How do you prepare a wall for black paint?

• <div><p>First, make sure that you tape off all the areas that you don’t want to paint black. It’s harder to paint a light color over black than to touch up any lighter spots you missed. Once you’ve taped it off, make sure that the surface is clean and smooth, and then prime the wall with a tinted primer in gray. This step will help to transition from a lighter color to a darker one.</p></div>

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Q: Can you paint over existing exterior paint?

• <div><p>You may or may not be able to paint over your old exterior paint. If the existing paint is in good shape, then you can paint a new layer on top. But if your paint is flaky, you'll need to scrape off the old paint before adding any new layers. Also, it&rsquo;s best to use primer first to help your paint stick properly.</p></div>

Q: How do you hide wallpaper seams when painting?

• <div><p>You can hide wallpaper seams when painting by applying joint compound over them and then sanding thoroughly until smooth. You&rsquo;ll want to apply two layers of compound, allowing for four to eight hours between coats. Do a light sanding between coats and then after the final coat is dry. Once the compound dries completely, you can begin priming and painting the wall.</p></div>

Q: Will house painters expect a tip?

• <div><p>While painters won&rsquo;t expect a tip, they may accept one if you offer&mdash;which means any amount of tipping you do is above and beyond, even if it&rsquo;s just $10 or $20 per painter. Instead of monetary tips, many painters prefer their customers to leave them positive online reviews, which can line their pockets in the form of future business opportunities.</p></div>

Q: Can you paint drop ceiling tiles?

• <div><p>It&rsquo;s possible to paint certain drop ceiling tiles, including those made of plastic, metal, and wood. Painting fiberboard ceiling tiles is technically possible, but the results rarely look appealing, so it&rsquo;s best to replace them with new tiles, especially given how affordable they are. If you do paint your drop ceiling tiles, it&rsquo;s a good idea to use a paint sprayer and a rapidly-drying paint to avoid drips. Latex paint is often a good choice, especially if you thin it and apply it using a sprayer.</p></div>

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Verified Reviews for Exterior Painting pros in Lake Mills, IA

*The Angi rating for Exterior Painting companies in Lake Mills, IA is a rating based on verified reviews from our community of homeowners who have used these pros to meet their Exterior Painting needs.

*The HomeAdvisor rating for Exterior Painting companies in Lake Mills, IA is a rating based on verified reviews from our community of homeowners who have used these pros to meet their Exterior Painting needs.

Last update on December 07, 2025

Reviewed in November 2021
Jason and his crew were professional and friendly. The prep work prior to painting was detail-oriented and the paint job itself was exceptional. I’m very pleased and would highly recommend.
JnS Professional Services
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Reviewed in November 2020
We had storm damage due to the Derecho. Aurelio did our estimate himself. He was very professional and explained what was needed clearly. It was immediately evident that he knew exactly what he was talking about. He got us worked into the schedule faster than expected due to material...
Affordable Roofing and Exteriors INC
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Reviewed in November 2020
I hired them to come in and paint whole house after another paint company messed up the house Chad came in and did a very professional job thanks again for job well done
Finken Painting
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Reviewed in February 2020
Phil and his crew rearranged their current jobs to ensure that our floors were refinished in time to get the painting done before our move-in date. We also asked them to remove all the baseboards and quarter round - which was good thing because then we could see how poorly the flooring had been...
Oak Wood Floor
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Reviewed in February 2020
Marco is professional and responsive, and his work is very good. WE hired Penagos Painting to completely repaint the interior of a house and its garage that we had just purchased. They did a really good job covering the awful paint on our textured walls, and repainted the trim and doors in...
Penagos Painting
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Reviewed in August 2016
All went very well. Gloria came in and asked a few questions on how we used the area. I should of given her more details there, but it all worked out anyway. She asked for accessories from closets and other areas of my home. She used things in different ways than I would of thought to do, and...
Windy Ridge Interiors
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Reviewed in April 2015
Installed it the first time, you could stick your hand in the holes in the duct work, came back a 2nd time didn't do anything, 3rd time they did some patching but there were still some holes, and it wasn't anchored to anything, they had to clean it twice and I still had dirt flying out of one of...
Service Legends Heating & Cooling
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Reviewed in October 2014
Patrick Overby was quick to respond to my invitation to bid the job of painting my 2 story house. He was informative and polite. He had bid ready in a timely manner, and I thought his price was very reasonable. Mike and Shelby were excellent workers and painters. They were pleasant to have...
Everlast Pro Painting
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Reviewed in October 2014
Our area (the towns of Adair and Casey and surrounding rural area) was hit by an extremely severe hail and windstorm June 30th, 2014. Every home and commercial business in the Adair area had severe damage in the form of roof and shingle damage, broken windows and siding and sheet metal damage. ...
Blackstone Exteriors LLC
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Reviewed in November 2009
We are very particular, so a four star from us is probably similar to a five star from most people. Sam and his crew were diligent and timely. We needed the job done by a specific date and they made it happen. Work looks very good. A few details were overlooked, but I know a call to Sam would...
S&B Renovations
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