Capitol Hill Rag

The contractors for the first project, the home of the Audrey and Robert Nevitt at 1000 South Carolina Avenue, SE were the David Mahoney Painting Company and Bricklands brick repair specialists.

The Nevitts hired David Mahoney to repaint the exterior of their home; the white paint was peeling badly. The painters began by scraping and washing the brick and then scrapping and washing again to get down to a firm surface. It became obvious that the brick would need extensive repointing. Also the severity of the paint failure led Mahoney to recommend completely stripping down to the original brick and completely repointing.

Bricklands, a company which specializes in historic repointing, was called in for this part of the job. It was determined that the original color of the mortar was black. Bricklands matched this and repaired many damaged bricks.

Then the David Mahoney Painting Company fabricated some missing decorative details on the facade such as the metal cornices on the windows and the detail work on the cornice. The window frames were stripped and repainted and the security bars were sandblasted and repainted. The project took three months to complete.

From "The Voice of the Hill" February 2002 David Mahoney will share his knowledge and experience in: "Not Your Painted Lady- The Capitol Hill Victorian House." He will describe preparation, preservation, and protection of this valuable and major decorative and maintenance job from both technical and aesthetic perspectives. Mahoney is president of The David Mahoney Painting Company, a top-ranked Washington firm. Mahoney has spent the past 26 years mastering the art of painting and finishing and focuses his skill on the homes of Capitol Hill, North West Washington, and Old Town Alexandria because of their professional challenge. He is well acquainted with the Hill, having spent many childhood days here with his grandmother and other close relatives. Preservation Cafes are held the second Wednesday of the month. Additional dates for 2002 are March 13, April 10, and May 8. Topics may include archaeology, Congressional Cemetery, call boxes, ironwork, Victorian interiors, and the 8th Street Heritage Trail. Speakers will be announced. Preservation Cafes are an adaptation of a Greenwich Village idea in which a speaker talks with a small group about topics of particular local interest at a neighborhood restaurant. They have an informal format so that the audience can share ideas, reactions, and questions with the speaker. People can stop in on the way home from work for relaxation and a stimulating discussion with f riends and neighbors, often continuing on through dinner. The Capitol Hill Restoration Society was founded over 40 years ago to preserve and protect Capitol Hill's residential character. It is now the largest civic association on the Hill and one of the largest in the entire District of Columbia.

Beware of the Low Bid

A quality paint job can save you money
and headaches in the long run

Before you contract for painting services, consider the professional who will extend the life of your paint job through proper preparation techniques, quality materials and extensive experience. It can save you money and headaches in the long run.

Here are some tips to help assess your needs:

Tin Roof—Get up on your roof and check the paint for cracking, peeling, flaking, "alligatoring," or surface rust. Problems such as these are often associated with multiple layers of paint that can no longer expand and contract due to deterioration or improper application of one of the underlying coats. Depending on the severity of the problem, removal of the old layers of paint may be the best remedy. Mild or severe signs of paint deterioration require immediate attention because the paint should be protecting your expensive tin roof and other exterior substrates. A proper paint job can save you thousands on tin roof repairs and replacements.

Historic Windows—If you have installed storm windows, check for two vents at the bottom of your storms which allow moisture to escape. Trapped moisture destroys wooden windowsills. If you don't have vents, drill holes in the bottom of the storm frame.

Painting Exterior Brick—Check the mortar for sandy holes and other signs of deterioration. Before you paint, consult your paint contractor about "spot painting" to repair the mortar damage completely. Be aware that the appropriate mortar mix is used to protect older bricks. Proper repair will prevent costly water migration into the masonry and will allow stronger paint adhesion to the brick surface.

Preparation—85% of the real work involved in providing a quality, long-lasting paint job is in the preparation of all the surfaces to readily bond with the new paint. The common surfaces on Washington's homes are masonry, wood and metal. Preparation includes labor-intensive tasks including scraping, sanding, priming, cleaning, caulking, patching, glazing and more. How much prep and how much the job will cost is due largely to the type or types of surfaces being painted. Beware of the lowest estimate because, over time, this may become your worst nightmare.

How To Select A Paint Contractor
Ask which other Washington's homes this contractor has painted. How long ago were these properties done? Go to each one and compare the results between Hill homes painted 2 and 6 years ago. How closely do they compare? A quality contractor's work will hold up through the years because of the better preparation, more experience and better materials.

Check that the contractor is licensed, bonded and that he has Public Liability Insurance as well as Workman's Comp. The contractor should be well established on Washington's due the historic significance of these buildings. Check references to ensure that the contractor's staff follow strict guidelines in respecting your property as part of our national heritage. Your neighbors are going to be your greatest help in making this important decision.

	Tips . . . Prep & Cleaning This is another facet of the project in which we take particular pride. We strive to make sure that the surface is properly
prepared so that your paint job will last a long time. We also go to great lengths to keep the work area clean throughout the painting process and leave it looking even better.