Painting wood

Changes in the art of wood-finishing has come about through the rapid progress in the development of quick-drying, very permanent, nitrocellulose lacquers which are new finishes derived from the realm of magic and mystery.

Present-day lacquers contain varnish-gums in addition to nitrocellulose, and dry so quickly that they are practically dust-proof; yet they set slowly enough so that they can be applied with little training by use of either a brush or a spray-gun.

The student wood-finisher in the school, the arts and crafts painter in the home who wishes to refinish old furniture, door toppers, or woodwork, and the professional painter will all find new and helpful hints and much practical information about lacquer and its use.

While it is true that the emphasis has been placed on new materials and processes, mention should be made of the fact that the entire field of wood-finishing, including wood-filling, shellacking, and enameling has changed.

Many microscopic studies have been made of the reaction of various finishes, especially wood-fillers, in the pores of several kinds of wood. Many technical difficulties were encountered in attempts to prepare photomicrographs of wood filler in the pores of wood, but nevertheless some interesting information was secured.

Some new and very valuable paint-pigments, such as lithophone, titanox, and "extenders," such as asbestine, are now used rather extensively in the paint trade since they were developed. For many purposes these new materials can be used to advantage. The person who applies paint at the present time has a wide field to choose from in selecting pigments, extenders, colors, drying-oils, and thinners, and needs information about these materials.

Another very fundamental characteristic of wood-finishing is that it is treated as a science as well as an art. It is for this reason that a rich background of related science is given in connection with the descriptions of the materials and the methods of using them.

The chemical formulas of the substances described are usually given, and some of the chemical and physical reactions of the materials are pointed out for the benefit of the amateur, the apprentice, or the master painter who may lack a thorough scientific background for his trade.

Experts gather information about wood finishing with meticulous care through visits to some of the best paint, varnish, and lacquer factories in the United States in order to obtain up-to-date, reliable information. A very careful study has also been made of the writings of scientists on this subject, on everything from finishing wooden bar rails to wood fireplace inserts.

In the industrial-arts departments of schools, wood-finishing and painting have often been taught in connection with woodworking, but at present there is a strong tendency toward the establishment of separate courses in which the informational aspect of wood-finishing and painting can receive proper attention.

The industrial-arts departments of 30 years ago gave little attention to wood-finishing, and attempts were made to finish articles in dusty woodworking shops; now separate rooms, after the universal practice of industry, will be found in all schools where serious work in wood-finishing is done.

Painting woodwork

There is no rule which says you must paint woodwork white, or strip it, or color it to merge with the walls. In a room whose walls, window frames and doors are in the same neutral color, you could paint the skirting board a clear contrasting color. This will define the line between the floor and walls. Trim colors that contrast with walls and ceilings might suit your style in one room, while a more subtle color change might be right somewhere else in the house.

You can liven up plain, flat walls by adding moldings so as to create panels around the room. For best results, make sure you keep your working area within the proper temperature range recommended for the paint. All interior woodwork that has been stripped, from baseboard to dining room tables, needs to be primed with either a standard acrylic wood primer. After that you can paint on it with oil-based flat eggshell, gloss, or acrylic paints.

Most interior woodwork looks best in an eggshell finish, as high-gloss paint can have a rather bleak, deadening effect. If your plan is to paint walls, ceiling, and trim, then it’s best to get the trim painted first, along with the room’s windows and doors. Paint woodwork in small sections. Keeping a wet edge to avoid lap marks.

A wide range of broken- color effects work well on woodwork, but ideally you should use oil-based paints as latex has little durability on wood. Stains add color to wood while allowing its natural grain pattern to show through. Varnishes are clear finishes that form a tough coating over stain. They are available in a range of finish sheens from satin to high gloss. At the end of a project, combine all of the leftover paint of the same color into as few cans as possible.

Gloss painting

As a painting contractor for many years, I have witnessed many blunders by well meaning homeowners who simply don’t understand just how unpredictable gloss paint can be on interior walls. In an effort to achieve durability and scrub ability, many sprint off to purchase satin or gloss paint without taking into account the hurdles that will shortly become very noticeable. With their dreams of rich color tones that gloss paint affords and the scrub able persona of the paint, some homeowners reason they simply can’t go wrong.
Most painting contractors would agree that one could certainly make a suitable line of reasoning for using paints with sheen; then again most homeowners are not aware of the problem to using glossy paint on their walls.

Below are problems coupled with using gloss paint.

1. One of the most widespread problems with using gloss paint is it causes minor defects in your walls to become detectable. Defects that are veiled by flat paint suddenly come alive when using satin or gloss paint. If you receive a fair amount of sunlight through windows in the room, it will be even more perceptible. Sheetrock tape joints that are faintly raised or depressed can become evident. Uneven texture in the walls can become visible, etc.

2. Paints with a sheen are notorious for causing a halo effect around trim. When walls are rolled in a room, the roller nap leaves a different texture than what a brush leaves when cutting in wall paint around doors, windows, baseboard, and crown moldings. Light reflects differently from the texture left by the brush than from the textures left by the roller nap. This is a very annoying problem that can ruin the appearance of your freshly painted room.

3. If you are planning to paint gloss over existing flat walls, you really need two coats of paint to avoid flashing (unevenness of sheen throughout the wall). Two coats improve consistency of sheen and enhance color tone. This of course, increases your cost.

If you must have sheen on the walls, then follow these suggestions

1. Use very low sheen paint. The use of eggshell, or satin sheens will help minimize the above problems associated with gloss paints.

2. Prepare your walls very well. Some of the problems may be beyond the scale of what you or the painter you hire can do. A sheet rock contractor may be your best preference for major wall repair.

3. Always cut your walls in first using a brush. Then proceed to rolling the walls. After the walls have been cut in with a brush, then roll the wall paint with a roller and nap within a quarter of an inch of your trim. Alternatively, you can apply blue tape to all your trim which will allow you to roll up to the trim. This will go a long way in reducing the halo effect. Additionally, obtaining a smaller roller frame and nap will allow you to reach tight areas a standard size roller can't reach. If you touch your trim with the roller, then clean the paint off the trim with a cloth immediately.

Concrete paint

Many home owners report that their concrete does not look as good as it first did, and indeed some concrete looses its looks and become cracked and dimples and rust stains. This look damages the house look and many find it to be plain ugly, the solutions that people apply to this problem is usually covering the whole concrete surface with different thing, mattress and clothes from all materials, but covering the concrete does not solve the problem just provides a temporary solution you need to remove once it starts raining.

The real solution for this problem is using concrete paint. You can use concrete paint to cover the whole surface and make it look completely different, the paint will help you change the look and you can also add some sand to the paint to help prevent problems like slipping or falling on the concrete because of water or cracks, the paint will make these problems disappear.

Whenever talking about changing or replacing concrete we are talking about an expensive work that will almost surely take some time and effort that might disturb the family living in the house for some time, this is why the concrete problems should first try to be solved by a quicker and

simpler solutions, the concrete paint solution is much shorter and easier than redoing the whole area of the concrete. The only thing you need to do is visit a shop and decide on the color that you want, buy the other necessary things for this project, find some free time and paint your concrete.

There is also place for creativity when painting your concrete, you can buy a few different colors, make a plan of how you want to paint it and paint geometric shapes, different patterns, words and letters, colors that correspond to the house colors, swirls and circle shapes and check board shapes. You can also use templates for these shapes, you will need to make or get durable templates and use them to give your concrete a unique look.

The only important thing you should bare in mind is that before painting the concrete you will need to examine all the concrete surface to make sure that it is clean and dry, in any case you should clean the whole surface to make sure that no oil stains or water is not present on the surface because concrete can hold a lot water. You can clean the surface by using a broom on the dry surface and then using a broom and some strong cleaning produce, washing like you do at home, and then using water to wash away the soap. Once the concrete is clean and dry the painting can start.

Commercial painting

When you are looking for the best commercial or house painting contractors, it is important to consider the types of services they offer. While looking for such services, you might as well consider how these services and the techniques will be helpful in painting your homes or offices. Generally good house and commercial painting contractors are certainly capable of offering you various types of painting services. Hence, you may be eager to know the types of services that these painting contractors offer.

Exterior Wall Painting Services

You may agree that your eyes are commonly known to be the windows of your soul. This proverb may be applicable to your home or office as well. With the help of commercial painting contractors, you can make your home or office very attractive with quality exterior wall paints. When you have a very well done quality exterior of your office, more people or clients will show lot of interest in your establishment resulting in more business and higher image. In essence, a correctly painted facade can make your office standout from other buildings and attract the attention of many passers.

Interior Painting Services

When you have to remodel your office or your home, interior painting is one of the services that you have to make use of. The commercial or house painting contractors will be more than willing to provide such services. They may agree to do most of the interior painting work which may include activities ranging from the removal of all fixture and all hangings from the walls to the repairing of cracks and nail holes.

By hiring a commercial painting contractor, your remodeling work becomes easier because they are equipped themselves to remove all furniture before starting the actual painting work and rearrange them again once the painting work is completed.

Patching and Repairing of Exterior and Interior Using Special Plaster

Another service that the paint contractors offer is the patching and repairing of exterior and interior walls using special kind of plaster or wall filler. These are very commonly used in complete remodeling jobs. In many remodeling jobs, this type of work is included in the scope of work of the commercial painting contractor. This type of special work seems complex and such work is undertaken by commercial or house painting contractors who have good skilled workers.

Painting of Flat Roofs

If your home or office has a flat roof, these are also have to be painted in any given point of time. The commercial or house painting contractors will be able to carryout such work. However, it is important to note that flat roof painting is not just applying paint and such work include complete repair of cracks and other defects before painting. Some times repairing flat roofs may involve application of waterproofing. It is important to note that flat roof painting is a specialized job which you need to obtain the services of a professional or commercial painting contractor. By employing a commercial painting contractor for flat roof painting work, you are assured of high quality workmanship and a guarantee of long term performance of the finished product.

Painting services

It is a nice feeling to go into the brand new workplace - the whole thing is clean as well as it is more contented place to work. But, over time, without being notice, space becomes "used"; scrapes and the dirt might appear on the walls - as well as it have the negative impact on workplace.

There are lots of studies, which show how environs can affect the employee's aptitude to work. Something as easy as the wall color has shown to affect the productivity, attentiveness as well as the amount of time used up at the workstations. Fewer accidents happen in the brighter workspaces, as well as need for the extra lighting is abridged.

The simple fresh coat of the paint might help to accomplish lots of of these objectives - amplified productivity, security as well as reduced costs - in the very cost well-organized way.

The advantages don’t stop there. The customers, suppliers as well as investors take notice of the workplace. More professional look of the well-painted breathing space might have the positive effect on perceptions as well as their desire to do the business with your corporation. If you own space as well as are trying to sell or else lease it, the fresh coat can also increase the property price.

How to take care of your painting wants and run the business at same time? Hiring the specialized commercial painting service might relieve lots of headaches involved in the repainting workspace. They offer advice on that colors will work finest and how the job be done with least interruption to the business.

Finding the correct commercial painting service can be easy if you look for following:

The established company – Lots of painting services move toward and go plus don’t care as much about job that they do. Ask for the customer testimonials plus see the examples of company's work. Establish the companies desire to make certain your wants are met as well as your are satisfied with work – this way they get additional business.

Enough of staff to do job correctly and in the timely way - For large or else the small jobs - you don’t want the 10 people painting the 250 square foot place of work; or else two people painting warehouse. You require knowing job will be done rapidly, professionally and by the certain time.

Free quotation - If they recognize what they are exactly doing, they can accurately estimate the costs devoid of too much attempt - as well as stick to prices they quote.

House painting

If you are the typical home owner, it probably seems like projects with your home are constantly piling up. These projects always seem like they continually need to be completed, such as having the exterior of your home repainted.

House painting projects are usually completed in the warmer months. The time of year this is will, or course, depend on the area that you live in and your climate. The summer time is the prime time to have a house painting completed because it is the time that a painter can complete the project at the most professional level.

It would not make much sense to try completing an exterior home painting during the winter when it is snowing outside because not only would the cold weather cause problems with the house painting, the moisture would ruin any progress that the paint contractor made on the home. Along with this, an exterior home painting will usually be put on hold during times that it is raining. If this happens, your house painting could extend beyond the original time frame that you and your paint contractor discussed. There is not much to be done here, though, as the painter can not exactly control the weather.

Call your paint contractor as soon as you know when you would like the house painting completed. Calling well in advance of the time you would like the exterior home painting completed will help ensure that your painter will be available. If you wait until the last minute to call, you are taking the risk that the paint contractor will already be booked up. If this happens, you will have to decide whether you should wait until they are available or if you should call around and select another painter for the job.

Another option if your contractor is already booked up for you would like the job completed is to ask them if they know of any other painter that they would recommend for the project. They have likely had to turn away home owners in the past due to a booked up schedule so they have probably been asked this question in the past and may have a few potential painters in mind. If they do not have any one in mind, you could also try asking your neighbors and friends if they have a contractor that they would recommend. If your neighbors have had a painting completed in the past, they would likely have an idea of who you could call. Along with this, if they weren’t happy with the outcome of a previous painting, they could tell you who not to hire for the job.

Paint exterior

Owners of historical homes know that choosing paint colors is a nerve-wracking and critically important decision - if they want their homes to be historically accurate. But there are ways to figure out exterior paint schemes if the owners use the 9 ideas below to ensure accuracy.

Ready-mix paints have been available since the middle part of the nineteenth century and from that time home owners have had to choose their colors without really knowing how their finished home will look. After all, a two inch paint chip looks very different from a 3,000 square foot house!

In a visit to New England in the 1840s, famed novelist Charles Dickens commented, "All the buildings looked as if they had been painted that morning ... Every house is the whitest of white; every shutter is the greenest of green."

If you have an older home and want to choose colors other than green and white, here are some guidelines:

1. Light colors "advance" a home while dark colors cause it to "recede". This means that lighter shades will make your home appear larger and closer to the street, while darker shades make your home seem smaller and further away. If you want your house to blend in and be less noticeable, therefore, a darker hue is best.

2. Light dramatically affects how colors appear to the human eye. In cooler climates the light is diffused and bold colors are intensified. In southern climates, the harsher, brighter sunlight will cause pale tints to appear washed out.

3. If you want your gutters and downspouts to be less noticeable, paint them the same color as the house.

4. Make sure any mildew problems are solved before painting. Test suspicious spots with household bleach and if they change color, you definitely have a mildew problem.

5. Moisture problems must be eliminated before painting. If they are not, water will ruin even the best paint job.

6. Some paint manufacturers offer color 'families' to simplify choosing. That is, there are several colors that go well together and eliminate the agony of figuring out the exact right shade for the trim so that it will relate well to the primary exterior color.

7. It's always possible to get expert help. This is especially desirable if you own a historical landmark and wish for it to be restored to its former appearance. Historical paint consultants are familiar with shades available at the time the home was built and can often do research to determine original colors. These folks understand chemical changes in paint and can usually figure out what the original colors looked like before they faded to today's milder colors.

8. There is software available that allows home owners to scan in a picture of their home and then try out different colors without making an actual commitment. It's powerful to see your home in Colonial Barn Red or Patriot Federal Blue before actually putting a drop of color on the outside.

9. You might consider staining your historical property, rather than painting it. Stain is cheaper and it won't peel off or crack the way paint does. This is because it actually sinks into the wood, rather than coating it so it will instead weather and dim over time. Stain won't cover up any imperfections in the wood the way paint does, however.

Interior paint

Your home is your refuge; the place where you can put your feet up and relax after a hard day. Home is a place that you want to reflect your own personality and give you a sense of well-being. Colors have an effect on you subconsciously, and the colors you choose to paint the interior of your home may well contribute to how you react and feel.

There is an entire field of study based on how color affects us known as color psychology. This tells us that the colors we choose for our home interior is of great importance. Now that you are aware of these facts, choosing the perfect color scheme for your home may seem like somewhat of a daunting task. But with a little information and a few simple tips, you will be well on your way to enjoying your new paint job.

Different colors have different properties and different effects upon people's feelings and emotions. Color evokes an emotional response from us almost immediately. Here are a few more common colors that are often used to paint interiors:

Green: Green is a very relaxing natural color. It is perfect for bedrooms and often used in kitchens combined with brown to create an organic effect.

Red: Red is one of the most powerful color choices. Dark shades of red are good used in living rooms to create a comforting homey atmosphere. Using red as an accent color can definitely make a bold statement.

Black: This color can create a striking and dramatic effect. It has to be used in smaller proportions, though. Painting an entire room black would be a bit overwhelming. This is better as an accent color.

White: Peaceful and clean, white is a popular choice with hospitals. Using black and white can create a stunning combination.

Blue: This is a color that will calm your spirit. However, it is also a cold color, so it is not recommended for cold climates or rooms without a window to let the sun stream inside. Many people choose this color for bedrooms and bathrooms, places where they want a calm relaxed feeling.

Brown: A soothing color that can be used almost anywhere to add to your color scheme. It especially looks well with other warm colors such as red.

Yellow: The shade of this color will determine what feelings it invokes. A bright yellow would jump out at you and perk you up. A little more subtle shade of yellow is nice for brightening up any room. This is great for areas that do not receive much natural light.

These color associations are a basic guide when choosing paint colors for your home. Keep in mind that each of these colors have many different shades that could be darker or lighter by varying degrees. The lighting available in each room of your home will also affect the look of color that you see. I would recommend choosing a few colors and taking a sample of each home to test before you actually begin painting. A color may look totally different on your wall than it looks on a sample color strip.

Determine what kind of ambiance you want each room of your home to have, and select a color that will evoke this feeling or emotion. Try a few test patches on your walls until you are completely satisfied with the result. You can always speak with the paint exerts in the store where you are making your purchase if you have a question or concern, and they will be happy to please.

Stucco paint

Buying a home is a big investment. You should use a checklist when sizing up potential homes. In this article, we cover a home buying checklist for paint and stucco.

Paint and Stucco

The exterior of a home typically makes the biggest impression when you first view a potential buying opportunity. Many homebuyers, however, often make the mistake of looking at color schemes as the principal issue. In truth, a close review of the exterior of the prospective home can tell you a lot about the quality of the structure.

A person selling a home is not stupid. Before putting a home on the market, they are going to take steps to spiff it out to raise buyer interest and the rate you are willing to pay. There is nothing devious about such conduct. It is natural to want to put your best foot forward and a person selling a home isn’t going to act differently. This is why you want to take a close look at the exterior paint and stucco on a home.

1. The first thing to look for is peeling or flaking of paint on the exterior walls. If you see this in an obvious place on a wall, run for the hills because the house needs a total repaint. Typically, you are not going to find such obvious problems. Instead, you need to poke around behind bushes, up under roof overhangs and in nooks and crannies. If you find problems of this sort, it tends to mean the paint job on the home was not applied correctly. Once these problems start occurring, you can count on them getting worse over time.

2. The second thing to look for is stains around perforations in the paint. For instance, look for an area where bolts or nails penetrate a painted surface. If you see rust around the hole, you may be seeing an indication of poor maintenance. Even worse, you may be seeing an indication of a water drainage problem. Investigate such occurrences very carefully.

3. With stucco homes, you are typically going to find some cracking do to earth movement and temperature changes. As long as these areas are relatively small, you shouldn’t have problems patching them for a nominal price. The bigger problem, however, is if you find stains or soft spots on the bottom section of a stucco wall. This can mean there are problems with the drainage screen behind the stucco wall and water isn’t getting out. If water isn’t getting out, the stucco will continue to degrade and you may have a mold problem at some point. Both situations can be very expensive to fix.

Spray painting

With money being tight nowadays, perhaps the solution to giving your car a new look would be to indulge in some car spray painting. If the mechanics of it are in good shape, but the body is not so hot, then painting it may be the ideal solution.

It is a great money saver, but even more so if you do it yourself as opposed to having it professionally done. You can do it if you learn the basics and follow the instructions for car spray painting. It’s important though if you decide you are going to undertake this project that you are prepared to see it through till the end.

First of all, you need some supplies. These consist of:

- coverings to protect the unpainted areas and masking tape to hold these in place
- a good car wash detergent and brush as well as a wax/grease remover. The car must be
- various grits of sandpaper
- primers and paint that is urethane base for the car spray painting
- paint sprayer
- safety equipment such as masks, goggles and protective clothing
- knife and putty for fill ins.

One:
You must be sure that you wash the car thoroughly to remove all grime and debris. If you don’t then these things will be set in with your paint, giving a very discouraging look to the finished job. Follow up with a wax/grease remover so the paint you use for the car spray painting will adhere properly.

Two:
Remove any rough spots by sanding. Once this has been done be sure to rinse off any of the loose sandings. This is where you will want to use the putty to fill in any minor pit marks, that are have been caused from stones for example.

Three:
Don’t get in too much of a hurry to start your car spray painting. The car must be completely dry so it is best to leave it to do so for a few hours. You can go ahead and cover any of the areas that your do not want to get paint on.

Four:
Now you are ready to start with the primer. Don’t skip this step, as it will give a much improved look to the finished project. It helps the paint to adhere properly and allows for a more even finish. Next, once the primer is dry you will need to lightly sand it down.

Five:
You are finally at the step you have been waiting for. Its time to apply the color for your car spray painting. Whether you have chosen to use aerosol paints or a spray gun, the premise remains the same. Only apply thin coats. Several will probably be needed. Many light coats are much better than one thick coat. You will be able to tell just by looking at the car how many more coats of paint it will need. Some may only need two whereas others may need three or four.

Painting ceiling

When it comes to painting a house there's nothing that makes people cringe more than the thoughts of painting a ceiling. You just know you're going to wind up covered in drops of paint - no matter how much you cover your arms, face and head. On top of that it's just a plain old awkward place to get at and you never know quite what the surface finish of the ceiling is like until you get started. So how are you going to get the results you want with your ceiling painting project?

The first place to start looking is at your tools and choosing the right paint for the job at hand.

Obviously the first big item on your shopping list is paint. You need to know your paint types. You can choose from the two main categories of oil and latex paint. Then you need to look at the type of finish you want to achieve. A gloss paint will help you reflect a lot of light around a room. Matt paint will give you a more subdued look which will suit some rooms more than others.

Outside of your day-to-day paints there are some special types of paints that you would only use on specific types of painting jobs. There are paints for covering textured ceilings and even specific paints for coating acoustic tiles.

If the ceiling you're about to paint is textured then you'll have to say goodbye to rollers. These simply won't work with a textured stucco-type ceiling. You'll have to look at spraying and this means plenty of ventilation and a certain level of skill - which if you don't possess you'll have to hire somebody in instead. Otherwise you're just going to make a huge mess which is the last thing you really want in your home right?

To prime your walls or not to prime your walls? Well the simple answer is more often than not you will need to. There's far more reasons for applying a coat of primer before you start painting. First off most surfaces need to be primed - especially if the walls are porous or damaged in any way - recent touch up jobs on cracks for example. You'll also save a small fortune by only having to apply one or two coats of actual paint - if the surface is primed you're just going to get a much better finish. Otherwise you'll be applying one coat of paint after another and you might still wind up with streaks or dark patches - especially if the original wall color was dark.

If you want to cut down on the mess you make while you're painting your ceilings then make sure you've mixed your paint properly. To test the consistency of your paint try it on a small patch of wall. If the paint isn't thick enough it will run down the wall. That's not what you want because that means lots of drips from the ceiling so you know you need to check the consistency.

One of the most useful items in your painting toolkit is an extension pole for your roller so that you're not damaging your neck and shoulders. It will allow you to effectively paint ceilings - especially the higher types of ceilings. While painting try to keep the pole at an angle - this will help stop you getting covered in splatters of paint and keep the major stresses off your back, neck and shoulders.

Painting tips

Our lives are getting very busy, and with that comes very little time to maintain housing projects such as painting. It is much more convenient to hire a painting contractor. By hiring a professional, you will get a higher quality paint job, as opposed to a do-it-yourself project. Your next step is to find the perfect painting contractor. It can be very tricky finding a professional whom you can trust to get the job done correctly.

The first place to start looking is within your circle of friends or your family. They can help give you ideas of who the best painting contractors are and who they have heard is the most reliable. Your co-workers might also have suggestions about professional painters. Keep in mind that each person has their own idea of quality, and you should examine the work done on their house so that you can determine if it is the quality that you want.

The customer satisfaction is very important when choosing a professional through references. While their quality of work is important, the way that they treat their customers is also important. The fact that you are hiring a person to do the job proves that you want the experience to be as stress free as possible. In return, you want to pick a professional who is pleasant to work with, as well as courteous to all of your questions or preferences. When inquiring with your friends or family about the professional painter that they used, you should also ask if the contractor arrived on time each morning.

If your friends, co-workers, or family have no recommendations then there are other options. Try inquiring with a person at your local paint store; this does not include a home improvement center. Many professional painters will purchase their supplies from a local paint store because of the valuable prices. The person at the paint store can let you know the type of paint that the professional usually chooses, and if it is of the highest quality.

The Better Business Bureau is another place that you can find a professional painter. Contractors who are reliable and responsible will join the Better Business Bureau. Search for painters who have had no judgments made against them or bad comments. You can call your local office or visit the website. The Better Business Bureau keeps all records on file for 3 years.

After you have a list of prospective painting contractors, your next step should be to call each one. Most importantly, ask about a paint warranty. Three years is usually acceptable for an expiration of a paint warranty. After you make arrangements with the painter, make sure that you get everything in writing. Try to narrow all of your choices down to three painters. Do not be afraid to ask a lot of questions. Make an appointment and examine how courteous they are with your questions and if they are very professional.

Once you have chosen a painter, ask for a written proposal of what will be done during the job and what products the painter will be using. This should include the amount charged for the surface preparation, the priming, what type of primer will be used, the caulking, and the brand of paint that is being used. A professional painter will also have a description of the paint manufacturer’s product line.

Decorative painting

Painting with acrylic paint is very versatile. The paints are either tube or jarred acrylic or craft paint. These paints can be found at craft stores and /or art stores. Acrylic paints dry quickly and are easy to use. Paint brushes generally use synthetic hairs and have an easy clean up with soap and water.

What brand of acrylic paint should used- Purchase either tube, jar or craft bottles from either an art store or craft store such as Michael’s.

What colors should be purchase – Most importantly purchase the following: Cadmium Red Medium, Cadmium Yellow Phthalo Blue. These three colors will make every color on the color wheel. Of course having the colors already made is simpler, but more expensive.

What brushes should be purchase – Good brushes are really important to have. If they are taken care of they will last for a reasonable amount time depending on how much you paint and the type painting. Brush sizes are as follows: flat brushes- # ¼”,1/2”,1”; flat # 1”, liner # 2, and an assortment of round, #1/4”, ½”, and 1” filbert and large wash brushes for backgrounds.

Painting Tips:

1. Place a small amount of paint (either tube or bottle) onto your palette. A regular plastic palette or a Sta-Wet pallete works very well with acrylic paints. Always have a spray bottle of water at hand to spray lightly over the paint to keep the paint moist on your palette. Mist regularly.

2. Fill your container with water. As the water becomes murky, pour out the dirty water and refill the water container with fresh water often. Keep folded, single layers of paper towels to blot your wet brush onto the paper towels. This will keep the brushes in good condition as the metal ferule will be kept dry.

3. Acrylic paint is very versatile. The paint can be used lightly or thicker with brushes and palette knives. Mix the acrylic paints with a touch of white to make them more opaque. If the paint is diluted with either glaze or water the colors will become transparent like watercolors.

4. When painting acrylic washes, the wash is permanent and insoluble as soon as it is dry. Subsequent layering of the washes (drying between layers) adds depth to the sheer washes.

5. Transparent acrylic glazes using a glazing medium must be layered between drying time. The more layers, the deeper the depth of color will develop.

6. Mix a Slo-Dri Blending gel medium with acrylic paint to increase the loss of color strength.

7. Work quickly when you are blending colors. It is important to keep your brush damp with a slow drying gel medium. For more transparency add a gel medium as needed.

8. When developing hard edges use 3M Blue 1” masking tape. Acrylic paint colors painted against the tape keeps the paint from leaking beneath the tape edge. When dry carefully remove the blue tape.

Painting techniques

Oil paint is an amazing versatile medium. It can be applied in a thick buttery fashion or thinned down to a watery consistency. This versatility opens the door to a number of different painting techniques.

My personal preference is to begin my oil paintings by first sketching out the composition using acrylic paint or with water-soluble oil paints. The popular approach to oil painting is to thin the paint with turpentine to apply your initial layers. Turpentine is quite toxic and I prefer not to work with it. Acrylic or water-soluble oil paints can be thinned down with plain old water and are more pleasant to work with in my opinion.

You can also begin your oil painting by first drawing out your composition. There are a few drawing mediums that work quite nicely with oil paints. My two favorites are vine charcoal and water-soluble pencils. I prefer vine charcoal because it doesn't smudge like other charcoals and it can be erased easier. Water-soluble pencils are wonderful because they can be applied like ordinary colored pencils and can also be dampened with a brush allowing you to spread out the color.

If you are the impatient type, you may want to try your hand at the Alla Prima oil painting technique. The Alla Prima method is when you complete the painting in one sitting rather than paint in layers and wait for the paint to dry. Although I usually prefer to work out my paintings in layers, I occasionally enjoy this exciting and spontaneous approach to oil painting.

If you are the careful, patient type of painter, you may be interested in working with glazes. Glazing has lost popularity these days, partly because of the time needed to complete such a painting and it's difficulty, but the results are something truly unique to any other type of painting technique. The composition is first painted with an opaque monochrome underpainting, usually in shades of gray. After this initial underpainting is thoroughly dry, thin layers of transparent oil glazes are applied. Colors are not mixed directly but added in separate layers to get the desired color.

If you are the adventurous type, put the brushes aside and try a set of painting or palette knives. You can achieve some very interesting results with knives that aren't possible with brushes. The oil paint can be spread on thickly and scraped off with ease. What I enjoy most about using knives is the tendency to not focus on the small details. I am forced to paint in a more relaxed fashion that creates an impressionist style painting. Get yourself a set of painting knives and try to complete an entire painting with just the knives. It's challenging at first if you are used to brushes, but it's an enjoyable exercise.

Perhaps you would like your painting to have more body and texture. You could try the impasto technique and apply your paint in thick heavy strokes, leaving evidence of all those wonderfully artistic brush strokes. Take a look at a Van Gogh painting and you will see this technique in action.

Faux painting

Our prehistoric ancestors knew all about the power of paint. Today, faux painting techniques allow anyone to give their home a magical makeover. Indoors and out, faux paint finishes can transform walls and floors, fittings and furnishings.

Faux painting can give new life to a dull room or a drab outdoor area. Marble and wood grain finishes are some of the best-known faux painting techniques, but there are many more, including brick effects and the appearance of leather. Antique and distressed finishes can be used to create the style and atmosphere of a bygone age in old houses or can refresh and embellish existing décor.

Brick and Block Effects

Raw brick is a popular look for use both indoors and out. You can add texture to a flat wall or turn dull concrete into attractive brickwork. With stencils and the right paint, it is a relatively simple task to add pattern and color to boring floors or paths. The illusion of brickwork visible behind peeling plaster is an amusing and visually effective way to create the impression of age and that antique ‘lived-in’ look.

Wood Finishes

With quality wood an expensive investment, faux painting that recreates a wood grain look is an economical alternative for doors, window frames and other household fittings. Any kind of wood look can be replicated, from patinated mahogany to rustic pine or the distressed appearance of driftwood. The dragging technique that is usually used to simulate wood grain can be especially useful if you need to match a door or window to existing wood fittings. Other items, including picture frames, fireplaces and furniture can also be transformed to match a room.

The Luxurious Look of Marble

Craftsmen centuries ago learned how to use paint to give ordinary materials the opulent appearance of marble. Faux marble can give your kitchen and bathroom an expensive and luxurious look. Paint applied with a sponge and fine brush and completed with a glossy finish help to create the illusion of fine marble. As with wood, many different effects can be reproduced. For example, a granite effect is popular for kitchen counter tops.

Other Stylish Effects

With the right materials and knowledge, a range of exotic and stylish finishes can be achieved using paint, including metallic finishes. Faux chrome details can complement contemporary homes, whereas faux bronze can add the finishing touch to a traditional room furnished with antiques.

Other faux painting techniques that simulate a warm and lived-in look include Tuscan finishes, perfect for uneven surfaces. Tuscan finishes use warm, earthy colors to create a textured and layered appearance. The Tuscan finish is ideal for kitchens and dining areas, and complements floors tiled in terracotta, but can equally add style to a living room. Vine and acanthus motifs used as a stenciled border provide a finishing touch.

Faux painting allows you to coordinate décor schemes and achieves a unified overall appearance. Antique and distressed finishes can help bring the look of a room together. New furniture and fittings can be given a glowing patina that makes them look as if they have been around for centuries. Textured finishes such as color washes can help achieve this visual effect. On furniture or doors, crackle glazes dry to look like antique varnishing.

Interior painting

In home decoration and design interior paint is considered among the most essential element in setting the mood of any room. Typically new or pre-owned homes in New York or generally everywhere, sport an interior that have been intentionally set by realtors and home owners in neutral colors. Why? Sticking to the essentials helps avoid taste conflicts, thus making the place more sellable. But for the new owner, the lot of stark white wall would soon look lifeless. To make the space more comfortable, you can inject a good dose of your personality through interior painting.

If you still are not convinced to consider an interior painting to change colors, here are several other reasons. Though the color represents modernity, it also tends look and feel impersonal as well as utilitarian. White walls can also add up to the illusion of having a more spacious room but too much of it would result to a claustrophobic feeling. And basically, the greatest drawback of an all-white interior paint is that the imperfections seem highlighted and maintaining its cleanliness can be tedious.

For many, the most difficult and stressful part would be choosing which color to integrate in your interior painting project. For one, it would be you who would be surrounded by the color that you choose so why not make it your favorite or the hue that you think you think matches your style and character and are most comfortable with? One thing to remember though, is that if you have a color in mind like blue, choose the shade which is somewhere in between which is neither too dark nor too light. But if you find it hard t make up your mind on this element of interior painting, try science as it has been known that colors have a psychological effect. You can choose which effect you want it to cause on you. Or you can also choose from among the hues that compliments with the furniture and furnishings that you have already in the room.

If you love taking on bolder or fancier approach, you can add depth and texture into the room and consider any of the following ideas on decorative interior painting:

Faux Painting

Faux means artificial. Just as the name suggests, you can create an illusion of being in one place or being surrounded by things that interest you. This interior painting idea makes your mind run wild with the possibilities like having a wall of galaxies if your are into stars and outer space.

Wall Stenciling

This decorative interior painting idea creating patterns or shapes on the walls by using a stencil or cut out template. The pattern can be used to highlight some areas of the wall or repeatedly throughout the surface.