Whether to refresh the look of existing facilities, or as the final step in new construction, painting the exterior of commercial buildings can present various challenges to business owners. Along with picking the right color for your commercial building, you need to make sure that you’ve picked the correct type of paint appropriate for the surface being painted. You also want to be sure that you hire the right painting company for the job—one with years of commercial painting experience in the region.

Area Building Codes Influence Commercial Building Color Choice

In southwest Florida in general, and Naples, Florida specifically, the overarching style of the area combined with building codes generally encourages commercial building paint color schemes of pastel hues. The Naples building code dictates that colors of commercial building exteriors and trim “shall be compatible with surrounding buildings,” and prohibits “exterior color schemes that attract undue attention,” or “cause the building to appear as a sign.”
If you are refreshing the paint of an existing building, it is likely already up to code, and you will probably want to utilize the same, or similar, color scheme. If not, or if you are painting a newly constructed building, your first step would probably consist of considering the colors of the surrounding commercial buildings. Their color schemes can serve as a template with which to determine which potential hues on your building would not only complement the entire area, but help your building stand out, as well. In previewing this virtual template, don’t forget to factor in any ancillary features such as parking areas, sidewalks and greenery.

Building Materials Also Dictate Painting Decisions

Regional climate, traditional building practices, and building codes have long influenced materials used for commercial building construction in southwest Florida, with stucco proving to be a leading material for outside walls. If you are painting a newly constructed building with a stucco facade, you will want to wait at least 14 days for the stucco to fully cure and harden before sealing it with paint. The use of a hot stucco primer brings the waiting period down to seven days, or whenever the acceptable pH level is reached. The type of stucco texture—smooth or rough—will dictate how much paint you use, and perhaps whether to use a spray or roller system for its application.

Synthetic Stucco Can (and should) Be Painted

Synthetic stucco (exterior insulation finishing system, and “EIFS,” for short) already comes in a wide variety of hues, and most people believe that it was designed to be paint-free; however, synthetic stucco can be painted, and, with correct surface preparation and the right kind of paint, can add years of life to the surface. The most critical factor in painting synthetic stucco is ensuring that any interior moisture can escape, especially in buildings where “drainable” EIFS has been used.

Other Commercial Building Paint Considerations

Metals, such as steel and aluminum, are also used extensively in southwest Florida commercial building construction, with steel and other metals proving popular with doors, and aluminum a mainstay in the region’s commercial roofing. While such materials are exceptionally durable, southwest Florida’s climate can take a toll on just about every material used for commercial building construction, and the right kind of paint applied correctly can add years of life to metal roofs and doors.

Consult With an Experienced Commercial Building Painting Company

An experienced painting company can help you with whatever challenge you might face in painting your southwest Florida commercial building. They know the codes, understand the climate’s effects on building material surfaces, and should be able to determine the right type of paint for the surface needing painting.
With more than 20 years of commercial painting experience, FCI Painting has extensive experience painting all of the materials used in the construction of stores, restaurants, cafes, malls, office buildings, warehouses, garages, and every commercial structure built in Naples, Florida. FCI painting is adept at helping existing business owners refurbish their facilities, and coordinates closely with contractors and other craftsman in the development of new commercial buildings. To learn more about how FCI Painting can help you with your commercial building painting needs, contact us today, or give us a call at (239) 435-1001.