Painting exterior trim can be thought of costing less than completely painting all exterior surfaces, but a few things to consider from a painting contractor points of view.

Most of us look to save where we can, especially in this day and economic conditions. House painting is no different, when it comes to saving money. A home exterior weathers from harsh elements of heat, cold, sun, and snow, and exterior paint ages over time needing repainting. Exterior trim, being that of solid wood is normally the first to show signs of painting maintenance. Many times a homeowner happens to call, asking for only painting the trim. Trim paint jobs sound good at first, but have some underlying thoughts may have not been considered. Below are things to consider when considering painting trim only.

1) Most homes exterior trim is painted on the front only, more commonly called front-facing the trim. Sides of trim is normally painted with main body color. Few homes have trim painted on all 3 visible surfaces, called in the painting industry as 3-D’ed painting.

2) Either edge of trim is painted with body color, and is where caulking is applied at most 90 degree angles. Painting trim only, cannot feasibly include caulking, as this fails and opens up over time. Most homes need new caulking when painting the exterior, and a close inspection can determine.

3) If new caulk is applied, main body portion needs to be touched up, and most of the time new paint will not match aged paint even using exactly the same paint out of the same paint can, as sheen difference will come into play.

4) Painting trim is normally done by roller and brush, not sprayed, so more manual labor is required painting trim, and most cases costing 60% of the total exterior painting job.

5) Since the trim is the first to go, the main body of the home will be shortly behind requiring painting. If the trim was recently painted, and a few years later the body is ready for paint, all the trim will need to be covered, commonly referred to as masking off. Masking off expends time, labor and material, which adds to the bottom line cost to the remaining 40%, typically costing an additional 25% for masking trim. Thus costing 25% more after both trim and body portions are painted in separate years.

6) When painting  a Cambridge exterior completely, the first thing to be painted after all preparations have been accomplished is generally spraying the body 2 coats wet on dry. Allowing the first coat to dry, before applying the second coat. In doing this, trim is over-sprayed, giving initial coat as well, thereby getting a total of 3 paint coatings, instead of the actual 2 coats required for maximum protection. This over spray is not charged in the painting cost, but adding to the elements of exterior duration and warranties.

7) Set up costs are normally included with any home improvement job, painting separate times for complete exterior painting can essentially cost double, unless agreed before work begins in painting quote.

Main thing to consider when considering painting exterior of your Cambridge home is; How long do I plan living in this house. If your answer is any longer than 1 year, you may reconsider from painting trim only to painting exterior completely. From a quick glance, fresh trim paint will work from an aesthetic point of view, but not even close from complete protection and value points. Therefore, being fugal painting, does not always mean painting just enough to get by, sometimes costing much more in the long run.

Hope this helps you in deciding complete exterior paint job, or partial trim only exterior paint job, saving painting costs when you can, from your Cambridge painting contractor.

Colors you end up choosing for your Massachusetts bathroom speak of your taste and your personality. This is because the paint color is considered the finishing touch to a home’s decor. When you’re interior painting a color that’s pleasant, not only can it bring out the beauty of a room, but it also brings character. Here are many people who take the time and make sure that the colors used are just right in every room of the house.

In this light, when you’re thinking about interior painting; this should include your bathroom, especially considering the time you spend in this particular area of the house. Bathrooms should be treated with just as much care as the rest of the rooms of your home. The choice of interior paints should also be thought of carefully and thoroughly.

Painting ideas for the bathroom

1. The type of paint: Even before you pick out colors, the first thing you should think about is the type of paint you want to use in your bathroom. A key point to keep in mind is that a bathroom endures water, steam, and moisture, which means it’s a place for harbor mold and mildew. Therefore, you should pick paint that’s mold resistant and water repellent. You might want to consider interior latex paint with mildew inhibitor.

2. Picking a color: The color that you choose depends on your preferences. However, a majority of people when thinking about interior painting ideas, stick with pastel shades for their bathrooms. Of course there some who have bubbly personalities and decide to go with bright colors. One factor to think about is the size of your bathroom, so make sure you do not overlook it.

If you have a small bathroom, you want to do interior painting with colors that are light and will create a spacious feel. On the other hand, warm colors will make your bathroom appear smaller, so if it has a lot of space; you may then choose from all types of colors without a worry. Remember that if you have a small bathroom, stick with lighter colors and shades.

The best thing about light-pastel colors is that they create an atmosphere that’s tranquilizing and peaceful. In addition, interior painting with these colors allows you to mix them with any kind of bathroom design and décor. So when you get ready to paint, keep some of the above things mentioned in mind, in order to create just the right look and feel in your bathrooms.

When you are painting your home, regardless if it is the interior or exterior, you are going to need a good Massachusetts painting contractor. Your painting contractor is the person who is in charge of the entire project and who will make sure that everything gets done on time and on budget. Without this very important and skilled worker you could find that things get way out of hand.
You need to choose the right painting company in Massachusetts for the job and in order to do that you need to know what you should be on the lookout for. The first thing that you need to do is talk to the contractor in order to see how they listen. Is this contractor good at listening or does he or she simply talk over you and try to push you to thinking their way? You want to work with someone that will do their best to get your vision working. This is your home and your painting project needs to be something that you can live with in the end.
The next thing that you need to do is get some references. Get at least 5 references from each of the painting contractors that you are considering hiring. Then make the calls and see what these clients have to say. Ask specific questions as well as what they liked and did not like about the painting contractor. Some people don’t like saying bad things about people, so you may need to phrase things a little different. For example, ask what they would have changed about the contractor if they could have. This will usually get a pretty good response. These answers are going to help you to choose the Brentwood painting contractor that is right for you’re and your home.

Making our dwellings gorgeous is nothing new. Humans have been decorating their homes for millennia. From the Australian Aborigines painting ochre onto cave walls over 40,000 years ago to the almost modern Egyptian pyramids of only 4,500 years ago we all have an innate desire to express ourselves and make our surroundings part of that expression.

But we have always paid a price for this activity. Paints have always contained poisons and toxins that not only pollute the environment but the air within a New Jersey home. Early paints famously contained lead, which had a sweet flavor tempting for kids to ingest. We all know the horrible affects of these paints that caused problems with developing nervous systems in children and kidney damage, mood changes, memory and high blood pressure in adults.

The ingredients used to make paint can be broken down into four areas — pigments, solvents, binders and other additives. Color comes from the pigment while the solvent and binder provide the pigment with a base and helps the paint stick to a surface. The remaining additives are used to help the paint dry and prevent mildew from forming.

The solvents and pigments contain toxins, which not only pollute the environment but also, if improperly disposed of in a landfill, can contaminate the surrounding earth for decades. The solvents and pigments also contain volatile organic compounds that we know create smog and pollution in the environment, but can also have very harmful affects on the internal air quality of a home.

Recent government rulings have not only put in to practice some controls on the toxins and VOCs in paints, but has also drawn attention to this scary situation. The response has been for many paint companies to produce eco-friendly paints that either contain low or zero VOCs. It should be considered though that the majority of paint companies that create these non toxic paints also manufacture and market toxic and high VOC paints — so when you are looking to paint green you may think about who you are supporting with your dollars.

There are a handful of companies that do not have these legacy issues, and only create eco friendly paint. These non toxic paints range from completely organic ‘milk paints’ which are totally safe but lack in durability, to high-performance latex based paints that simply lack VOCs and all toxins.

The newest and most modern Massachusetts eco-friendly paints can come in any color and, although a little more expensive, have very low odor and zero VOCs. These paints are created in a completely new way, which means that they have all the durability of toxic paints, but without any of the toxins and VOCs. When looking to buy these paints you need to read their labels very carefully. The first thing to notice is if they carry a government warning label. If they do, then they are not completely safe and may contain some VOCs or toxins. Those paints with no warning label and state that they are zero VOC paints as opposed to low VOC are the best. These can often be found at independent hardware stores nationwide and can be researched online.

There are many foreclosure home remodeling projects being undertaken everyday by professional contractors . These repair teams specialize in turning a foreclosed home into a resalable real estate commodity within 45 days of repossession or closing. Many foreclosure home remodeling projects are cosmetic and can be finished well before the 45 day deadline.

Other foreclosure home remodeling areas are more difficult to finish and will take almost all of the allocated time to complete. The foreclosed home may have been neglected for a long period of time, and rodents may have entered the home and chewed holes through walls, woodwork and attic spaces. The items that will need to be replaced, and the repairs that must be accomplished, must be determined before foreclosure home remodeling efforts can even begin.

Professional contractors have a good idea of what damage has been done by viewing each area of the home. They realize the materials that are behind the walls, and how many rolls of insulation are in each wall space. A foreclosure home remodeling project might include repairs to the ceiling areas due to water leaks. If the roof is leaking, then shingles will need to be added to the list of supplies that will be needed to complete the foreclosed home remodeling project on time.

Buckled flooring will definitely require further investigation because this is an indication of structural damage that extends to the support system under the home. The cement slab may be cracked by broken pipes, or the land might have shifted underneath the home from recent storms and a poor drainage system. This type of foreclosure home remodeling problem might delay the home from being listed on the market at all.

Home building contractors do not worry very much about peeling paint and dirt and grime. These are easy fixes for me, and this fix will allow a foreclosure home remodeling project to proceed as planned. Walls can be resurfaced if they are rough and unsightly and the white wall finish will make these walls look brand new after a few coats of paint. A foreclosure home remodeling project can require plumbing skills too. If the piping system in the home is broken, then there is going to be accumulated water somewhere under the home. Broken pipes have to be repaired before a home is placed on the market for sale.

Some of the foreclosure home remodeling projects – are very simple, and some are quite costly. In some cases, the cost of repairs will liquidate, the cash that the owners hope to make on the property, and cost of them more to repair than they will ever be able to recoup. In these cases, it is better to stop the foreclosure home remodeling project and tear the building down and start fresh.

The materials that are used to build the new home might not have as many outstanding features as it would normally have, such as Jacuzzi bath and marbled counter tops in the kitchen, but the investors have to cut costs at every turn to recoup the monies they have lost. The new home is like to sell quickly if an attractive price is listed, and it will definitely sell because people love buying brand new homes. The new owners can start their own remodeling projects when they settle in to their new home.

Your house is your lifetime asset. And it’s a matter of time when you take a notice that your house needs renovation – not because it’s getting old, but because you feel the need of vibrant colors in your house.

Repainting your house is a tricky business. Some rely on painting companies to do the job for you. Hiring the house painting service may also cost you. But if you are planning to paint it yourself, you might want to consider the basics; and consider the time and effort you will put on painting your house.

PAINT

There are many types of paint available today, some giving different surface finishes, others are designed for a particular application. Choosing the correct paint type may appear to be confusing at first, but once you have projected which theme you would like to paint your house and sorted out which job and what finishes you want, the choice is rather easy.

There are two bases of paint for your house: solvent-based (oil or alkyd) and water-based (latex). Oil-based paints dry slow – usually taking up to 24 hours. The best clean up for an oil-based paint is turpentine or paint thinner. Latex paints’ advantage is that it dries relatively fast, but it is not desirable in hot weather or direct sunshine. The best clean up for latex paints requires just soap and water. So if you are painting the inside of your house, it is recommended to u se water-based paints, while solvent-based paints are suggested for painting the exterior of your house.

There are different types of paints that is either water-based or solvent-based that produces different finishes that is measured by its sheen factor. “Sheen” is a term used to describe the degree of light reflection the paint has. Lesser sheen for an interior or exterior paint means it has lesser stain resistance.

• A Gloss paint is easy to clean and resists scuffs better. This is ideal for rooms that are constantly used. Most gloss paints are best recommended to use on woodworks, baseboards, kitchen and bathroom walls, doorjambs, and window casings. The downside of using gloss paints, however, is the noticeable imperfections in the wall surface.
• A High-gloss paint is highly reflective and works well for highlighting details, such as trim and decorative molding. They are also the best choice for doors and cabinet – or any area that sees a high volume of abuse.
• Semi-gloss paints are very similar to gloss plaints except it has lesser sheen. Semi-gloss is also suitable for rooms with high humidity (best used for children’s room) and can be used for trim works and casings. These paints ensure maximum durability.
• Eggshell paints provide a smooth and low-sheen finish. Paints that are smooth and low-sheen that is ideal for your living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, and dens. It is washable and ideal for bedrooms, hallways, home offices and family rooms.
• Satin paints offer a good combination of easy-clean and moderate sheen. These paints go a step above eggshell in scrubbing ability. They perform and look great in just about any room.

Flat paints (matte paints) are non-reflective and always a good choice for large walls and ceilings. Flat paints hides imperfections on wall surfaces and spatters well during application. Flat paints are the best choice for vinyl and aluminum siding that is scratched or dented because it hides imperfections and spatters less when applied. These paints are ideal for low-traffic areas such as formal dining rooms and master bedrooms.

Special paints have been innovated from different consumer insights and brilliant paint technology that allows specific paints for specific needs.

• Ceiling flats are designed specially for ceilings. These are usually extra spatter-resistant.
• Primer paints may be oil- or water-based and are used to seal unpainted surfaces to prevent covering coats of paint soaking in. The appropriate type of primer should be used for the surface being painted – wood, metal, plaster or tiles. There are some ‘all purpose primers’ available which are designed for two or more of these surfaces.
• Anti-condensation paints are used for rooms with humid conditions such as kitchen and bathrooms. This paint is usually formulated to prevent condensation and often includes fungicide.
• Fire-retardant paints do not resist fires completely but its fire-resistance formulation prevents it from fire in spreading fast.

It is also important that before painting your room, you use a primer. A primer will help paint adhere to the surface by providing a uniform appearance. It is a must to use a primer if you are painting over new wood, bare wood, drywall, or repainting over existing bright or dark colors.

But before doing this, you have to know the condition of the surface you wanted to paint. Regardless of whether the base coat is oil or latex, you must dull glossy paint by sanding or de-glossing it with a chemical de-glossing product. If you don’t dull glossy paint, the second coat will streak and not stick to the base coat when drying.

INTERIOR PAINTING

If you want to alter your room’s ambience, painting it is a great option. When Massachusetts interior painting, use paints that are quicker to dry and does not have a strong odor that lingers around where your kids can smell it.

Painting the interior of your house requires a thorough estimation, visualization and preparation. When you have chosen your theme for your rooms and have bought the job materials you need (paints, paint brushes and rollers, extension handles, paint tray, paint stirrer, drop clothes, step ladder, painter’s tape, etc.), you simply follow these interior house painting tips:

BEFORE AND DURING HOUSE PAINTING

• Always provide adequate ventilation when painting inside your house. If you cannot get enough ventilation in the work area, use a respirator or a mask.
• Keep paint containers or solvent containers closed when not in use.
• Keep paint products out of the reach of children.
• Avoid direct contact with skin.
• Always read packaging (label) instructions.

SURFACE PREPARATION TIPS

• Remove as much as furniture as possible from the room or group the heavier fixtures and the delicate ones together and cover them with a drop cloth.
• Provide adequate lightning to allow a good view of painting imperfections.
• Remove switch plates.
• Patch holes and cracks in the surfaces you wanted to paint with premixed spackling paste. After the paste dries, sand the patched the areas.
• Dust and wash the ceilings, walls, baseboards, windows and door moldings.
• Clean, sound wallpaper can be painted over, but in most cases it is better to strip it. Painting over a wallpaper may begin to peel.

PAINTING YOUR CEILING TIPS

• If you are painting the entire room, it is best to paint the ceiling first!
• If you are using a paint roller, maneuver your arms in series of diagonal swaths (forming a letter M). Fill in the open areas by cross rolling.
• If you are using a paintbrush, apply the paint in short strokes towards the unpainted area, known as “wet to dry.” Then brush back into the area you just painted for a smooth surface.
• If you are painting your ceiling, remove light bulbs, chandeliers, fluorescent lights and fixture covers.
• Paint trim first, including edging around the ceiling, molding, and trim.

WALL PAINTING TIPS

Paint around the trim first, including edging around the ceiling.

When painting with a gloss finish, make the final brush strokes away from the light source of the room. The tiny ridges that a brush leaves won’t be as pronounced. Use the same “wet to dry” method of painting.

WOODWORK

• Check woodwork for damage. if there is one, patch it with a wood filler, dry it overnight and sand it for any rough spots and apply a sealer before painting.
• If you’ll be using the same paint on the walls and woodwork, paint the woodwork as you come to it. If it is another color of higher in gloss, wait until the walls are done.
• Paint double-hung windows from the wood between the panes then outward. On casement windows, us the same technique, but keep the windows slightly open until the paint dries.
• For panel doors, paint the decorative molded edges first, then the individual panels. Paint from the center out. When the panels are completed, paint the vertical and horizontal flat panels.
• Use a painter’s tape or painter’s shield to keep paint off windowpanes. Do not use a masking tape or a duct tape. Using a painter’s tape or painter’s shield allows you to keep areas covered for up to 3 days.
• Paint the top edge baseboards first, then the bottom along the floor. Paint the middle section last.
• Remove cabinet doors and drawers and paint the flat surfaces first. Paint inside the edges, then move to the outer surfaces.

CLEAN-UP and STORAGE or DISPOSAL TIPS

• If there are paint drops on your floor, don’t let it stay there. As the paint sets longer, the harder it will be cleared. Use a cloth with soap and water or a solvent for cleaning.
• Use a razor-blade scraper or a putty knife to chip off bigger paint droplets that have dried.
• Use a scraper to trim around windowpanes.
• Wash and dry paintbrushes and rollers. Store them according to the brand’s recommendation not all paintbrushes have the same type of bristles nor the rollers have the same material.
• Clean the paint from the rim of the can. Tap container lids tight with a hammer and block of wood.
• Store solvent-based paint cans upside down to prevent a skin from forming.
• Store your paints in normal or room temperature. Never put the paints in extreme hot or cold rooms.
• Each states in the U.S. or every community/ county differs on paint can disposal methods. Check your local environmental, health, and safety laws.

EXTERIOR PAINTING

In buying paints that you are going to use for your exterior house, you have to pick a brand that has essential characteristics: hiding power, color retention, chalk-resistance, and blister resistance.

Hiding power comes from the paint’s pigment and is affected by the manner and thickness of the application. Color retention is the ability to maintain its original color during exposure to sunlight, etc. Chalking resistance prevents the white chalky powder from forming on the surface and lightening the color of the paint. Chalking occur over a period of time. Blister resistance keeps excessive moisture from coming through the substrate and affecting the paint layer. Tip: if paint is applied over a damp or wet surface, blistering is imminent.

Painting the exterior of your house requires a thorough estimation, visualization and preparation. When you have chosen your theme for your rooms and have bought the job materials you need.

You will need any of these tools in painting your exterior: caulk, sandpaper, rags and/or paper towels, painter’s tape, garden hose, power washer, or hose brush attachment, sponges & buckets for wash water, spray nozzle, stepladder, extension ladder, paint scraper, wire brush, putty knives, heat gun, rotary paint removing tool and electric drill, caulk gun, sanding block, and work gloves.

When you have all the tools at hand, examine your exterior. You might find exterior painting problems, which could be any of the following: alligatoring, blistering, chalking, chalk run down, crackling, dirt pickup, efflorescence, fading, frosting, lapping, mildew, nail head rusting, paint incompatibility, peeling, poor alkali resistance, poor adhesion, poor gloss retention, surfacent leaching, staining, vinyl siding wrap, wax bleed, or wrinkling.

If you already know what your house exterior’s problem is or just for repainting it, simply follow some of these tips. You can also refer to INTERIOR PAINTING for brush or roller strokes, etc.:

Start by thoroughly cleaning the outside of your home. Start at the top and work your way down the sides of the house. If your siding has areas of mold, mildew or discoloration, wash it with an anti-fungal cleaner.

Mask off areas that are not to be painted. You may want to place masking tape along the edge of house trim, and around window and door frames and trim, since this is likely to be painted in a different color or with a higher sheen paint. You can also tape newspaper or plastic drop cloth material over windows and doors, including sliding glass doors, to protect them from drips.

Place plastic drop cloths over plants and shrubs, or where paint may drip on porches, roof sections, sidewalks, driveways or other surfaces.

House painting takes time, house painting costs a big chunk on your budget, but the end-result is always great.

Author: Charlie Angeles

If you’re a Massachusetts homeowner looking to sell, you’ve doubtless been a little discouraged by the recent downturn in the real estate market. These things happen, and it’s nothing much that can’t be undone when the market gets to it’s next boom. In the mean time, improving your home is one of the best ways to compete on the real estate market. But doing so incurs additional costs that you can only hope to get back on the sale.

Painting your own home is one of the most economical improvements you can make. It’s also one of the most visible improvements you can make, and at least prospective buyers can see the results even if only in the picture in the home-finders magazine. But exterior painting is a slightly more daunting task than interior painting. So hopefully this will help you through the hardest steps.

Digital imagination

Your first task is to decide on the color scheme. Now maybe you have an artistic, vivid imagination and flawless taste in choosing a color palette. So good for you. If not, there is a new method that home owners are taking advantage of and that is digital imaging.

To do this, take a picture of the house with a digital camera, then load it into your computer and open it in a digital imaging program. You can then change the color of the house in the program by applying various color filters to it, using this to help you decide what color scheme to use. Commercial software is the first thing you might think of, but there are many freeware, shareware, and even Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) programs that are more than capable of handling this simple task. You should be able to find one for any computer platform.

Lacking that, you can either ask your computer savvy friend to do it for you, find a resource online that will image it for you, or try asking at the hardware store. Most paint and home improvement retailers now offer to do the same in the store, loading up a picture of your house which you provide and giving you a preview of different color schemes and palettes. Ain’t modern technology wonderful?

Painting Prep Work

A rule of thumb to know is that three-quarters of painting is good prep work. That is the labor-intensive part that makes the job so much work; actually slapping the paint on it is the easy part. Here’s the least you need to do:

Start by thoroughly cleaning the outside of your house. Paint won’t stick to dirt, grease, grime and dust. You may be able to get by just spraying the siding with a hose with a nozzle attachment. But you’ll do a more thorough job and get better results with a brush attachment on your hose. These brushes often come with a reservoir for liquid soap which will clean better. You can also wash by hand with rags or sponges, but the rule with house painting is that you don’t want to do anything by hand unless you absolutely have to – Karate Kid notwithstanding! If you do use soap, be sure to rinse the siding with pure water after you’ve washed it. Start at the top and work your way down the sides. If your siding has areas of mold, mildew or discoloration, wash it with an anti-fungal cleaner which will be available in most hardware and home center stores for a few dollars.

On wood siding, fill in any gouges or holes with an exterior-grade patching compound, sometimes this is called ‘plastic wood’. If damage is more extensive, consider replacing the area with a new piece of siding. Remove even small areas of loose, flaking, chalky or blistered paint thoroughly, as the slightest crack can peel a whole sheet away in the next storm. If not too extensive, loose paint can be removed with a power washer. If you’re hard up this can also be done with a paint scraper, putty knife or a wire brush. Sand the edges of the area of removed paint afterward to help the new paint cover and hide the edge.

To remove larger areas or even multiple layers of damaged paint, you can use a heat gun. This device, which looks a bit like a hair blower, generates temperatures of 1000 degrees Fahrenheit or more. Aim it at one area to soften the paint, and then take away the gun and scrape away the paint with a putty knife. Always use work gloves and eye protection and keep your hands away from the barrel of the gun. Never point the heat gun at anything except the paint to be removed – it will melt almost anything given time! Set the gun down on the plate provided.

An alternative to the heat gun is a rotary paint remover you can attach to an electric drill. Its stiff wire tines quickly remove large areas of paint, very similar to how a buffer works. Take care not to press too hard on the siding, or it may gouge the wood, which will be hard to fix. Practice on a spare loose board or other surface before you begin on the siding. Keep the tool away from your face or other body parts when it is in motion, and wear eye protection to prevent eye damage from flying chips.

Seamlessly caulk all cracks, seams and gaps with a top-quality exterior caulk. This includes areas like the perimeter where the siding meets the windows and doors, and the corners and the edges of exterior trim. Cracks and seams leave edges where fresh paint can quickly deteriorate.

Mask off areas that are not going to be painted. You will want to place masking tape along the edge of house trim, around window and door frames, and around trim, since this is likely to be painted in a different color. You can also tape newspaper, plastic sheeting, or drop cloth material over windows and doors to protect them from drips. The rule of thumb is, paint wants to go where you least expect it to. Place plastic drop cloths over plants and shrubs, or where paint may drip on porches, roof sections, sidewalks, driveways or any other surfaces. Remember that it’s always easier to cover something up than it is to remove paint from it afterward.

Now you’re finally ready to paint and let dry, then remove all the prepping. You’re done! Wasn’t that easy?