Northern Illinois, Illinois Painting and Painters

Painting the interior or exterior of your home can be a very rewarding experience. The following are some procedures to help you through this process.

Color Selection

A good rule to go by is to have patience when choosing a color. Do not make your final Color Selection in the store; instead, take color paint cards home so you can look at them in the room or area that requires painting.

Evaluate the colors in different lighting (daylight, artificial light, etc) Colors can vary quite noticeably in different lighting conditions.

Remember that colors will deepen when applied to a larger area. To balance this, you may want to choose a lighter color, instead of a darker 1.

Selecting the right sheen

Paints come in a series of sheen or gloss levels ranging from "high gloss" (this has a strong reflective appearance) to "flat" (practically non reflective). Glossy sheens are sometimes referred to as enamels, both oil-based and latex varieties. Semi-gloss paint has a somewhat less reflective appearance and has an excellent stain resistance and is easy to clean. Surfaces such as those found in Northern Illinois kitchens, bathrooms, window frames and doors work best with semi-gloss paint. Eggshell, satin and low luster paints have even a lower level of sheen and typically used on walls. Flat Paint is the best sheen to mask surface imperfections. This works best in areas where there's less traffic and a non-reflective surface is needed such as ceilings.

Choosing the right quality of paint

If you want your paint job to look great for an extended period of time, buy top quality paints. These paints provide greater adhesion, offer superior stain resistance, and resist yellowing after awhile.

Choose the proper tools

High quality brushes and rollers apply the paint more smoothly and evenly than economy-grade painting tools. In addition, top grade tools apply a heavier coat of paint that will help hide the color below, be more resilient, and stand up better to cleaning and scrubbing.

Surface Preparation

While you may be tempted to start painting right away when you bring your painting supplies home, take into consideration that most walls and woodwork need to be cleaned first to help the paint adhere better. Remove dust, dirt and grime with a simple detergent and water solution, after which you should rinse the surface clean and let it dry. Eradicate any marks that could bleed through. If nail holes or other blemishes are present, plug them with filling compound. Allow the compound to dry and sand the area. Small cracks can be filled with a quality acrylic latex caulk. It is at this time that tape off any trim surfaces that you do not want covered.

Painting

Applying paint to interior walls is as simple as "framing" them by painting the outside edges with a brush, then filling in the center with your roller. When painting the trim, dip the brush into the paint about halfway up the length of the bristles and paint around the trim in even strokes, keeping the paint wet. Prior to loading a roller with paint, dip the roller in water and squeeze until damp. The water coating will let the paint to spread easily over the wall surface. Begin at the top of the wall and work downward with the roller. Carefully blend the edges of the rolled paint with the trim paint.

Storage and cleaning of paints and tools

When you finish your paint job, protect your investment in the brushes and rollers by cleaning and appropriately storing them. If you've used popular water-based latex paint, brushes and rollers can be cleaned with plain soap or detergent and water; cleanup of oil-based paints will require the use of turpentine or paint thinner. Also, to prevent white paint from yellowing with age, add 3 drops of black paint per quart.

Safety Precautions

Remember to always take safety precautions while painting. You should not climbing a ladder any higher than the third rung from the top, making sure all stepstools are well-built and locked into position before use, and wearing the proper eye and skin protection while preparing the surface and painting.