Painting Des Moines (98198) view homes and condos above the marina
Des Moines (98198) slopes from Pacific Highway down to Puget Sound, with views across to Vashon Island and the Olympics from many streets. The city incorporated in 1959, and the waterfront centers on the Des Moines Marina and its long fishing pier, along with Des Moines Beach Park, whose old camp buildings are a city landmark. Marine View Drive runs along the slope. Neighborhoods reach from Zenith, which grew as a home base for Boeing workers, past Saltwater State Park in its steep ravine, to Woodmont and Redondo near the Federal Way line.
At a glance
- ZIP
- 98198
- County
- King County
- Part of
- Des Moines, WA
- Best exterior window
- Late May to mid September
- Phone
- Answered 24/7
The housing is a broad mix: postwar ramblers, 1970s-80s split-levels and two-stories, view homes on the slope and condos and apartments near downtown and the marina. Des Moines Creek and Massey Creek cut deep, shaded ravines through it all. That gives us two very different exposures on the same streets: west walls that take sun, salt air and wind off the Sound, and ravine-side walls that barely dry. We handle the condos with our apartment and HOA painting crews and the houses with full exterior repaints. Des Moines is a straight drive up I-5 from Puyallup, and we work here regularly.
Which walls on a Des Moines ravine lot need the most prep, and why?
Walls that face a ravine see little sun, cool air sinking down the slope and moisture coming up from the creek, so moss and mildew grow fast and paint loses grip. We start with a soft wash and mildew treatment, then scrape anything loose and probe the bottom courses of siding and trim for rot. Soft wood is replaced through our wood rot repair work. Overhanging branches are worth trimming back before we start, since moving air helps the wall dry between storms.
Timing matters more on the ravine side than anywhere else on the house. We save those walls for the middle of summer, wait for moisture readings near 15% or less and paint in the warmest part of the day. The finish includes mildewcide, and gutters on that side are cleared so they do not overflow onto fresh paint. A typical Des Moines two-story with one shaded ravine wall runs about $7,940-$13,180 for a full repaint, a typical range rather than a quote, set after a walk-through.
What we watch for here
- West-facing walls that chalk and fade quickly from afternoon sun and wind off the Sound.
- Salt air on homes close to Marine View Drive, the marina and Redondo Beach.
- Lots backing onto the Des Moines Creek and Massey Creek ravines that stay shaded and mossy.
- Panel siding on 1970s-80s homes that swells where the bottom edge was never sealed.
- Condo stair towers and walkways that see heavy foot traffic and wear through coatings.
Houses common in Des Moines and how we prep them
Postwar ramblers in Zenith and central Des Moines
Single-story homes with lap or board siding. We scrape with lead-safe methods, replace soft sills and repaint in two coats.
1970s-80s split-levels and two-stories
Cedar, hardboard or T1-11 siding on sloped lots. Swollen panel edges are cut back or replaced, sealed and primed before paint.
View homes on the slope
Large windows and decks facing the Sound. West walls get extra prep and a fade-resistant acrylic, and decks are stained the same season.
Condos and apartments near the marina
Wood-framed buildings with stair towers and covered walkways. We phase the repaint by building and keep walkways open.
Painting jobs we do most in Des Moines
Exterior House Painting
Exterior house painting in Tacoma means washing off mildew and dirt, checking that the siding reads about 15% moisture or less, scraping and sanding loose paint, fixing rot, caulking, priming bare wood, then applying two coats of exterior acrylic.
See exterior house paintingApartment & HOA Painting
Apartment and HOA painting in Tacoma covers exterior repaints of apartment buildings, condos and townhome communities, plus common-area interiors like halls and stairwells.
See apartment & hoa paintingSiding Painting
Siding painting in Tacoma means matching the prep and paint to the material: fiber cement gets cleaned and primed at cut edges, T1-11 plywood gets its bottom edges sealed, vinyl needs a vinyl-safe color, and wood lap needs scraping and spot priming.
See siding paintingDeck Staining
Deck staining in Tacoma means cleaning off moss and gray wood, sanding rough or failing areas, brightening, then applying a penetrating stain to the boards, rails and stairs once the wood reads about 15% moisture.
See deck stainingWood Rot Repair
Wood rot repair in Tacoma means probing fascia, trim, sills, corner boards and siding for soft wood, cutting out the decay, then replacing boards or rebuilding small areas with epoxy filler.
See wood rot repairPressure Washing & Soft Washing
Pressure washing in Tacoma covers siding, decks, fences, driveways, walkways and patios.
See pressure washing & soft washing
Painting questions from Des Moines
Does salt air reach houses up the hill from the Des Moines waterfront?
Less of it, but some. Homes along Marine View Drive and the first blocks above the beach and marina get the most salt, and you can often feel it on the windows. Farther up the slope toward Pacific Highway, wind and sun matter more than salt. Either way, we rinse the siding well before priming, since even a thin salt film keeps paint from bonding.
Is it safe to pressure wash an older Des Moines home near the beach?
High pressure can gouge old cedar, force water behind siding and blow out window glazing, so on older homes we use a soft wash instead. A low-pressure rinse with a cleaning solution lifts salt, chalk and mildew, and the house dries before primer goes on. Our pressure washing and soft washing work also covers decks, walkways and fences on the same visit.
Do you paint homes in Zenith, Woodmont and Redondo as well as central Des Moines?
Yes, all of them. Zenith's postwar ramblers, the wooded streets of Woodmont and the homes near the Redondo boardwalk are all on our regular route up I-5. Prep changes with the house more than the neighborhood: older homes need lead-safe scraping, homes near the water need a thorough rinse to clear salt, and shaded lots get a mildew treatment before primer goes on.
Neighboring areas we paint
Painting a home in Des Moines?
Call and tell us what you are painting. We answer 24/7 and set up a walk-through at a time that suits you.