Dean Knecht Painting, Inc. offers exterior and interior painting services to customers in San Mateo County and San Francisco. It specializes in faux finishes and sponging and ragging (painting techniques that use sponges and rags to add depth and texture).
Owner Dean Knecht is a sixth-generation painter—he grew up learning the trade from his father and grandfather, who taught him about old, classic techniques. Mr. Knecht says he combines extensive knowledge of the painting industry's latest products and techniques with a long-standing family tradition of providing excellent service.
According to Mr. Knecht, Dean Knecht Painting is known for its meticulous preparation. "The finish is only as good as the preparation," he explains. "For example, we strip-peel wood areas the traditional way—with a heat gun. This makes for a smooth finish and a longer lasting job."
“I’m continuing a family trade that has been passed down over six generations, and I take that responsibility very seriously. I strive to give my customers a truly unique painting experience by merging my old-world technical expertise with my knowledge of new products and technologies.”
Before starting an outdoor painting project, take the weather into account.
Preparing for an exterior paint job involves just a few simple steps—pressure washing, sanding, spackling and priming—but many people neglect to account for outdoor conditions before they begin the process. For example, taking on a large painting job during winter poses a lot of risks. Primarily, it takes longer for wood or paint to dry in cold temperatures. Also, when you pressure wash a house, you introduce moisture into the wood that needs to be completely dried out before a coat of primer can be applied. While it only takes 24 hours for wood to dry during the summer, it can take up to 72 hours in winter weather. For these and other reasons, painting the exterior of your home is best left for the spring, summer or early fall.
Many homeowners save the paint that’s left over from an exterior project in anticipation of future touch-up work. Proper storage is vital when it comes to saving paint, and the best procedure involves only two steps: Ensure the paint is sealed in an airtight container and store it in an area that’s impervious to extreme temperatures (a garage is usually OK). If paint is properly stored, it’s usually good for two or three years after it’s been used.
When it comes to determining the durability of a specific type of exterior paint, one of the biggest factors to look for is also the simplest: color. The durability of modern paints is a bit of an unknown because they haven’t been around long enough to provide any sort of guarantee, but generally, the lighter the color, the longer the paint will last.
Dealing with uneven sun exposure
A common issue that homeowners experience is when one side of their home (or more) receives an excessive amount of sunlight exposure, which can cause the paint to fade at an accelerated rate. Rather than repainting your entire house, a more economical option in this instance is to have your painter apply a single “maintenance coat” to the affected areas. Doing this every two years will help the paint on your home maintain a consistent look and delay the need for more expensive repainting in high-exposure areas.
Maintaining customer satisfaction is a crucial aspect of any business, but it's even more important for painting contractors that have earned the prestigious Diamond Certified award. For Dean Knecht Painting, Inc., the key to achieving and maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction is simple: apply its 40-plus years of industry experience on every job, regardless of its size. "A lot of my customers are surprised that I've been painting for that long, but I think it ultimately gives them more reassurance in regard to the quality of workmanship and customer service they're going to receive," says owner Dean Knecht. "By combining my extensive industry knowledge with a longstanding family tradition of customer service, I'm able to ensure consistently positive results."
Dean Knecht Painting provides a wide range of interior and exterior painting services for clients in San Mateo County and San Francisco. The company specializes in faux finishes and sponging and ragging (painting techniques that use sponges and rags to add depth and texture), but it has the training and equipment to take on any type of painting project.
Unlike less experienced painting contractors that strive to reduce their operating costs by using time-saving and cost-cutting methods, Dean Knecht Painting ensures high levels of quality by adhering to industry-best practices. "Some painting companies will just spot-prime and then apply a spray-on coat, which is a cheap method that allows them to offer lower prices," explains Mr. Knecht. "I use the old-fashioned brush-and-roll technique because it provides long-lasting durability and guarantees that each customer gets two complete coats."
Another distinguishing feature of Dean Knecht Painting is its emphasis on thorough preparation in every aspect of its work. "I go above and beyond to make sure each house is properly prepared before I paint," affirms Mr. Knecht. "A lot of my customers have expressed their amazement at the amount of effort and detail I put into my prep work, but to me, it's just another part of doing the best possible job."