Western Virginia, Virginia 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 follow is to take your time when deciding upon a color. Do not make your final Selecting the right color in the store; instead, take color paint cards home so you can look at them right in the room or area that needs painting.

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

keep in mind that colors will deepen when applied to a larger area. To balance this, you might want to select a lighter color, instead of a darker one.

Choosing the right sheen

Paints come in a selection of sheen or gloss levels ranging from "high gloss" (this has a strong reflective appearance) to "flat" (practically non reflective). Glossy sheens are often referred to as enamels, both oil-based and latex assortments. Semi-gloss paint has a slightly less reflective appearance and has a superior stain resistance and is easy to clean. Surfaces like those found in Western Virginia 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 conceal surface imperfections. This works best in areas where there's less traffic and a non-reflective surface is needed such as ceilings.

Paint Quality

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 over time.

Select the right 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, have more durability, and hold up better to cleaning and scrubbing.

Preparing the surface

While you might be tempted to start painting right away when you bring your painting supplies home, take into account 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. At this point, tape off any trim surfaces that you don't 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 allow the paint to spread easily over the wall surface. Begin at the top of the wall and work downward. Carefully blend the edges of the rolled paint with the trim paint.

Storage and cleaning of tools and paints

When you finish your paint job, protect your investment in the brushes and rollers by cleaning and storing them appropriately. If you have 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 three drops of black paint per quart.

Safety Precautions

Always remember to 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 heavy duty and locked into position before use, and wearing the proper eye and skin protection while preparing the surface and painting.