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interior painting,painters,home,commercial
Written by Colleen Kalil

Preparing to Paint

interior painting,painters,home,commercialFall is a great time to refresh your home’s interior. The weather is cooler and it’s an opportunity to get ready for the upcoming holiday season. The time it takes to prepare properly is well worth it when you see the results.

Furniture

If at all possible, remove the furniture from the room and cover the floor with a drop cloth. If you can’t take all the furniture out, push everything into the middle of the room and cover with plastic or another drop cloth.

Cleaning

Before you paint, clean your windows inside and out. It isn’t necessary for painting, but it will add to the freshness of the room. You can also check the frames and glass for any signs of wear or damage. When the windows are done, cover the glass with plastic using painter’s tape to protect them from drips and splatters.

Repair any cracks, chips, or other damage to your walls. If you have to use putty to fill holes, make sure you sand it smooth. If you don’t, you’ll see the outline under the paint. Dust the walls and ceiling if you plan to paint it. Wash the walls with warm water and a little mild cleaner. By removing the dust first, you avoid creating dirty streaks when you wash the walls. Vacuum any vents in the ceiling or in the floor.

Taping

The best order for painting is trim, ceiling, and walls. Tape around the trim and around the ceiling, then paint. Let the ceiling paint dry completely before taping the top of the walls. Some people hate taking the time to tape, but it saves time and creates a finished look.

Painting

If the current wall color is very dark and you’re applying a lighter color, prime the walls first. However, some brands of paint include primer or the texture makes primer unnecessary. Using a small brush, cut into the corners of the room, where the ceiling and wall meet, and around the trim. Do this for any place your roller won’t be able to reach. Paint the walls using a “W” pattern starting in one corner and covering a 3′ x 3′ area. This reduces visible seams where the paint overlaps.

Drying

Most latex paint dries to the touch in a few hours, but you shouldn’t let anything rest against the wall or wash it for at least 48 hours.

The professionals at University Painters take the time to prepare every surface in your home to achieve the best results. Call us today and schedule your fall refresh today.

interior painting,home painters
Written by Colleen Kalil

Keep Your Home’s Paint Looking Like New

When you paint your home’s interior or exterior, you can keep it looking new longer if you know how to take care of it. Most people paint their homes then forget about it until it needs to be repainted. Regular maintenance can extend the life of the paint in your home and ultimately save you money. Here are three tips you may not know.

1. Keep an eye out for any spots or stains from dirt, grease, or crayons, etc. It’s easiest to clean spots when they’re fresh rather than after they’re ground in and covered with more dirt. Take into consideration the finish on your wall. Scrubbing too hard on a matte wall may remove more than just the stain. Try to remove the stain with a damp sponge first. If the stain is stubborn, add a little dish soap on the sponge and try again.

2. Mold is never a good sign. It usually develops in moist, damp areas such as bathrooms and basements. If you find mold, you can purchase special paint to cover the area, or you can start with a simple solution of water and bleach. Check the surface a few months later to make sure the problem has been solved. If the mold continues to spread, you may want to call in a professional to help.

3. Most people don’t realize that paint can fade the same way fabrics can fade. Start with a high-quality paint to avoid this problem. However, if you’re unsure of the quality of the paint you have on your walls, or if you like your room sunny and bright all day long, consider tinting your windows with a UV coating.

A little effort will keep your home looking freshly painted for a long time. The professionals at University Paints use the finest quality materials and are available to consult with you about your painting needs. Contact us today.

interior painting, painters
Written by Colleen Kalil

Should You Paint Your Home’s Interior During Winter?

People often associate painting as a task ideally done in warm weather. You may have to wait for warmer temperatures if you are doing an exterior painting job. Things are different however if you are doing an interior painting job. Winter is actually an ideal time to get it done. Here’s why winter is the best time for an interior painting job:

You Get Great Deals

Painting contractors tend to be busier during summer but winter is traditionally a lean time in this industry. As a result, you can get better deals for an interior painting job at this time than in the overbooked summer when people want to have their exterior painting work done.

Painting Gets Done Faster

Exterior painting jobs, regardless of the season, begin when the sun comes up and end when the sun goes down. It is not a good idea to keep painting at night for quality and safety reasons. For interior painting jobs, however, it is still possible for the painter to do his job even when the sun goes down because he is indoors. The sun won’t matter for painting jobs done inside the home, giving the painter more flexibility to finish the job faster.

Winter Air Is Great For Curing Paint

Summer may be ideal for painting projects but there are parts about it that painting contractors do not enjoy. One of these is the humid summer air. The more humid it is outside, the longer it takes for the paint to dry, which means more time is added to the tasks, making interior painting job more expensive.

Painting During Winter Gives You More Time And Allowance For Summer Projects

You will have more time and money this summer to focus on other projects that are ideally done in the warm weather if you get your interior painting project out of the way. Instead of doing interior painting this summer, you may want to work on the facade of your house instead.

Make the most of the opportunity to paint your home’s interior this winter. Breathe new life and make your indoor walls more colorful this season. Make sure that you entrust this job to a reliable contractor with years of experience in the industry. Feel free to contact us at University Painters for the interior painting job you want done this winter.