Interior painting in Ann Arbor depends on the age of the house. Prewar homes on the Old West Side and in Burns Park have plaster walls, wide trim and old oil-based paint that needs sanding and primer. Newer homes have drywall and builder paint that marks easily. We patch, sand, caulk and prime before two finish coats.
Inside an Ann Arbor house, the walls tell you when it was built. Homes in Kerrytown, Water Hill and the Old Fourth Ward mostly have plaster on wood lath, with hairline cracks, rounded corners and wide casings that have been painted many times. Ranches and split-levels on the south and west sides have drywall and flat ceilings. Newer houses near the edge of the city have tall entries and thin builder paint. We look at which kind of wall you have before we plan the work, because each one needs different preparation.
The preparation takes more time than the painting. Furniture is moved to the middle of the room and covered, and floors are protected. Holes and cracks are filled, glossy old trim is sanded dull so new paint can grip, and gaps between trim and wall are caulked. Bare patches and stains are primed. Then the ceiling is painted first, the walls next and the trim last, normally in two finish coats. In houses built before 1978 we keep sanding dust contained, since older layers may hold lead.
Expect a walk through the rooms, a few questions about how you use each one, and a written quote that lists the surfaces, the coats and the repairs included. Most people stay in the house during the job, and we work room by room so you are never without a bedroom or kitchen for long. Winter is a good season for interior work in Michigan, because the furnace keeps the air dry and paint cures well. At the end we walk the rooms with you and touch up anything you point out.
Interior painting in Ann Arbor: common questions
Can you paint over old oil-based trim paint in my Ann Arbor house?
Yes, with the right steps. Water-based paint will peel off glossy oil paint if it goes straight on. The trim is cleaned, sanded dull and coated with a bonding primer first, and then the finish coats hold.
Do I have to move out while the inside of my house is painted?
No. We paint a few rooms at a time and put them back in order before starting the next ones. Low-odor paints are available if smell is a worry, and windows can be cracked open even in cold weather for a short while.
Is winter a bad time to paint indoors in Michigan?
No, it is often the easiest time to book. Heated indoor air is dry, so paint dries steadily. The only limit is that windows stay mostly shut, so we plan airing and drying time between coats.
How it works
- Free estimate: Call, text or book online. We walk the job and measure.
- Written quote: Prep, paint and price in writing.
- Prep & protect: We cover floors and furniture, repair and prime surfaces.
- Paint & walk-through: Two coats, clean lines, full clean-up and a final walk-through.