St. Paul has one of the largest concentrations of older single-family homes in Minnesota, with a significant number built before 1940 in styles ranging from Craftsman bungalows along Summit Avenue to brick Victorian-era duplexes in neighborhoods like Dayton’s Bluff and Frogtown. The presence of lead paint in homes built prior to 1978 is a practical reality for many St. Paul homeowners, making EPA Lead-Safe certification a meaningful distinction when selecting a painter. Minnesota’s winters, with subzero stretches and prolonged freeze-thaw cycles from March through April, mean exterior coatings absorb and release moisture repeatedly, which shortens paint life on wood siding if surface preparation is insufficient.
Most St. Paul residents scheduling exterior work plan around the window between late May and September, when temperatures stay consistently above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, the threshold below which most latex paints should not be applied. Contractors who work extensively in St. Paul’s older neighborhoods develop fluency with the prep requirements of weathered wood, deteriorating caulk lines, and the type of moisture damage that Minnesota winters leave behind.
Paris Painting
Founded: 2012
Address: 3515 48th Ave N, Brooklyn Center, MN 55429
Phone: (763) 515-4463
Website: https://paris-painting.com
Services: Interior and exterior painting, staining, carpentry, cabinet painting, stucco painting, kitchen cabinet enameling, EPA Lead-Safe certified lead paint handling
Products Used: Not specified
Founder Jason Paris grew up in Minnesota and started painting during his years at the University of Minnesota before formally establishing Paris Painting in 2012. The company has completed over 2,000 historic home projects in St. Paul since its founding, with EPA Lead-Safe certification enabling them to properly contain and handle lead paint on pre-1978 structures. With more than 10,000 completed projects across the Twin Cities and over 1,000 five-star reviews, Paris Painting backs its work with a three-year craftsmanship warranty and holds certifications from the PCA and NARI trade associations.
Lake Area Painting and Decorating
Founded: 1950
Address: 314 Hardwood Lane, Mahtomedi, MN 55115
Phone: (651) 429-1778
Website: https://www.lakeareapainting.com
Services: Interior and exterior painting, custom staining, exterior door restoration, hot water pressure washing, paint matching, cabinet refinishing, window sill refinishing, deck and patio furniture refinishing, ceiling and wall painting
Products Used: Not specified
Lake Area Painting and Decorating has operated continuously since 1950, making it one of the longest-running painting contractors in the St. Paul region. Owners Linda and Jim Keenan have painted over 1,600 homes throughout the Twin Cities east metro area, accumulating decades of firsthand experience with the wood siding and trim conditions particular to Minnesota’s climate. The company takes a personal approach: every job is treated as distinctive to the homeowner, with no corner-cutting on prep or materials.
Larry’s Painting
Founded: 1985
Address: 517 Sidney St E, Saint Paul, MN 55107
Phone: (651) 808-2320
Website: https://larryspaintingmn.com
Services: Interior and exterior painting, plaster, knockdown textures, sheetrock, wallpaper removal, water damage repairs, popcorn ceiling removal, residential and commercial drywall, smoke damage repair
Products Used: Sherwin-Williams
Guy Martinez is the second-generation owner of Larry’s Painting, a family business serving St. Paul and Minneapolis since 1985. The company’s practice of having the estimator personally perform the work, with no subcontractors, creates a level of accountability that homeowners dealing with plaster repairs and water damage restoration specifically value. The team carries over 100 years of combined experience in painting and plastering, and their use of Sherwin-Williams paint is a consistent element across all projects. EPA certified.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How much does interior painting cost in St. Paul?
A: Interior painting in St. Paul typically ranges from $2.50 to $4.50 per square foot for walls and ceilings. Older homes with plaster walls, high ceilings, or intricate crown molding tend to fall toward the higher end of that range due to additional prep and cutting-in time. A full-home interior repaint in an older St. Paul property commonly runs between $4,000 and $9,000.
Q: Do St. Paul painters need special certification to work on homes with lead paint?
A: Yes. Federal law requires contractors disturbing more than six square feet of lead-containing paint per room in pre-1978 housing to be EPA Lead-Safe certified. Many older St. Paul homes contain lead paint, particularly on windows, doors, and exterior trim. Hiring a certified contractor protects both the homeowner and any occupants, especially children, from unsafe lead dust exposure during the project.
Q: What is the best time of year to paint the exterior of a home in St. Paul?
A: The reliable window runs from late May through early September. Temperatures must stay above 50 degrees Fahrenheit during application and for several hours after for proper latex paint curing. Spring and fall in Minnesota can bring unexpectedly cold overnight temperatures, so many contractors prefer to work June through August to avoid failed adhesion caused by near-freezing nights following daytime application.
St. Paul’s Summit Hill and Cathedral Hill neighborhoods contain some of the state’s most photographed Victorian homes, and keeping those wood exteriors sound requires paint that can flex with the seasonal wood movement common in Minnesota’s 100-degree annual temperature range. Contractors who have worked extensively in these neighborhoods understand that failing to back-prime exposed end grain or properly prime bare wood can result in peeling paint within a single winter, regardless of the quality of the topcoat applied.