A 25-Year Curb Painter Confesses: 5 Things I Wish Homeowners Knew
Posted on December 3, 2025
I have loved address curb painting since the very first curb I painted back in 1998. A lot has changed since then—more than I ever would have expected if you'd asked me how I imagined curb numbers evolving!
Our family's first curb job was as unorganized as it gets. I had no idea what I was doing! Our "kit" was just paper to make a rectangle, some stencils, and a couple of cans of paint. No tape, no gloves, no enamel, and certainly no power grinders. We were just entrepreneurs trying to make a buck, but I was hooked.
Fast forward to today, and the entire industry is a different world. As a 25-year veteran, I want to pull back the curtain. Here are five "confessions" about the curb painting business—the good, the bad, and the future.
Confession #1: Your "Why" for Buying Has Changed (And So Has Ours)
27 years ago, when we went door-to-door, the sale was personal. People honestly didn't seem as focused on the safety aspect. We literally had customers tell us they didn't care about the curb painting, but they would let us do it to support a young entrepreneur.
Today, that's flipped. While we still appreciate every customer who supports our small business, the primary driver is safety. Homeowners genuinely appreciate the peace of mind that comes from a reflective, highly-visible address. They want to ensure Amazon, DoorDash, and—most importantly—ambulances and fire trucks can find them in a hurry.
Confession #2: The Biggest Change Isn't Paint... It's the Stencil
You'd think the biggest innovation would be better paint or new tools. You'd be wrong. The single most impactful change in the last 27 years is the Cricut machine.
Back in the day, we used basic, reusable block stencils. If you wanted a "custom" design, you might get a very basic sports logo. Now, digital cutters let professional painters create incredibly detailed, phenomenal stencils.
The level of artistry is mind-blowing. We've seen full-on team-themed designs and even a wild Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles curb—an awesome design by Arena Curb Appeal. That just wasn't possible before.
Confession #3: We Made a Mistake That Cost Us (And Taught Us Everything)
Every expert has a failure story. Here's one of ours. When we first started, our kit was simple: Duct Tape and a few cans of black, white, red, and blue spray paint. We didn't even bring a wire brush, let alone a grinder. Over time, we learned to add enamel for durability.
But when we were testing new paints, we made a huge mistake. We bought a few cans of inverted marking paint from a discount store. It looked like the right stuff, but we quickly found out it wasn't permanent. We had to go back and redo several curbs for free.
It was an embarrassing lesson, but it taught us that materials are everything. That failure is a huge part of why we're so obsessed with quality and durability today.
Confession #4: How to Spot a "Scam" (And How We Skirted the Law)
Over the years, we've heard the horror stories—painters who sweep through a neighborhood, paint every single curb without permission, and then leave a flyer demanding payment and claiming it's a required city service.
Let me be clear: That is NOT how most curb painters operate. Most of us run legitimate businesses and will only paint if you request the service.
The real "scam" to watch out for is just inexperience—using cheap, non-permanent paint or having sloppy, unprofessional stencils.
As for us, we started with door-to-door sales. When we saw another painter using flyers, we did both. But since soliciting was illegal in some areas, we had to get creative. We found a loophole that, at the time, allowed posting flyers on mailbox posts, just not on the mailbox itself. I can't say whether we took advantage of that... but I can say that loophole doesn't seem to exist anymore!
Confession #5: After 27 Years, We Stopped Painting on Curbs. Here's Why.
This is our biggest confession: We don't really paint on curbs anymore.
The reason why is summed up in one story. After not painting an address for almost a decade, a local business here in Nacogdoches, TX—King Vision—asked for a custom curb painting with their logo. We did it, and honestly... it didn't turn out well. The bumpy, imperfect concrete curb is a terrible canvas.
We felt awful. So, we went back to the drawing board and invented QRCurbs—a mailable, hand-painted curb number created on a perfectly flat surface in our studio, where we have total quality control.
We went back to King Vision and gave them a new QRCurb for free. It was crisp, clean, and professional.
This is a prime example of why we love our customers. Even though we told them the replacement was free because we weren't happy with our original work, they insisted on paying us anyway. We can't speak highly enough of them!
That experience proved our new model. We now paint all our designs in our studio, seal them, and mail them with an industrial-strength binder. You get a perfect, "art canvas" finish without us ever blocking your driveway.
My Expert Answers to Your Top Questions
"What about those vinyl curb stickers or decals?"
They're just okay. The problem is, they look like stickers. They're inauthentic. A QRCurb isn't a vinyl decal. It's authentically hand-painted just like a traditional curb painting, but with a far more durable and professional finish. It also affixes with an industrial binder, not a sticker adhesive.
"How often should I really replace my curb numbers?"
We recommend replacing them annually. Why? The same reason you'd repaint a fading house—it keeps it looking fresh and adds to your curb appeal and neighborhood value.
We've seen our old paint jobs last over 10 years and still be visible, but "visible" isn't the same as "fresh."
My Final Verdict After 27 Years
After 27 years, my love for curb painting is stronger than ever. It's an artistic outlet that has the incredible, real-world benefit of helping to save lives. I've watched this craft evolve from a simple stencil and a couple of cans of paint into a high-tech, precision art form.
From the early days of just trying to help, to mastering new tools, to learning from our mistakes, the journey has always been about one thing: quality. The evolution to QRCurbs is, for me, the perfection of that journey. We can now channel all that experience into a studio-quality "art canvas" for your curb, combining the best artistry with the most durable materials.
It's more than just numbers on a curb; it's peace of mind, it's curb appeal, and for us, it's a passion perfected. See the evolution of curb art for yourself!