With temperature swings from +35°C in July to -30°C in January, Ottawa exterior paint will fail without meticulous surface preparation, moisture testing, and breathable masonry coatings.
Exterior paint rarely fails because the paint itself was defective; it fails because the surface beneath it was improperly prepped. Ottawa’s intense weather means moisture trapped behind peeling paint expands as it freezes, ripping entire sheets of coating away from wood and masonry.
At OHCP, 80% of our project timeline is dedicated to surface preparation. We calibrate pressure washing to strip chalking, mildew, and airborne pollution without forcing water behind siding laps, followed by mechanical scraping down to sound bare substrate and feathered sanding.
Brick and stucco must breathe. Applying conventional oil paints or impermeable latex traps interior water vapor inside the masonry, causing brick faces to spall and pop off during freezing winter temperatures.
We use specialized 100% acrylic breathable masonry coatings and elastomeric finishes engineered to stretch during summer heat and contract in sub-zero frost. Application must happen when both air and surface temperatures remain above 10°C for at least 48 hours, with dew point spreads strictly monitored to prevent dew entrapment.
Ice dams along Ottawa rooflines force melted snow under soffits, eaves, and window lintels. High-performance urethane and elastomeric caulking around all exterior window trims, door jambs, and siding joints stops water intrusion before freeze cycles begin.
Learn more on our dedicated exterior house painting in Ottawa service page, view our complete exterior painting solutions, or contact Sean for an exterior inspection.
Protecting Ottawa home exteriors against harsh Ontario winters with industrial weatherproofing techniques since 1999.
Free on-site exterior evaluations with Sean. We identify moisture trouble spots and provide written fixed quotes.
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