Create Curb Appeal

Painter — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 16:53:00 +0000

Curb appeal means everything when you are looking to sell your home. Remember, you only get one chance to make a first impression. While you can’t change the size of your house, how many windows you have, or how mature your garden is, you can make your house look clean, cared for and fresh by giving it a new coat of exterior paint.

Choose a trendy house color that will give your home a bit of flare, or for an older home choose a house paint that honors your home’s historical integrity. Finish off the whole project with some nice potted porch plants and some window boxes, and presto, you have a sellable home with great curb appeal.

Painting Green

Painter — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 16:06:31 +0000

If you want to ensure that your home redecoration plans fit a green way of living then there are few things you can be sure to do that are environmentally friendly both for your home and the planet. First, be sure to buy no or low VOC paint. VOCs are the toxins in normal paint that cause that yucky paint smell and can give you a headache. Did you know that VOCs continue to be released from paint for years after you paint your walls? This can endanger the health of your entire family. However, today most paint brands offer a wide variety of No-VOC paint so there is no reason anymore for your paint job to pollute the air in your home. Also, to be friendlier towards the planet, be sure to only buy the amount of paint you need for the project and also try to reuse brushes from past jobs. Waste not want not.

Tile Painting

Painter — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 15:51:27 +0000

If your bathroom tiles are starting to look dingy it doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune replacing the tiles. There are many tile paints now available for you to choose from and you can just give your old tiles a coat of paint to help them look just like new again.

Just like with painting walls, you need to prepare your bathroom tiles for painting before applying the first coat of paint. Be sure to clean your tiles really well. You don’t want to paint over dirt and soap scum because then the paint won’t adhere to the tiles. It is also a good idea to lightly sand down your tiles to create a good surface for the paint to stick to. Then, apply a good coat of primer over your clean and sanded tiles. Lastly, add one or two good coats of special tile paint. Presto! You have a whole new bathroom.

Cleaning Paint Brushes

Painter — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 16:43:23 +0000

Investing in painting your home is expensive and painting supplies like paint brushes can cost a lot of money. Be sure not to waste your investment by ensuring that you properly clean your paintbrushes and other paint supplies when you finish your paint job. If treated well, your quality paint brushes will survive to help out with another paint job in the future. Water based paint can be easily washed off paint brush bristles but oil based paint can only be removed with special paint removers like turpentine. Check out our site for more information on the proper care for your paint brushes.

Lead Paint Removal Laws

Painter — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 11:04:52 +0000

The EPA has issued a new law, in affect 2010, requiring all contractors to undergo training and certification for removing lead paint. Without this certification, contractors and their builders will not be allowed to work on any property built prior to 1978, the year when lead paint was banned for use in private residences in the USA. However, this new regulation will not affect homeowners doing small DYI projects.

Garden Painting

Painter — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 07:36:27 +0000

Whenever painting outside be sure to follow a few prepatory steps. First, be sure to clean the surface of whatever you paint, like a garden shed. Fresh paint won’t coat nicely if it is trying to stick to dirt and grime rather than to a a cleaned and primed surface. Also, sand down any rough areas to help prevent your new coat of paint from peeling. Lastly, seal up any cracks or holes in your surface. If you’ve already put this much work in you might as well finish the job right.

Now you are ready to apply a new coat of paint.

Prepare For Painting

Painter — Mon, 10 May 2010 08:34:59 +0000

When you want to repaint a room it’s not enough to just buy some paint and get started. You need to prepare the room, and yourself, for painting, or otherwise you can have a very messy job ahead of you.

The first thing you want to do is mask off any windows, doors or woodwork that will not be painted. Taking this precautionary measure is much easier than trying to take paint away from areas that should not have been painted later. It will also give your paint job a clean and professional look. Next, you want to cover all the furniture in the room as well as the floor. Remember, paint can drip and splatter. Use drop clothes, old sheets, newspapers, or cardboard to protect furniture and flooring from these paint droppings.

Finally, don’t forget to prime the walls before painting. Trying to paint over old, dark and peeling paint will make your new paint job look messy. Take the time to sand down the walls and use a white colored primer to give your walls a neutral finish, perfect for applying a fresh coat of paint. And of course, don’t forget some special painting clothes for yourself. You probably will get dirty by the end of this job–so don’t wear any good clothes.

For more tips on preparing a room for painting, check out www.paintsplashes.com

Getting The Kids Involved

Painter — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 20:05:15 +0000

The big interior paint job is coming up and you need to figure out what to do with the kids. How will you ever get the new coat of paint up on the walls with the little ones running under foot?

The best way to get the job done while keeping the kids entertained is to get them involved in the project. Find a way for your kids to contribute on painting day. Explain to them how to use a brush or roller and set up an area in the room for them to help paint. Show them the right motions to use for applying paint to the walls and then give them a designated square on the wall which will become their area of painting. (Just be sure to cover the floor under that area as you can’t count on your kids being very neat with the paint).

By providing a role for your kids to play in the painting of the room you will not only keep them busy and entertained, allowing you to complete your painting project, but you will provide your children with a sense of self-worth allowing them a chance to have some fun while at the same time helping you to finish the job.

For more ideas on getting your kids involved, check out this great article on painting with kids .

My Room Colors, My Moods

Painter — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:38:53 +0000

Feeling Angry? feeling Sad? Feeling Happy, Calm or Energetic?

It seems that paint color plays a role in mood. At least that’s what house painters are saying. My friend Adi G has been painting for years and specializes in home/wall murals. “Color choice is critical as it sets the tone for the home’s atmosphere as well as the home owner’s mood”, says Adi.

I’m pretty sure I agree. I look back and think about the different colors I’ve painted my room over the years.

age 6- I was a happy-go-lucky girl. I loved dancing, singing and playing with my millions of dolls. Predictably, my room was Pink.

age 11-This was my tomboy stage. I wanted to play sports and hang with the guys. I forced my mother to change my paint color and so-my room was blue.

age 16- This was my most rebellious year. I was a somewhat angry tiny-bopper obsessed with Blink 182 and Alanis Morissette. My room reflected my mood and was a dark shade of gray. Yes, believe it or not I had my room painted gray.

Currently, as a young adult my room is a soft beige. The color suggests peacefulness and creates a calm. There’s nothing more soothing than coming home after a long day of work to my beautiful beige walls.

And there you have it. The colorful story of my life.

http://www.paintsplashes.com/the-psychology-of-color-and-effect-upon-the-body.shtml

Wonderful Wall Murals

Painter — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 07:06:05 +0000

There’s nothing like a creative wall mural. Growing up, I was always envious of my friends with Disney characters dancing on their walls or realistic images of an exotic beach. Some of my friends’ parents painted the murals, while others hired professional painters. Either way, there walls always seemed more exciting than my plain off-white walls.

It is for this reason, I decided to have wall murals in my house. Because I am not an artist, I hired a painter to come in and decorate my walls. I explained the vision I had in mind and she made it a reality. In my dining room, I chose to have tropical birds resting on branches, while in my kitchen, hanging antique bordered the wall.

Murals are a great way to enhance a room, without having to buy new furniture. Painters range in price and experience, and of course you can always paint yourself or ask an artistic friend to help you out.