We have all heard it said that, “Anyone can paint.” And, viewed in the limited sense of opening a can and rolling paint on a wall, that certainly is true. However, as you will see, achieving a premium quality professional paint job is much more than that.
Take a look at some of the things that
contribute to professional quality results in painting :
People who are serious about their professions maintain active membership in organizations that can help them stay abreast of current issues, technologies and techniques. By belonging to Painting and Decorating Contractors of America (PDCA), I am able to take advantage of training and networking opportunities not available to others.
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There is nothing like knowing that people can have their complaints posted on the web to keep contractors on their toes. That’s why not all contractors belong to the Better Business Bureau. To see my page at the BBB go to www.bbbmnd.org and click on Company Reports.
Better Business Bureau - Serving Minnesota and North Dakota
2706 Gannon Road
Saint Paul, MN 55116-2600 Directions
Phone: (651) 699-1111 /
Fax: (651) 699-7665 /
Toll Free: (800) 646-6222
Email: ask@mnd.bbb.org |
| People who are serious about their professions maintain active membership in organizations that can help them stay abreast of current issues, technologies and techniques. By belonging to Painting and Decorating Contractors of America (PDCA), I am able to take advantage of training and networking opportunities not available to others. |
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Free pre-paint design consultation. Many people know just what they want and, in some cases, have already bought paint for me to use. Take my advice -- talking your plans over with a professional who has seen lots of good and bad paint jobs and color schemes can’t hurt. In many cases I have accompanied clients to the paint store to help them arrive at their decisions. A few have delegated the entire selection process to me, although this is not what I would prefer.
Architectural quality paints. The difference between “contractor grade” and “architectural” paints is the difference between cheap and cost effective. High quality paints last longer and do less damage to the environment (by giving off fewer VOCs – Volatile Organic Compounds). Studies have shown that in the long run it actually costs less to use high quality paints because they are easier to maintain and look good longer. Brands like Benjamin Moore Regal, Hirshfield’s Platinum Ceramic, ICI Dulux, Muralo Ultra Ceramic (FAQ) and Sherwin Williams all fall into the architectural paint category.
Proper preparation is the key. In my view about 60% of the work involved in a professional paint job happens before the first can is opened. I often find that the last person to have painted a room freehanded the edges when they shouldn’t have, left bits of masking tape on the woodwork, or thought one coat would be good enough when it wasn’t. That is why before painting, I always:
- Inspect woodwork edges and remove leftover paint and tape;
- Fill gaps between walls and trim with quality siliconized latex painter’s caulk;
- Sand every surface to be painted to remove blobs of old paint, runs, sags and roller marks;
- Repair all holes, gouges and dents;
- Wash away dirt, marks and fingerprints;
- Mask adjacent areas with clean release tape, masking paper or film to maintain a clean edge and prevent paint spatter.
Priming is important. If you roll paint right over the walls you’ve got, it probably won’t fall off. But a properly primed wall, especially one that has been repaired with joint compound, will look far better and last far longer than one that hasn’t been primed. Walls that have been previously painted need to be re-primed before being re-painted. I prefer an odorless, oil-based, stain-blocking primer or, for darker paint colors, a tintable waterborne primer.
The final touch. See, I told you that most of the work came before opening the paint can. After all that work it would be a shame to blow it at the last step. So here is where I take my time and make sure you get an eye-poppingly beautiful paint job with clean, straight edges. I pay particular attention to creating a flawlessly smooth wall with even roller stipple. It’s an art and I’m happy to deliver it to you.
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