Painters Guide: The Top 3 Resources to Help You Paint Your House.

These 3 easy resources will help any painter, from the weekend warrior to the tried and true professional , find the right products and use them correctly to achieve a professional looking finish that will last the test of time (...realistically 7-15 years).

I urge you to use these resources. Most professional painters already use Purdy tools and Sherwin-Williams paints, like myself. I'm not plugging them to get any kind of kickback. This blog is to make your decisions easy, and make sure you're using the right tools. If you're using the right kind of paint and applying it with the right tools, life will be much easier. With these three resources you'll have all you need to complete most kinds of paint jobs around the house, both interior and exterior. 

(Hint: one of these painting resources has helped me increase my speed and consistency!)

1.) Equipment and Supplies from Sherwin-Williams Stores: Paint and Tools.

• Most cities have a Sherwin-Williams. I use them almost exclusively for paint and supplies. I buy mostly Purdy tools to use on the jobsite. These stores are for professionals and homeowners alike. 
• Pro Tip: major sales are always held around holidays and the changing of seasons. Stock up on paint and supplies during these sales for 30-40% off. 

2.) Spray and Brush Techniques: Professional Video Tutorials for All Your Painting Needs.

• Chris Berry is an invaluable resource. He's made videos for just about any part of the painting process. I trust what he says and have learned some excellent techniques from his videos. I've also been able to incorporate them into my business and have saved some real time out in the field. 

3.) Ask Your Questions Here: I know it might look like a cop-out, but I know my stuff and will be a valuable resource to help you answer any of your painting related questions.

• Eric Welch Painting is a full service painting company hailing from Madison, WI. We strive to always deliver great value and exceptional quality on all of our interior and exterior projects. Please, check out my other blog entries over here     ------------------>

Thank You!

Eric

Bathroom and Kitchen Remodel on a Budget Part One

A rental unit in the iconic Williamson St. neighborhood gets an economical face lift. 

The leading character in this story is a 115 year old, three-story, two-flat home located on Willy St. It has a storied history that can be traced back through historical society documents to its birthplace around the capitol in downtown Madison. By horse and carriage, it was transported, along with the neighboring house, 1.3 miles to its final resting place.

The home was purchased in the fall of 2008 during the mortgage crises. Lehman Brothers fell about 10 days after the deed was signed. But, the price was right and it will always attract renters, so on with the story.

There was no driveway or parking, the shingles were starting to buckle and disintegrate, lead based paint was falling off the soffits, gutters and trim. Both porches, front and side, were in tough shape; one still is. Over the last 4-5 years my handy parents and I have given the house a total interior and exterior paint job, new roof, put in a driveway and parking lot and replaced floorboards in the porch. We’ve updated the upstairs bathroom and redone floors throughout, moved doorways and added ceiling fans as a final touch. Total investments so far have been around $20,000-25,000 in labor and materials.

On the plus side, all the windows in the house were replaced about 6 years ago and 18” of fresh insulation was put in the attic. Project Home’s visited the little old lady who owned this home before us and even dropped in wall insulation and foamed the basement foundation. I’m very thankful for the work Project Home’s has done and continue to volunteer for their annual Paint-a-Thon.

Now, the current project, slated to begin in two days time, is a complete lower-unit bathroom and kitchen tear-out and remodel. The kitchen and bathroom have been designed by my mom and much of the building and carpentry will be handled by my dad. I’ll be assisting with the finishing work and will give each room a complete new paint job. We are a good team, and together will bring this house into the 21st century.

Gross! but accurate picture of what the lower-unit kitchen and bath look like:

The plans were done digitally by Home Depot and all the cabinets and fixtures were found with the help of Google and local hardware stores. The space was not easy to work with, but my mom found a way, and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome.

Again, I'm so sorry to have posted these before photos. I am not responsible for the condition of these rooms. But, after the remodel and new tenants, we will see a huge improvement. Part Two.

what makes a great paint job?

And how to find a high quality local company

Hiring a local painter that is both experienced and reasonably priced is sometimes a difficult task for new homeowners, or homeowners that have never hired a professional painter before. If in the past, you've done the painting around your house yourself and are tired of the challenge, or the project is too large in scale, then hiring a pro is the way to go. For example, an exterior paint job is very large in scale and will sometimes require large equipment. It's dirty and dangerous and takes many man (or woman) hours to complete. But, before you can hire a talented and capable painting company, you must understand what makes one.

How to achieve an excellent paint job. 

The key to a high quality paint job and therefore the key to hiring a great painting company is where they focus their energies. There are two parts to any paint job. Most homes need about half of the time or more allotted on the estimate to scrape and prime and clean the surface to be painted. Make sure that this step is clearly itemized on the estimate and that the painter or crew leader has the patience and wherewithal to accomplish the proper preparation necessary for the job all the way through from start to finish. (Photos below)

Once the prep portion of the job is completed then the area should be cleaned, vacuumed, swept and plastic rolled and tarps folded, etc. "How is this going to help me choose the right painting contractor?" you ask. Well, understanding the painting process is going to be paramount to your ability to choose a good painting company. When discussing the estimate with the prospective contractor, allow the painter to detail the prep process in his or her own words. Do not rush this step and do not rush the estimator, as you will get important information regarding the proposed project and their ability to execute. If this is skipped over, glossed over or not handled with the appreciation it deserves, then move on to the next prospective contractor. Another warning sign to look for is the salesman type contractor who doesn't have the experience necessary to detail the hardships involved in scraping a house from top to bottom. It is not a fun part of the job. It is really dirty and potentially harmful as most exterior paint on an old house has lead in it. 

Next, the painting contractor or small painting company must have a proven track record of applying a beautiful top coat. Either by looking at past projects on their website or by looking at testimonials and past references. Then, you can at least feel confident that the company you're thinking of hiring has the ability and knowhow to complete your project. 

Application is key. My painting company applies most top coats with a sprayer now. Most of the body, or siding, is sprayed with an airless sprayer. This saves time and money for the homeowner. Accent colors and trim are typically brush and rolled. This part is easy. With the right system, done many times over, the paitning will be consistent and look really good. Consult past homeowners or look over their website very closely to judge for yourself if you'd like their services or not.

The photo below cleary shows the amount of scraping that is sometimes necessary before any primer is applied. 

The Photo below cleary shows proper caulking, after the primer coat and before the top coats are applied. 

Thanks for reading,

Eric

Moving Into A New Home or Condo

When I get calls from a client or a real estate agent for interior painting work on newly bought homes and condos, it is often times routine work. When a new home or condo is purchased, obviously, painting is one of the few things you'll want to do right away, and it is easier to do this step before all your belongings are moved in. This will save time and money. We can make this step quick and painless. All you'll have to do is pick the colors.

Try this tip for choosing colors and never be stumped again.

We'll be happy to give you an estimate or even offer advice for your interior painting project. One piece of advice I regularly give to clients that are unsure of what colors to choose, is to try samples. From Home Depot, Behr offers great little custom color samples that are easy to apply. Try many samples, until the perfect color is found. I've seen over twenty of these little sample cups laying around a customers new home, but in the end, she had the colors she wanted for each room. All the preparation paid off. 

The tester samples from Home Depot are $2.95 each. Buy some cheap brushes to use as well, or wash and reuse one good one.

What does it take to paint the exterior of your home?

Everything you need to know about painting your exterior and tips from Eric Welch Painting.

Residential Exterior
A contractor needs to be Lead-Safe certified to work on a house with peeling paint if the house was built prior to 1978 (the year lead based paint was banned for residential use.) It is possible to take a sample to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and test it for lead paint. This usually takes about seven days and costs about $50 dollars. If a paint sample is not tested then it is assumed that lead is present and all necessary precautions must be taken.

Before any prep begins my Madison painters lay plastic and secure it to the ground so it will not blow around. A painter must wear a protective face mask that guards against dangerous particulates and is taught how to stay clean and avoid accidental ingestion of lead dust. Fortunately, the are only two ways lead can enter the body and cause any harm, one is through the mouth and the other is through the nose. Simple right? Yes, but it is very important to be safe as lead contaminates build up in the body’s fat tissue and can effect the brain, especially in children.

Proper preparation often times amounts to many tedious and meticulous hours of scraping. It is the least fun and most important part of every paint job. Hit every angle and take care to go over each area twice. Power-washing of most exteriors that have peeling paint is now not allowed due to the restrictions put in place by the EPA. Power-washing is still useful where the previous paint is still sound and on any house with vinyl or aluminum siding. We will use a power-washer when it is necessary and within the law. Any areas that have mold and mildew, use a bleach/ water mixture of 1 part bleach to 3 parts water. Use sponge or brush to apply or a pump spray canister (easiest method.) 

Cleanliness. We clean up around the house and check to make sure all the surfaces have been thoroughly prepped. Then we dispose of the plastic and haul it away from the job site. Rejoice! The prep is done.

Once the preparation is complete, it’s time to apply the primer. Typically this is done with a brush and by hand. Windows and door frames are almost always primed and painted with a brush but primer will be sprayed if the surface area of the siding is large enough to allow for efficient use. As a side note, high-end, A+ paints often have primer built in to them, aka 2 in 1s. This does not render primer less necessary it just adds to the benefits.

The Final Paint or The Top Coat. The body color will most likely be applied first. If we brush and roll the siding then there will be very little plastic or tape used. Tarps will be laid around the house to cover any concrete and on top of shingles. No Drips. Period. Whether we are painting wood, vinyl, aluminum, clapboard, asbestos, asphalt, composite, brick or stucco, we can paint it and it will last.

We miss nothing. The details are what make an excellent paint job. If you’ve ever been unhappy about a previous painter it is probably because of one or more of the following issues. 1.) didn’t prep right and new paint job is now starting to fail. 2) Paint was not applied in a clean manner, lines are not straight, drips are on the concrete or other woodwork. 3.) The details were neglected. We always focus on the details. The soffits, the facsias, behind the downspouts, the hard to reach places, the very high places and we take the time needed to make them look great. Oh, and those little windows down near the foundation that are half covered by dirt, we get those too.

Eric Welch Painting is the best choice for painters in Madison.