We offer painting services from South Nanaimo to Parksville. We are a small painting business, this allows us to provide a truly personal service to our customers.

We do residential repainting as well as new construction and renovation painting, both interior and exterior. We gladly accept jobs as small as a single bathroom. We offer free detailed written estimates with no obligation.

The care we have taken in our work shows, a large amount of our business comes from repeat customers, through referrals and word of mouth. We can provide many excellent references, please feel free to ask for them.

Our Quality

• Attention paid to detail
• Pride in our work, we love to see the final results we can create in a home
• Proper time to prepare all surfaces, including patching, sanding, removal of chipped and peeling paint
• Only premium quality paint is used, the best product or finish will be recommended to achieve your desired results

Our Service

• Professional, on time and as requested
• Clean job site at all times
• Property and belongings protected and treated with respect
• Committed to customer satisfaction on every job

Our Knowledge

• Dedicated to keeping up with on going industry changes
• Continuing education about material improvements and new product systems
• Familiar with current colour trends
• Communication with our customers from start to finish of the project to allow them to help in the decision making process

Credentials

• Licenced company
• WCB insured

]]> http://www.parnellpainting.com/parnell-painting/feed http://www.parnellpainting.com/choosing-interior-colours http://www.parnellpainting.com/choosing-interior-colours#comments Sat, 03 May 2008 02:00:50 +0000 admin http://parnellpainting.com/?p=15 Choose What You Are Comfortable With

Many people seem to be quite comfortable choosing colours in every aspect of their life, except when it comes to their home. They choose colours with ease for their vehicles, accessories and clothing. For some reason when it comes time to pick house colours they have a great deal of anxiety. The bottom line is, pick colours that you like and feel comfortable living with. Choose colours that you already know you like, such as colours in nature, your clothing and decorative items in your home. If you are not wanting to commit to a daring paint colour on your walls, but would like to introduce some bold colours, do it with other decorative accessories, throw pillows or artwork.

Current Trends

If you are interested in the current colour trends, remember that clothing and fashion are usually linked to design trends and influence each other. Check out the latest fashion magazines and you will often see the same colours that are popular in current decorating.

Creating a Mood

It is interesting to note that colour can be a big influence on human emotion and behaviour. Think about the mood you would like to create in a space. What kind of effect are you looking for? Is it a to induce relaxation in a bedroom or playfulness in a child’s room? Are you looking for a calming spa like feeling in your bathroom or trying to create a bold statement in a space?

Fail Proof Choice

For a fail proof and safe choice, go with a monochromatic colour scheme. Use several shades of the same colour. This can easily be accomplished by choosing two or more colours off the same colour strip from a paint store. Check out their brochures as well. Most companies have specific examples of paint colours for interior rooms and photos to look at. Many paint companies now have websites with great decorating inspirations.

New Construction, Renovation or Complete Redecorating

When decorating for new construction or if you are completely redecorating a room, your paint colour should be one of the last things you choose. Always pick the large items first, such as flooring, sofas, drapery and window coverings. There are infinite numbers of paint colours, and you will always be able to find one to compliment what you have chosen.

Picking New Colours For an Existing Room

If you are painting an existing room and need to find a paint colour to go with what you already have, look to the items in the space. Focus on items such as the flooring and your large furniture like sofas and chairs. Look at the fabrics in the space, the draperies, throw cushions, bedding, area rugs or artwork. These can all provide inspiration for your colour choices. Think about the room and how it correlates to the other areas in your house. Remember harmony is the key to good decorating. Colours that create flow throughout your home are more appealing and create the illusion of more space.

How Lighting Affects Paint Colour

One of the main factors that affects paint color is light. Take into consideration the lighting in the room during the day and the artificial lighting at night. Make sure to observe colours during various times of the day. What seems attractive at one time may not be under different lighting conditions. One colour can also appear dramatically different in various areas of the same room. That is why we recommend looking at a colour sample on each wall and area within a space.

Accenting Specific Features or Trim

Be careful if deciding to use different colours within the same space. Don’t just stick in an accent wall for the sake of doing so. We have done our fair share of painting over these in the last few years. This was a trend that has now subsided. If you are creating a feature in a room, make sure it is something that is worth featuring. Some areas that may warrant using different colours or different shades of the same colour within a room are shutters, doors, wall trimmings, mouldings, columns or other interesting architectural aspects.

A recessed wall or a wall at the end of a long hallway might look nice painted with a darker colour than the rest of the space, this can be an attractive way to showcase artwork. Sometimes you will want your trim work and baseboards in a room to stand out from the walls. Choose the colour of the walls first and then pick a complimentary trim colour. Other times it might be best that trim or baseboards blend in. It might not be a good idea to highlight small insignificant baseboards. You can create the illusion of more height in a room if you have low ceilings by painting the baseboards the same colour as the walls.

Ceilings

If you are having your walls painted and think your ceilings may need painting, then this is the time to do it. People often do not realize how discoloured their ceilings have become. It is amazing to see the colour difference once we start applying fresh paint. You might have original textured ceilings in your home, sometimes these have a very gray tone to them. Adding a pleasing white or off white colour will give a room a bright and fresh look. Painting ceilings white can sometimes create an illusion of space, other times it might be best to paint the ceiling a lighter shade of what is on the walls. If a room has really high ceilings you might want to consider painting them with something darker than white or even a slightly darker shade of what is on the walls. This will give the appearance that the ceiling is lower and create a more cozy atmoshphere.

Think About the Big Picture When Using Colour

What looks good on a paint chip might not be so appealing when it is all over the walls of a room. Bold or dark colours are going to magnify in intensity when put over a large space. That colour you may have fallen in love with on the sample may not be what you were expecting when applied it to a large area.

Applying Colour Samples

It can be difficult to choose the paint colour for an entire space from a small colour chip. Keep in mind that although fairly accurate, this is just a print of the colour. The actual paint can vary slightly from the chip and can vary greatly from what you might see as a colour sample on a website. Don’t hesitate to try samples of colour on the wall. Almost all paint stores now sell small sample pots of their paint. Even if they don’t, the small expense of buying a quart of a colour is worth making sure you like it. If you are not comfortable in doing this yourself, we can offer this service with our accepted estimates. There will be a charge for the cost of of the paint. We can offer some assistance in the way of giving suggestions or opinions on what colours will look appealing in your home.

When choosing exterior colours for your home, pay attention to significant areas that will not be changing. Use items such as your roof shingles, stone or masonry on your house as a starting point for picking colours that will compliment your home. Look at your landscaping, the trees, shrubs and flower gardens around your property. Use the nature around you for inspiration. Your home should become harmonious with the surrounding landscape.

Do’s and Dont’s of Colour

Try not to pick colours that will clash with neighbouring houses. Express yourself with paint colour in a subtle style. Paint the front door a bold colour. This is where you can make a statement of your own. You don’t want to highlight or draw attention to unattractive features, make them seem to disappear or blend in with the house. These are elements such as eaves troughs, downspouts, dryer vents and other utility boxes.

Attractive architectural details can be painted in different, but complimentary colours to stand out from the main body of the home. Be aware that when painting window sills in dark colours, it can attract a lot of heat and may crack or damage the paint. It’s best to keep your soffits in a light colour as well. This will allow more light to be reflected back into the windows and brighten up your home. Customers are always amazed to see the dramatic difference it makes when we have painted dark coloured soffits back to white or a light colour.

Dark colours can also have a tendency to fade, especially in harsh sunlight. They might not be the best option to paint on large surface areas. As with interior painting, a safe colour combination for the exterior of your home is to choose several shades of the same colour. Do this by picking two or more colours from the same strip at a paint store. Be careful in your decision of how many colours to use on the outside of you house. Not enough colour might leave it boring and flat looking. Too many colours can become overwhelming to the eye.

Keep the style of your home in mind. Southwestern style stucco colours might not look very appealing on a Cape Cod style house. If you have a very old house, you may want to do some research on historical colours. Most paint stores have brochures with colours coordinated for different house styles.

Where To Get Colour Help and Inspiration

Walk or drive to different areas of where you live, take note of houses that have appealing colour schemes. If you see something you like, try to envision if those colours would work on your home. Utilize the paint stores brochures that are specifically designed for exterior painting. They have thoughtfully arranged colour combinations and pictures of homes you can look at.

Many paint companies have websites with excellent decorating information. Some have sophisticated software programs for you to try out colour schemes. You can look at several different house styles and change the colours to see what they would look like. Look through magazines or watch decorating shows for ideas as well.

Applying Samples

When you get your colour choices narrowed down, don’t hesitate to go to the paint store and purchase some of their sample testers. Most companies now offer small sample sizes of their colours. If they don’t have this option, it is still well worth the expense of buying a few small quarts of paint. This will ensure you are going to like the colour once it is applied to your entire house.

Pick a spot on your home where you can see the body colour and an area of trim or where accent colours will be applied. This will allow you to see how the colours will work together. Try out the sample colours on several areas of the house to see what they look like. View the colours at several different times of the day. Changing lighting circumstances will cause the colour to look quite different.

If you are not comfortable in doing the colour sample painting yourself, with our accepted estimates we can offer this service. There will be a fee charged for the cost of the paint. We can also offer some assistance in the way of giving suggestions or opinions on what colours will look appealing on your home.

]]> http://www.parnellpainting.com/choosing-exterior-colour/feed http://www.parnellpainting.com/one-of-our-interior-projects-from-start-to-finish http://www.parnellpainting.com/one-of-our-interior-projects-from-start-to-finish#comments Sat, 03 May 2008 01:59:27 +0000 admin http://www.parnellpainting.com/?p=163

Step One, Protection Of Surfaces

Drop cloths are places throughout the areas being painted. Paint supplies are contained on drop sheets as well. The floors are taped off along the baseboard edge.

Step Two, Preparing The Surfaces

It’s not uncommon for walls to look like they have a case of the chicken pocks by the time we are done patching them. Over time your walls get small nicks and dings, you may not even be aware of many of them until it is time to paint.

We give all walls and surfaces a light sanding before we do any painting. We had to do some heavier sanding on many areas of these walls to try and smooth them out. There were issues from previous painting work.

The baseboards in this condo had never been caulked.  Caulking the corners, joints, and especially the top of the baseboards makes a remarkable improvement in the finished look. See how before the caulking the crack between the top of the baseboard and wall is visible.  A smooth bead of caulking is applied to the top of the boards before any surfaces are painted. Any other imperfections in baseboards or trims are patched and sanded. A light overall sanding is done to them as well to ensure smooth surfaces.

Here are some before and after pictures showing the difference with and with out caulking.

The same procedure is done for window and door trims. Here you can see the door trim looks unfinished. Again caulking is put between the edge of the trim and the wall.  The end result is much more aesthetically pleasing.  Window trims are done in the same way.

Step Three, The Painting

Two coats of paint are applied to the baseboards and trims. The walls are done last. A sharp cut in line is done along the top of the baseboard, covering up the part of the caulking that slightly over lapped onto the wall.  When completed it gives a seamless clean look.

Unless we are repainting with the same colour, we apply two coats of paint on the walls, sometimes more coats are required. After the trims and baseboards are painted and allowed to dry, the walls get painted. Clean up begins and then the work is complete!

Here is a full photo gallery of the before and after photos for this project.

We arrive on the scene once the plumbing and electrical have been run through the house and the drywall work has been completed. The final mudding of the walls and sanding has been done by the drywallers. They have also completed any texturing of ceilings.

We come in at this point, before any other installations are put into the house, such as flooring, kitchen and bathroom cabinets and fixtures, trim work, etc. We spray two coats of flat ceiling paint onto any smooth ceilings. In this particular home this was done in two of the bathrooms. A coat of colour the same as the walls was applied to the ceiling of the stairwell.

We now cut in next to textured ceilings and any other necessary areas. Then we spray and back roll a primer onto all the wall surfaces. Once the primer has dried we visually inspect the walls for any imperfections that may have been missed by the drywallers. Minor nicks and dings, etc. in the walls. We patch and sand anything we find.

A light sanding is now done to the overall wall surfaces before any other paint is applied. This ensures a smooth finish. We now start to apply the first coat of colour. Cut ins are done to the textured ceilings and other necessary areas again. Then we spray and back roll all the wall surfaces.

At this time we can apply a final finish coat of colour to a few areas such as the walls of the kitchen where cabinets will be placed and in bathrooms where the toilets or cabinet may go. This makes it easier when doing the final painting of the rooms. We don’t have to worry about cutting in around the cabinets and fussing with paint behind the toilets.

A few different scenarios can now happen depending on the particular project. A typical scenario is the window and door casings and trims are put in. In the rooms where carpets are going to be installed, the baseboards are put in.

We come in at this point and fill the nail holes in the trim work, sand them, and caulk all the joints and where they meet the wall edge. We do any necessary taping and masking, then spray two coats of paint onto the trim work. Sometimes spraying is not always possible and the trim work is done by hand. Some tricks of the trade allow us to simulate a sprayed look when it is done in this manner.

We can also spray the baseboards that have been installed in rooms where carpet will be placed. At this time we can finish the walls in those rooms if no other installations will be going in that affect the walls. We cut in and roll the final coat of colour on the walls.

The tradespeople continue putting the installations of the kitchen, bathrooms, and flooring in.

The baseboards get put in after any hardwood floor or tile is installed. Once that has been done we can come in and put the final coat of colour on the rest of the walls and finish the baseboards in any rooms that they have not been done in yet.

Doors are usually sprayed on location in the garage and allowed to dry. They are sanded and get two coats of paint applied. If they are stain grade they may be getting stained and/or clear coated. Once the doors are dry they can be installed into the house.

We do a final inspection of the home to make sure everything is complete and our job is done.

The owners of this particular house asked us to do painting of the primer and the first coat of colour. They will be doing a lot of the finishing installations themselves. We will be doing an estimate for the final painting for them once they get closer to completion.

The sheen level of the paint you choose can have quite an impact on the look of your room. The overall aesthetic of the room and its intended use should be taken into consideration when choosing a sheen level of paint. It’s also a matter of personal preference. Some people find shiny surfaces attractive, while others prefer more matte ones.

Using different sheen levels within a room can create interesting visual effects. An example would be an eggshell finish for the walls and a semi-gloss for the trim work. Quite often the walls and trims are different colours, but a unique effect can be created by using the same colour in different paint sheens. We have done this in homes where because of other decorating choices the home owner wanted the trim work, baseboards and walls to all be the same colour. In this case a visual difference in the paint was created by painting the walls in an eggshell finish and the trim work in a semi-gloss.

Most types of paint sheen are available for interior or exterior use. The typical types of finishes offered by most paint manufacturers are:

• flat or matte
• eggshell
• satin or may be called pearl
• semi-gloss
• high gloss

Matte or Flat Paint

Paints with flat or matte finish have little or no sheen to them. Flat paint is the most common choice for interior ceilings. Flat has the softest, smoothest and warmest look since it barely reflects the light. It can visually enhance the colour of the walls giving a rich looking finish. It has excellent touch up characteristics. Flat paint tends to hide surface imperfections, including scratches and small dents. It may be a good choice for older uneven walls.

Although new paint technology has greatly improved the quality of flat paints, they generally are not as good for areas that need regular or vigorous washing and scrubbing. The surface finish is not as durable when it comes to marks and bumps, therefore not the best choice for high abuse areas. They do not have stain resistance as good as an eggshell or higher sheen.

Eggshell or Satin Paint

Both eggshell and satin have a very slight sheen or gloss level. This is often referred to as a moderate paint sheen level. Eggshell usually has a lower sheen than satin paint.

An eggshell finish can convey warmth to a room without being excessively shiny. This paint sheen is a good choice for interior walls. New paint technology has greatly improved in the last decade for eggshell finish paints. There are very high quality eggshell paints available that can be used where traditionally we had no choices other than semi-gloss. These areas include doors, door frames, window sills, all trims and mouldings, baseboards, etc. They are suitable for kitchens and bathrooms, holding up well to scrubbing, moisture and humidity.

Satin is a great choice for exterior use. It is the most common sheen used on the exterior of homes since it more readily sheds water and resists the affects of the sun when compared to flat. It provides a nice look on siding and trims.

Semi-gloss Paint

Semi-gloss paint has a higher sheen than eggshell or satin finishes. Semi-gloss paints are even more resistant to dirt and scuff marks. They are sometimes used on trims, doors and windows, or any other areas that require regular or vigorous cleaning.

Paints with semi-gloss finishes can be used to highlight architectural details. Some customers like the look of an eggshell finish on their walls and a semi-gloss paint on the doors, trims and baseboards.

High-gloss

Very high gloss paints reflect a lot of light. They are very shiny and can even create a “plastic” type look. They are sometimes used for exterior doors or trims. These highly reflective finishes are tough and stain resistant. They are easier to clean than paints with lower sheen. They do however create highly reflective surfaces that will cause imperfections to be more noticeable.

One way to save money may sound counter productive, that is to paint more often. Many home owners wait too long to repaint their home. It will end up costing more because of the all the prep work needed. The scraping, sanding, caulking, priming and repairs needed to the home will far out weigh the actual cost of the painting. Not to mention you may have dryrot, mold or mildew or severe water damage occur because of paint failure. It is much easier and more economical to keep your house regularly maintained so that it needs minimum surface preparation. Consider having select areas of your home repainted when they need it instead of waiting until it needs a total repaint.

This house has been left far too long between painting. There are some boards with little product left on them. This leaves the surface exposed to the harsh elements such as rain and sun. Moisture can start to penetrate into the wood. The intense heat of the sun has warped and cracked some of the boards. Leaving your home this long before painting will end up costing more money in damage and repairs. It will also cost a great deal to paint or stain. The wood is so dry that it will require a large volume of product for proper coverage.

Try to schedule painting before you move into a new home. Good painting contractors can book up fast so plan ahead. If we can come into the house and paint while it is empty it can cut the cost considerably.

Make sure that a high quality paint is used. If a cheap product has been applied you have wasted your money. Inferior paint will not protect the exterior of your home from the elements and the interior finish will not hold up and will need repainting more often.

Make sure the proper preparation done. The highest quality paint is only as good as the surface preparation that was done prior to it being applied.

Consider booking your interior painting in winter, often this season can be slower for the painting industry and contractors may offer discounts.

Book projects for your home to be done at one time. A contractor will usually take this into consideration and offer a volume discount. This will work out cheaper than having several paint jobs spaced out over the year.

Anything done on the home owners part to allow the contractor to focus on painting will help reduce the cost. Contractors take many factors into consideration when doing an estimate. Having to work around difficult furniture, move furniture, blinds, or other window coverings all take up time.

We only use paints and materials from companies that have top quality products. Our products come from paint manufacturers (paint stores) whos main focus is in paint technology. This ensures we have quality materials from suppliers who back up their products. The exact type of paint used will be determined once we evaluate the surfaces being painted.  The manufacturers we normally deal with are Cloverdale Paint, General Paint and Benjamin Moore.  We use the top quality line of paint each of these companies has to offer. If you have a personal preference we can accommodate for it in our estimate.

Paints are evaluated on many properties (hiding, coverage, burnish resistance, flow & leveling, stain resistance, adhesion over various surfaces, etc.) Each paint product has its own particular balance of properties, and to say which is the best quality depends on what perspective you are looking at the paint. In general, you won’t go wrong choosing a top-line product from a quality paint manufacturer. Feel free to chose your colours from any paint source, we can have them matched into a quality formula from one of the companies we use.

I have a few estimates from different painters for my home. Why are there drastic price variations?

Attention to detail and the time taken to do the preparation work is usually the main reason for a price variance.  The steps taken to prepare surfaces before painting are an important part of the job. Some projects may require a great deal of preparation work, it can often take much longer than the actual painting.

It’s very important that your estimate is detailed and gives a full description of what work is going to be done. In addition to preparation, check to see how many coats of paint are going to be applied. There are very few cases where applying one coat of paint is sufficient.  We will always state this in our written estimate how many coats are going to be applied to each surface. Other factors may be the experience of the painter, or how long they have been in business, who they are using to do their labour and the paint product being used.

I Am Building My Own Home Or Having One Built For Me, Can I Get An Estimate From You?

Yes, it is not always a builder we are contacted by when it comes to new construction. Sometimes a home owner is building their own home, or is acting as the general contractor and getting the quotes directly from the trades people. We can give an estimate during any stage of the building process, whether it is from a blue print or house that is already framed. Contact us to find out our process for new construction painting and what information we will require from you.

Does someone have to be at home during the painting?

No, this is not necessary. We can arrange to be at your home before you leave for work, or leave us a key. However, we realize that some customers are not comfortable with leaving people in their home unattended. Even though we have never had a problem with our trustworthiness, please feel free to do what ever you are most comfortable with.

Can you do drywall repair or fix water stains?

We can do minor drywall repair and patching. What is minor? Small holes, bumps, scratches, and dents such as from furniture hitting the walls. We don’t do major repairs where pieces of drywall need to be cut out and replaced. We leave this up to the drywall professionals. If the cause of a water stain has been dealt with, we can seal the area before we paint. Extensive water damage may mean the drywall has to be replaced.

Do you paint textured ceilings?

Yes we do. We will need to determine whether the ceiling has ever been painted before. This will determine what kind of product we need to use.

I have dark wood paneling in my home. Can it be painted?

Absolutely. It may have to be washed with a solution first. We will use a special primer and then two coats of a paint that has high adhesion properties. It dramatically changes the look of a room to introduce a paint colour to the wood paneling.

What forms of payment do you accept?

We accept payment by cash or cheque. Payment is due upon completion of the work. A written invoice/receipt will be issued to you. Sorry, we do not currently accept credit cards. We will be looking at this option for the future.

Our house needs painting, but our budget does not allow us to do it all at once. What can we do?

A good place to start is a room that is used most frequently, or on a daily basis. This will provide you and your family with a room you can spend time in and enjoy. You can work from this room to create a colour scheme for the rest of your house in the future. This can be a good way to see how you like a certain colour before committing to painting it throughout your home.

I’m selling my house, if I can’t have it all painted which areas will make the biggest impact?

• A freshly painted front door and/or the foyer area will create a pleasing welcome
• Any areas that appear dingy or look like they are in need of painting
• Areas of the home with bold colours that may not appeal to the majority of home buyers, as well as children’s rooms that have had personal decorating or applications put on the walls
• Spaces with trendy or dramatic faux finishing
• Rooms with extremely outdated colours
• any areas of the exterior that look badly weathered or have peeling or chipping paint

What finish is the best?

This depends on the room and what it’s intended use is. We can advise you on this when the property is viewed during the estimate. It also depends on the look you prefer seeing. Some people like the look of a more matte finish while some prefer a shinier one.

In general, the more gloss a paint has, the easier it is to clean. However, there are high quality paints available now that have a more matte finish but also have excellent durability and can stand up to washing and rooms of high humidity. The flatter a paint finish the more it is possible to hide flaws and unevenness in older walls, but the finish does tend to get damaged more easily. See our article on Paint Sheens.

How often should the exterior of my home be painted?

There is no set rule for this. It is not a good idea to wait until signs of stress have started, such as peeling, cracking, harsh fading or exposure of wood.

Five years might be a very general estimate. Some areas of a home exposed to a lot of moisture or harsh long hours of sunlight may need painting more often. Other areas may be able to hold out beyond five years. Do a yearly inspection of your home. See if any areas of concern have become visible. Remember that paint is not just for aesthetics, it provides protection as well. Don’t forget about your fencing and sheds, if you don’t keep up with re-painting and staining, they will be exposed to the elements. See our article on How To Save Money On Painting Costs.

I have a very small paint job that needs to be done. Is it too small for you to do?

No, not at all. We will gladly accept small jobs. Feel free to contact us for an estimate.

Are there more environmentally friendly options for painting?

Yes there are. Paint manufacturers are coming out with new paints all the time that are more Eco-friendly. They have paints available with lower or no levels of VOC’s (volatile organic compounds). These are released into the air as paint is drying. Oil paint is much worse than latex paint in this respect.

Some people still have the belief that latex paint is not as durable or washable as oil paint. This was the case 20 years ago, but paint technology has greatly improved since that time. Latex products are better when it comes to their ability to shrink, expand and accommodate changes in temperature. They are much less likely to crack or peel. They can have just as durable a finish as oil. There is no doubt that the paint industry will eventually phase out most oil based paint products. The use of oil paints have already been restricted in some areas.

What do I do with leftover paint I don’t need?

In the Nanaimo area you can take your left over paint to the Nanaimo Recycling Exchange located on Kenworth Road. Check out their website http://www.recycling.bc.ca/ to see the requirements for what they will accept.

How do I store paint?

If you store paint properly it will keep fresh so you can use it for occasional touch ups. So you can properly identify the paint in the future don’t forget to mark it. Write down which rooms were painted with it and which surfaces it was used for. It is best to put a small dab of colour on the top of the lid. Make sure the colour name number or code is written on the can as well.

Paint should be stored in a dry place. Keep cans off of concrete floors or the ground, so they do not absorb moisture and rust. It is best stored in a cool area, away from direct sunlight or heat sources. Never allow paint to freeze.

Wipe clean the paint grove or rim before closing the can so the lid fits tight and keeps air out. Don’t hammer the lid directly you may distort it allowing air to get in. Use a rubber mallet or place a block of wood over the can and hammer the wood to set the lid in place.

When it is time to use the paint again, check to see if a skin has formed on the top. If there is one, carefully remove it so you don’t end up with pieces of it in your paint. If necessary a nylon stocking can always be used to strain the paint, or a specific paint straining sack can be purchased from a full service paint store.

Painting your home still remains one of the most cost effective ways to increase your homes resale value. It is the largest impact of change you can make to your home. A fresh coat of paint will give your house a clean look and feel. It’s all about curb appeal. If the exterior of your house is shabby looking, potential buyers might just drive by having no further interest to see inside.

Be Careful That Do It Yourself Work Doesn’t Have A Negative Effect

When you are considering doing the painting yourself, be confident you are able to do a good job. If the work looks substandard it will actually have the opposite effect and decrease the value of your home. Improper paint preparation will stand out and give the impression that you are careless, and possibly trying to hide something under a hasty paint job.

Paint To Prevent Buyers From Thinking Problems Exist

Buyers look for evidence of leaks in the ceilings and cracking in the walls. Painting will hide blemishes that could make buyers suspect possible problems. A leery buyer means a lower offering price, or even the possibility that they will be scared off. Drywall cracks should be repaired. Once the source of a water stain is resolved it should be painted over. Your fixing of a problem won’t accomplish anything if you leave behind the visual evidence.

Remember You Are Painting To Sell

Remember you are painting for resale and not for your own personal taste. It is recommended to stay away from bold or dramatic colours. By keeping colours in neutral tones you will appeal to the largest market of buyers. This doesn’t mean everything has to be painted white or beige. You can still create an interesting look by using subtle neutral tones. You want to give the feel of a warm and comfortable atmosphere. You want to create a palate that anyone will be able to move into and insert their own furnishings without feeling the need to make a bunch of immediate changes. This is also true when painting the exterior of the house. Buyers do not want to have such a negative feeling about the colour that it becomes one of the first changes they feel they need to make.

What areas are most necessary to paint if I am going to sell my house?

• If you only have time and money to paint one area, choose the front door, and entry area of the house to give a good first impression.
• Repaint any areas that look dingy or are in visible need of painting because of staining or peeling
• Paint over bold or dramatic colours with more subtle neutrals that will appeal to a large majority of buyers
• Get rid of dramatic faux finishing, dated colours, speciality applications or painting designs done specifically for children’s rooms

Older Homes

If you have an older home it can be given a renewed look with the proper repair of imperfections in the walls, doors, baseboards and trims. Don’t forget to take your ceilings into consideration, many people do not realize how discoloured their ceilings have become. Having them freshly painted can add a lot of brightness to your rooms. The exterior of an older home can be brought up to date with the right colour selections. Old siding can be made to look new again by sanding, filling nail holes and caulking cracks before it is painted.

Before and After

Consideration was being taken to reside this older home. We did a lot of preparation work to the existing siding. Rough areas were sanded, any cracks between the ranch boards were filled with caulking. All imperfections in the siding were filled. A more up to date colour was chosen. Other details of the house and landscaping were changed as well to give a more updated look. Overall the painting made the largest impact. The costs of the updating were still much cheaper than residing the whole house. When it was all done the house had a renewed and more modern look.

Another Before And After Done For Resale
This next home was one of our favorite painting make overs, probably because we were able to create such a dramatic change. This house had wood siding that was still in very good condition. It just looked tired and worn. A current paint colour was applied to the siding. Trim was placed around the windows to make them more predominant and modernize the house. The fascia, soffits, deck railings and posts were all painted the lighter trim colour to add accent features and interest. Fresh and appealing landscaping was added as well as a new door and front entry deck. The amount of money spent doing these improvements was well worth it, the value of the house was increased dramatically.

]]> http://www.parnellpainting.com/painting-for-resale/feed http://www.parnellpainting.com/other-improvements-to-make-for-resale http://www.parnellpainting.com/other-improvements-to-make-for-resale#comments Sat, 03 May 2008 01:15:35 +0000 admin http://parnellpainting.com/?p=41 Most of us can do one simple and free thing to greatly improve the look of our homes for resale and create the look of more space, edit and de-clutter.

Exterior

• Nice landscaping, add a splash of colour with some planted flowers in your gardens
• Place a welcoming potted plant at your front door or an appealing door mat
• A green healthy lawn
• Keep up with the weeding and mowing
• Tidy up your yard and garden, remove or store items laying around your property
• Make sure your gutters are intact and not dripping
• Power wash dirty sidewalks or driveways, or reseal your driveway
• make sure gates and doors are functioning properly

Interior

• Clean windows and floors
• Cosmetic upgrades to key spaces such as kitchens and bathrooms
• New lighting fixtures and cupboard hardware
• Replace old style light switches and electrical outlets
• Edit furniture and knickknacks, find a place to store extra furniture if you need to
• De-clutter counter tops in bathrooms and the kitchen
• Put some decorative touches in bathrooms and kitchens, a candle in a dish of pebbles, a bowl full of apples on the kitchen counter
• A vase of fresh cut flowers or a potted orchid on your fireplace mantle or dining room table
• Get a set of nicely coloured towels to hang in the bathroom, maybe a new bathmat
• Add some new life to old bedding or living room sofas by getting some inexpensive throw cushions
• Organize things that must be left out in the open into attractive looking baskets
• De-clutter your closets so they look spacious and organized
• If you have pets be sure to get rid of any smell, quite often the homeowners do not realize how strong the pet odor has become
• Have your garage clean so it can actually park the cars, if it is cluttered with stuff it will give the buyers the impression there is not enough storage room elsewhere in the house

Things To Consider Before Making Your Decision To Do It Yourself Or Hire A Professional

Many homeowners will try painting a room and decide they are simply are not very good at it or it is just not a job they are up for. Just because you cannot do the painting yourself does not mean you have to live with the current paint job you have. Don’t feel badly if you cannot take on the painting yourself. That is what painting professionals are for.

Yes you will have to pay for the labour and paint materials when you hire a professional, but it is well worth it if you don’t feel you can achieve the high quality results you want for your home. Think about how much the overall cost is going to be to do it yourself. The following items are the basic necessities for most paint jobs:

• drop sheets and/or large amounts of plastic
• rollers, trays and tray liners
• roller pole
• brushes
• tape
• dust mask or respirator if using alkyd based products
• sandpaper and sanding poles
• caulking and filler, as well as the tools to apply it with
• possibly a primer, or a special sealant
• the paint
• paint thinner for clean up if using alkyd based products
• ladders

A painter will already have all of this equipment. They also get paint and other materials needed for the job at a contractor rate which is substantially cheaper than a home owner would pay.  Taking all of this into consideration, you may end up going through a lot of effort and expense in “doing it yourself”, only to save a small amount of money in the end.

Knowledge

You can have confidence that a professional contractor knows how to do the proper preparation to all surfaces to ensure a long lasting finish. There are so many different paint choices today, it is much more complicated than just oil or latex decisions of the past. Not only is the actual painting a lot of work, there are a lot of details to consider. You can easily become overwhelmed by all the roller choices, brush choices,  what type of paint to use and what type of finish is best. The painting professional will know what paint and materials are best to use for your particular project.

Quality Of The Work

The importance of experience can’t be overstated. We have quite often seen the mishaps of poor quality work. Poor surface finish or product failure can occur because the proper preparation work was not done. Common aspects of inexperience include rollers bumps into the ceilings, and uneven surface finishes caused by improper rolling techniques. We also see homes where the wall paint has gotten on the trim work or vice versa.

A professional painter leaves clean lines and cut ins.  The painted surfaces will be visually attractive. The professional painter has gained valuable knowledge through practice and has many tricks of the trade to know how to get the best looking finish.

Clean up

This is one area you don’t have to worry about when you hire a professional. You don’t have to deal with with cleaning up the mess. The work will be done with little disruption as possible to your household. The  will properly take care of any unwanted leftover paint and dispose of all the other materials.

Amount Of Time

People are often astonished at how a professional painter can make such quick work out of what seemed like an insurmountable task to the homeowner.  They do this everyday, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that they can often finish the job in a fraction of the time. Sometimes it is best to hire a professional to do what they do best. This frees up your time so you have no inconvenience to your schedule, or so you can enjoy your precious holiday time.

Safety

If you have interior or exterior work that involves getting up on long extension ladders or needs scaffolding or special equipment, this is best left to the professional. Your safety is not worth risking.

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After your bathroom has been painted, if at all possible do not shower or bathe for 48 hours in that room. Use good ventilation while bathing or showering even after the 48 hours. Keep this in mind when scheduling the paint job. Is this going to work for you and your family? Do you have another bathroom you can use? Keep damp laundry or wet towels away from the walls for a few days as well.

Paints have different curing times, so best to ask the painter how long the curing time is for the particular paint that has been applied. Wait a minimum of 48 hours before re-hanging pictures and other objects on the walls. The same goes for setting items on ledges or shelving that has been painted. Items such as towel bars, door knobs and switch covers can be put back once the paint is dry to the touch.

Until the paint has had time to cure you can run the risk of creating a burnish mark if you wipe the walls. If something happens to mark the wall, if at all possible, leave it until the paint has cured. Then you can wash it. Of course there are times when this just is not going to be possible, like a splatter of tomato sauce above your kitchen counter. In this case take a slightly damp cloth or sponge and wipe as gently as possible.

Wait a couple of days before using your lawn sprinkler if it directly sprays water onto the freshly painted exterior of your home.

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