Commercial & Property Painting in Indianapolis
Commercial exterior painting in Indianapolis
Faded block walls, rusting metal panels, storefront trim that has not been touched since the lease began. A commercial exterior is several different surfaces, each with its own coating system.
- Phones answered 24/7
- Masonry and metal coating systems
- Scheduled around business hours
Paint lines and window treatment brands we work with
Quick answer
Commercial exterior painting in Indianapolis matches the coating to the surface: block and concrete get a masonry primer and elastomeric or acrylic block coating, metal siding and doors get rust treatment and a direct-to-metal system, and storefront trim gets exterior enamel. Work is phased around customer access, deliveries and parking.
What the job involves
Why a commercial exterior needs more than one paint
Updated September 2026
A typical commercial building mixes concrete block, poured concrete, metal panels, steel doors and wood or aluminum trim. Each surface fails differently: block absorbs water, metal rusts at seams and fasteners, trim peels at the joints. We specify a coating for each from the commercial lines of Sherwin-Williams, PPG and Benjamin Moore, wash and prep each correctly, and apply it with sprayers and back-rolling on large walls.
Interior work in the same building follows our commercial interior painting process, and the wash step is the same as our power washing.
Choosing between the options
Coating systems for commercial surfaces
| Consider | Elastomeric | Acrylic masonry | Direct-to-metal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface | Block and concrete with hairline cracks | Block and concrete, protected walls | Steel doors, panels and railings |
| Strength | Bridges small cracks, very weather-tight | Breathable, easy to recoat | Rust-inhibiting, bonds to steel |
| Film | Thick | Moderate | Moderate |
| Primer | Block filler | Block filler | Rust-inhibiting metal primer |
Most buildings use two or three of these, one per surface.
What moves the price
What moves the price of a commercial exterior
No sourced figure is quoted here; commercial exteriors are priced by surface and access.
- Wall area by material Block, concrete, metal and trim are priced separately.
- Height and access Lifts and staging for multi-story walls.
- Coating system Elastomeric, masonry acrylic and metal systems differ in cost.
- Repairs Spalled block, cracked mortar and rusted panels.
- Scheduling After-hours and phased work around customers and deliveries.
- Bollards and striping Priced by count and linear feet.
- Approvals Historic district clearance where it applies.
Variations of this job
The commercial exterior painting jobs we get called for
Concrete block (CMU) walls
Block walls are porous and full of pinholes, so the first coat is a block filler that fills the surface and gives the finish an even base. On walls that face weather and show hairline cracks, an elastomeric coating that stretches over small cracks is often the right finish; on protected walls, a high-build acrylic masonry coating works well. We wash first to remove dirt and efflorescence, repair spalled blocks and cracked mortar, and back-roll every sprayed coat into the joints.
Metal siding and roll-up doors
Metal buildings and roll-up doors fail at the seams, fasteners and bottom edges where water sits. We wash off chalk and grime, remove rust to sound metal at every spot, prime bare steel with a rust-inhibiting primer, and finish with a direct-to-metal acrylic or an industrial enamel. Fastener heads are spot-primed individually. Roll-up doors are painted in the down position with the slats worked while the door is partly open so the finish does not crack as it rolls. Gutters and downspouts on the same wall are coated in the same system.
Storefront trim
Storefront trim, fascia and sign bands are what customers see up close, and they are usually wood, aluminum or composite. We scrape and prime wood, bond-prime aluminum, re-caulk joints around windows and doors, and finish in exterior enamel in the brand's colors. Work near entrances is done before or after hours so customers are never walking under ladders, and signs and lighting are masked or removed with the owner's sign contractor as needed. Window glass is lined clean with a razor after the enamel sets.
Parking bollards and striping
Bollards, curbs and fire lanes are painted with traffic and safety coatings rather than standard exterior paint. Steel bollards are wire-brushed and primed before a safety yellow enamel; concrete curbs and fire lanes get a traffic paint in the required color. Line striping for parking stalls, accessible spaces and loading zones is laid out to the existing lines or a new plan, and the lot is closed in sections so customers can still park. Fresh striping is kept closed to traffic until the paint has set.
Local context
How this work runs around Indianapolis
Commercial buildings inside Indianapolis's historic districts, including Fountain Square and Chatham Arch, fall under the preservation commission, so storefront color and masonry changes there need its clearance before work starts. Elsewhere, the timing constraint is weather: spring is the wettest season here and June usually the wettest month, so large masonry walls are scheduled for drier late-summer and early-fall stretches when coatings can cure.
From your call to the final walk-through
How a commercial exterior job runs
- 01
Call and describe the building
Materials, height, and what is failing.
- 02
Walk-around
Surfaces, access, parking and delivery times noted.
- 03
Written scope and phasing
Coating systems per surface, schedule and lot closures.
- 04
Wash
Chalk, dirt and efflorescence removed.
- 05
Repair and prime
Block and mortar repaired, rust treated, bare surfaces primed.
- 06
Coat
Sprayed and back-rolled walls, brushed trim, metal systems.
- 07
Close out
Walk-around with the owner, touch-ups, site cleaned.
FAQ
Questions we hear on this job
Yes. Entrances and parking areas are done before or after hours.
Yes, for multi-story walls, with the area around them closed off.
Yes, after rust removal and a metal primer.
Yes, stall lines, accessible spaces, fire lanes and curbs.
We plan color and timing around the commission's clearance where it applies.
Yes; see commercial interior painting.
Related services
Other commercial & property painting work we handle
Commercial Interior Painting
Offices and suites, after-hours and weekend scheduling and more.
Commercial Interior Painting in IndianapolisPre-Listing & Real Estate Painting
Pre-listing interior refresh, vacant home repaint after a sale and more.
Pre-Listing & Real Estate PaintingNew Construction Painting
Builder and spec homes, punch-list and touch-up rounds and more.
New Construction PaintingRental Turnover Painting
Full-unit repaint between tenants, cabinet and door refresh and more.
Rental Turnover PaintingReady when you are
Describe the building and we will set the walk-around
Tell us the materials, height and what is failing, and we will book the walk-around on the call, any hour.
Faber Paint & Blinds service office
3053 Stillcrest Ln, Indianapolis, IN 46217