leaky gutters and downspouts, old, deteriorated caulk or glazing, plus improperly painted substrates are all factors in moisture penetration. The result of water getting into unwanted places include peeling paint, damaged substrates, and—worse yet, mold and mildew. This is why you want to keep your commercial building waterproofed. While no one can prevent unwanted weather, and leaky gutters and downspouts are outside the scope of this article, proper preparation and a good quality paint job can go a long way in preventing moisture penetration. The following will contribute to a watertight building: Caulking. It is surprising how much damage a little water can do and how small an area allowing access will allow a lot of water in. Gaps in building materials, open joints, holes, plus splits and cracks may seem insignificant, but they’re a major entry point for moisture. This is easily solved by installing a good quality caulk. Since building components vary, caulks vary as well. They can be as simple as latex caulk, acrylic, siliconized acrylic, polyurethane, butyl, and pure silicone. The key is to seal up points of entry. Painting. Your commercial building is properly painted when all the paintable substrates have an adequate and cumulative amount of coating on them. I say adequate and cumulative as typically one coat of paint applied too thin will typically not do the job. Every substrate, that needs to be protected from moisture penetration, must have the right amount of millage installed. The proper mill thickness can be found in the manufacturer’s product data sheet (PDS). Of particular concern are those commercial buildings comprised of concrete masonry units (CMUs), or block. Concrete block is extremely porous, and unless coated properly will allow a huge amount of water into the walls of your building. The most important aspect of waterproofing a masonry building is filling the pores of the CMU. This is done by applying a block-filler as a first coat, with no more than ten pin-holes (the pore) per square foot. Once this is achieved, a good quality topcoat of any sort will provide water tightness. Best for CMUs are elastomeric coatings. These are rubber-based paints that, once dry, form an impenetrable rubber film over the substrate, and are the best for preventing moisture penetration—even wind-driven rain. Another advantage to elastomeric coatings is that they expand and contract, and will actually bridge small cracks in the masonry that may develop over time. There are other options for waterproofing—actual waterproofing sealers, stains, and cementitious coatings, all of which we have applied over our 36 years in business. In summary, to keep your commercial building looking good and free of moisture damage, keep it sealed up and make sure it is properly painted. Here at T. L. Hart, Inc. our goal is to ensure your commercial property is always in excellent condition. Our team of professional painters stands ready to keep moisture out of your property. Contact us today to request a quote.