Olympia homeowners have no shortage of painting contractors to choose from. That’s exactly why it matters who you let through your door. Gullard Painting is a family-owned crew based in Centralia, and we bring the same craftsmanship to Thurston County that’s earned us a reputation across Lewis County and beyond.
Who We Are and Why It Matters
Duane founded Gullard Painting roughly a decade ago, but his experience in the trade goes back 35 years. We’re licensed, bonded, and insured in Washington state. We’re a small crew, and that’s intentional. Small means accountable. Small means the people who give you the estimate are the same people doing the work.
We’re based in Centralia, which puts us about 30 miles south of Olympia on I-5. We make the drive regularly because the work is good and the homes are worth painting right. Thurston County is a real part of our service area, not an afterthought.
That said, we’ll be honest with you: we’re selective. We work best with homeowners who value quality, plan ahead, and trust the process. If you’re looking for the cheapest bid, we’re not the right fit. If you want the job done correctly, with products that will hold up in this climate, keep reading.
We do our best work when a homeowner is prepared to invest in quality and isn’t rushing us to start tomorrow. If that sounds like you, we’d like to hear from you. If not, we’d rather tell you upfront than have a difficult experience for both of us.
Interior Painting in Olympia Homes
Interior painting is where we spend a lot of our time, and it’s work we take seriously. Our approach is brush and roll. We choose it deliberately because of the control it gives us on walls, trim, and ceilings. The finish it produces is clean, even, and durable in a way that holds up to scrutiny. Even clients who walk in skeptical tend to be genuinely impressed by the result.
Here’s what a typical interior job looks like with us:
- We fill nail holes, sand problem areas, and prime where the surface calls for it.
- We handle light drywall repair and minor texture work on small areas.
- We can move reasonably heavy furniture. We ask that you remove wall hangings, artwork, and small items before we arrive.
- We use Sherwin-Williams as our primary paint brand. It performs well, it’s predictable, and we’ve done the research to trust it.
- We cut in clean lines and take the time to do it right.
If you want trim repainted, doors done, ceilings freshened, or a full room transformation, this is what we’re built for. Full interior jobs are some of our most satisfying work.
You don’t need to strip the room bare, but taking down pictures, art, and anything on the walls saves time and keeps the job moving. If you want items rehung in the same spots, leave the hardware in place. If you want a clean slate, we’ll pull the hardware and fill the holes.
Exterior Painting in Western Washington
Exterior painting in the Olympia area is a different kind of project. The weather here is real. Thurston County averages significant annual rainfall, and the moisture doesn’t forgive shortcuts in prep or product selection.
We follow paint manufacturer specifications on temperature minimums, humidity thresholds, and rain-free windows. Summer, roughly late June through September, is the most reliable window to work exterior jobs. Conditions are consistent, dry times are predictable, and scheduling is straightforward. That said, spring and fall are workable when conditions cooperate. We watch the forecast closely and communicate honestly with clients about what the weather will allow.
What we’re not going to do is push a job forward when conditions aren’t right. Painting over a damp surface, or applying product when it’s too cold to cure properly, leads to early failure. We’d rather reschedule than redo the job in two years.
For exterior work in Olympia, a few things matter a lot:
- Prep is everything. We pressure wash as part of exterior prep. Surface cleaning happens before any paint touches your home.
- Product selection matters. Western Washington’s wet climate demands paints formulated to resist moisture and mildew. Sherwin-Williams offers exterior lines built for exactly this.
- South-facing walls fade faster. They take the most direct sun. That’s something we factor into how we prep and what we recommend.
- Deferred maintenance shows up fast. If the surface was already failing before we arrived, prep takes longer and the investment is bigger. That’s honest, not a upsell.
We’ve painted homes from Centralia up through Olympia and into the surrounding areas of Thurston County. The moisture here is consistent and relentless. Products that work fine in drier climates fall short in this rain belt. We use what we know performs here, and that matters more than it sounds.
How We Approach Every Job
Every job starts with an honest conversation. We’ll look at what you have, tell you what we see, and give you a clear picture of what it will take to do it right. If a surface needs more prep than you were expecting, we’ll say so. If a specific scope isn’t realistic for your budget, we’ll tell you that too rather than cut corners and deliver something you’re disappointed in.
We believe the right client deserves all the information they need to make a good decision. That’s not a sales pitch. That’s just how we think a contractor should operate.
Good prep, good product, applied well. That’s the job. It’s not complicated, but it takes experience to execute consistently. Duane has 35 years of that experience, and it shows in the finished product.
What Kind of Client We Work Best With
This is worth saying plainly because it saves everyone time.
We do our best work for homeowners who are down to earth, trust the process, and understand that a quality paint job is a real investment. The kind of person Duane would feel comfortable making a handshake deal with. Someone who wants the job done right and is willing to let us do it.
We’ve spent years in this trade, and we’ve learned that the jobs that go smoothly share one thing: a client who stays out of the way, communicates clearly, and respects the work. Those jobs end with everyone happy. That’s what we’re after.
We’re not the right fit for someone who’s comparing three bids and going with the lowest number. There’s nothing wrong with that approach if price is the primary concern, but it’s not what we’re built for. Our clients come to us because they want the work done correctly, and they’re prepared to pay for it.
A genuinely low bid usually means one of two things: the work is being cut somewhere you won’t see until six months later, or the contractor is working for almost nothing and won’t be around to back it up. Neither is a deal. We don’t compete on price, and we don’t need to. The clients who understand that are the ones who end up happiest with the result.
Scheduling and What to Expect
We work from a running list. There’s no calendar date we can commit to upfront. You get in touch, we learn about your project, and you go on the list. When it’s your turn, we schedule the job.
We’re typically booked well ahead. That’s not a complaint. It’s a reflection of consistent demand from clients who’ve found that good painting crews aren’t as easy to come by as they’d like. If you’re planning a project in Olympia or anywhere else in Thurston County, reaching out early gives you the best chance of getting on the list before your ideal window closes.
If you need a painter next week, we’re probably not the right fit and we’ll tell you that honestly. If you’re planning ahead and want the job done right, we’d like to hear from you.
To reach us: (360) 790-2726 or contact@gullardpainting.com. We offer free estimates. Tell us what you’re working with and we’ll take it from there.