Sausalito is built on a hillside facing the bay, and almost every home here deals with some combination of salt air, fog and steep access. Summer fog pours over the ridge from the Golden Gate and settles on the upper neighborhoods, while homes near the water take salt spray and wind. Many houses are wood-shingle or board siding, built decades ago on lots you reach by long flights of steps or narrow lanes above Bridgeway. Decks are everywhere, often several per house, stepping down the slope toward the view. Along the north waterfront, even the floating homes need regular painting to keep salt and water off the wood. Paint here fails fastest on the water-facing walls and on anything that holds moisture, like sills, deck rails and the bottoms of shingles.
Free Estimate
We handle exterior painting on Sausalito hillside homes and, for property owners, painting rental units and small buildings around town. Each job starts with a visit to see the access and the surfaces, then a written price. Give us a ring or send the form.
Fog, Salt and Shingles
Sausalito gets fog and salt at the same time, which is a hard combination for paint. Fog keeps walls damp, salt leaves a film that blocks adhesion, and the two together speed up mildew and corrosion. Every exterior here starts with a fresh-water wash and a mildew treatment, then enough dry time for the wood to be ready for primer. Wood shingles are common, and many look best and last longest with a penetrating stain instead of paint, since stain soaks in, lets moisture escape and doesn't peel. Where shingles have already been painted, we keep them painted and focus on scraping, priming and sealing the bottom edges. Metal railings and hardware get rust treatment and a primer made for metal. Across the water in Tiburon, homes face the same conditions, and the prep is much the same.
Stairways, Decks and Working on a Hillside
Painting in Sausalito often starts at the bottom of a long staircase. Every ladder, drop cloth and gallon of paint gets carried up or down by hand, and on the steepest lots, scaffolding or a work stage makes the work safer and steadier than ladders on a slope. Parking is tight on most streets, so we plan around neighbors and keep the work area compact. Decks deserve their own plan. Many homes have several levels of decking, and the boards and railings facing the water wear out first. Cleaning, drying and restaining Sausalito decks and railings on the same schedule as the house painting saves a second round of setup, and it means the whole property looks finished at once. Upper decks also shelter the walls below them, so we check those covered areas for trapped moisture while we're there.