Short answer
Most Crestwood work is exterior: wood trim, windows and porches on brick and stone houses, plus stucco and painted masonry that has started to peel. We also limewash brick for owners who want a softer look. Every job starts with a walkthrough where we check how the masonry is holding moisture, then a written price.
Stone, brick and stucco on the ridge above Rock Creek Park
Crestwood sits between 16th Street NW and the edge of Rock Creek Park, north of Piney Branch. It's a small area of curving streets, steep lots and big trees, built up mostly from the 1920s to the 1950s. The houses are larger than in most of the city: brick Colonials, Tudor Revival houses with stone and stucco, and some mid-century houses with long rooflines and big picture windows.
Masonry defines the look here. Many houses have fieldstone or brick on the lower floor and stucco or half-timbering above. Most of that masonry has never been painted, and in our view it shouldn't be. But some houses had brick or stucco painted decades ago, and that paint is now peeling or trapping moisture. Those houses need careful cleaning and a breathable coating, not a quick coat of standard house paint.
The park setting also means shade and moisture. Walls that face the trees stay damp, and moss and mildew grow on stone and stucco. We clean those with gentle methods rather than high pressure, which can strip mortar from old joints.
Masonry paint problems we see in Crestwood
Old masonry fails differently from wood, and most of the trouble here comes back to moisture.
Peeling paint on painted brick
Brick painted with an older non-breathable paint traps moisture, and the paint blisters and flakes, often pulling brick face with it. We remove loose paint and recoat with a breathable masonry system from our brick painting service.
Efflorescence on lower walls
White salt deposits show up on brick and stone near grade, where ground moisture moves through the wall. We clean the salts, find the moisture source if we can and choose a coating that lets the wall dry.
Hairline cracks in stucco
Stucco on upper floors cracks as the house moves through freeze-thaw winters. Water gets in and the paint lifts. We fill fine cracks with a flexible patch and coat with elastomeric or masonry paint suited to the movement.
Mortar loss under old paint
Where joints are soft or open, paint won't hold and water gets behind it. We point out joints that need repointing before painting so the coating isn't sealing over a failing wall.
Rust stains from iron trim
Iron railings and window grilles bleed rust onto masonry below them. We clean the stain, treat the iron and repaint it so the streaks don't come back next season.
How a Crestwood masonry repaint or limewash job runs
The typical project here is a brick or stucco house that needs the masonry recoated along with the wood trim.
- Coat 01
Moisture and condition check
We look for peeling patterns, efflorescence, cracks and soft mortar, and we check whether existing paint is breathable or film-forming. That tells us which system the wall can take.
- Coat 02
Gentle cleaning
Masonry is washed at low pressure with a masonry cleaner, never blasted. Moss and mildew get a separate treatment. We let walls dry for several days, longer on shaded sides.
- Coat 03
Remove loose coating
Loose paint is scraped and brushed off. Sound paint stays in place if it's breathable. Where old coatings are lead-based, we use lead-safe containment and wet methods.
- Coat 04
Patch and fill
Stucco cracks are filled and textured to blend. Open joints are flagged for repointing first. Small holes in brick are patched with a compatible masonry filler.
- Coat 05
Apply the coating
Previously painted brick gets two coats of a breathable masonry paint, typically $2.70 to $5.40 per square foot. Unpainted brick can take limewash at $3.10 to $6.20 per square foot, applied wet and worked into the surface.
- Coat 06
Trim and iron last
Wood trim, windows and iron railings are painted after the masonry so drips from above don't land on fresh trim. We finish with a walk around the house with you.
Access and scheduling on Crestwood's steep streets
The slopes and trees that make Crestwood so quiet also affect the schedule.
- Steep front lawns and terraced yards often need ladder levelers or scaffolding on one side of the house.
- Driveways usually give us room to park, so street parking is rarely an issue.
- Masonry coatings need dry walls and mild temperatures, so we book them from May through early October.
- Crestwood is not a historic district, but if you're thinking of painting brick or stone that has never been painted, we'll talk through whether it's a good idea first.
- Leaf fall from park trees can land on wet coatings in October, so we plan fall work around it.
Similar stone and brick homes sit across the park in Chevy Chase DC and just north in Shepherd Park.
Most requested here
Brick & Masonry Painting
Previously painted brick cleaned, repointed where needed and coated with a breathable masonry system.
Limewash & Mineral Paint for Brick
Soft, breathable limewash and mineral finishes for brick that should age gracefully rather than peel.
Stucco Painting
Hairline cracks filled and stucco coated with elastomeric or masonry paint suited to how it moves.
Exterior House Painting
Siding, trim, soffits and porches scraped, primed and painted on a schedule built around DC weather.
Window Sash & Trim Painting
Glazing checked, sashes and frames painted, and windows left operable instead of painted shut.
Iron Railing & Fence Painting
Rust ground off, converted and primed before stoop railings and iron fences get a durable enamel coat.
Pressure Washing
Siding, brick, decks and porches washed at the right pressure so the next coat bonds to clean material.
Close by
ZIP codes we cover here: 20011. We also paint in these neighboring areas.
Questions from Crestwood homeowners
Should I paint the unpainted brick on my Crestwood house?
We usually advise against it. Unpainted brick in good shape handles moisture well on its own, and once it's painted it needs recoating every several years. If you want a lighter or softer look, limewash or mineral paint is a better choice because it lets the wall breathe. We'll give you an honest view at the walkthrough.
Why is the paint peeling off the stucco on my Crestwood home?
Usually moisture is getting behind it, through cracks, failed caulk at windows or from inside the wall. Non-breathable paint makes it worse. We find the likely source, fill the cracks and recoat with a stucco painting system that matches how the wall moves. Typical stucco painting runs $2.60 to $5.10 per square foot.
Can you paint the wood trim on a Crestwood house without touching the masonry?
Yes. Many Crestwood jobs are trim-only: windows, cornices, porch posts and doors. We protect the stone and brick with plastic and tape so no paint lands on it. Call (771) 247-4038 to set up a walkthrough and we'll price trim and masonry separately so you can choose.
