Address: Wollongong NSW
Why Prep Is 80% of a Good Paint Job
People often think painting is all about the paint. After 35+ years around Wollongong, we will tell you straight: the paint is the easy part. What makes a job last — or fail — is the preparation, and it is the step cheaper operators cut to save a few hours.
What proper prep actually involves
Before we open a tin, we clean the surfaces, sand back where needed, fill and patch cracks and holes, and prime any bare or repaired areas so the topcoat has something to grab. On exteriors we deal with any flaking, chalking or moss first, because painting straight over a failing surface just means the new coat lifts with the old one. On the coast especially, salt and grime sit on surfaces, and paint will not bond to that.
Why it matters more than the brand of paint
You can use the best Dulux product money can buy, but if it is laid over a dirty, glossy or crumbling surface, it will not stick and it will not last. Good prep is what lets a quality paint do its job for years instead of months. It is also why two paint jobs at very different prices can look identical on day one and completely different two winters later.
The honest trade-off
Prep is time, and time is where the cost is. When a quote looks too cheap to be true, it usually means the prep is getting skipped. We would rather do it once, properly, than come back to fix a rushed job — and that is the difference you are really paying for. If you are getting quotes, ask each painter exactly what prep they include.
Thinking about a repaint? Get a free, no-pressure quote or call 0480 020 243.