Short answer
Most Bloomingdale jobs are on the front of the house: painted brick facades, cornices, bay trim, windows and iron railings and fences at the stoop. Many owners also ask about interiors. We walk the facade and railing with you, test old paint for lead, check for any review needs and give you a written price.
Turrets, bays and cornices from Rhode Island Avenue to Florida Avenue
Bloomingdale sits north of Florida Avenue NW and south of the old McMillan Reservoir, with North Capitol Street on the east and roughly Second Street on the west. Rhode Island Avenue cuts across it, and First Street NW holds a well-known row of shops and restaurants. Most of the rowhouses date from the 1890s to the 1910s, built by speculative builders in Romanesque Revival and Queen Anne styles.
The fronts of these houses are full of painted elements. Rounded turrets and square bays project from the facade, many topped by pressed-metal cornices with brackets and dentils. Windows have wood frames and sometimes stained glass transoms. Front steps carry iron railings, and many yards are fenced with iron along the sidewalk. Some facades remain natural red brick, while others were painted long ago.
Bloomingdale became a DC historic district, so exterior work deserves a quick check. Inside, the houses usually have lime plaster walls and tall ceilings, and our plaster repair work comes up often when owners repaint interiors.
Facade and railing problems in Bloomingdale
These come up on most Bloomingdale facades we walk, and most trace back to age and water.
Rust at railing joints and posts
Iron railings rust first where pieces join and where posts sit in stone or concrete. Rust swells and pushes paint off. We grind back to sound metal, treat the rust and finish with a durable enamel.
Rust and gaps in pressed-metal cornices
Pressed-metal cornices rust along seams and at the bottom edge where water sits. We clean, treat rust, seal open seams and repaint so water stops getting in.
Peeling paint on bay windows
Wood trim around bays and turrets takes weather on three sides. Paint cracks at joints and around sills. We scrape, fix soft wood and recaulk before priming and painting.
Painted brick that is flaking
Old painted facades can peel when moisture gets trapped behind the paint. We clean, remove loose paint and recoat with a breathable masonry paint where the brick was already painted.
Stained glass transom frames
Wood frames around old transoms dry out and open small gaps. We fill and seal them carefully without disturbing the glass, then paint to match the trim.
Bloomingdale historic district review and logistics
These points describe how things generally work. Check with the DC Historic Preservation Office for your address before exterior work starts.
- Repainting already-painted wood, metal and trim, even in a new color, is generally not reviewed in DC historic districts.
- Painting brick that has never been painted generally needs review first.
- Replacing cornices or railings with different designs may need review, while like-for-like repair generally doesn't.
- Street parking is tight and many blocks fall in residential permit parking zones, so we often request DDOT temporary no-parking signs.
- Many rowhouses have rear alleys, which help with rear work but rarely help with the facade.
- Facade and railing work runs from about April through October, with rust treatment needing dry days.
How we repaint a Bloomingdale facade and railing
The typical Bloomingdale job combines the front facade trim, cornice and iron railings in one visit.
- Coat 01
Walk and test
We look at the cornice, bays, windows and railings with you, test old paint for lead and note anything that may need review. You get a written price that lists each part.
- Coat 02
Set up the sidewalk
We secure parking, set up ladders or scaffolding with clear pedestrian passage and lay plastic over the steps, yard and sidewalk edge to catch debris.
- Coat 03
Clean and scrape
Facade wood and metal are washed and scraped using wet methods under our lead-safe painting setup. Loose paint and rust are removed, never burned.
- Coat 04
Treat rust and prime
Railings and cornices get rust treatment and a metal primer. Wood gets an exterior primer. Gaps in cornice seams are sealed before finish coats.
- Coat 05
Finish coats
Two coats go on trim, cornices and railings. Railing work through our iron railing painting typically runs $14 to $38 per linear foot, and a rowhouse front typically runs $2,350 to $6,900.
- Coat 06
Final check
We walk the facade with you from the sidewalk, touch up anything missed and clean the steps and walk before we leave.
Most requested here
Rowhouse Exterior Painting
Front facades, cornices, bays and porch fronts painted with shared party-wall edges and sidewalk access in mind.
Iron Railing & Fence Painting
Rust ground off, converted and primed before stoop railings and iron fences get a durable enamel coat.
Brick & Masonry Painting
Previously painted brick cleaned, repointed where needed and coated with a breathable masonry system.
Lead-Safe Painting
Containment, wet scraping and HEPA cleanup when older paint is disturbed in homes built before 1978.
Plaster Repair
Cracked and sagging plaster re-anchored and skim coated so pre-war walls stay plaster, not drywall.
Interior House Painting
Walls, ceilings and trim in occupied homes, with furniture moved, floors covered and rooms back in use each night.
Window Sash & Trim Painting
Glazing checked, sashes and frames painted, and windows left operable instead of painted shut.
Close by
ZIP codes we cover here: 20001. We also paint in these neighboring areas.
Questions from Bloomingdale homeowners
Do I need approval to repaint my Bloomingdale facade?
If the facade is already painted and you're repainting it, even in a new color, it's generally not reviewed. Painting brick that has never been painted, or replacing cornices or railings with different designs, generally needs review. Check with the DC Historic Preservation Office for your address before work starts.
How often should Bloomingdale iron railings be repainted?
Most iron railings here need a full repaint every five to eight years, sooner if rust spots appear. Touching up small rust spots each spring helps the paint last longer. We can come out for a smaller railing-only visit if the rest of the facade is still in good shape.
Can you paint inside a Bloomingdale rowhouse too?
Yes. Many owners pair facade work with interior painting, especially plaster walls and tall trim. We plan interiors for colder months if you want the exterior done first. Call (771) 247-4038 to set up a walkthrough of both.
