Painting Is Part of His Heritage

Professional painting is more than just a job for Steve Rainwater – it’s in his blood.

You might say that paint runs in Steve Rainwater’s veins. He’s not only been a ­professional painter for almost 40 years, he has ­followed in the footsteps of his father, grandfather and great-grandfather, who were also painting professionals by trade. That’s four generations of taking pride in a profession that’s not as easy as you might think, according to Rainwater.

    Of course, you can go to your local home improvement store and pick up a gallon of paint and a brush and roller, but if you’re not familiar with the process or if you don’t select the right tools, your project might not turn out the way you had envisioned. That’s where a professional, like Rainwater, can help.

    “It’s more than ­measuring the room or the exterior of the home to figure out how much paint you will need,” he says. “Paint quality differs. It also depends on whether you are painting new construction or painting a previously painted area.”

    The texture of a wall or exterior can also determine how much and what kind of paint you need, he explains. “Color matching existing paint can also be a challenge,” he adds, “but it’s just one step in the process of getting the job done.”

    Other problems Rainwater sometimes ­encounters – that many homeowners might not realize need to be corrected before painting – is structural ­damage caused by settling roof leaks that have damaged the walls and mold. “Each of these problems must be ­corrected before painting is started,” he explains. “Otherwise, you’ll still have those problems. Paint can’t fix these underlying ­problems.”

    One question he usually gets from prospective customers is, “Do you spray the walls or use a brush and roller?” He says, “Customers prefer you use a brush and roller. I do. This is especially important on interior walls if you want good coverage.”

    Painting isn’t Rainwater’s only specialty. He offers ­drywall repair and finishing, wallpaper stripping and ­hanging, as well as ­commercial lot striping. He also hangs doors and installs windows and ceramic tile.

    Rainwater will also paint and stain fences. “I start out spraying but then use a brush to make sure I get more of the material on the fence,” he adds. “It’ll last longer.”

    His road to a painting career began when he was a youngster helping his dad in the summers or when school was out for other reasons. “Dad would say, ‘Come on, you’re going to work.’” Since he graduated from high school, Rainwater has had a paintbrush in his hand. “I started when I was 17 years old, right out of school.”

    On the path to becoming a professional painter, Rainwater worked as project manager for a commercial paint contractor doing jobs for the University of Missouri and government offices in Jefferson City, Missouri.

    Residential work is his preference, though. “I treat my customers the way I would want to be treated,” he says. “When you hire me, you get me. I don’t have a crew. I work by myself.”

    Rainwater’s work ethic has earned him a good ­reputation – not just in Owasso. Word-of-mouth referrals have led to jobs in Wagoner, Hulbert, Bristow, Oologah, Bixby and Pryor.     Because he believes in doing a job right the first time, his philosophy is, “If it doesn’t need to be painted, I’m not going to paint it.” According to Rainwater, too many things are painted over the years that didn’t need it in the first place. For example, some ­people will paint weather stripping on garage doors or on door sweeps. “They just didn’t want to mask it off before painting. It takes a few extra minutes to do that but it looks nicer. Eventually, those things, like weather stripping, will only peel because they were not made to be painted.”

    For a free quote, which includes the materials, give Steve a call at (918) 706-9810. 

For more information, contact

Steve’s Painting

(918) 706-9810