ELLWANGER PAINTING
BELLINGHAM, WA
360‑389‑2829
Interior painting project in a Bellingham living room

Exterior Painter in Bellingham, WA for Residential Homes and Older Houses.

Ellwanger Painting is a licensed, lead-safe exterior painter in Bellingham, WA, working on everything from older Craftsman homes to new construction. As a local Bellingham painting company, we focus on the full exterior system — not just the topcoat. Bellingham's climate is hard on paint: the moisture, the UV exposure, the freeze-thaw cycles. A paint job that skips prep won't last. We walk the exterior with you before any work starts, identify failing areas, and give you a clear written scope before a brush touches the house. We back every exterior project with a 5-year workmanship warranty.

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Why Bellingham Homeowners Choose Ellwanger Painting for Exterior Work

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20+ Years Painting Exteriors in the Pacific Northwest

Since 2004, Justin Ellwanger has painted exteriors across Bellingham and Whatcom County — older Craftsmans, cedar-sided ranches, wood shingle homes, and everything in between. Our exterior standard is straightforward: every surface gets proper prep, the right primer for that substrate, and full topcoats applied to manufacturer specifications. If it doesn't hold up under Bellingham weather, we didn't do it right.

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Prep-First Exterior System — Not Just a Fresh Coat

Most exterior paint failures in Bellingham come down to one thing: skipped prep. We scrape all loose and failing paint to a firm edge, sand rough transitions, caulk siding joints, window frames, and trim gaps, spot-prime every bare wood surface, and address dry rot before topcoats go on. The prep is where the durability of your paint job is determined — and it's where we spend the most time.

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Lead-Safe Certified, Licensed, Bonded & Insured in Washington State

Ellwanger Painting is EPA RRP certified for lead-safe work on pre-1978 homes — proper containment, HEPA cleanup, and legal disposal are standard on every qualifying project. We are fully licensed with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (WA Contractor License: ELLWAPL779QL), bonded, and insured. Your exterior project is protected from start to finish.

5-Year Workmanship Warranty on Every Exterior Project

Every exterior painting project we complete in Bellingham is backed by a 5-year workmanship warranty on labor and materials. If the paint fails due to our prep or application, we come back and make it right — no argument. Learn how our Bellingham exterior painting warranty protects your home long after the job is done.

Our Exterior Painting Process in Bellingham, WA

1

On-Site Exterior Walkthrough & Written Estimate

We walk the full exterior with you — every elevation, every surface — and assess the actual condition of your siding, trim, fascia, soffits, windows, and doors. We identify failing paint, bare wood, dry rot, caulk failure, and moisture entry points before anything is priced. Based on what we find, we give you a detailed written estimate: what surfaces are included, what prep is specified, which primer and topcoat systems are recommended, and how many coats are applied. No surprises after the job starts.

2

Scraping, Sanding, Caulking & Wood Repair

This is where the durability of your exterior paint job is determined. We scrape all loose and failing paint to a firm edge, sand rough transitions smooth, fill cracks and open joints with exterior-grade caulk, and repair dry rot and damaged wood before any primer goes on. Surfaces that skip this step fail early — usually within two to three years in Bellingham's climate. We don't skip it.

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Prime Every Bare Surface, Then Paint the Full System

Every bare wood, repaired, or previously unpainted surface gets the right exterior primer for that substrate before topcoats go on. Bare cedar, exposed wood, repaired areas, and galvanized metal all require different primers — applying the wrong one or skipping primer entirely is one of the most common reasons exterior paint fails prematurely in the Pacific Northwest. Once primed, we apply full topcoats to manufacturer specifications: consistent sheen, clean cut lines, and full film thickness so the coating performs the way it was designed to under Bellingham weather.

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Full Perimeter Quality Check & Final Walkthrough

After cleanup we walk the complete exterior with you — every elevation, every surface — and handle any touch-ups before we consider the job done. Every surface should hold up to a close look from the ground: consistent color, clean edges, and no missed spots. Our work is backed by a 5-year workmanship warranty. See how class="internal-link" href="/bellingham-location/#warranty" title="View Ellwanger Painting's exterior workmanship warranty details" > Ellwanger Painting's exterior warranty protects your Bellingham home long after we leave.

Interior Painting Services We Offer

Cedar siding staining service in Bellingham, WA
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Ceader siding staining Services

Door & Garage Door Painting service in Bellingham, WA
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Door & Garage Door Painting Services

Trim & Fascia painting service in Bellingham, WA
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Trim & Fascia Painting Services

Deck Stainging and Painting service in Bellingham, WA
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Deck Stainging and Painting Services

Fence Staining and Painting service in Bellingham, WA
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Fence Staining and Painting Services

color consulting service in Bellingham, WA
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Color Consulting Services

lead paint removal service in Bellingham, WA
health_and_safety

Lead Paint Removal Service

Areas We Serve in Whatcom County

Exterior Painting Pricing & Estimates in Bellingham, WA

Exterior painting pricing in Bellingham varies more than interior work because the condition of the surface does most of the talking. A house with sound, well-adhered paint that just needs a refresh costs significantly less than one with failing paint, bare wood, dry rot, and years of deferred maintenance. Both are legitimate exterior repaints — they just require very different amounts of labor before a brush touches the house.

A practical way to think about exterior pricing is cost relative to your home's footprint square footage — the ground floor area of the house, not the total paintable surface. For a typical Bellingham exterior repaint in reasonable condition, a fair range is $6–$9 per footprint square foot. Homes with significant prep needs — heavy scraping, extensive caulking, dry rot repairs, multiple stories, or detailed trim work — will land at the higher end or above that range. That's not padding. That's the cost of doing the prep that makes the paint job last.

What matters most when comparing exterior painting estimates is not the bottom line number — it's the scope of work behind that number. A low bid that omits scraping, skips primer, and specifies one coat instead of two will fail faster than a properly executed job at a higher price. Ask every contractor what prep is included, what primer system they're using, how many coats are specified, and what their warranty covers. For more context on how we price exterior work, review our exterior painting pricing page , and when you're ready, book a walkthrough and written estimate online .

Exterior Painting FAQs — Bellingham, WA

How much does exterior painting cost in Bellingham, WA?

For a typical Bellingham exterior repaint in reasonable condition, a fair range is $6–$9 per footprint square foot of the home. Homes with significant prep needs — heavy scraping, dry rot repair, multiple stories, or detailed trim work — will land at the higher end or above that range. The most important thing when comparing bids is the scope behind the number: what prep is included, what primer system is specified, how many coats are applied, and what the warranty covers.

How long does a typical exterior repaint take in Bellingham?

Most single-family homes in Bellingham take 3–7 days depending on size, condition, and how much prep the surfaces require. Homes with significant scraping, dry rot repair, or detailed trim work take longer. We schedule around Bellingham's weather — we won't apply paint in conditions that compromise adhesion or cure time, so we build buffer days into every exterior project.

Are you lead-safe certified for older Bellingham homes?

Yes. Ellwanger Painting is EPA RRP certified for lead-safe work on pre-1978 homes. This means proper containment of work areas, HEPA vacuuming, wet methods to control dust, and legal disposal of lead-containing debris. This certification is required by federal law for renovation work on pre-1978 homes — not every painter in Bellingham carries it. Our WA Contractor License is ELLWAPL779QL, publicly verifiable through the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries.

How do you handle homes with peeling or failing exterior paint?

Peeling and failing paint is the most common exterior condition we work with in Bellingham. We scrape all loose paint to a firm edge, feather and sand transitions smooth, spot-prime all bare wood with the right exterior primer for that substrate, and caulk any open joints before topcoats go on. Painting over failing paint without this prep is the single biggest reason exterior paint jobs fail early — we don't do it.

What kind of exterior paint do you use in the Pacific Northwest?

We use premium exterior coatings — primarily Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore product lines — selected for the specific substrate and climate exposure. Bellingham's combination of moisture, UV, and temperature swings demands a coating that flexes with the wood, resists moisture intrusion, and holds color under years of Northwest weather. Every bare or repaired surface gets the correct exterior primer before topcoats are applied.

Do you paint cedar siding and wood shingles?

Yes — cedar siding and wood shingles are common in Bellingham and a surface we work with regularly. Bare cedar requires an oil-based or shellac-based primer before topcoats to prevent tannin bleed and ensure proper adhesion. We choose primers and topcoats specifically for wood movement and moisture resistance in the Pacific Northwest climate. Skipping this step on cedar is a reliable way to end up with peeling paint within two years.

Do you offer a warranty on exterior painting?

Yes. Every exterior painting project Ellwanger Painting completes in Bellingham is backed by a 5-year workmanship warranty on labor and materials. If the paint fails due to our prep or application, we come back and make it right. See our full exterior painting warranty details .

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