For hassle-free exterior painting services in the Fremont area, it is important to hire services from a professional and reliable source, such as Custom Painting Inc. They are experts in their craft and know the nitty gritty details of executing the work to perfection. We deal with a wide range of commercial painting tasks including concrete ceiling repair, wood rot repair, and more.  External painting projects, especially of commercial buildings, are not a piece of cake, not even for those who are into the business since time immemorial.

In order to successfully perform exterior painting without stopping the commercial activities of the building, the professional painters have to strategize methodologies to keep staff and tenants safe while carrying out the operations. The pointers below highlight some major strategies that are utilized to effortlessly paint the exterior without curbing the daily business.

Features of The Building

Located in Livermore, the Heritage Estate is an 8.38-acre living complex for senior citizens. The facility provides dwellings for independent habitation as well as for assisted living. With a total of 65 units with 20 communal spaces like balconies and patios, the total built area of the complex is approximately 244,000 square feet.

This cozy complex provides secure living facilities to seniors with its four storied buildings with a minimum height of 9 feet per story. Cladded in white paint with deep shades on the roofing and railings, the complex had a very mundane feel to it.  

Challenges in Exterior Painting

Painting an already occupied building is not a simple task. It requires efficiency, safety considerations to be strictly followed, and time management. The daily activities of the occupants cannot be disrupted to carry out the painting process. It is always recommended to inform the residents beforehand about the project and to walk through it with the team, building management team, and the residents to ensure all things required for executing the painting process are complete. The two major concerns that are to be addressed at any cost while painting the exteriors of a building are safety and the height of the building.

Safety Concerns

When it comes to safety precautions, both the safety of the employees implementing the tasks and the safety of the dwellers for whom the task is being done are significant. The building already had around 100 occupants, and the project team had to ensure their safety throughout the process of the painting project.

The Height of the Building

Since the building is located in a busy area, foot traffic is a norm and cannot be stopped or diverted for painting. Furthermore, the structure and construction of the building restricted the usage of any lift to paint the central courtyard, but the height could only be reached through aerial boom lifts. The painting task had to be carried out, keeping in mind the restricted accessibility and structural sensitivity of the building.

Painting Process

This process cannot be implemented with efficacy if safety measures are not taken beforehand. In order to easily access the courtyard area without overburdening it with the use of an aerial lift, scaffolding was set up. To make sure that no tenant suffers in the process, the accessibility to the complex was directed by alternatively opening or shutting the complex gates. These defined access points allowed an easy flow of foot traffic and minimized the risk of harm to the passersby and the residents.

Part of the traffic lanes were also closed for the time being for additional safety. There are also painting preparations needed to be accomplished before the process begins.

Paint Application

The team of 8-15 painters executed the project by accessing the courtyards, facades, balconies, and patios using aerial boom lifts and scaffolding where needed. For easy application, airless sprayers were used for painting as these provide an even finish and require less paint to be used. There are also other types of paint sprayers that can be used for commercial painting. In the first phase of the process, 1500 gallons of paint were used by the team. To ensure quality Sherwin-Williams A-100 flat and Sherwin-Williams Direct to Metal paints were used for walls and balconies, respectively.

Safety Precautions

A well-formulated safety plan is compulsory for the execution of the whole painting process. Therefore, the organization ensures that the lift operators are lift certified and are aware of conducting the task in high-traffic areas. The team timely notified the complex’s management regarding the gates opening and closing timings and different accessibility points for residents. The belongings of the dwellers were well-covered with clothes to avoid damage from paint application.

The scaffolding in areas where foot traffic could not be avoided was covered with plywood ceilings, ensuring the safety of the passersby, while employees were provided with safety harnesses to avoid them from falling and harming themselves in the process.

Specialty Equipment for Safety

Every process requires special tools for the smooth execution of the task. For buildings with considerable heights, the painting process requires certain mechanical equipment and machines. From airless spray pumps to lifts to access heights, painting without these types of equipment is just not possible.

Aerial boom lifts

When it comes to aerial lifts, there are three kinds to it, scissor lifts, telehandlers, and aerial boom lifts. For the painting process, aerial boom lifts are used. Even in aerial boom lifts, there are three kinds to it: The straight Boom lift, The Towable boom lift, and the Articulating boom lift.

These lifts are also named basket, cherry picker, bucket, or man lift, as the load-bearing capacity of these lifts is limited, and usually, one man at a time can use it. The straight aerial boom lift,or telescopic booms as they are called, only move in the horizontal or vertical direction. The Knuckle boom lifts or articulating boom lifts can rotate and are best for spaces that cannot be accessed due to any kind of hindrances. The other form of boom lift is the towable boom lift which can be used in multiple sites and can be towed along with any truck or trailer.

Scaffolding

For painting the exterior sides of the building, scaffolding is also set up as, unlike ladders, scaffolding provides safety, allows the painter to easily carry out his task, and places the tools necessary for painting the plywood platforms attached to the scaffolding. While there are two types of scaffolding, which are aluminum and steel, aluminum is preferred as it provides flexibility, can easily be set up or fragmented, and is much lighter than steel. For this project, structural weight was one of the concerns, and for that, aluminum scaffolding was a lifesaver as the heights to be painted were easily accessible through scaffolding. 

Barricades

The painting process required some blockage to limit the flow of foot and vehicular traffic, as two sides of the building have busy streets. Barricades are usually used to block or direct the traffic flow to avoid any accidents in executing the painting project. From plastic to steel, various types of barricades are used. The folding barricades are commonly used and come in three types. The bright orange reflective color of the barricade warns the passersby beforehand to either change lanes or opt for other directions to avoid uncalled-for incidents.

Conclusion

Thanks to our professional team and highly skilled employees, the painting project at Heritage Estate Livermore was successfully executed without causing any damage to property or the belongings of the residents. Furthermore, the height challenge and the security and safety concerns were diligently taken into account during the whole process, ensuring no accidents or structural compromises. What could be the better success of the project than the satisfaction of the customer? 

Plan your upcoming business painting projects in the Bay Area with Custom Painting, Inc. We can manage your project whether you already have a concept for your upcoming painting endeavor or you’re looking for a professional opinion to guide your color selections to match your brand.

To arrange a viewing of your property and receive a free quote, contact us at 925-866-9610.