Painting with Deep Base Colors

Q: What kind of paint should I use when painting deep base colors?

A:  The most expensive you can find.....with a caveat

There are scenarios (even in extremely low profile job scenarios) where it pays to go with the most expensive paint available.  It will ultimately save you money.  One of these scenarios is using deep base colors on accent walls.  

Bright Reds, Dark Green, Royal Blues and other deep base colors will not cover in two coats (even if you tint a quality primer) if you get cheap paint.  You'll end up spending a lot more time with 3, 4 or 5 coats then you otherwise would if you simply would have got one of the two products.  1.  Benjamin Moore's Aura or 2. Sherwin Williams' Emerald.  Both Products are selling around $70.00 retail.  A good painting contractor can do considerably better on that price but these products will generally cover in two coats (with primer and sometimes without) in any color and they are largely burnish resistant to boot.

Here is a job where a homeowner picked up the paint for an accent wall for us.   Generally I always buy products but on this particular job the homeowner was insistent on purchasing the paint.  We primed the walls with a dark grey and ended up applying 4 top coats:  

I didn't charge the customer any extra money because there was other work to be done as we allowed this paint to dry but had the homeowner wanted an entire room painted with such a poor product it could have cost him a lot more.

You can see from the pic that after a patch, primer and two top coats its not even close to a finished product.  Stick with the top of the line products for any deep base color...

Nick Dettinger

Complete Custom Painting

651-336-0561 cellular

Hiring a Reputable Painting Contractor

Hiring a reputable painting contractor is the very first step in assuring success with your painting project. How does a homeowner or business owner go about doing this?  One of the first steps you can take is by checking out your local Better Business Bureau. Find at least three contractors with no complaints with an A rating. Or you may know a friend or family member who have used a contractor in the past that they have had success with. You should always get at least three quotes no matter how you find them.

The contractor that you wind up choosing should provide you with the following items:

1. A written proposal explaining exactly what they will do, the materials they will use, and exactly what the job will cost.

2. A list of references with phone numbers that you may call. The list should have at least 20-30 names with the city that the job was done in and the type of work that was done. My reference list has either an I, E, and or R after each name to show if the job was interior, exterior, or repeat customer. A refence list such as this insures that it is not a list of just family and friends.

3. Proof of business insurance and workers comp. insurance. More on this in another article. Any reputable contractor will have both.

4. If your home was built before 1978, then by law, the contractor MUST be certified by the EPA to work in/on your house. Any reputable contractor will show his/her certificate as proof that they are certified. The certification has to do with lead dust/paint. More on that in another article.

5. You are paying hard earned money for a contractor to perform a job for you. Do yourself a favor and hire a Professional, not a Jack of All Trades. There are simply to many handymen, roofing contractors, siding contractors, drywallers, etc... that attach Painting as a service that they provide. If you want to achieve a quality job that lasts, then hire  a real Painting Contractor. Real painting contractors paint day in, day out, and know what materials to use, what tools to use, and know the tricks of the trade to achieve a paint job that you will marvel over.

Michael Guinther
Allure Painting
1441 Wagar
Lakewood Ohio 44107
216-287-7468
www.allurepainting.net
allurepainting@gmail.com

Multiple colors for enamel work looks good

Question: Should your doors be the same color as the door frames if you are going to paint them?

Answer:  In most cases they are, but they don't have to be.

Most of the enamel work we do involves painting the door trim the same color as the door.  It is appropriate at times to split it however.  Depending on the color and room decor you can paint the doors a different color and it looks fantastic.  If you choose to do this it is very important to speak with a designer.  You can do this for free and your only cost will be having the painting done professionally.  I'd also strongly recommend you have a professional do the painting work.  There is a difference in quality and knowledge.
Also, I don't recommend splitting windows.  It's too busy and defeats one of the purposes of having a window there.

Call Nick  with Complete Custom Painting:  651-336-0561 cellular

 White Bear Lake Painter.  Interior Painter.  Exterior Painter.  Painting Company Twin Cities.  Twin Cities Painter.  Painting Company Twin Cities.  Painting Company North East Metro.  Deck Staining.  Fine Finishing.

Interior wall and ceiling painting (keeping it clean and perfect)

Q:What happens if I find an error after the first coat of paint on the walls, but I've already done the mud work?
A:  No problem, mud the area, but make sure to prime/paint that mud area and let it dry prior to re-top coating everything or you'll get a flashing spot in the walls.


 If you put a first coat on (even with some higher end paints) and the color is a deep base color (like a red or dark green etc) the paint will not cover in one coat (actually paint never really covers in one coat if you ask me).  A second coat is needed but if you notice a few small holes you missed when you went around the first time and hit everything with the 5 minute mud (or 20 minute or joint compound or top coat etc whatever the situation calls for)  All you need to do is hit that area with the mud, let it dry, prime it and then proceed to top coat everything.
More errors can show up after the first coat, because the reflective nature of the paint you are using as well as the color you are using may reveal more (or less for that matter)  Generally, I've found that the marbling look you get after a first coat will reveal one or two holes (very minor ones) that may have been missed.  Simple to fix and a perfect wall is the end result.
A couple of quick tips on sanding the spot. 1. Use a vacuum underneath every spot you apply mud.  2.  Prime in a circular pattern a little further out from the actual mud spot.
From there just proceed with expertise and excellence.

Nick Dettinger-  Complete Custom Painting LLC

651-336-0561 cellular

White Bear Lake Painter.  Interior Painter.  Exterior Painter.  Painting Company Twin Cities.  Twin Cities Painter.  Painting Company Twin Cities.  Painting Company North East Metro.  Deck Staining.  Fine Finishing.

Professional Trim Painting.

Q: How do I paint trim professionally?
A: Generally speaking, you shouldn't try, but depending on the scenario here are some tips.

If you are going to paint previously stained woodwork you should really consider hiring a professional.  There are a lot of steps to take to ensure the primer and top coat adhere.  It is time consuming and smells bad.  I've written previously about it but generally speaking, it should be done by someone who has done it many times before.  If done well, you can make stained oak look great.  If rushed, you will regret it.
With that said if you have previously painted trim work and just want to brighten up, you can use a product by the name of "Advanced" by Ben Moore.  I like it because the luster of the finish is like an oil and it lays down much nicer than a lot of the latex enamels.
Prior to the top coat however, you should take these minimum steps.
1.  Scuff the surface.  Use a medium purple sanding sponge.  It should chalk the surface.
2.  Vacuum the surface.  Use a brush on the end of the hose.

3.  tac cloth the surface right before brushing on the paint.

Nick Dettinger-  Complete Custom Painting LLC

651-336-0561 cellular

White Bear Lake Painter.  Interior Painter.  Exterior Painter.  Painting Company Twin Cities.  Twin Cities Painter.  Painting Company Twin Cities.  Painting Company North East Metro.  Deck Staining.  Fine Finishing.

The right prep for painting a ceiling.

Q:  Should I use plastic or tarps if I'm prepping to paint a ceiling
A:  BOTH:  Read Below.

If you're getting ready to prep and paint a ceiling and want to protect the flooring you should take a few simple steps.  1st:  use painters plastic on all furniture, the tops of cabinets and carpet.  2nd: Use tarps on any wood or tile surfaces.  Generally I recommend using tarps on surfaces that are slippery (in either case be careful).  I personally buy the plastic backed tarps or thick woven tarps which are a little more expensive but block any spillage.
What tends to happen is paint splatter from the roller falls down and as you walk around some of it will stick on your shoes.  Make sure you prep the area so you are always walking only in those areas where you have something on the ground (or outside).  Then take your shoes off before moving to those areas that are not protected.
I see a lot of ceilings that have roller marks in them, un-matched texture, roller lines (because they were rolling too long or pressing) and then we get called in to fix the mess.  We appreciate it.
Specifically with texture repair, I am consistently asked to fix areas that were butchered by someone that didn't know the correct way to do it and didn't have the experience.
Painting a ceiling correctly is not as easy as you may thing, and there are more steps than you think.  If you are going to tackle it though.  Take the time to prep the area correctly by covering everything,...everything.
Call Nick at Complete Custom Painting
651-336-0561 cellular

Twin Cities, MN Painter  

 Here on the carpet and the couch we used plastic.

Here we used tarps on the carpet and taped off the on the brass.  In this picture the painter is rolling to the left of the fan but when we roll above the fan we take some painter plastic and throw it over the top of the fan blades.

How to make sure my painted walls turn out perfect

Q:How to make sure my painted walls turn out perfect?
A: Read Below.

There are a few steps you'll want to take to make sure your walls turn out well when your painting.
1.  Make sure you see everything:  A professional painter should ALWAYS make sure any surface they are going to paint is well lit.  If you can't see an imperfection, you'll likely miss correcting it.


Here you can see we use a 3 stage light and a small light to carry around on an extension cord.  The large light move from wall to wall and the smaller light acts as an inspection light.
2.  Skim the wall in 2 stages.  Once before the prime coat and once after.  Also sand the entire wall.
3.  Use a primer:  There are a lot of reasons why, yes, even though almost all acrylic paints now advertise "prime and paint in one," there are aspects to a primer that perform independently from paints that claim to prime and paint in one step.  Especially when mud is involved (and should always be involved.)
4.  Make sure you are using appropriate techniques.  There are a lot to expand upon here.  You can discuss it further by calling Complete Custom Painting LLC
651-336-0561 Ask for Nick