Homeowner Resource
How to care for your painted surfaces
Simple habits that keep your interior and exterior paint looking its best, and protect the investment you've made in your home.
Keeping interior paint looking fresh for years
Most interior paint jobs last 7 to 10 years with a little care. The biggest factors are cleaning technique, humidity control, and catching minor damage early before it spreads.
At a glance
- Let new paint cure 30 days before washing
- Use flat or matte finishes in low-traffic areas only
- Eggshell and satin are the easiest to clean
- Touch-ups match best within the first year
- Repaint kitchens and bathrooms every 5 to 7 years
Day-to-day cleaning
Wipe marks off with a damp microfibre cloth. Work in a circular motion with light pressure. For tougher spots, a small amount of dish soap in warm water works well. Always dry the area after cleaning so moisture does not sit on the surface.
What to avoid
Steer clear of abrasive sponges, magic erasers, bleach, and ammonia-based cleaners. These strip the sheen and dull the finish over time. Flat paint is especially sensitive and should only be dry-dusted or very gently spot-cleaned.
Humidity and ventilation
Kitchens and bathrooms are the highest-risk rooms. Run exhaust fans during and after cooking and showering. Keep indoor humidity between 35 and 55 percent. Chronic moisture causes paint to peel and can lead to mould behind the wall surface.
Touch-up tips
Save a small amount of leftover paint labelled with the room and date. Touch-up paint works best within 12 to 18 months of the original coat. Feather the edges and use the same applicator as the original finish for the closest match.
Trim and doors
Semi-gloss trim takes more abuse than walls and benefits from a quick wipe-down every few months. Pay attention to door edges and corners where hands contact repeatedly. These often need a fresh coat before the walls do.
Know when to repaint
Chalking, cracking, or paint that no longer cleans up are all signs it's time for a fresh coat. Kitchens and bathrooms typically need repainting every 5 to 7 years. Bedrooms and living areas can go 7 to 10 years with good care.
| Room / Surface | Typical Lifespan | Key Factor |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen walls | 5 to 7 years | Grease, steam, and cleaning frequency |
| Bathroom walls | 4 to 6 years | Humidity and ventilation quality |
| Bedroom and living room | 7 to 10 years | Traffic level and light exposure |
| Trim, doors, and baseboards | 4 to 7 years | Contact wear and cleaning |
| Ceilings | 10 to 15 years | Leaks and humidity only |
Do not wash paint that is still curing
Interior paint feels dry to the touch in a few hours, but the film keeps hardening for 30 days after application. Washing too early damages the surface and can pull the paint off the wall. Wait at least four weeks before any cleaning, no matter how durable the product.
Not sure what your surfaces need?
We offer free estimates across Chilliwack, Abbotsford, and the Fraser Valley. A Red Seal journeyman will take a look and give you an honest assessment, no pressure.
Book a Free EstimateProtecting your exterior paint through every season
Exterior paint is your home's first line of defence against rain, UV, and temperature swings. Here in the Fraser Valley, the wet winters and warm summers are the main things working against it.
At a glance
- Quality exterior paint lasts 7 to 10 years
- Wash your siding once a year, ideally in spring
- Caulk gaps and cracks before water gets in
- South and west faces fade fastest from UV
- Address peeling before it spreads to bare wood
- Soft wash the siding top to bottom
- Inspect caulking around windows and doors
- Touch up any cracked or peeling areas
- Clear debris from window sills and soffits
- Rinse dust and pollen off the south face
- Check for mildew in shaded, damp spots
- Best window for repainting if needed
- Keep sprinklers away from painted wood
- Clear leaves from base of siding
- Rinse salt and road dust before rains begin
- Inspect eaves and fascia for peeling
- Seal any gaps before winter moisture arrives
- No washing in freezing temperatures
- Watch for ice dams near roofline
- Ensure gutters drain away from siding
- Note any problem areas to address in spring
Washing technique
Use a garden hose or low-pressure washer set below 1,200 PSI. High pressure strips paint, drives water behind the siding, and causes more damage than it fixes. Work from the top down using a soft brush and a diluted TSP or house wash solution. Rinse thoroughly.
Caulking and sealing
Check all penetrations including where window frames, door frames, and trim meet the siding. Caulk shrinks and cracks over time. A failed caulk joint is the number one way water gets behind paint and causes peeling. Use a paintable exterior acrylic-latex caulk and paint over it once cured.
Mildew and algae
Shaded north-facing walls are the most vulnerable. A mixture of one part bleach to three parts water kills mildew on contact. Scrub gently, rinse well, and let the surface dry fully before any painting. If mildew keeps returning, a mildew-resistant paint additive or premium exterior paint may be worth discussing.
Trim and fascia
Fascia boards, soffits, and window trim deteriorate faster than the main siding because they catch more water and UV. Inspect these closely each spring. Bare or rotting wood needs priming before paint will hold. Catching a small section early is much less costly than full fascia replacement.
Peeling and cracking
Peeling almost always means moisture got in somewhere. Before repainting, find and fix the source. Scraping, sanding, priming, and painting over peeling without addressing the moisture will fail within a season. A proper prep job is what makes the difference between a repair that lasts and one that does not.
UV fading
South and west-facing walls get the most direct sun and tend to fade faster. Deep or saturated colours fade most noticeably. When choosing paint, look for products with higher titanium dioxide content and UV-blocking pigments, and consider a lighter shade on high-sun exposures. A quality paint makes a real difference in fade resistance.
Older homes and lead paint
If your home was built before 1978, paint layers beneath the current finish may contain lead. Do not sand or scrape these surfaces without proper protection. A Red Seal painter trained in lead-safe work practices should handle any prep on pre-1978 homes. We're happy to discuss this with you before any project begins.
Not sure what your surfaces need?
We offer free estimates across Chilliwack, Abbotsford, and the Fraser Valley. A Red Seal journeyman will take a look and give you an honest assessment, no pressure.
Book a Free EstimateMaintaining your deck and fence stain
Deck and fence stain works by penetrating the wood rather than forming a film over it. This means it wears more gradually than paint, but it also means regular maintenance keeps it looking great and protects the wood underneath.
At a glance
- Semi-transparent stain lasts 2 to 3 years on decks
- Solid stain lasts 3 to 5 years with proper prep
- Clean the deck before each maintenance coat
- Never apply stain to wet or green wood
- Inspect annually for grey, cracking, or water absorption
Annual inspection
Do the water bead test each spring: pour a small amount of water on the deck boards. If it soaks in immediately rather than beading up, the stain has worn through and it's time to clean and recoat. Catching this before the wood greys out gives you the best result with the least effort.
Routine cleaning
Sweep debris regularly so moisture does not sit on the wood. Once or twice a year, wash with a wood-safe deck cleaner and a stiff brush, then rinse thoroughly. Avoid pressure washing unless the setting is very low and you're experienced with it. Pressure too close or too high raises the grain and opens the wood to damage.
Recoating timing
Horizontal surfaces like deck boards wear faster than vertical ones like fence boards or rails. A well-maintained deck may need a maintenance coat every 2 to 3 years, while fence boards can go 3 to 5. Apply the maintenance coat before the wood starts to show grey, as greyish wood requires more prep work to restore.
Semi-transparent vs. solid
Semi-transparent stain shows the wood grain, wears more gradually, and is easier to maintain because new coats blend naturally into the old. Solid stain covers the grain like paint, hides weathering well, and lasts longer, but it requires full prep when you do eventually recoat. Choose based on your wood condition and how much grain you want to show.
Best time to apply
Stain needs dry wood and dry weather. Apply when temperatures are between 10 and 30 degrees Celsius, with no rain forecast for at least 48 hours. Early morning or overcast days are best as direct sun can cause stain to dry too quickly and leave lap marks. Avoid applying stain to new lumber for at least 60 to 90 days to let the wood dry and accept the product properly.
Protecting the wood underneath
Stain's real job is keeping moisture out of the wood. Grey, cracked, or cupping boards mean water has been getting in. Once checks or cracks appear across the grain, no amount of stain will reverse the damage, but you can slow it down significantly. Boards that have pulled away from joists or show rot should be replaced before any staining work is done.
| Surface | Recoat Interval | Sign it is time |
|---|---|---|
| Horizontal deck boards | 2 to 3 years | Water soaks in rather than beading, colour has faded or greyed |
| Deck rails and posts | 3 to 4 years | Fading, checking on top rail surfaces |
| Wood fence boards | 3 to 5 years | Greying, checks opening up along the grain |
| Cedar shake or shingle siding | 5 to 7 years | Bleaching, cupping, or surface cracking |
Do not apply stain over paint or another brand of stain
Stain needs to penetrate bare or previously stained wood from the same product line. Applying stain over an incompatible coating will prevent penetration and cause flaking. If your deck or fence has been painted previously or stained with an unknown product, the old coating needs to be stripped before a new stain system is applied. We can assess the surface and recommend the right approach.
Not sure what your surfaces need?
We offer free estimates across Chilliwack, Abbotsford, and the Fraser Valley. A Red Seal journeyman will take a look and give you an honest assessment, no pressure.
Book a Free Estimate