Tiburon homes are built for the view, and the view side is where the paint takes the most punishment. Walls and decks facing the water get full afternoon sun, salt air and wind coming across Raccoon Strait and off the bay. Paint fades and chalks faster there, metal railings and fasteners rust, and wood decks dry out and split. Many homes sit on steep lots with big windows, cantilevered decks and long stairs, which makes reaching every surface part of the job. Down around Main Street and Ark Row, older wood buildings have their own mix of trim and siding, and the hillside neighborhoods above mix 1960s contemporaries with newer homes in stucco and wood.
Free Estimate
Most Tiburon projects involve exterior painting on view homes and deck refinishing on the water-facing side. We'll go around the property with you, including the hard-to-reach spots, and put it all in a written estimate. Phone or use the form to set up a time.
Salt Air, Wind and Metal Railings
Salt in the air settles on every surface near the water. On painted wood it leaves a film that keeps new paint from bonding, so a thorough fresh-water wash is the first step on any Tiburon exterior. Metal is where salt does the most damage. Steel railings, gates and light fixtures start to rust at chips and seams, and the rust spreads under the paint. We remove loose rust down to sound metal, prime with a rust-inhibiting primer and finish with a paint made for metal. Wind is the other factor. It dries paint faster than you'd expect and blows dust and overspray around, so we choose calm days for exposed walls and protect cars, windows and neighbors' property. Waterfront homes in Sausalito deal with the same salt and wind, and we prep them the same way.
Big Windows, Glass Walls and View Decks
Homes designed around a view often have more glass than wall, and that shapes the whole plan for a paint job. Window frames and the trim between panes need careful hand work and clean masking so nothing lands on the glass. Where wood meets glass, the caulk joints take sun all day and break down faster than on a shaded wall, so we check and redo them before painting. Cantilevered decks and their railings are usually the most exposed surfaces on the house, and the finish on them wears out sooner than anywhere else. Inside, strong light pouring through big windows shows every roller mark and patch, so interior painting in bright, glass-heavy rooms calls for extra sanding and a careful choice of sheen. Skylights and clerestory windows bring the same challenge to ceilings, where uneven paint shows up in raking light.