Painting Information, Cost & Free Price Quotes

If you are looking for an easy and cost effective way to give your house a new, fresh look then consider painting it. Painting your house is one of the top ways to add value to your home, even if you are putting on the same color as before. It is important to keep in mind, however, that your paint job is only as valuable as the paint you use. Using paint of a good quality can make a surface more abrasion-resistant, easier to clean, and longer lasting.

Interior Painting

For indoor painting, there are several preparation steps to follow during the painting process. You should first attend to the holes in walls and ceilings before slapping on a coat of paint. You can repair these holes using a vinyl spackling compound. Generally you will need to apply more than one coat due to shrinkage. Larger holes will most likely require wallboard or plaster patch. Wallboard repairs can be made using Fiberglass joint tape and drywall joint compound. Plaster repairs can be successfully made with plaster patching product. Keep in mind, to blend in a textured finish after you make a repair it helps to use a spray texture in an aerosol can.

Exterior Painting

For exterior finishes, you will also need to do some preparation work before you begin to paint. The exterior of your house may or may not be covered with old flaking paint on the siding, trim, gutters and downspouts. If this is the case with your home, you will need to remove the flaking paint before you put a fresh coat of paint on. Power washing has proven to be the most effective approach because it will remove the majority of the damage. You should then use a paint scraper to remove the remaining flaking, chipped or blistered paint. The last step is to repair any major damages and then mix together a solution of 50/50 bleach and water to remove mold and mildew. You should then be able to apply your fresh coat.

Paint Selection

Selecting the right paint and the proper applicators are two of the most important steps in the painting process. These steps are essential to an attractive and long-lasting result. When shopping around for paint it is important to note that the more costly the paint is the better quality it is. Pricey paint usually gets the job done in one-coat, while also being abrasion-resistant and good looking for a longer period of time. The extra money you put toward quality paint will pay for itself because the fresh new appearance will not have to be repainted as quickly. Below are a few tips on what type of paint should be used for applications.

• For surfaces that will be subject to abundant moisture, such as basements, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and kitchens you should use oil-base semi-gloss enamel. However, new advances in latex paint are making latex just as durable in wet spaces.
• All other surfaces can be painted with a high-quality 100-percent-acrylic latex flat wall paint.
• Select exterior paint according to the material that you are painting. There are special paints designed to work with different materials.