Small Cracking

The development of most minor stucco cracks is a result of stucco shrinking over time.  These petite cracks are normal and are to be expected.  The best-case scenario is that the stucco is only exhibiting hairline cracks.  We easily repair this type of damage using a fog coat similar to the stucco finish or EIFS standard acrylic finish.  We also sometimes use a vapor permeable special acrylic pre-coat paint or a bonding agent to repair hairline cracks.

Large Cracking

Extensive cracking in stucco, on the other hand, occurs as a result of either appropriate steps not being taken during the original installation or the building being exposed to thermal shock (when a building experiences large temperature swings over a short period).  Much of the time, when stucco was originally installed, proper care wasn’t undertaken.  We sometimes are able to identify the issues that led to the cracking; the lathing was improperly installed, coats weren’t allowed to dry fully between applications, or a coat was laid too thick.

Other factors can also lead to large stucco cracks; this includes the normal expansion and contraction of sheathing, settling of foundations and abnormal ground vibration.

As an experienced exterior painter, Rhino Shield will access the severity of any extensive stucco damage and then initiate the proper stucco repair method prior to painting.  Any stucco that is bulging, loose, or crumbling will be removed.  Any pieces of stucco that have separated from the sheathing will be replacement.  Additional inspection will also be done to make sure that the wall is still structurally sound.

For cracks 1/8 inch or smaller, cement stucco is generally used to infill.  If necessary, a cementitious acrylic polymer base coat will be applied with a fiberglass reinforcing mesh material.

For the repair of very large cracks, new lathing will be initiated.  And other methods, similar to those on smaller cracks, will also be used in combination with mesh fiberglass material.

Getting it Done

A new paint job will only last when your home’s stucco is in immaculate condition.  Let Rhino Shield give you the paint job of a lifetime!

If you’re preparing for an exterior paint project, feel free to contact us with any questions about preparing stucco.  Call us at our number below or fill out the ‘Request an Estimate’ form in the right column.  We’d love to answer any questions you may have!

So how much does an exterior paint job really cost?

Many customers who inquire with Rhino Shield about exterior painting ask if we can give an estimate over the phone. Because every house is different, providing a price over the phone wouldn’t be the right or ethical thing to do. No homeowner likes to be quoted one price at a project’s start, only to be served later with a ‘Change Order’ because something was ‘over-looked’ in the original estimate. Be cautious when a painter provides a verbal quote without an ‘on-site’ inspection.

Four Pieces of Info Exterior Painters should collect for Estimates

Every building has a unique footprint with different requirements. The following are several elements a painter must scope out in order to provide an accurate price at the job-signing.
The four criteria a painter needs for an exact quote includes…

1. The Home Size

The painter needs to ascertain an accurate exterior surface area of a building for proper paint coverage. He must consider not only walls, but also if there are any peripheral features, such as fascia boards, that require painting. He must foresee how difficult the job will be to do, whether ladders and scaffolding are needed and any other equipment (such as a safety harness for very hard to reach areas and gables).

2. Exterior Surface Conditions

It’s a prerequisite for a painter to know what condition a home’s surface is in prior to painting. Does the surface have mold and organic residual requiring removal? Is there termite damage? Are there spots of dry rot? Are there any stucco cracks requiring filling? Proper preparation takes the most time for any paint project.

How porous is the surface of your home? The porosity level of a home’s exterior must be taken into consideration. Smooth wood siding, for example, requires far 50% less paint than brick and 75% less paint than high contour stucco. The more porous a material, the more paint will be needed, and of course this needs to be factored into the cost.

3. Paint Colors

The more colors required for the job, the greater the cost. Painting multiple colors requires more setup and clean up time, and the amount of wastage will increase. A basic two color scheme can significantly decrease man hours.

4. Method of Application

How will paint be applied? Sprayed, brushed or rolled? Spraying paint does take less time, but it uses noticeably more paint; whereas, rolling and brushing uses far less paint, but takes more time. Frequently, the surface to be painted dictates which method should be used. For example, it’s most practical to hand brush window trim in contrast to using a roller.

Don’t Let a Low-Ball Estimate Bite You Later On

These four factors above directly affect and determine the price of the exterior paint project. Although a painter can make the quoting process seem quick and easy, it’s important for these four factors (with some other minor ones) to be identified and noted during an onsite inspection. And this is why Rhino Shield doesn’t provide estimates over the phone.
If a paint project is something you’re in the process of researching, call us at our number below or fill out the ‘Request an Estimate’ form in the right column. We’d love to answer any questions you may have!

The Long-term Exterior Paint Solution

(backed by a 25-year Warranty)

If you’re looking to change the exterior paint on your house, the best option is to choose a product that best resists the impacts of manmade and naturally occurring forces.   We recommend Rhino Shield for all homeowners who desire to leap-frog out of the 5-7 year paint project cycle.  We consider this product to be the next generation in exterior paint.  By using hollow ceramic microspheres as the base material in its composition, Rhino Shield provides the following benefits…

• ‘Class A’ fire rating

• Lower rate of corrosion from coastal salt-saturated weather

• Resistance against mildew, UV light and air pollution

Because Rhino Shield has a ‘Mean Time to Failure Rate’ (MTFR) five times longer than that of conventional exterior paint, the time between home exterior repairs is also extended.  Our Rhino Shield customers spend less time planning and carrying out home repair projects… and spend more time doing what’s most important to them, participating in leisure activities with family and friends.

If regular paint projects is something you’d like to move away from, call us at our number below or fill out the ‘Request an Estimate’ form in the right column.  We’d love to tell you what we can do for your home!

 Mother Nature is not-so-kind!

Although we all can appreciate beautiful summer evenings and wonderful winter mornings, Mother Nature is slowly stripping apart the exterior of our homes… every day, every night, across every season.  There’s no dispute that moisture always pools in the smallest of cracks across a home’s exterior.  What’s often overlooked is that these moisture droplets regularly oscillate between ice and liquid as they freeze and melt between nighttime and daylight hours.

Weathering is Slow and Methodical Destruction

When water transforms to and from liquid and solid states, it expands and contracts by 11%.  This seems insignificant; however, after a night of freezing rain, a tiny unnoticed paint crack can grow to separate up to 3 inches of paint from a home’s exterior.  Once siding shows signs of stripped paint, the weathering process will continue to corrode the wood under the paint.   After the paint is stripped, the siding will start to splinter, fungus will form and the wood will become dry rot.

Once siding is dry rotted, the wood will have lost its strength and become attractive to termites and carpenter ants.  Don’t let your house reach this point!

Many homeowners apply conventional paint and sealers to protect their home’s exterior.   What contractors won’t tell you is that these common methods provide a minimal safeguard, at best.

Weather in California can change drastically within the same day.  High wind forces, torrential rain with hail and temperatures dipping by as much as 35 degrees are recorded during the worst winter conditions.  Even during the most temperate days, temperatures can change 15 or 20 degrees within a 24 hour period.  Commonly used exterior paint will quickly breakdown under these conditions.

Rhino Shield Stops Seasonal Deterioration of Home Exteriors

Rhino Shield is a ceramic-based paint coating that’s sprayed directly onto a building’s exterior.  Its key component, ceramic microspheres, makes this enhanced paint product extremely durable.  It’s warranteed to last 25 years after application without the need for ongoing upkeep.

Axe your Maintenance Budget!

Rhino Shield is applied to just about any surface type, including siding, wood clapboards, cement and stucco.  More importantly, it’s half the cost of installing new vinyl siding or replacing clapboard siding.  And in most instances, it’ll last 3x longer with zero maintenance.

If you’re a homeowner trying to minimize your home’s long-term expense, Rhino Shield’s maintenance-free feature provides for a lower total cost of ownership.  Over the first few years, a homeowner can expect thousands of dollars in savings and many hours of freed-up time!

Even better, Rhino Shield comes with a transferable 25-year warranty.

For further information on Rhino Shield or to get any questions answered, please contact us at (888)868-7575; or, you can contact us through the online form on the right.  Thank you for your interest in Rhino Shield!

Or, Request an Estimate HERE…

With these property enhancements, product designers have been integrating ceramics to improve all sorts of items across a wide range of industries: aerospace, medicine, electronics and home improvement.

So, how are products with high-tech ceramic components worthwhile?

Engineers frequently develop products with metals and polymer components for their strength and hardness.  Use of these materials, however, can lead to quick wear from heat exposure as the components of the product function.  By replacing metal and polymer parts with advanced ceramic parts the mean-time to failure can be significantly reduced.

The Impact on Every-day Products

Ceramic ball bearings, for example, were one of the initial ceramic-based products to make it to the market.  Made of ceramic silicon, the lifespan of these bearings are three times that of ordinary ball bearings. The ceramic composition makes them hard, non-corrosive and able to run at high temperatures without lubrication.  Their tolerance to high operating temperatures has made them the preferred choice for rollerblades, bicycles, skateboards and wind turbines.  And, their resistance to corrosion makes them ideal for tidal flow meters, where seawater corrosion is problematic.

The High-tech Ceramic Revolution in Paint

Credit for the rapid development of modern ceramics goes to the U.S. military.  During World War II as demand for different materials increased, so did research in ceramics.  Then, during the latter half of the 20^th century, NASA took ceramic development to the next level.

Developed for NASA’s Space Shuttle program, ceramic heat-resistant tiles were integrated into the shuttles’ body for safe atmospheric re-entries.  Although these tiles protected the shuttles as intended, NASA needed a better protection system for the re-useable booster rockets that propelled a shuttle into space.  During the initial years of the shuttle program, the insulating paint that coated the rocket boosters often chipped and stripped during launch and splashdown (when the rockets are intentionally jettisoned into the ocean).

In 1993, NASA created a new eco-friendly insulating paint for the boosters, the Marshall Convergent Coating (MCC-1).  This coating, composed, in part, of microscopic 3M-developed hollow spheres, solved material consistency challenges and chipping issues.  The first true test of the coating was on the Space Shuttle Atlantis’ (STS-79) mission in 1996 to pick-up and return home space station Mir’s first American astronaut.  The STS-79 post-flight inspection of the coated booster rockets revealed no chipping of the paint.  This success led to the regular use of the microsphere protective coating on all subsequent shuttle missions.

What the shuttles’ rocket boosters are exposed to is extreme:  atmospheric friction at high speeds, extreme temperature changes over course of seconds, and exposure to salty ocean water.   For a paint-coating to hold up to these elements without a scratch is impressive.

In 2000, Rhino Shield learned the lessons from NASA’s protective rocket booster coating project and formulated a similar coating for homeowners.  By changing the coating formula from glass microspheres to ceramic microspheres, completely removing mineral filler from the paint and developing a special adhesive primer, Rhino Shield is now able to provide a home exterior paint alternative more reliable than anything seen before.

Rhino Shield leverages the properties seen in 3M’s ceramic microspheres; and for the homeowner, the benefits from a Rhino Shield paint job are many:

• Unmatched Resistance to Harsh Weather.  Because NASA was able to develop a coating technology that’ll protect against the harshest environment seen in avionics, Rhino Shield was able to formulate its own version to do the same for home exteriors.   Instead of having to repair and repaint a home every three to five years, Rhino Shield is designed to last a minimum of 25 years.

• Lifetime Luster.  Conventional paint quickly breaks down from UV rays and seasonal weather; and, signs of fading will show before it starts to chip and crack.  Ceramic, on the other hand, naturally resists fading.  The ceramic microspheres in Rhino Shield provide a “New Paint” luster over the lifetime of owning a property with little to no fading.

• Insulating properties.  One of NASA’s requirements for their booster rocket paint was that it needed to possess insulating properties.  The inherent insulating property of 3M’s ceramic microspheres is noticeable.  Once applied, Rhino Shield is a contributing factor in keeping hot temperatures out in the summer and warm temperatures in during the winter.

• Eco-friendliness.  During a shuttle’s launch the two rocket boosters are jettisoned in mid-flight and fall back into the Atlantic Ocean.  NASA then retrieves them for reuse on another future launch.  The coating that covers the rockets was required to be ecologically friendly if it was going to plunge into the ocean time and again.  Rhino Shield adopted this eco-friendly characteristic for its own coating.  There is no lead used in the manufacturing of Rhino Shield.  The coating is non-toxic, has low odor (with no inhalation hazard) and is safe for skin contact.

Learn more about Rhino Shield, and how it can help you!

I believe Rhino Shield is the best type of exterior protection a home owner can get for their house.  For further information on Rhino Shield or to get any questions answered, please contact me at (888)868-7575; or, you can contact my team through the online form on the right.  Thank you for your interest in Rhino Shield!

Best regards,  Jeff Olson.

At RhinoShield, the crew is trained to produce results beyond customers’ expectations. When our team comes out to your house, the following is what you can expect to see from the Rhino Shield 12-step application process.

Preparation Steps

The first thing we do is a thorough inspection of all surfaces and crevices of the exterior (STEP 1).

If your home is older, we’ll trench around the building to expose all paintable walls and surfaces (STEP 2).

Then, we bring in power washing equipment to clean all debris and deposit build-up (salt, dirt) from surfaces and tough-to-reach corners (STEP 3).

After cleaning and drying, we get to work on repairs (STEP 4).  Most homes need a number of minor exterior repairs (and sometimes major repairs) performed.  Where needed, we’ll replace siding or stucco surfaces to match the original material.

For older homes this next step is vital: Sanding and Scraping (STEP 5).  This step removes debris, irregular texture and peeling paint from aging paint layers.  Many times we’ll use a shaver in this process, going above and beyond what a regular painter does during this process.

Next, we start sealing any small cracks in your exterior using a high-grade acrylic caulk (STEP 6).  We seal up all open pre-existing joints or new ones that were created during the surface repair.

Then, we mask your home to protect the areas not being painted, such as windows and doors and other fixtures (STEP 7).  Our crew’s masking technique provides for the best spray path when applying Rhino Shield.

Installation Steps

The primer is applied prior to the ceramic coating (STEP 8). This Rhino Shield primer is proprietary and designed to act as a sealer and bonding agent for the Rhino Shield ceramic coating.  The primer waterproofs and seals the exterior surface.  Although the primer looks white upon application, it becomes clear when dry.

Once the primer is dry, the Rhino Shield ceramic paint alternative is applied (STEP 9).  Although this finish layer is applied with a sprayer, the ceramic-based formula dries with a slightly higher thickness than other paint products.  While it may dry thicker, the ceramic coating will continue to show the wood or other surface reveal that lies beneath.

Some areas will require hand painting, and other touching up (STEP 10).  Once completed, everything will look perfect.

Clean Up and Final Inspection

Clean up includes the removal of masking and all other preparation material from the job site (STEP 11).  If any fixtures were moved, we place them back.  Our goal is to leave the premises in better condition than when we arrived.

For final inspection, our Quality Assurance representative will inspect the overall application, the detail work and the clean up.  If any deficiencies are found, we square them away at this point.  (STEP 12).

Our practice is to not to leave a job site without our customers being completely satisfied – or even ecstatic – with their Rhino Shield purchase.  I encourage you to read what some of our customer have said about their Rhino Shield purchase (click HERE).

We feel Rhino Shield is the best type of exterior protection a home owner can get for their house.  For further information on Rhino Shield or to get any questions answered, please contact us at (888)868-7575; or, you can contact us through the online form on the right.  Thank you for your interest in Rhino Shield!

The reason seaside home exteriors deteriorate faster is because of the natural salt content in the ocean water.  As wind picks up on the shoreline, it often lifts up a mist, a ‘sea-spray’.  Salt does not dissolve in that mist, but instead is carried within it.  As the mist settles on all nearby structures it creates something called ‘ocean breeze corrosion’.  As the mist settles onto structures salt crystals will form, create a wedge-like effect under painted surfaces and slowly strip off paint.  These salt crystals build every weather cycle – until you can visually detect salt deposits in corners, ridges, ledges, window sills and other exterior fixtures.

Salt Expedites Corrosion

Do you live on or near the coast?  Salt is coating the outside of your house.  If you can’t see it right now, you eventually will.  Once salt starts to crystallize and strip off house paint, moisture and oxygen in the air will further deteriorate material the paint had protected.   Ocean side- and sea spray- corrosion is such a problem that many specialized protective products serve industries that operate marine equipment, oil rigs, construction equipment and military aircraft — to name a few examples.

If salty mist can basically eat its way through massive metal structures, then how vulnerable do you think your home is? If you are a new resident to the seaside and have not yet contemplated this issue, it’ll surely make its way into your life soon.  I recommend addressing the issue now, before salt eats away at your exterior paint and causes broader damage to the home exterior.

Protect your Home with Rhino Shield

Because salt damage is so pervasive and persistent — it’s not just a paint you’ll need, but a shield.  That’s why I believe in and sell Rhino Shield for painting homes exposed to extreme elements on the coast.

As the most salt tolerant coating on the market, Rhino Shield can provide your seaside property lasting protection. As the testing shows, we are in the top category of salt tolerance and even outperformed the industry standard, Rustoleum.
Click here to download report–>>  Salt Tolerance Test (133)

Rhino Shield is a revolutionary ceramic based paint alternative for your home.  It will never chip, flake or peel – even if your kitchen window overlooks the harbor!  You can choose or create virtually any color, and once applied it’s guaranteed for life.  The paint adheres to any type of exterior surface; and, it reflects over 90% of the sun’s rays, resulting in an undetectable fade rate over 25 years.

We are experts at painting  ocean-side homes the right way.  We believe in Rhino Shield.  Rhino Shield is completely non-toxic and environment friendly.  Please contact us for a free consultation.

Del had been a salesman in the home improvement industry for over 25 years and saw a gamut of touted products come and go.  However, when Rhino Shield was introduced to the residential market, something in the exterior paint and siding market changed.  Over a span of 18 months, a number of Del’s siding sales were agonizingly lost to Rhino Shield, an exterior paint alternative.  …Selling residential siding became a losing proposition.

After researching Rhino Shield, Del surprised me one morning at Starbucks. With a partnership agreement in-hand he made his declaration over a latte,

“Jeff, I looked it over… Rhino Shield’s technology has leap-frogged the rest of the exterior paint market! It lasts and protects like vinyl siding, but applies and looks like paint.  I’m going to leave the siding business and we’re going to open a Rhino Shield distributorship in San Jose, California!”

What a way to approach a business partner to start-up a new business!

After picking my jaw up off the Starbuck’s floor I did some Rhino Shield research of my own.

“Amazing…”, were my initial thoughts on Rhino Shield.  What I found were compelling ‘Rhino Shield differentiators’, when comparing Rhino Shield to conventional exterior paint.  Although my initial research on this product occurred 6 years ago, these ‘differentiators’ continue to hold true today.

The following sums up my Rhino Shield research, before I even became a distributor.

(This isn’t hype, but scientifically sound stuff – click here to see the reports.  I share this information with everyone I talk to who’s looking to paint or re-paint their home…)

Microspheres Replace Mineral Flakes

Rhino Shield is a completely different material than traditional paint.  Conventional exterior paint uses flat micro-sized mineral flakes as its base composition.  Rhino Shield has replaced this mineral flake base with hollow ceramic microspheres, giving additional benefits where conventional paint is deficient.

Microspheres: the Super Insulator!

All microspheres are hollow, but can be made from different materials; glass, plastic, ceramic, etc.,…  Rhino Shield’s microspheres have a ceramic composition with a vacuum-sealed center chamber.  Design engineers chose ceramic microsphere over other types of microspheres for a few reasons.  It’s the most resilient to heat exposure, salt exposure and flame.

Benefits from the use of ceramic microspheres include…

• ‘Class A’ fire rating
• A lower rate of corrosion from salty humidity – important if you live in a coastal community
• Enhanced insulating properties that help energy costs during winter and summer months

Rhino Shield Protects, is Non-Toxic and Lasts

Apply Rhino Shield  a variety of surfaces… wood, brick, stucco, or concrete.  It effortlessly protects home exteriors from rain, sun, rot, mildew, cracking and warping.  The ceramic coating’s strength generally eliminates the need for regular patching and repairing that’s necessary after a conventional paint job.

While it dries thicker than paint, Rhino Shield is non-petroleum-based, yet vapor-permeable – reducing the likelihood of black toxic mold growth. Although it doesn’t contain latex or vinyl, the ceramic base gives Rhino Shield enough flexibility to allow for the normal expansion and contraction of a structure from daily and seasonal temperature changes.  The benefit?  Its inherent elasticity prevents the unwanted cracking and chipping that’s associated with conventional paint.

Selling Rhino Shield over the Years

Since starting our Rhino Shield distributorship in 2004, Del and I have created lasting customer relationships.  Many customers have come back to change their house color.  Other customers referred their friends to us.  But more importantly, Rhino Shield has lived up to its claims for me as a distributor and my customers.

Because of this product’s technology and the impeccable reputation built around it, our painting business has not only survived, but grew significantly, during the economic downturn.  Del and I thank Rhino Shield; and, more importantly, our clients for where our business is today!

If you have any questions about Rhino Shield, please contact me toll-free at (855)744-6655.

Have a great day!

Jeff Olson