Back outside again. It is summer after all. 🙂 🌴 Today we started a small exterior painting project in Williamsville NY, we are painting the soffits only. Repainting the body of the home is not in the budget right now. We pressure washed the exterior the day before, as we had another pressure washing job in Clarence Center to do as well. Plus this gives the wood soffits adequate time to dry, before we start scraping, sanding, priming, caulking and painting (always in that order).
For this project we are using Sherwin Williams Multi-surface Exterior oil primer, and Behr Dynasty Exterior which is standard for us. Always two coats of paint. Behr is the top rated paint of 2025. You can read more about that here: https://www.carriganpainting.com/materials-and-methods
How to make caulk last
Every time I have seen caulk fail outside it is because no one bothered to prime before caulking. Primer, is designed to soak into and seal the substrate. Therefore it has a good mechanical bond to the wood fibers. Then the primer dries leaving a surface that is ideal for painting because it has a texture. That means acrylic caulk, sticks great! What happens when you don’t prime first, is the wood swells with moisture – even humidity in the air, causing the caulk to lose adhesion to the bare wood because the caulk is laying on top of the wood.
I achieved my longest “old caulk rope” yet. In 20 years of painting, this is the longest piece, and it was dangling from 18′ off the sidewalk. That is impressive!
About 10′ long…
12′ – 13′ long before it finally broke
8/4/25
While we were on this job, we stumbled across a hidden gem for lunch, Venus, right next door to where we originally planned to eat (which happened to be closed). Theyre next to Pizza Works in the plaza at N Forest Rd & Maple. The food was phenomenal. If you’re in Williamsville, check them out: https://come2venus.com/
More to come!
As the author of The Carrigan Archives, Dave shares expert insights on home improvement, ceiling restoration, and industry trends. He also personally manages Carrigan Painting’s website and YouTube channel, providing homeowners with valuable resources and a firsthand look at the company’s craftsmanship.
With over 25 years of experience in residential construction, Dave specializes in ceiling repairs and high-end interior painting, often exceeding contractual obligations to ensure the highest level of craftsmanship. His ability to maintain exceptional customer satisfaction in such a demanding field is a testament to his expertise, integrity, and dedication to quality.
For 15 consecutive years, Carrigan Painting has maintained an unprecedented 5-star reputation—an achievement nearly unmatched in the industry.
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