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Park Service Seeks Bids for Clinton Boyhood Home Painting Project

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

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The National Park Service has invited bids for the exterior painting of President William Jefferson Clinton’s birthplace home in Hope, Ark.

Bids are due July 19.

The National Historic Site commemorates the boyhood home of the 42nd President of the U.S. and includes the home, visitor center and comfort station.

Photos: National Park Service

Built in 1917, the home was owned by President Clinton’s grandparents James Eldridge Cassidy and Edith Grisham, the Park Service said. Born August 19, 1946, President Clinton resided at the home for the first four years of his life.

The historic home is a 2 1/2 story wood-sided “American Foursquare” house painted white with green-colored trim accents around windows and banding, the Park Service said.

The Project

According to the project documents, the work includes surface preparation, patching, wood repair, caulking, priming, and painting all exterior surfaces and features of the home. The Park Service notes that all work must be performed in accordance with the Secretary of Interiors Standards for Historic Preservation and may be reviewed by the Arkansas State Historical Preservation Officer.

Surface preparation includes power-washing existing surfaces to remove dirt and loose paint for proper paint adhesion, according to the project documents. Some repair and weatherproofing may also be needed.

The exterior wood surfaces are to be painted using an exterior latex paint matching the existing colors. The metal substrates are to be painted using an industrial enamel finish.

The contractor must take “great care” not to damage the integrity of the original woodwork or features throughout the project as it will help “preserve historic fabric and protect against loss,” the Park Service said.

In addition, the Park Service said quality and craftsmanship will be maintained at the highest possible level for the project.

The project cost is estimated at between $25,000 and $100,000. The contract is reserved for small business sources/vendors.

Reported by Paint BidTracker, a construction reporting service devoted to identifying contracting opportunities for the coatings community.

Comment from Catherine Brooks, Eco-Strip, (7/8/2012, 9:53 PM)

Surely this home built in 1917 has lead paint on its exterior. If the NPS asks for powerwashing , will they require the waste water coming off the house to be filtered to remove the lead chips and dust? Won't powerwashing push extra moisture into the wood and increase the risk of paint failure rather than improve paint adhesion?

Comment from Tom Schwerdt, (7/9/2012, 2:07 PM)

Most likely lead paint, unless there was a prior remediation. I've found careful powerwashing to be useful before painting the outside of a house. You do need to allow it to dry thoroughly afterward. Careless powerwashing can drive quite a bit of water into seams, or even damage the wood.