Maintaining Your Drywall & Paint

There's something so special about that first year in a brand-new Holt home. That crisp smell, those shiny new floors, the ultra-soft carpets, and, of course, those freshly painted walls…wait… is that a crack?  

Fret not. Just when you're finally starting to relax into your new surroundings, so is your home, and it'll show in a process called “settling”. Cracks and flaws in drywall and paint are par for the course, especially with new construction, and are not a reflection of the construction quality. There are a couple things to keep in mind when this happens: 

First, keep calm and carry on! These surface-level issues are completely normal and to be expected in new construction. Most of these types of cracks and blemishes are merely cosmetic and easily reversible with proper inspection and care.

Second, our team is happy to fix most of these cosmetic issues for you at your 1-Year Warranty Review. Yes, a year can feel like a long time, but it is best to wait the full 1-year period before your review appointment to give any needed repairs enough time to appear. That way, our team can fix them all at once and you’ll get the most out of this one-time service.

The purpose of this guide is to provide you with detailed instruction on how to address these problems so that you can maintain the pristine appearance of your new home for years to come. Let’s get you equipped with all the knowledge you’ll need to keep your home looking fresh and new!

Drywall Maintenance

Drywall flaws are often the result of changes in humidity, temperature, natural expansion and contraction, or your house settling into its foundation. Although these flaws tend to be harmless, it's important to regularly inspect your walls, especially in areas more susceptible to settling, such as around windows, doors, corners, and ceilings, so you can address any cracks or blemishes accordingly. 

If any new drywall blemishes appear after your 1-Year Warranty Review appointment, we recommend contacting either a certified professional or local handyman to repair them for you. Drywall flaws are a natural and expected occurrence in both old and new homes. Here are the most common ones to watch out for: 

• Drywall Cracks - While you could cover up a mild drywall crack with a nicely framed picture, it’s better in the long-run to repair it. Simply note anywhere you see a drywall crack occur and show it to our Customer Care Team at your 1-Year Warranty Review and they’ll have it fixed in no time! If, over time, you notice a crack is either growing in length or becoming wider, it might be time to phone a contractor to inspect the issue closer. Remember to consult your handy 2-10 warranty book to see what is covered in your warranty. 
• Nail or Screw Pops - Nail or screw pops appear as small bumps on your drywall and generally occur with movement, likely from your home settling, or natural moisture in the drywall or wood. Like with the drywall cracks, just keep track of where any nail pops are located, and our Customer Care Team will gladly repair them at your 1-Year Warranty Review.
• Drywall Holes - Make sure to be very careful when moving furniture into your new home to avoid accidentally punching a hole in your wall. Sure, it can happen from time to time. However, our team is only able to repair naturally occuring drywall issues covered by your warranty at your 1-Year Warranty Review. If you do accidentally put a hole in your wall, it's best to either consult a professional before making repairs, or schedule a contractor to come in and fix it for you.

Interior Paint & Accent Maintenance

Interior paint and accent walls help set the overall tone of your home. Whether you prefer warmer hues, cool shades, or pops of color and texture, maintaining the appearance of your interior walls is simple, yet necessary for maintaining a flawless aesthetic.

Interior Paint

After living in your new home for a while, you're bound to notice some paint scars in the form of cracks, scuffs, or fading. Again, remember to be careful not to scuff your walls on move-in day! Just like with drywall, our Customer Care Team can only repair naturally occuring cracks at your 1-Year Warranty Review. 

When cleaning dirt or scuff on the wall – any abrasion, even if gentle, can mess with the wall texture. For any surface level issues, homeowners may consider doing a simple paint touch up instead and avoid any wiping altogether. 

Accent Walls

Who doesn’t love a good accent wall? If your Holt home has a wood, luxury vinyl plank (LVP), or a faux brick accent wall, you’ll be happy to hear it’ll require very little (if any) maintenance to preserve its appearance. But, if you feel like giving your home the full cleaning experience, it never hurts to hit the surface with an occasional light dusting.

Exterior Wall Maintenance

Exterior Siding 

Holt homes are built using Hardie Plank siding on our exteriors and, fortunately, this type of siding is really made to last. However, if you live in the same home for several years, it’s not uncommon to see some dirt and dust after a long stretch of Pacific Northwest weather. We recommend referring to manufacturer instructions for maintenance and care details. Make sure to avoid pressure washing or spraying your siding with a hose from below as this creates the opportunity for water to go in between the boards, which can grow into issues beneath the siding surface over time.

Masonry

Our Holt homes that incorporate stone masonry accents on the exteriors typically use a dry stacked stone that doesn’t require any mortar between the stone layers. If the stone on your home does incorporate mortar, you should inspect it on an annual basis. If you need to clean your stone for any reason, gently hosing it down should do the trick. However, try to avoid tampering with it as much as possible. If you have any concerns regarding the appearance and maintenance of your stone, please feel free to ask our Customer Care Team about it at your 1-Year Warranty Review. If you’ve already had your review, please contact a professional for assistance.   

Buying and Storing Paint

When applying paint anywhere in your house, it’s essential to ensure you’re using the exact-match color and the proper paint type. Rather than going through the hassle of scraping a paint chip off your wall and taking it to a paint store to get color-matched, as a Holt homeowner, you get the benefit of bypassing this process! Simply visit any Sherwin Williams paint store, give them your address, and they’ll get you the exact color and paint types used in every part of your home. 

When storing paint, just be sure to do so mindfully—out of reach of children and climate-controlled, as large shifts in temperature can cause paint to separate.

While it's amazing what a little fresh paint can do, the real magic comes when paired with regular wall maintenance. Though largely cosmetic in nature, staying on top of drywall and paint issues can help you avoid more significant measures down the road.

We hope this guide will serve as a helpful manual so you can keep your new Holt home looking fresh and new for years to come. For more Holt home improvement and maintenance information, visit our Customer Care page.

For more than three decades, Holt Homes has built new construction homes for families in Oregon and Southwest Washington. The quality and experience of our people, the ease and efficiency of our approach, and the livability of our communities work hand-in-hand to make Holt Homes the largest locally-grown home builder in the region. For more information, live chat or call us at (971)-231-5560.

*All selections subject to change depending on availability