Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, on any surface carrying grease, smoke film, or mildew growth. Paint bonds only to what it actually lands on, so a kitchen wall coated in cooking residue gets cleaned and rinsed first, then dried fully before priming begins.

Almost always. Stucco holds a film of dirt, mildew, and airborne salt that blocks adhesion, and washing strips that away along with the chalked-out remains of old coating. Loose paint and failing caulk come off during the same pass.

Plan on 24 to 48 hours in South Florida, and longer for porous block or stucco that has taken heavy rain. We check moisture readings on the shaded elevations, since those hold water well after sunny walls look ready.

Flat remains the standard choice because it scatters light rather than reflecting it, hiding the small imperfections every ceiling has. Bathrooms and laundry rooms are the exception, where an eggshell or satin resists steam and wipes down clean.

Growth has to be killed, not covered over. A diluted bleach solution or a dedicated mildewcide cleaner is scrubbed on, rinsed, and dried, then a mildew-resistant coating goes over the top. Painting straight over live spores guarantees they return.

Acrylic masonry coating is the high-quality standard here, since it breathes enough to let trapped moisture escape while still shedding wind-driven rain. Fresh stucco stays alkaline for weeks, so it also needs a dedicated masonry primer applied beforehand.

Elastomeric builds to roughly 10 to 15 mils dry film, against 2 to 3 mils for conventional paint, and it stretches over hairline cracks. That thickness suits block and stucco, provided the substrate underneath is sound and dry.

One coat of dedicated drywall primer and then two finish coats on top. Bare paper and dried joint compound absorb at very different rates, so skipping the primer leaves the flashing pattern of every taped seam visible under side lighting.

Sometimes, when the paper is fully adhered and every seam is tight. An oil-based or shellac primer seals it first so water in the topcoat cannot loosen the old glue. Full removal is still the better long-term route.

Refinishing keeps all of your existing doors and boxes and changes only the coating on them. Refacing replaces the door and drawer fronts outright and applies fresh veneer to the frames, which costs considerably more than a refinish does.

Most interior acrylics recoat in two to four hours, though a humid room stretches that considerably. Enamels on trim and cabinetry want far longer, often 16 hours, and rushing the second coat leaves a soft finish that marks easily.

The drier stretch from November through April gives the steadiest conditions for application. Summer work is entirely possible, but crews start early and stop ahead of the afternoon storms so fresh coatings have time to set their surface.

Low-VOC acrylics clear within a few hours once windows are open and air is moving. Oil-based enamels on trim or cabinetry can linger a couple of days, so we schedule those rooms where ventilation and fans are available.

Sample large swatches on two different walls and look at them in both morning and evening light before committing. Florida sun reads colors lighter and warmer outdoors, so exterior picks usually need to go a shade deeper than expected.

Yes. Herrera's Home Painting labels all of the leftover product by room and sheen for customers throughout West Palm Beach, FL, so a scuff two years from now gets fixed with that same batch instead of an educated guess.