These high-end lake front homes are not open to just any contractor who wants to bid. The gorgeous lake-front community requires an application, review and waiting period before anyone is permitted to submit an estimate. Josh Quinn, owner of Quinn’s Painting, learned this the first time he noticed a deck that needed some refreshing in the community. Quinn is a veteran in the painting trade, with more than 20 years under his belt. Three years ago, he decided it was time to strike out on his own and began Quinn’s Painting. His Facebook page is filled with customer reviews describing his amazing work and incredible customer service. “Don’t skimp on products, don’t skimp on tools, and don’t skimp on quality. And I don’t leave until the customer is happy,” Quinn said. Part of making a customer happy is ensuring that you have a top-gun crew of experienced painters who can walk the walk and talk the talk. For that skill, he’s willing to pay well.

For that reason, Quinn was not nervous when he put in his application to work in the community. The approval didn’t fall in his lap; it was a slow process that paid off big in the end. Two years after his application entry, he was accepted. He quickly found it was worth the wait. “That summer, we finished 47 decks,” said Quinn.

Even though the work was flowing, not all the jobs were particularly simple. As the saying goes, “more money, more problems.” That’s where this deck came in. “This deck had issues,” said Quinn. The deck flats were peeling because of the improper spacing of the deck boards, so the crew had to come up with some creative strategies to prep for success this time around. The homeowner wanted the same color on the deck, so the first step was to color match the existing color with Benjamin Moore Arborcoat Solid Color Stain. Then it was time to prep the problems out of this deck. First, the team power washed; then they sanded the entire deck, including the handrails, for 16 hours with 80-grit orbital sanders. The spaces between the deck boards were cleaned out with a 5-in-1 tool and special attention was paid to sanding these areas. Benjamin Moore Fresh Start Exterior Oil Based Primer was applied prior to the final two coats of Arborcoat in Hidden Valley 1134. The sides of the deck boards were hand-brushed with a Wooster Bravo 5.5 inch stain brush on a pole.

The final result was a gorgeous finish that would stand up to the summer sun and harsh winters.