Our Process

The process is
why the finish lasts.

Every project is approached with the same commitment to thoughtful preparation, sound judgment, and lasting results.

The foundation

A Beautiful Finish Begins with Preparation.

Coating failure often begins beneath the final coat. Poor adhesion, chipping, and uneven texture can usually be traced back to inadequate cleaning, sanding, repairs, or cure time.

Our process begins with the existing surface: what it is made of, what has been applied before, how the space is used, and what conditions the finish must withstand. Those findings determine the preparation, products, and application method.

The sequence remains consistent from project to project. Decisions within it change based on the material, existing finish, environmental exposure, and expected performance of the completed work—all backed by $2M in liability insurance and our 5-year workmanship warranty.

The sequence

01

Before specifying any material, we assess each surface individually, including moisture history, prior coatings, adhesion risk, and substrate type. Walls, trim, ceilings, and built-ins each receive their own profile.

02

We protect your home like it’s our own. We mask and contain flooring, furnishings, and adjacent finishes, and control dust throughout to maintain a genuinely clean job site.

03

Preparation includes degreasing, sequenced sanding, crack repair, and skim-coating. Thorough preparation is the foundation of every finish we apply, and the step most others shorten.

04

Each substrate receives a primer matched to it and to the topcoat above. This layer separates a finish that lasts a decade from one that fails in 2 years.

05

Curated European and North American coatings, applied with controlled technique. We spray casework and doors in our off-site booth; in-place surfaces are cut and laid off by hand.

06

We refit hardware, reset trim, and align and test every door and drawer. The architecture goes back together exactly as it should.

07

We inspect every surface under intense light, the most unforgiving test a finish can face. The project is not complete until the homeowner says it is.
STEP ONE, IN DEPTH

Substrate profiling: a technical decision before an aesthetic one.

No two surfaces in a home behave alike. We assess each one and match a coating system to it specifically, which is why our finishes hold where a single uniform approach would fail.

SUBSTRATE

what we read

how we coat

Drywall

Irregularities, drywall seams, prior improper repairs

Skim coat (Level 5 finish) · bonding primer · topcoat to designer, architect, or client specs

Trim and Millwork

Adhesion (scoring/nail test), knot bleed-through, corner/caulk cracks

Degrease/degloss · sand · stain-block/bonding primer · durable enamel (2K or conversion varnish upon request)

Ceilings

Stains, moisture levels, texture issues, lap/roller marks, surface irregularities

Wash/stain-block primer · complete sand · texture matching · spot or complete priming · dead-flat ceiling system

Built-Ins and Cabinetry

Grease load, paint blistering/moisture damage, panel/wood movement cracks

Degrease · sand · intermediate vinyl sealer · 2K topcoat or conversion varnish (CV)

Historic Plaster

Irregular hills/valleys, hairline spiderweb cracking, peeling, failed keys, prior repairs

Consolidate & reinforce · skim coat with masonry plaster compound · sand · bonding primer

STEP ONE, IN DEPTH

Substrate profiling: a technical decision before an aesthetic one.

No two surfaces in a home behave alike. We assess each one and match a coating system to it specifically, which is why our finishes hold where a single uniform approach would fail.

Drywall

what we read

Irregularities, drywall seams, prior improper repairs

how we coat

Skim coat (Level 5 finish) · bonding primer · topcoat to designer, architect, or client specs

Trim and Millwork

what we read

Adhesion (scoring/ nail test), knot bleed-through, corner/ caulk cracks

how we coat

Degrease/ degloss · sand · stain-block/bonding primer · durable enamel (2K or conversion varnish upon request)

Ceilings

what we read

Stains, moisture levels, texture issues, lap/ roller marks, surface irregularities

how we coat

Wash/ stain-block primer · complete sand · texture matching · spot or complete priming · dead-flat ceiling system

Built-Ins and Cabinetry

what we read

Grease load, paint blistering/ moisture damage, panel/ wood movement cracks

how we coat

Degrease · sand · intermediate vinyl sealer · 2K topcoat or conversion varnish (CV)

Historic Plaster

what we read

Irregular hills/ valleys, hairline spiderweb cracking, peeling, failed keys, prior repairs

how we coat

Consolidate & reinforce · skim coat with masonry plaster compound · sand · bonding primer

Material Selection

Ten approved systems, organized into four tiers.

We engineer coating systems tailored to the substrate, prior finish, and environmental demands. Our team custom-develops colors and stains alongside your architect or designer until the finish is exact.

First, we degrease to clear all surface contaminants; then, we sand between every coat to build absolute adhesion and finish consistency.

Tier 01

High-performance Millwork Systems

For custom cabinetry and architectural woodwork requiring 2K polyurethanes, conversion varnishes, polyester, and industrial waterborne systems finished to furniture-grade.

Axalta Wood Coatings and Centurion are specified as adjacent specialty systems within this ecosystem.

Tier 02

Master-Tier Architectural Finishes

For statement surfaces, trim, and entry doors that require exceptional color depth, extraordinary gloss, and a mirror-like enamel.

Tier 03

Architectural Wall and Trim Standards

Used with estate walls, ceilings, and trim for color consistency, durability, and seamless coordination with adjacent millwork.

Tier 04

Mineral Masonry Systems

Specified for compatible brick, stucco, and masonry substrates where mineral coating systems are best suited to the material.