House Painters in Anderson, SC
Painting for the Electric City's historic districts, mid-century neighborhoods and Lake Hartwell homes.
Painting in Anderson
Anderson is the seat of Anderson County and is known as the Electric City — in 1895 William C. Whitner brought hydroelectric power to the city from a plant on the Rocky River. The Census counted about 28,100 residents in 2020 and estimates about 31,300 by mid-2025.
Anderson sits near Lake Hartwell, the roughly 56,000-acre Army Corps of Engineers lake on the South Carolina–Georgia line. The city itself has a strong stock of historic homes, with several districts under city design review.
DB Painting Services paints interiors, exteriors, trim, porches and decks for Anderson homeowners — including homes in the historic districts, where getting colors approved before the work starts matters.
Anderson homes: historic districts and mid-century streets
Census survey data suggests about 60 percent of Anderson homes were built before 1980. The 1970s were the biggest single decade, with steady building through the 1950s and 60s and another wave in the 2000s.
In the historic districts, the city's own design guidelines note that wood lap siding was the predominant material on houses, in styles from Folk Victorian and Queen Anne to Colonial Revival, Craftsman bungalows and Tudor Revival. Elsewhere, brick ranches from the 1960s–80s are common, alongside newer Craftsman and farmhouse builds near the lake.
Older wood siding and trim reward careful prep: scraping, sanding, repairing soft spots and priming bare wood. The city guidelines also point out that some latex paints do not bond well over old oil-based paint — a detail we check before we pick products.
Anderson neighborhoods we paint in
Historic districts, mill villages and lake-area neighborhoods:
- North Anderson Historic District
- Anderson Historic District
- Boulevard Historic District
- Westside Historic District
- Downtown Anderson
- Equinox Mill Village
- Sherwood Forest
- Lake Hartwell area
Exterior painting in Anderson
The Upstate is humid subtropical: GSP averages about 47 inches of rain a year, and July highs average about 90°F. That combination is hard on exterior paint. Moisture works into bare or poorly sealed wood, sun breaks down finishes on south and west walls first, and shaded sides stay damp longer. Good exterior work here starts with washing, scraping, spot-priming bare wood and caulking gaps before any topcoat.
Anderson's historic guidelines say all wood surfaces should be painted, and they favor one muted base color with one or two accent colors and matte finishes. Even outside the districts, that is a good starting point for older Anderson homes.
Paint colors need approval in Anderson historic districts
This is the big one for Anderson homeowners: in the city's design-review districts — Anderson, Boulevard, Downtown and Westside — the Board of Architectural Review requires prior approval for exterior changes, explicitly including changing paint colors or adding siding. Approved changes receive a Certificate of Appropriateness.
The guidelines also say brick or stone that was not historically painted should not be painted, that vinyl or aluminum siding is inappropriate on historic buildings, and that early paint layers may contain lead. If your home is in a district, apply for your Certificate of Appropriateness before work begins; the city's checklist and guidelines are on the City of Anderson website.
Our Work
Recent projects across the Upstate
What Anderson Homeowners Call Us For
Painting services in Anderson
Client Reviews
What Upstate homeowners say
4.8 stars from 84 Google reviews
“They were a great bunch to work with. Matt was great helping us get ready for painting and the painters were fabulous.”
“Crew was prompt, kept the work area clean and cleaned up after painting was completed. Matthew was also very helpful in providing input in regards to color selection.”
“We are extremely happy with the work Matthew and his crew did on our home. They exceeded our expectations from start to finish.”
Anderson FAQ
Questions from Anderson homeowners
Do I need approval to change my paint color in an Anderson historic district?
Yes. In the Anderson, Boulevard, Downtown and Westside districts, the City of Anderson's Board of Architectural Review requires prior approval for exterior changes, including changing paint colors. Get your Certificate of Appropriateness before work starts. Repainting in the same colors is a question to confirm with the city.
Can I paint the brick on my historic Anderson home?
The city's historic design guidelines say brick or stone that was not historically painted should not be painted. If your home is in a district, check with the Board of Architectural Review first.
My Anderson house was built before 1978. Is lead paint a concern?
It can be. In Anderson, about 60 percent of homes were built before 1980, and the city's own historic guidelines note that early paint layers may contain lead. Federal EPA rules treat homes built before 1978 as "target housing": paid work that disturbs more than 6 square feet of painted surface in a room, or more than 20 square feet outside, must be done by an EPA-certified renovation firm using lead-safe practices (window replacement and demolition of painted surfaces are covered at any size, and the room limit counts all work in that room within 30 days). If your home is in that range, bring it up at your estimate and we'll talk through testing and how the prep will be handled.
Do you work on Lake Hartwell homes?
Yes. We paint and stain homes, decks and outbuildings throughout the Anderson and Lake Hartwell area.
Will latex paint go over my old oil-based paint?
Not reliably on its own. Anderson's historic guidelines make the same point. We test the existing coating and use a bonding primer where needed so the new paint does not peel.
Painting a home in Anderson?
Free, itemized estimates. Fully licensed, bonded and insured. Mon–Fri, 7am–5pm.
Also serving nearby: Easley · Simpsonville · Greer