Colour Combinations That Can't Go Wrong

Your home is a reflection of yourself, so you need to make sure that you get your home's decoration to be as close a representation of you as possible. Your home is where you rest and relax with your loved ones. So, obviously, you need to make sure that your home is made as soothing or lively as you need it to be. Each room needs to have its own character, and colours are the way to do it. The right wall colour combinations can bring your home to life. But there are always times when you wonder if the colours you've picked would go well with each other. How do you know that the colours that you've chosen won't create a visual cacophony? Well, you can try some sure shot ways to get the right colours on the walls of your home. These are colour schemes that help you to choose colours that generally suit each other well. You could try monochromatic wall colour combinations, for example.

This scheme requires you to simply use various hues of the same colour on different things. The point here is that you need to make sure that not only the walls, but also your decorations suit the wall colour combinations. Wall hangings, drapes, carpets or flooring's, furniture and so on - these are things that you can choose in the same colour as your wall's colour. Or if you would rather, you could simply put your current belongings to the best use possible and ensure that the colour of your walls suit the furniture and decorations. You can choose this over other wall colour combinations if you want a soothing effect and a sense of continuity. Remember though, that you want to make sure that the hues are apparent enough without being too loud.

You can also choose either complementary or analogous wall colour combinations as well. Complementary wall colour combinations would require you to pick colours that are diametric to each other on the colour wheel. The contrasts can help you to add vibrancy. Analogous colour schemes would require you to pick colours adjacent to each other on the colour wheel. This would mean that colours closer to each other in nature would help you to bring a sense of continuity. Remember though, that any colour that you pick is likely to change its hue depending on the kind of light that it receives. Before you go ahead and pick colours, remember that they affect the perception of size of a room.

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Ways to Prepare for a Painter

When hiring professional painters can save you time and stress when it comes to changing the look in a room. To make their job easier, however, there are few things that a homeowner can do to prepare. Obviously maintaining a home with clean walls and floor will make it easier to apply the paint and move around the house. To prepare for the crew that will come in, you can put down a drop cloth and then scrub the walls with a detergent to remove any dirt. The cleaner the surface, the more perfect the painting will be.

The first steps that a property owner needs to make prior to hiring a company is to decide what rooms they want painted and what colors they want used. The rooms will determine what type of paint the company uses on the walls. There are paints that are easier to wipe off body oils or crayon, while others make cleaning grease off a pain.

Make sure the walls are completely clean and free of defects. If you have areas that have had pictures hung often, you will want to fill the holes. You will also need to check to see if there is anything specific you need to do with carpets and outlets. All items that have sentimental value will need to be put up or moved to a different location. After you have cleaned and vacuumed, you are ready for a drop cloth to be placed for work to begin.

When deciding what colors to go with, you will need to take into account of the lighting in your house. It is best if you take home color cards or swatches to place against the surface. Some home improvement stores offer sample containers for only a few dollars so that you can check it on a small section of the wall. This allows you to compare different looks.

Finally, you need to contact several different companies that do contract work. Make sure you ask for previous clients and references so you can see work that has been done. Get price quotes, taking into account if you will need to move furniture or if that is included in the price. Some companies expect you to provide your own drop clothes and have things taped up, while others prefer to set everything up themselves.

Preparing for remodeling can consume much of your life, especially moving kitchen appliances, covering all dishes, getting furniture out of the way, or prepping any living space. Allowing a contracting company to come in and help out will take much of the strife. You can put the fun back in the change and design elements.

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Why Hire a Home Painter?

A home painter is a professional you can trust to do the job right based on his or her experience. Though you may think this is a do it yourself project, think again. The detail work, equipment and even the paint itself can be much harder for a homeowner to manage financially than just turning to an expert to handle the job. Additionally, not just any person who says they can paint houses is good enough. The wrong person could put you in a situation where you are spending far too much time and money fixing mistakes.

Your Safety

One of the reasons to hire a home painter is for your safety. Hire a licensed, bonded, and insured professional who has the proper equipment to get the job done properly. Safety is a big factor on any property. The ground may be uneven. The height, difficult obstacles in the way and even just the sun can all be factors to limit your ability to be safe. A professional will have no problem with this.

Professional Service You Can Trust

When it comes to finding a professional service, find one that has a solid reputation. When you do, you will get some added benefits from working with these professionals instead of managing it on your own. For example, these professionals have the ability to properly prepare and paint the home so that it looks good and lasts. They are experts that know the type of product right for the home. They also have the ability to help you to get all of the details taken care of too including the overhang, the gutters, and the shutters.

Saving Money

Though it may be tempting to hire the non-professional who says he will paint your home, avoid this. It may seem like these companies are less expensive but the fact is they often cost more. Professionals can purchase paint in bulk at discount prices. They also have all of the equipment necessary on hand, which means you do not have to go out and buy it. Moreover, they may guarantee their service. That means if there is a problem with the finished look, they will work with you to get it fixed. These are all factors that play a role in the cost of hiring painters.

A home painter is an expert and someone you can trust to perform the tasks with skill. Even if you have experience or the other person promises to do a great job, it may be simpler and more cost effective to turn to a professional instead. Locate painters that can show you the work they have done so you can be sure they will do the type of job you can be proud of.

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Flawless Paintwork With The Wagner Paint Crew

The very name of the Wagner Paint Crew suggests the functionality it offers to the active home handyman and even the seasoned professional. This paint sprayer will take the place of a whole crew of skilled painters to give a single worker the chance to quickly paint a good sized structure, while achieving good to excellent quality. The Wagner Power Products 3/8 HP 2,750 PSI Paint Crew Paint Sprayer is a great choice for you if you're planning to repaint your house or another medium to large building. It is also suitable for smaller projects and is very convenient for lofty paint jobs on the second or higher story.

This painter is a piston pump variety that needs no compressor and does not pull in air, either, so is therefore fairly quiet in operation. Paint is put into the hopper and the lid is closed. The hopper weighs 25 pounds when full and is carried easily using a large, ergonomic metal handle.

Though some users occasionally experience problems with needing to keep the hopper topped up, this can be avoided by quickly straining the paint before putting it into the hopper. If the paint has been strained, users confirm, the hopper can be drained to the bottom before refilling is needed. Cleanup can be greatly sped up by using Wagner cleaner agent. This will remove most paint after use and leave only a few traces in the gun, easily brushed out in a few minutes after disassembly. Using nothing but soapy water can result in long, unpleasant one to two hour cleanup times.

The 25' paint hose that extends from the hopper is connected to the business end of the system: a lightweight pistol grip spray gun that is only slightly bulkier than an airbrush. The rust-proof, light, strong aluminum gun is extremely easy to maneuver while painting in any situation, including high above the ground on a second story wall or barn. Both vertical and horizontal painting patterns are possible with the nozzle, which can be adjusted instantly simply by swiveling it.

The Wagner Paint Crew is a bit strong for small projects. Indoors, it will create clouds of overspray, and proper protection - including goggles, respirator, and overalls - is recommended both indoors and out. A covering for the hair is also a good idea. Mostly, though, the cleanup time is the biggest obstacle to using this device for small projects. It gives a superlative, smooth, thorough coat of paint, stain, preservative, or sealant to a picnic table, for example. However, the job will be done in a few seconds, and then a relatively lengthy cleanup is needed.

For big projects, however, this machine's effectiveness is well worth the cleaning at the end. There is ample evidence from users who have employed it for house painting, big fences, boats, decks, outbuildings, and so on that even an average user can achieve professional results in a single morning. The sprayer will lay down a clean, unblemished layer of paint over both smooth and rough surfaces, creating a creamy texture with its very small droplets of paint.

This represents colossal savings over a professional painting team's fees, yet offers a paint job that is nearly as good or equal to their best efforts. As a final feature, the robust construction and powerful half horsepower motor of the Paint Crew allows it to spray practically any material except actually abrasive substances. Thick, buttery paint sprays on just as easily as thinned latex or stain. With its combination of swift, high quality paint work and great versatility make this one of the best heavy duty painters that you can use for your projects today.

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The Dangers of Lead and VOCs in Paint

Painting is a key activity when it comes to renovating and home improvements. In fact it is, more often than not, one of the projects that top the list of to-dos. After all a bright new coat of paint is the easiest, quickest and most satisfying way to make over a room. But not all paint is created equal, and some types of paint can be harmful both to you and to the environment.

If you've ever felt dizzy while painting a room in your home, chances are you were using a paint that contained some type of volatile organic compounds (VOC). Lead paint has been banned for many years, so it's unlikely to have been this additive that affected you.

But right now this isn't the issue. What you need to be aware of is that it isn't only new paint that can be harmful. Surfaces that were painted with lead-based paint many years ago can also make you sick, especially when it chips or flakes off the surface.

Lead-based paint was banned from use in American homes by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in 1978, but according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), some 38-million homes in the US still contain some lead-based paint surfaces. About two thirds of the houses that were built prior to 1960 contain lead-based paint. That is a shocking statistic.

So if you are about to start remodeling an older home, here's what you need to know about lead paint.

Dust and Debris from Old Lead Paint is a Health Hazard

This is an established fact. It is also the very reason lead as an ingredient in paint was banned in the US, and in most other countries throughout the world. Since then, various standards and regulations have been developed that enable us to:

identify dangerous levels of lead in paint, dust, and in the soil, are able to deal with to deal with any lead content in painted surfaces, dust or in the soil in an approved manner, protect people (especially children under six years of age) from the harmful effects of lead, insist on real estate disclosure so that when we buy our homes we know whether or not we are (or are likely to be) taking on a lead paint hazard.

According to the EPA, health problems caused by exposure to lead are horrendous, and can lead to "profound developmental and neurological impairment in children". The agency warns that lead poisoning is linked to juvenile delinquency and violent behavior, learning disabilities and inadequate academic performance, as well as mental retardation, and even hearing loss.

The CPSC concurs with the EPA, stating that, "Lead poisoning in children is associated with behavioral problems, learning disabilities, and growth retardation."

EPA statistics published in their Lead Fact Sheet reveal that close to a million children in the USA today have "dangerously elevated levels of lead in their blood".

Regulations and Standards Regarding Contractors Working with Anything that Contains Lead

In April 2010, the EPA introduced new regulations that made it illegal for uncertified people in the USA to remove or disturb lead-based painted surfaces larger that 6 square feet indoors and 20 square feet in the yards and gardens of houses and child-occupied facilities that had been built prior to 1978 when lead-based paint was originally banned.

Professional renovators, painters, HVAC repairmen, plumbers and electricians are all expected to be tested, and contracting businesses must apply for official EPA certification. For safety reasons, only their trained and tested personnel are allowed to do the relevant work.

While the primary purpose of the regulations is to protect children from lead poisoning, trained contractors are, according to a flyer that is circulated by the Environmental Information Association (EIA), obliged to "follow specific work practices, such as containment, dust minimization and cleanup". For example, they are not permitted to use power tools or an open-flame method when it comes to removing old lead-based paint, unless there is approved exhaust control. When it comes to clean-up, they have to follow a "cleaning verification procedure" or have the area tested using dust wipes after the work has been completed.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has developed even more stringent standards for workers. Aimed mainly at those working in industry, it specifies, amongst other things, the equipment and safety clothing that should be used when working with anything that contains lead. Paint is, of course, just one product that contained this harmfully toxic ingredient.

Removing Old Lead Paint

It is absolutely essential to take adquate precautions when removing old paint.

First and foremost you need to establish whether the old paint is lead-based. If you don't know, and can't find out, and the house was built prior to the banning of lead-based paint, then you should take these precautions as a matter of course.

When you work, follow these three simple EPA rules:

Contain the work area. Minimize dust to the best of your ability. Clean up thoroughly when you have finished working (even if the job is not complete).

When you scrape the old paint off, wear a mask and gloves so that you don't inhale any potentially toxic dust or come into contact with it and risk it being absorbed through your skin.

And always remember that, as the EPA warns: "Renovation activities that disturb lead-based paint can create health hazards."

Rather be safe than sorry, and learn how to do things the correct way before you start.

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4 Factors To Look Out For When Hiring A Painting Company

There will come a time when you find yourself wanting a new paint job for your home. It might be that you have grown tired with the colors of your walls and you want new colors to be applied. If that is the case, it is very recommendable to get help from a painting company. Even if you think that you could do the paintjob yourself, hiring professionals is still recommendable. This is to ensure that the outcome of the paintjob will definitely be outstanding and remarkable.

But since there are numerous painting companies out there, you might have a hard time looking for a good one. Here are the top four factors that you might want to look for in a painting company:

• Experience - Always look for a well-established painting company that has been around for some time. Only those who provide excellent service are the ones who really last. It is definitely a guarantee that you will get excellent service from those who have been offering paintjobs for years. While there are good companies that offer great services even if they are still knew, the risk that you take with them is still high. You do not want to risk the beauty of your interior with those who do not have experience. A company that has been offering paint services for fifteen to twenty years is very recommendable.

• Reputation - Look for a painting company that has a good reputation. That is why you might want to ask friends and family for recommendations. They might suggest particular companies that offered great services to them in the past. Once you have the name of their suggested companies, look the names up in the Internet. Determine how reputable those companies are. A painting company that has a lot of positive reviews is the company that you should consider. Painting companies will not really get famous if they provide low quality services.

• Free estimates - A painting company that provides free services are confident about the work that they do. You will definitely benefit from free estimates because you will know how much you will spend once the job is done. There are some companies out there who do not even know how much their clients might end up spending. They just do their job and surprise their clients with ridiculously expensive rates. Avoid those companies. Go with the ones that know what services have to be provided and how much these services will cost you.

• Painting advice - Only a few painting companies out there offer painting advice. Most of them would simply ask what color you want for the rooms in your home and they will follow your command even if you have made a bad choice. Look for a company that will offer great suggestions for your home. There are painting companies out there that can provide you assistance regarding color options. Consultants will be provided so that you will know which colors will be more suitable for the rooms in your home.

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House Painting Tips - 2012

After you have watched some home makeover portions in the internet and in the television, you probably think of possible house painting tips to consider. This is to ensure that your house will look highly comfortable, fresh and comes with the best aesthetic appeal. The good thing is that even if you are not experienced enough in painting your house, it is possible for you to make your house look amazing by simply knowing the best tips for painting house. So if you want to renovate your house sooner or later, it is now the time for you to know the possible house painting tips to consider.

One of the house painting tips that you need to know is to clean up the house. This is very important because by cleaning your house, the paint will stick to the walls easily. In addition to that, cleaning the house will make the paint seem so striking. See to it that before you start to paint your house, you will also cover the furniture present. This is to ensure that the paint particles will not land on the surfaces of furniture you have. This is a very basic tip that you need to know in order for your painting session to be successful.

Choosing the right paint is also one of the tips for painting house that you need to know. When it comes to this matter, you need to make sure that you consider the right color suited to the present interior design of your house. In addition to that, you should also consider the texture of the paint. Decide whether it is oil-based, latex-based and other possible selections. If you want a kind of paint which is easy to clean, latex-based kind of paint is the best for you. On the other hand, the oil based kind of paint is suited for people who want to protect their walls.

See to it that if you have come up with the right paint and accessories needed, you begin the painting session by applying primer. Remember that you should not apply the paint without priming surfaces. By means of priming up, this will cover the patches present in the surface and this will make the paint run smooth. Once you are done with this, ensure that you will mix coats. By means of mixing the coats, you will be able to create a thick surface of paint. This makes it more aesthetically appealing. This is specifically needed if you will be painting huge rooms. Indeed, this is one of the house painting tips that you need to consider.

Just in case you want to make your room look appealing than the usual, these are some of the tips for painting house that you need to keep in mind. With the help of these tips, it is possible for you to enhance the overall aesthetic appeal of your house and achieve the kind of interior you have always wanted to have. Surely, these house painting tips will make the painting process a lot successful than what you have always expected.

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Impact Of VOC Guidelines On Architectural Paints Products

VOCs are emitted from numerous products that we use in day to day life. It includes harmless-looking marker pens and correctional fluids. Even the office copier and Xerox machines are in the list of VOC-emitting products. However, architectural paints are the single largest contributor to this hazard. Thus the guidelines formulated to control VOC emission have a large impact on the architectural paint products and its production technology. Some of the major impacts are as follows.

Solvent reduction or change

Architectural paints along with any type of other paint are primarily a mixture of solid elements and solvents. The VOCs are emitted from the solvent part. When applied over a surface, the solvent evaporates, leaving behind the solid part imparting the color and finish. Therefore, to control the level of VOC emission, it is necessary to control solvent usage. After the new guidelines were enforced, paint companies have either decreased the usage of solvent or changed it with another type of chemical to meet the changing guidelines.

Use of better technology

The change of solvent or reduction of its quantity makes up the primary steps that were taken by the paint companies. However, for long term effect, better technologies were developed and are in use. Polycarbonate is now being used to provide clear wood finishes for interior painting. Alkyd urethane varnishes that had high level of VOC have been replaced by water based Alkyds. The texture and the finish achieved by the water based alkyds are also better than what was achieved using urethane varnishes.

Better results

The formulation of VOC usage guidelines and its enforcement not only forced the paint companies to change their production methods but even proved beneficial to the customers and environment. Architectural paints from top companies like Benjamin Moore paints have lowest VOC emission and still are the best in their class. Earlier, paint quality was determined by the quantity of solvent used; however, with better technology and reduced solvent level, one gets better finish with the use of architectural paints from top brands like Benjamin Moore paints. Thus it proves to be beneficial for the end users. Moreover, reduced smell makes it easy for the applicators to work with these paints. And the low level of VOC emission also proves to be beneficial for the environmental conditions. Thus the impact of VOC guidelines on architectural paint products proves to be beneficial both for people and for the environment.

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The Importance of a Good Looking Exterior to Your Property

We all know how important it is to keep the interior of our property looking its best, and apart from anything else we know that it's unhygienic to leave it any other way. However what many of us don't realise is that it's equally important to keep our property looking good from the outside, and that it can have a lot of negative impacts on our lives if we don't. Here we will look at some of the reasons that this is the case.

First Impressions are Everything

You may have heard just how important it is to make good first impressions in all works of life and this is also true of our properties. Bear in mind that when anyone visits your home, the first thing they are going to notice is what it looks like outside. As such then if your walls are looking grubby and your grass is overgrown, then your visitors are going to assume that your home is badly maintained and looked after and it's not going to change their mind even if this interior is well maintained. In short, their first site of your home is going to color the rest of their experience and it will be hard for them to forget it. This is a shame if you're trying to make a good impression on guests, but it's much more of a problem if you are planning to sell your property as it will mean that you aren't likely to impressive the prospective buyer.

And another thing you need to bear in mind is that many people won't even get to the point where they see the interior of your home. Parents dropping their kid off to play with yours for instance, or the postman, or someone driving past or stopping by to pick you up - they're all only going to ever see your home from the outside and this then means that their entire opinion of you and your home is going to be shaped by the appearance of the exterior. And there are many many more people who will walk past your home than there are who will actually come in.

Consider the Neighbors

You also need to think about your neighbors and what they are going to think about your home from the exterior. If your house is looking old and tattered then this is going to be what they have to look at when they look across the road and you are essentially damaging their view. At the same time, this can also make the whole neighbourhood look rougher and make you look like a less desirable neighbour. This might even mean that you will end up costing them money so that when someone looks around their property they will be less likely to spend the money and make an investment - so you are actually costing them money.

For all these reasons it's very important to look after the exterior of your home and to get painting and lawn mowing and other related services.

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7 Steps For Painting Bathroom Tiles

If you are reading this article, then you are probably looking for more information about painting bathroom tiles. When the tiles in your bathroom look boring, dull, or out of date, you might feel an urge to replace them. But installing new tiles in your bathroom can be an expensive and time consuming task.

So painting over tile is the easiest and most affordable way to give your bathroom a fresh look. What makes this different from painting other materials is that you first need to prepare the surface so that the paint will adhere to it without flaking off.

1. If there are any problems, such as cracking tiles or crumbling grout, they need to be repaired before you start to paint your bathroom tiles.

2. Next, you will need to prepare the surface to be painted, and this requires cleaning the tiles. Start by cleaning off any grime, dirt and soap scum that may be left on the tile surface.

You can use a tile and grout cleansing solution, or some other commercial cleaning product. Then use a non-abrasive scrubbing pad. Wipe it all over the tiles to remove the debris.

3. You may also find that the tiles will have patches of calcium residue. If this is the case then you will also need to use a calcium deposit remover.

4. Sanding is also important before you paint bathroom tile, as this will ensure that the applied paint adheres well to the surface. A 220 grit sandpaper is recommended, to achieve the best finish. It is coarse enough to remove the surface gloss, but not so coarse as to leave scratches that may show through your paint.

A hand held orbital sander is a good tool to use make the sanding job easier. For safety, you should wear a mask and eye protection. When finished, wipe off the surface to remove the dust.

5. The next step in the process of painting ceramic tile is the application of primer. This is done to seal the surface, and lay down a good base for the paint. It is recommended that you use a high quality oil based primer on the tiles. Start applying it at the corners. Paint each tile individually, using vertical strokes.

6. It will usually take around 24 hours for it to dry. Then you can apply a second coat of primer.

7. For your top coat, you need to select a high quality oil based paint. Choose paints that are suitable for the bathroom and kitchen, as these paints are made to resist moisture and prevent growth of mold and mildew. Although oil based paints take longer to apply, and have a longer drying time, the finish of this paint is of the highest quality, and it will last for a long time.

When painting bathroom tiles, instead of using one heavy coat, it is recommended that you use a number of thin coats. Apply each coat after the previous coat has dried. When you have finished painting your bathroom tiles, then the bathroom will have a new lease on life, and that will last for years to come.

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9 Ways To Be Painting Like a Pro

Do you get frustrated at the end of your painting project because it doesn't look as good as your neighbor's house, later you find your neighbors had their home painted by a professional. Below are some simple tips to help you get the stunning results you are yearning for on your next paint job.

Unless you are super careful you better get some drop clothes and tape on hand to put down so you don't get paint splatter all over the place. You notice when a professional painter is done with a job the area around the newly painted walls looks clean and tidy. Using drop cloths and tape will give you this look you want.

Go around and remove all the outlet covers and the light switch covers. Getting these removed will allow you to paint all the way around the light switch and outlet. Sometimes the covers can rotate a bit and if you didn't remove them you would see the old color shine through. Also a bit of advice when putting them back on. The pros are very picky about having all the screw heads line up the same way. You can pick if you want the screw heads to line up vertically or horizontally. It's up to you but if you make sure these are all uniform it will look more professional.

If you are painting woodwork, especially woodwork that has a gloss or shine to it you need to first de-gloss it. You can do this by purchasing a de-glosser at your local paint shop, after that is done, prime and paint. If you don't do the de-glosser step the primer will not stick to the woodwork and you will end up having to do it all over again.

It is time to paint the first coat on the ceiling. Use a proper step-ladder or 6 ft ladder to reach all the way up to get the finer items. You can always roll the big parts with a long extendable arm and a good roller.

Before you paint the walls you want to fill in the nail pops and other divets and imperfections in the drywall. Fill them in then sand it down so it is nice and smooth. Run your hand over it and make sure you can't feel the area that was repaired.

By now the ceiling should be dry and ready for its second coat. It is the same process as the first coat you just do it again. After this one is done you are going to have a beautiful finish on your ceilings just like the professionals do.

All that woodwork you have worked so hard on is dry and looking awesome. Now that it is time to paint the walls you want to tape off the woodwork with a painters tape so you don't pull any of that new paint off.

Get out the rollers and brushes and start painting the walls. This should go rather quick since you already have the outlet covers off and the woodwork taped off. Once you get the first coat painted, let it dry then go over it again with a second coat to get that great coverage the pros get.

As you can see, painting like a professional isn't all that hard it just involves doing the right steps in the right order. The biggest mistake people make is doing these steps out of order and they end up getting paint all over the place or painting the wrong thing and wasting a bunch of time. I'm glad this article has helped you paint like a professional.

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Painting Services You Need

Are you dealing with painters who've done no prep work or the project didn't turn out as good as you wanted it to? How about focusing all that energy into one constructive channel? Why not contact a painting expert for your next revamping project? Painting experts specialize in many areas providing all the skills necessary for a truly amazing job with professional results.

Painting experts have the skill and experience for paint preparation that can go far beyond just covering some cracks on the wall. All of those annoying scratches and holes can be fixed, making your walls look brand new. After all, what's the point of repainting when you're still going to have scrapes and marks all over the house?

So, it all comes down to maintaining your house and hiring professionals to get the job done right. Experience in painting for residential and commercial is a plus when it comes to finding the right company for your next project. Here are some of the paint job services you might want in the future.

Painting

Painting can benefit your house in ways you may never have considered. Other than preserving your house, it can actually increase the value of your property and keep you from making a huge investment on repairs. Here's what you should look forward to when contacting a professional renovation expert for a paint job.

Cabinet Painting:

Repair those cracks and dings on your cabinets with a simple coat of paint.

Ceiling and Wall Painting:

Focus on the holes in your ceiling and walls that simply diminish the value of your real estate.

Faux Painting:

Want to get creative? Here's a painting technique that could help you experiment with that boring room you've wanted to change for so long. Get a form of decorative painting that replicates and gives you that marble or wood feel.

Texture Painting:

This form of painting allows you to get the texture of a canvas with different designs. The idea is to have different paint applications with additional materials such as wood, leather or lace to give a textured look to your house. A fresh coat of paint with some innovative carpentry can make your house look entirely different.

So, the next time you want to paint a room a different color or the entire house, consider calling your local painting experts. A professional can save you time, money and their quality painting can completely transform the look of your room or house.

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Do I Really Need Professional Help For My Home Renovation Work?

The answer to this question really depends on the exact size and nature of your renovation project as well as your personal DIY experience and capabilities. If you intend to update the color of your child's bedroom and the walls are of a good quality and don't require much preparation, chances are you can do the job yourself. However if your project involves a large area, complicated work or the surfaces need plastering or some other form of prep work, then considering hiring professional help may be a good idea.

One of the problems that many people encounter unexpectedly when attempting some DIY is the lack of preparation. Most people know how to slap on a coat of paint but if the surface was not properly prepared in advance then you can face some problems later. Peeling paint is a common issue that can occur due to an unclean surface and will result in additional labor. Exterior work in particular can be tricky business and hiring a professional painter will almost certainly be the best option for that kind of work.

There are a number of painting and renovation companies offering their services and if your project requires skills that are not limited to just painting then they can be very beneficial. Renovation companies can provide you with individuals skilled in a whole range of different trades so no matter what services your renovation project calls for, they will have the expertise to complete the job to the best standards. When you hire the services of a professional painting and renovating company you have access to a whole range of skill bases that the average amateur will simply not have. As well as painting, which is a skill in itself, most professionals or teams will have within their repertoire, skills including:

Plaster repairs Mold removal and sealing Water damage repairs Gutter maintenance Carpentry repairs Window Glazing or repairs

As well as these skills that require training and experience to execute efficiently a professional will also offer a variety services. This means they have the whole package to offer so your home can be transformed from start to finish without you having to lift a finger.

In short the simple answer to the question "do I really need professional help with my renovation work?" is most likely yes. It is more or less guaranteed that the job will be completed to a much higher standard when done by a professional and the benefits massively outweigh those of doing it on your own! And now you have more time to spend with family and friends while your home is professional maintained and warrantied!

Choosing The Right Painters Tarps For Your Next Paint Job   Hints For An Easier Do-It-Yourself Epoxy Garage Floor   

Concrete and Paving Paint Sealer Benefits

A person can make use of a paving paint sealer to prolong the quality and enhance the beauty of his patio flags, slabs, or brick pavement. These sealers which are basically liquid chemical components have the capability to protect, strengthen, and beautify the said structures or materials. Any person who desires to make his home very attractive and easy to maintain for a long time should consider making use of a very helpful liquid construction material simply known as a paving paint sealer.

These sealers are made from certain chemicals that are able to repel water, stop the sprouting of small unwanted plants, resist harmful ultra violet rays, increase the strength of particular materials, and create specific amounts of gloss effects that help enhance the brilliance of a particular structure. - These particular sealers are simply known as water based impregnating sealers. It has to be noted that there are many other specific positive effects one could gain from utilizing a paving paint sealer.

Through applying these sealers on one's patio flags, slabs, or brick pavement, one will be able to provide these things with protective coating that will help one in easily maintaining his structures. In fact, for many people, a simple paving or concrete paint sealer is able to make particular structures virtually maintenance free. Due to this scientific reality, one will be able to save a lot of money by simply keeping one's supposed paving maintenance budget and eventually spend it for more important things.

This kind of sealers can make particular structures a lot stronger. As far as many people are concerned, it is always practical to supplement the strength of one's specific structures at home if one desires to be financially practical and wise in terms of physical labor. The extra strength a paving or concrete paint sealer gives to particular structures make these structures cheap to maintain and easy to physically manage.

With a paving paint sealer, particularly the water based penetrating sealers, the brilliance and elegance of one's structures will be highlighted. Because of these things, one's home will surely look its best. One will no longer worry about how he would be able to present his home to his guests in a very attractive light if one will be able to utilize the said sealers properly.

Using these sealers nowadays is very practical and wise. In general, if one is to asses the benefits one could gain from these sealers, one will certainly end up concluding that its benefits are mostly practical advantages. Without any doubt, it is certain that today's society in the field of construction and perhaps home management or improvement will not be complete without the likes of a simple material called concrete paint sealer.

Choosing The Right Painters Tarps For Your Next Paint Job   Hints For An Easier Do-It-Yourself Epoxy Garage Floor   

Redecorating Your House: Paint With Color and With Confidence

White walls make me crazy! From the time I rented to the time we bought our current home, I have come to look with scorn on the color white. Especially Navajo white. Every apartment complex and contractor in the state of Arizona and New Mexico must store 1,000 gallons of that ungodly color or similar offshoot.

Yes, I understand why: it goes with everything, and it looks clean, and it's safe... blah, blah, blah. Blah is what white walls mean to me.

But how do you introduce color into your home without losing your hair or having recurring nightmares about being attacked by a giant paintbrush with Peach Cobbler semi-gloss?

Let me introduce you to Christopher Lowell and his "Seven Layers of Design" book.

Christopher is a professional interior decorator who's had his own TV show for which he won an Emmy. His is a long list of accomplishments, including lines of paint and furniture, as well as his numerous published works relating to decorating. (Don't you love how we're on a first name basis and he doesn't even know I'm alive?)

"Seven Layers of Design" is fabulous in its clarity, its organization, and in Christopher's detailed, yet simplified, explanations of how easily things can be done. As he puts it, basically, if you can apply make-up to your face, then you can decorate your house because you understand the concept of foundation and accenting with color.

In the book, the first layer is Paint. Our house is a southwestern ranch style with lots of walnut-stained woodwork and dark brown tile flooring. Those white walls I mentioned were in such stark contrast with the dark wood that it actually washed out the wood's beauty. It was almost like looking at a black and white photo, especially in our dining room where there was a lot of natural light from upper windows in the cathedral ceiling. But which color to choose and how?

Seven Layers of Design is the only place I've ever learned how to properly use the paint swatches you get at any paint store. I'm talking about the 7-color strips showing variations of the same color family. Usually the lightest color is at the top and the darkest at the bottom. "Seven Layers of Design" demonstrates that you use the fourth color down as your wall color, then go up two shades for your ceiling color, leaving the lightest swatch for your trim color. That's not so hard, is it?

But how do you pick the color? Again, Christopher takes a very common sense, rational approach. Go to the paint store and find swatches you like. It doesn't matter what color family they're from. Using blue painter's tape so you don't damage the current paint, tape them on the wall in the room you're working on with enough space in between so they don't clash with each other. Leave them there for several days, even a week or more.

Look at the colors during various times of the day as the lighting changes. How will the room look in the morning? In the evening? Move the swatches to other walls to get a feel for the color in the whole room.

I'm confident this exercise alone will help you weed out some tones immediately. In fact, you may find yourself running back to the paint store for a whole different set of colors. Better to find this out now than later after you've invested in buying the paint, spending time painting the room, and finding out you hate it!

In making your choice of the colors that remain, please yourself if you live alone. If you have a family, have your members give their thoughts. After all, they'll have to live with what you choose and getting their input up front will mean less criticism later (hopefully).

What did we end up choosing? A bold semi-gloss called February Gold. It reduced the contrast between the white walls and the dark walnut, bringing out the richness of the wood's highlights and grain. For the accent color, I chose cobalt blue throughout the house-not in paint, but in accessories like drapes, pillows, dishes, etc. You can check it out for yourself on my blog. It may not be to your taste, but we really enjoy it and get lots of compliments from visitors.

So I urge you to buy "Seven Layers of Design" by Christopher Lowell. See how you can take his advice and marry it to your tastes to come up with a richly-painted and decorated home. Go ahead and get rid of those safe, bland white walls and bask in the warmth of color.

Choosing The Right Painters Tarps For Your Next Paint Job   Hints For An Easier Do-It-Yourself Epoxy Garage Floor