Step 2 - Part 1 - Preparation

Preparation is the most important step in the whole painting process. It’s important to take your time and to thoroughly prepare any surface you are going to be working with. Preparation is the key to good-looking, long-lasting results. A properly prepared surface is clean, solid and dry, without cracks and imperfections.

Here’s how to prepare several different surfaces:

Bare Wood

·         Fill nail holes, joints and cracks with patching mud

·         Sand smooth and remove access dust with tack cloth

·         Prime all bare wood and patch areas with a primer

·         Easy-to-clean latex semi-gloss or gloss would be the best choice for the finished coach

New Plaster Walls

·         New plaster walls must be clean and completely cured

·         Textured or swirl types and soft, porous or powdery plaster must be treated with a solution, repeated until surface is hard, rinse with water, allowed to dry and apply primer

·         Latex is a great topcoat since it’s so easy to work with

New Drywall

·         Panels must be secured

·         All panel joints must be taped and filled before painting

·         Once joint cement is dry, sand smooth, and make sure to clean any dust away

·         Latex is the best choice for drywall

Wallpaper

·         Always remove wallpaper! To remove wallpaper you can either use a chemical remover or a steamer, depends on the condition of the wallpaper

·         Make sure to clean off all adhesive, wash and allow walls to dry

·         Previously Painted Surfaces

·         Make sure all remnants of build up are washed off, use appropriate cleaner, rinse and allow walls to dry

·         Remove all loose paint and dust

·         Patch holes and cracks with patching mud, allow mud to dry, sand smooth

·         Glossy or nonporous surfaces required you to lightly sand to a dull finish or use an abrasive cleanser

·         Remove dust and cleaner residue

·         Ensure you prime all bare areas prior to applying the topcoat. Try to avoid “spot-priming” this will hinder your end result

Masonry, Concrete, Cement or Block

·         New surfaces must be cured, allow approximately 30 days. If painting cannot wait 30 days, allow the surface to cure 7 days and prime surface with masonry primer

·         Remove all form release and curing agents

·         Rough surfaces can be filled to provide smooth finish

The basics of preparation apply to every surface, for the best results make sure the surface is clean, solid and dry before starting. If you have any questions regarding a surface don’t hesitation to give us a call, or send us an email we’d be happy to assist you.

Step 1 - Planning - Brushes and Rollers

Welcome to the second part of Part 1 - Planning. Here we'll explore different paint brushes and rollers.

Paint brushes come in a variety of sizes, end types and bristles. They all may look similar, but don't be fooled, they aren't. A higher quality brush could potentially result in a better-looking job with less effort. A better quality brush holds more paint and applies more evenly, saving you time and giving you better results.

Types of brushes

·         Natural-bristle brushes - made of animal hair, and are used to apply oil based paints, varnishes, shallac, polyurethane and other oil based finishes.  Just like human hair these ends split allowing the brush to absorb more paint and give a smooth paint release and finish.

·         Blend nylon/polyester brushes - work great with latex paints. The combination of the nylon's durability and polyester's shape retention makes for a high-quality brush, resulting in a high-quality paint finish. These brushes are easy to clean and last for several projects.

·         Polyester brushes - the best brushes for latex paint. Polyester brushes hold their shape and stiffness in any paint and applies paint smoothly and evenly.

There are several brush sizes out there. The general rule when picking a brush size is:

·         1" - 2" - window and other small trim

·         3" - glossy paints for doors and cabinets

·         4" - large, flat areas

We know what you're thinking now, "what about the brush ends?"

·         Chisel trim - it's slanted bristles help produce a good, straight line for trimming corners and edges.

·         Square trim - just as it sounds, squared bristles. Generally used for painting flat areas

·         Angled - usually a 1" or 2" brush and cut on an angle to help with paint application on window trim.

Just like paint brushes, rollers have a number of different combinations available to best suit your needs. Rollers are great when it comes to painting large, flat surfaces. They help speed up the process and create a smooth finish.

Fabric Types

·         Synthetic covers (nylon, dacron or polyester) - the go-to fabric type for most latex paints

·         Natural Covers (mohair or sheepskin) - should only be used with oil based paints. Latex paints can cause the fibers to swell and become matted.

·         Blended covers (polyester/wood blend) - works great with any paint. This fabric type combines the extra pickup of wool and the longer life of polyester.

Pile Depth refers to the thickness of the roller cover's fiber nap. It's important to pick the correct pile depth for the surface you're painting. The six basic pile depths will meet almost any painting project's needs.

·         Very smooth - metal doors and plaster

·         Smooth - drywall

·         Semi-smooth - drywall

·         Semi-rough - rough wood and acoustic tile

·         Rough - textured ceilings and stucco finishes

·         Very rough - concrete, brick and fences.

Now you've picked out your paint, brushes and rollers it's time to figure out how much paint you are going to need for this project. Don't worry, it's simple!

HEIGHT X WIDTH = SQUARE FOOT OF WALL

ADD ALL WALLS TOGETHER

**Note: subtract the square footage of any large windows or doors**

Once you know how many square feet your room is you'll be able to locate how much coverage each paint has on its label.

By this time you'll know what kind of paint to purchase and what brushes and rollers to use. If you have any questions we'd love to hear from you. Drop us a line at 778-887-8763

Up next, Step 2 - Prep. Make sure to come back and check it out!

Step 1 - Planning - Paint Selection

The first step in Step 1 of planning is choosing the right paint. This is determined by several different factors such as: what the room is used for, type of surface and desired finish you are looking for. We have good news for you though, interior paint is now formulated to provide:

·         scrub ability and stain resistance

·         good hiding ability

·         good coverage

·         spatter resistance

·         easy touch ups

eliminating most of the guess work!

The next question is latex or oil based paint? Both have different benefits and depends on which characteristics and uses. Latex is the easiest to work with. It dries quickly, extremely durable and cleans up nicely with just soap and water. Oil paints have good adhesion, excellent durability and stain resistance, which are great for high traffic rooms such as your kitchen and bathrooms.

For more detailed information contact Trendz Painting for more information 778-887-8763

You must also keep in mind the surface in which you are painting. There is paint best suited for ceilings, woodwork, walls, metal, masonry and floors.

Here's a few tidbits about each

Ceiling - generally specifically formulated flat paint. It hides irregularities and lap marks, and rolls on with minimal spatter and won't yellow over time.

Woodwork - both latex and oil paint are okay to use on this surface. Always prime bare wood for best results. Easy-to-clean semi gloss finishes are the first choice, but when wear-and-tear is modest, flat or satin finishes are okay to use.

Walls - Latex is an excellent choice for walls because it's so easy to work with and just as durable as oil based paints.

Metal - use either latex or oil based paint on properly primed iron or steel. You can apply latex directly on aluminum and galvanized metal after primed with an oil based primer.

Masonry - on cement and brick surfaces acrylic latex wall paint designed specifically designed for masonry surfaces will work out beautifully  

Now that's all out of the way, we need to choose a finish. Of course, this all depends on the room and desired look. From flat to gloss, both latex and oil there is a full range of finishes.

Once again, here's a few tidbits about each

Flat - this matte appearance softens a room and helps hide imperfections, leaving the walls looking smooth. A flat finish is great because you can clean with just a damp sponge. It's ideal for:

·         adult bedrooms

·         dining rooms

·         formal living rooms

·         ceilings

Satin - has a slight gloss, and offers the benefit of flat finish with added clean ability. Best suited for high traffic areas such as:

·         halls

·         woodwork

·         children's bedrooms

·         family rooms

Semi-gloss - super durable and perfect for areas that are cleaned frequently such as:

·         kitchens

·         bathrooms

·         utility areas

·         closet doors

·         trim

Gloss - this extremely hard finish is perfect for items that are used frequently such as:

·         wood trim

·         cabinets

·         doors

·         furniture

Flat Enamel - a non-reflective appearance that helps conceal surface imperfections while providing some wash ability

Matte - this flat finish hides imperfections beautifully and its angular shine provides a smooth look, it's also washable!

Eg-shel - Great for walls! It has a slight hint of shine and holds up great to cleaning

Medium-Lustre - being a higher gloss finish, this finish is perfect for doors and trim

We understand that this can be a very confusing process for many people and are more than happy to help you find the best fit for you. Don't hesitate to call Trendz Painting at 778-887-8763 for further information catered to your needs.

Stay tuned for more on Step 1 - Planning, now you have the paint you'll need your utensils!  We'll help you choose the best suited brush, roller and more.

The Painting Process

The next several posts will be in relation to the painting process. In order to have the best results there is a 4 step process to follow; planning, prepping, painting and clean up. Over the next few blog enteries we will go indepth on each step so that you can have a full understanding of what goes in to those beautiful paint jobs you've admired from time to time.

Step 1 - Plan

Step 2 - Prep

Step 3 - Paint

Step 4 - Clean

Here's an example of some of the things we are faced with. In order to provide the best results we always stick to these 4 steps.

How many of these steps do you follow faithfully?

Stay tuned for the first installment of the Painting Process Series - Step 1 - Plan