An old house has been painted many times.
Historic home painting on the Bay Area Peninsula, EPA Lead-Safe certified for pre-1978 properties.
Craftsman bungalows, Eichlers, Mediterranean estates and Victorians all carry decades of old paint, and in a house built before 1978 some of it is likely lead. McDermaid Restoration & Remodeling is an EPA Lead-Safe Certified firm, C-33 licensed and a Fine Paints of Europe Master Certified contractor. Where your street is a historic district, we work with its review board and its preservation standards. Call (650) 961-7415.
Historic Restoration Starts With What Is Already There
Historic home painting on the Bay Area Peninsula, EPA Lead-Safe certified for pre-1978 properties.
We hold a C-33 painting license and Fine Paints of Europe Master Certification.
McDermaid Restoration & Remodeling
What Historic Restoration Covers
Each of these is part of the job.
Interior Historic Painting
Paneling and decorative trim, finished in the Fine Paints of Europe system.
Exterior Historic Painting
Old siding, window sash and exterior detail, scraped back, repaired and repainted to a fine finish.
Heritage Color Consultation
Period colors, or a newer palette that still suits the house. We look at samples inside and out, in daylight and lamplight.
Surface Restoration & Preparation
Cracked plaster, split wood and failed filler, repaired and leveled before any paint goes on.
Wood Restoration
Rot, cracks, water damage and peeling finishes, repaired before the house is painted.
Decorative Trims & Architectural Details
Brackets, spindles, moldings and the other details that date the house, repaired and finished.
How the work goes
The steps run in the same order on every job. The preparation is where a paint job holds up or doesn’t.
1. Historical Research
We look at what the house was built with, and which colors and finishes belong to its era.
2. Lead Assessment
In a house built before 1978 we test for lead, then follow the EPA RRP rule’s lead-safe work practices (plastic sheeting, contained dust, HEPA cleanup).
3. ARB Coordination
If your street is a historic district, we help prepare what the Architectural Review Board asks for.
4. Expert Application
Paint and finishes suited to the period, applied over a sound surface.
Historic Restoration Resources
More on this work, written for Peninsula homeowners.
Craftsman Colors: A Historical Guide
Arsenic green, haint blue, and period-accurate palettes for Craftsman homes.
Getting Historic District Approval
How ARB and historic commission approvals work on the Peninsula.
Painting a Palo Alto Eichler Home
Mid-century homes with radiant heat, and what that means for paint.
Lead Paint in Pre-1978 Homes
EPA requirements and the RRP rule for Peninsula historic homes.
Start With a Walk-Through of the House
EPA Lead-Safe Certified firm, C-33 license #803672.