Painted fencing for a client.
Archive for February, 2012
Interior Paint Job Makes Home Cozy
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do interior painting:
- Prepare the Room:
- Remove furniture, fixtures, and any items that can be taken out of the room.
- Protect floors and remaining furniture with drop cloths or plastic sheets.
- Use painter’s tape to mask off trim, baseboards, windows, and any other areas you don’t want to paint.
- Prepare the Walls:
- Fill any holes or cracks with spackling compound, and sand smooth once dry.
- Clean walls with a damp cloth or sponge to remove dust, dirt, and grease. Allow the walls to dry completely before proceeding.
- Prime the Walls (if necessary):
- If the walls are bare, porous, or have significant color variations, it’s advisable to apply a coat of primer before painting. Primer helps the paint adhere better and improves coverage, and you can get professionals that like Spray Painters Near Me to do this job as well.
- Select Your Paint and Supplies:
- Choose the appropriate type and finish of paint for your project (e.g., latex or oil-based, matte, eggshell, satin, or semi-gloss).
- Gather your painting supplies, including paint trays, brushes, rollers, extension poles, paint stirrers, and a ladder if needed.
- Cut In:
- Start by “cutting in” the edges of the walls using a high-quality angled brush. Apply paint carefully along corners, edges, and trim where rollers cannot reach.
What You Should Know When Hiring a Painter
Having your home or business painted can be an expensive and time consuming process and you have to be selective with trusting your most valuable asset with a painter.
Here are some steps to follow when looking for the right painter for your job:
- Ask your friends and neighbors for referrals. Their experiences can help point you in the right direction.
- Always get several estimates. Make sure that the estimate includes all related costs (paint, supplies, taxes, etc).
- Always inquire about the type of paint that will be used. Sherwin Williams alone, has at least 5-6 different products.
- Trust your own instinct. You are your own best judge of character.
- Ask about the warranty. Make sure you are protected from faulty or defective work.
Following these steps will help ensure that you hire a painter that you can trust and receive quality service.
Cheaper Doesn’t Always Mean Inexpensive
The old adage is true; the cheapest paint is not necessarily the most inexpensive. Before you make a decision based on price consider this: lower quality paints require more coats to cover the surface, are not as durable and usually need repainting much sooner. This is especially true for exterior paint.
To get true reading of the cost, look beyond the price tag and compare the “cost per year of service.” Let’s say you are painting home that requires 20 gallons of exterior latex paint, you have 2 options:
- Buy a low quality, exterior paint at $20 per gallon with an expected lifespan of six (6) years.
- Buy a high quality, exterior paint at $35 per gallon with an expected lifespan of twenty (20) years.
In the first scenario, your out of pocket material cost would be $400 (20 gallons at $20). Since the paint is expected to last six years, the “cost per year” is $400, or $67 per year. If you use a higher quality paint, your material cost is $700, but since you will not need to repaint in at least 20 years, your “cost per year” is $35. By choosing the high-priced quality paint, you actually save $32 a year in paint expenses. For more information on quality paint and its long-term benefits, you might consider check out this site at https://industrialpainting.uk/.
That is a small amount of money for materials only. Once you add labor into the equation and the increased frequency to paint your house, the cost will be significantly higher. For comprehensive and professional services related to building exteriors, you can check out this site at https://curtainwallinginstaller.co.uk/near-me/north-yorkshire/ for more information.