Do you follow lead-safe practices for Aurora’s older homes?

Absolutely. Any home built before 1978 gets EPA-compliant lead-safe prep. We contain debris, use HEPA vacuums, and dispose of waste properly — especially important in the Historic District where original paint layers may go back over a century.

Can you match historic paint colors for Colony District buildings?

Yes. We can color-match from existing samples or work with period-appropriate palettes. If your property falls under the Aurora Colony historic overlay, we’ll coordinate with the relevant guidelines before any color decisions are final.

How do you handle the valley moisture when scheduling exterior work?

We monitor surface moisture with a pin meter and won’t apply product to damp siding. In Aurora that typically means exterior season runs late May through mid-October, with morning start times pushed back until dew burns off.

What paint brands do you use?

We primarily use Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore professional lines. For historic wood siding, we often spec oil-based primer under acrylic topcoats for superior adhesion to old-growth grain.

Do you paint barns and outbuildings?

We do. Aurora has plenty of agricultural structures that need maintenance coatings. We use airless spray rigs for large surfaces and can apply barn paint, elastomeric coatings, or standard exterior latex depending on the substrate and your budget.

How far in advance should I book for summer work?

Our Aurora schedule fills up by mid-April for summer slots. If you’re planning exterior work, reach out in late winter or early spring to lock in your preferred dates.

Aurora House Painting Services

Jump to a Service

Exterior House Painting

Interior House Painting

Commercial Painting

★

30+ Years

Licensed & Insured

★

5-Star Rated

Verified Reviews

✓

Free Estimates

No Obligation

●

Aurora Local

Serving Marion

Aurora is one of the most distinctive small towns in the Willamette Valley — a place where 1860s colony buildings sit alongside turn-of-the-century farmhouses and the occasional modern build tucked behind mature walnut trees along Ehlen Road.

With roughly a thousand residents and a deep streak of preservation pride, Aurora homeowners tend to care about how their properties look. The housing stock runs from board-and-batten originals in the Historic District to vinyl-clad ramblers on Broadacres and metal-roofed barns lining Airport Road. Willamette Valley humidity keeps moisture pressure constant from October through May, while summer sun bakes south-facing clapboard until the grain lifts. Lenny Martin Painting has handled every era of construction you’ll find here — from hand-scraping lead-safe prep on pre-1900 siding to spraying elastomeric coatings on newer HardiePlank.

Below you’ll find details on the three service areas we bring to Aurora: exterior painting that respects the town’s character, interior work tailored to older floor plans and modern additions alike, and commercial painting for the antique shops and small businesses along Main Street.

Exterior House Painting in Aurora

Exterior Painting for Aurora’s Historic & Rural Properties

Aurora’s location in the northern Willamette Valley means persistent drizzle from fall through spring, followed by dry summers that push surface temperatures past 130 °F on dark-colored siding. Many homes in the Colony Historic District still wear original cedar lap siding that demands careful hand-prep — no aggressive pressure washing that could splinter century-old wood. Out along Boones Ferry Road and Butteville, you’ll find newer ranch-style homes where the challenge shifts to chalking vinyl and oxidized aluminum trim.

Our prep process starts with a full walk-around assessment. We scrape and sand loose paint by hand on historic wood, fill checks with flexible exterior filler, and spot-prime bare grain with oil-based primer before topcoating. For post-1980 homes with composite or fiber-cement siding, we power-wash at appropriate PSI, mask landscaping, and apply two coats of premium acrylic latex. Every Aurora project gets caulked joints, back-brushed surfaces, and a written scope so there are no surprises.

Hand-scraping & lead-safe prep for pre-1978 siding
Flexible wood filler on checked cedar lap boards
Oil-based spot prime on bare wood grain
Two-coat acrylic latex topcoat system
Caulking of window, door & trim joints
Final walk-through with punch-list review

A Finish That Holds Up Year After Year

A properly prepped exterior in Aurora should hold eight to twelve years. The valley fog keeps UV exposure moderate compared to the Gorge, but moisture is relentless — that’s why we insist on quality primer and flexible topcoats that can expand with seasonal humidity swings.

Interior Painting for Aurora Homes

Interior Painting for Aurora Homes Old & New

Interior work in Aurora often means navigating tight hallways in 1900s-era cottages, working around built-in cabinetry in mid-century kitchens, or painting vaulted great rooms in newer Broadacres builds. We adjust our approach for each situation — brush-and-roll for detailed trim in older homes, spray-and-back-roll for large open walls where speed and uniformity matter.

The housing variety here is wider than people expect for a town of a thousand. You’ll find plaster-over-lath walls in the Historic District, textured drywall in 1970s ranch homes along Ehlen Road, and smooth Level 5 finishes in recent construction. Each surface calls for different primers and application techniques. We test adhesion on older plaster before committing to a system, and we skim-coat hairline cracks rather than papering over them.

Surface testing on plaster & older drywall
Crack repair with flexible skim coat
Primer matched to substrate type
Brush-cut edges on trim & ceiling lines
Two coats on walls, satin or eggshell finish
Door & window hardware masked or removed

Color & Finish Guidance

Aurora homes lean toward muted heritage palettes — sage greens, warm creams, dusty blues — that complement the town’s antique-district character. For newer builds on the outskirts, warmer grays and off-whites open up smaller rooms without fighting the natural light filtering through valley overcast.

Commercial Painting in Aurora

Commercial Painting for Aurora’s Antique District & Local Businesses

Aurora’s antique shops, cafes, and small retail spaces along Highway 99E are the town’s economic engine. Storefronts here need paint that holds up to foot traffic, road grime from the highway, and the expectations of visitors who come specifically for the charming streetscape. We work with business owners and the local historic overlay requirements to select colors and finishes that meet both aesthetic and regulatory standards.

Scheduling in Aurora’s commercial district is straightforward compared to larger cities, but we still coordinate around peak weekend antique-shopping traffic. Most exterior work happens Tuesday through Thursday to avoid disrupting Saturday crowds. Interior repaints are typically overnight or early-morning starts so shops can open on time.

Historic overlay color compliance review
Low-VOC interior coatings for occupied retail spaces
Highway-facing facade restoration & cleaning
Signage-area masking & accent painting
Midweek scheduling to avoid weekend foot traffic
Durable semi-gloss on high-touch commercial surfaces

Industries We Serve in Aurora

Antique shops, art galleries, small cafes, agricultural supply buildings, professional offices along 99E, and rural event venues on the outskirts of town.

Why Aurora Property Owners Choose Lenny Martin Painting

There are dozens of painters in Marion. The difference is in the prep, the communication, and whether they’ll still answer the phone a year from now.

What Sets Us Apart

Historic sensitivity: We understand lead-safe practices and period-appropriate prep that Aurora’s oldest buildings demand.
Valley climate expertise: Decades of painting in Willamette Valley humidity means we know when to prime, when to wait, and which products resist mildew long-term.
Small-town accountability: In a community of a thousand people, reputation is everything. We show up on time, communicate clearly, and leave your property cleaner than we found it.
Full-service capability: From a single-room refresh to a full farmstead exterior, we bring the same crew quality and attention to prep regardless of project size.

Projects We Handle

Colony-era clapboard restoration with lead-safe hand-scraping
Full exterior repaint on Broadacres ranch homes
Antique shop storefront refresh along Highway 99E
Interior color update for Ehlen Road farmhouse kitchen and living areas

Read what past clients have to say on our reviews page, or browse our project gallery to see recent work.

Aurora Neighborhoods We Serve

Aurora Colony Historic District
Ehlen Road
Airport Road
Boones Ferry Road
Butteville
Broadacres

Aurora House Painting & Commercial Painting FAQ

Do you follow lead-safe practices for Aurora’s older homes?
- Absolutely. Any home built before 1978 gets EPA-compliant lead-safe prep. We contain debris, use HEPA vacuums, and dispose of waste properly — especially important in the Historic District where original paint layers may go back over a century.
Can you match historic paint colors for Colony District buildings?
- Yes. We can color-match from existing samples or work with period-appropriate palettes. If your property falls under the Aurora Colony historic overlay, we’ll coordinate with the relevant guidelines before any color decisions are final.
How do you handle the valley moisture when scheduling exterior work?
- We monitor surface moisture with a pin meter and won’t apply product to damp siding. In Aurora that typically means exterior season runs late May through mid-October, with morning start times pushed back until dew burns off.
What paint brands do you use?
- We primarily use Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore professional lines. For historic wood siding, we often spec oil-based primer under acrylic topcoats for superior adhesion to old-growth grain.
Do you paint barns and outbuildings?
- We do. Aurora has plenty of agricultural structures that need maintenance coatings. We use airless spray rigs for large surfaces and can apply barn paint, elastomeric coatings, or standard exterior latex depending on the substrate and your budget.
How far in advance should I book for summer work?
- Our Aurora schedule fills up by mid-April for summer slots. If you’re planning exterior work, reach out in late winter or early spring to lock in your preferred dates.

Let’s Talk About Your Aurora Project

Whether you’re restoring a piece of Aurora Colony history or freshening up a newer home on Boones Ferry Road, Lenny Martin Painting brings thirty-plus years of local experience to every job. Call 503-888-8020 for a free estimate — we’ll come out, assess your surfaces, and give you an honest scope and price.