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preparation , paint job, painters
Written by Colleen Kalil

What Professional Painters Wish Their Clients Knew

preparation , paint job, paintersWhenever you spend money to improve or maintain your home, you’re making an investment in its value. When you hire professional service experts, you want their best work and it’s especially true with painters. Color is the first thing you notice when you step into a room followed by how well the paint was applied. Just as you want the best work from your painter, they’d like you to put forth your best efforts as well. Here are a few things the professionals wish their clients knew.

1. Back Seat Painters

You’ve hired an experienced professional so don’t look over their shoulder continuously. In addition to technical skills, a professional understands the product they’re using and its performance and properties. Asking endless questions and pointing out how you would do things differently isn’t just annoying, it’s rather insulting.

2. It Takes Time

If you want to end up with a spectacular paint job, you should expect about 30% of the time to be devoted to preparation work. There’s a distinct difference between a fast, slipshod job and a careful, painstaking process.

3. Do Your Part of the Prep

Your painter will expect to do the majority of the prep work as part of the project, but you can save around 10% on your project if you do your part preparing for the painter. Remove all pictures from the walls, put away knick-knacks or other valuable objects, and make sure the room is clutter-free. For example, if you’re painting your family room, make sure toys, clothes, and other items are put away and there’s ample room to work in. The painter is there to paint, not clean house.

4. Pets and Little People

Keep pets and children out of the rooms to be painted. It’s easy to imagine paint being knocked over, brushes on surfaces other than walls, and paint tracked all over the house. Besides the obvious, it’s a distraction to answer questions, pet the dog or cat, and it slows down the pace of the work. Remember, the painter should be able to focus on painting.

University Painters are experienced professionals and are not only good at our jobs, we’re good with our customers. Contact us today to meet with one of our experts and begin your project.

exterior painting,painters, residential painting job
Written by Colleen Kalil

Updating Your Home’s Look for Less

exterior painting,painters, residential painting jobDoes your home seem to look duller these days? You can’t put your finger on it, but it needs to be updated. The whole house is not in need of a paint job. It’s only the shutters that could use a fresh coat. Shutters are a common addition to many homes. They serve many purposes. They can be a decorative addition or may be used to keep harsh sunlight out. If it’s the shutters that you want painted, here are some hints to tackling this job properly.

Choose a complementary or contrasting color that you are going to enjoy. Many people don’t realize just what an important role shutters play in the overall look of the house until they are painted a color that doesn’t look right. Try to find pictures of homes that are similar to yours and are sporting shutters in a color you are considering as a precursor to making the decision.

Clean the shutters thoroughly prior to the painting process. You may need to use a little bleach to rid them of mold and stains. Allow them to dry completely before moving on to the next step.

Just as you would when painting a house, the next step is to scrape off any paint chips or flakes. Otherwise they become part of the new paint job.

Now, prime the shutters just as you would the house. This helps to ensure they are ready to bond with the paint and allows the paint to adhere more thoroughly. A good priming job prior to painting also helps to guarantee a cleaner, brighter look that will last longer!

When you begin the actual painting process, start at the top of the shutter and work your way down. Apply the paint with a lighter stroke so the painted areas do not have tell-tale signs of paint brush marks.

Finally, apply two coats of paint. One will simply not give you the long-lasting paint job you are looking for.

Sound like a lot of work? Too busy to do the job yourself? Then turn to the professionals at University Painters. We have been in the interior, exterior and commercial painting business for  32 years. We will treat your home as if it’s our own.