Interior & Exterior Painting in Birmingham, Alabama
A Paint Job Is 80 Percent Preparation
Almost every failed paint job we get called to fix failed for the same reason: somebody skipped the prep. Peeling, blistering, chalky siding, and caulk lines that split within a year are not coating failures. They are preparation failures. ALR Construction approaches painting the way we approach every other trade - the visible finish is the last five percent, and it only lasts if the work underneath it was done properly.
We paint interiors and exteriors for homeowners and businesses throughout the Birmingham metro, both as standalone projects and as the finishing stage of a larger renovation.
Why Birmingham Weather Is Hard on Paint
Central Alabama gives exterior coatings a genuinely difficult job. Long, humid summers, intense direct sun on south and west elevations, heavy spring rain, and wide temperature swings all work against a paint film. Add the pollen season and the mildew pressure that comes with our humidity, and a cheap exterior repaint can look tired in two years.
The response is not just better paint. It is correct surface preparation, the right primer for the substrate, attention to moisture sources, and applying coatings within the temperature and humidity window the manufacturer actually specifies - not whenever the crew happens to be available.
Our Painting Services
Interior Painting
Walls, ceilings, trim, doors, crown molding, built-ins, cabinetry, and stairwells. Interior work is as much about protection and cleanliness as it is about coverage: we mask and cover floors and furnishings, contain dust, repair drywall and nail pops before priming, caulk properly, and leave the house clean at the end of each day.
Cabinet refinishing deserves a specific mention. Spraying existing kitchen cabinets is one of the highest-return projects available - a fraction of the cost of replacement, with a dramatic result - but only when the doors are properly degreased, deglossed, primed with the right bonding primer, and sprayed rather than brushed. Done poorly it chips within months. If you are weighing refinishing against replacement, our kitchen remodeling team will give you a straight comparison.
Exterior Painting
Siding, trim, soffits and fascia, shutters, porches, railings, garage doors, and decks. Our exterior process is:
- Wash and let dry. Pressure washing removes chalking, mildew, and pollen. Painting over a damp substrate is one of the fastest routes to peeling, so we allow proper dry time rather than working straight through.
- Scrape, sand, and repair. Loose coating comes off, edges get feathered, and rotted trim, fascia, and siding are replaced - not caulked over. Because we are a full construction company, that carpentry is handled by our own crews.
- Prime bare and problem surfaces. Bare wood, patched areas, tannin-bleeding species, and any substrate change get the appropriate primer.
- Caulk and seal. Joints, penetrations, and trim intersections get a quality elastomeric sealant. This is where water gets in, and it is where cheap jobs cut corners.
- Apply two finish coats. Back-rolled or sprayed to the manufacturer's spread rate, in the right conditions. One coat over a color change is not coverage.
Commercial and Rental Painting
Offices, retail spaces, restaurants, common areas, and turnover work for rental and investment properties. We schedule around business hours and tenant timelines where needed, and we can fold painting into a larger commercial build-out.
Specialty Finishes and Prep Work
- Cabinet and built-in spraying
- Stain and clear coats for decks, porches, and interior wood
- Drywall repair, skim coating, and texture matching
- Popcorn ceiling removal and retexturing
- Wallpaper removal and wall preparation
- Masonry, brick, and concrete coatings
- Metal railings, doors, and structural steel
Painting as Part of a Larger Project
Most of our painting happens at the end of something bigger, and there is a real advantage to that. When the same company handled the framing, drywall, and trim, there is no argument about whose responsibility a wavy wall or a bad joint is - we simply fix it before the primer goes on. Painting is the last step of every full home renovation, home addition, bathroom remodel, and new construction project we run.
Choosing Colors and Sheens
A few things we tell every client. Test colors on the actual wall, in large samples, and look at them in morning and evening light - Birmingham's tree cover makes north-facing rooms much cooler in tone than a paint chip suggests. Use flat or matte on ceilings, eggshell or satin on walls where you want washability, and semi-gloss on trim and doors. On exteriors, satin hides surface imperfection better than gloss and still sheds water well.
What a Painting Quote Should Include
Ask any painter for a written scope that names the specific product and line being used, the number of coats, the preparation included, and what surfaces are and are not covered. A quote that says "paint the exterior" with a single number gives you nothing to hold anyone to. Our proposals break out washing, carpentry repair, prep, priming, caulking, and finish coats as separate lines, with the product specified.
Get a Painting Estimate
Whether you need a single room refreshed, a full exterior repaint, or painting as part of a renovation, ALR Construction will walk the property and give you an itemized quote. Contact us to schedule an estimate, browse finished work in our project gallery, or read our client reviews.
Painting Across the Birmingham Metro
We provide interior and exterior painting in Homewood, Vestavia Hills, Hoover, Downtown Birmingham, and at Lake Martin, Logan Martin Lake, and Lay Lake.
Related Services
ALR Construction also handles full home renovations, kitchen remodeling, bathroom remodeling, home additions, custom decks, roof installation, new home construction, custom projects, and commercial build-outs. Learn more about the team behind the work.
- Phone (205) 222-7787
