Paint & Stain

Paint and stain finishes protect and beautify your home's surfaces. All touch-up and maintenance after closing is your responsibility. With the right techniques and your stored paint samples, you can keep your home looking great.

Your Paint Samples

Paint samples were provided at closing. Store them with lids tightly sealed, away from extreme temperatures. Your Design Studio selection sheet lists all paint and stain colors used in your home.

Routine Maintenance

Task	Frequency	Time Required
Inspect exterior paint	Annually	15 minutes
Touch up minor damage	As needed	Varies
Clean painted surfaces	As needed	Varies
Check exterior wood trim	Annually	10 minutes

Cleaning Painted Surfaces

Interior walls:

• Wash gently with mild soap and as little water as possible
• Avoid abrasive cleaners, scouring pads, or scrub brushes
• Flat paints show washing marks more easily than gloss
• Often better results come from touching up rather than washing

Exterior surfaces:

• Rinse with garden hose to remove dirt
• Use mild soap for stubborn areas
• Avoid pressure washing painted wood (can force water under paint)

Paint Touch-Up

When doing paint touch-ups:

1. Use a small brush
2. Apply paint only to the damaged spot
3. Feather edges to blend
4. Allow to dry before judging the match

Important: Touch-up may not match exactly, even with the same paint mix. Paint ages and the touch-up will be fresher. This is normal and unavoidable.

Helpful Hint

A Q-tip works well for touching up small scratches and smudges.

Stain Touch-Up

For minor interior stain touch-ups on wood:

• Use furniture polish with scratch cover (inexpensive and easy)
• Follow directions on the bottle
• Product blends in with wood grain
• Works well for minor scratches and wear

For larger stain repairs:

• Use matching stain from your samples
• Test in inconspicuous area first
• Apply thin coats, building up as needed

Troubleshooting

Touch-Up Doesn't Match

This is normal. Paint fades and ages over time, and fresh touch-up will always look slightly different.

Options:

• Accept the slight variation (usually less visible over time)
• Repaint the entire wall from corner to corner
• For larger areas, repaint the entire room

Exterior Paint Peeling

1. Check the area - Is it wood trim?
2. Look for moisture - Peeling often indicates moisture problems
3. Scrape loose paint - Remove all loose material
4. Prime bare wood - Prevents future peeling
5. Repaint - Use quality exterior paint

Note: Wood trim develops minor cracks and raised grain in the first year. Raised grain can allow moisture under paint, causing peeling. This is not a defect.

Marks Won't Come Off

1. Try gentle cleaning first - Mild soap, minimal water
2. Test in hidden area - Before using stronger methods
3. Touch up if needed - Often better than scrubbing flat paint

Wood Grain Showing Through Paint

Today's water-based paints often make wood grain visible on painted trim. This is a characteristic of the paint and wood, not a defect.

What to Avoid

• Don't use abrasive cleaners - Damages paint finish
• Don't scrub flat paint - Shows marks easily
• Don't ignore exterior damage - Leads to moisture problems
• Don't store paint in extreme temperatures - Ruins the paint
• Don't expect perfect matches - Touch-ups will always be visible under certain lighting

Exterior Paint Maintenance

Regular care:

• Inspect after severe weather (hail, wind)
• Report weather damage to homeowners' insurance promptly
• Expect fading due to weather conditions
• Degree of fading depends on climate and paint shade

Wood trim:

• Will develop minor cracks and raised grain in first year
• Paint maintenance of wood trim and gutters is your responsibility
• Touch up as needed to prevent moisture damage

Understanding Paint Characteristics

Flat paint:

• Hides imperfections well
• Shows washing marks easily
• Best touched up rather than washed

Semi-gloss/Gloss:

• More durable and washable
• Shows imperfections more readily
• Used in kitchens, bathrooms, on trim

Stain:

• Color variations are natural due to wood grain
• Each piece of wood absorbs stain differently
• Variations are a feature, not a defect

Repainting Tips

When it's time to repaint:

1. Clean walls with mild soap and water
2. Allow to dry completely
3. Fill any holes or cracks with spackling
4. Sand smooth when dry
5. Prime repaired areas
6. Apply paint in thin, even coats
7. Use quality brushes and rollers

Related Topics

• Drywall
• Wood Trim
• Cabinets
• Caulking

---

Warranty Coverage: See Paint and Stain Standards for coverage periods and exclusions.