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exterior painting, home painters
Written by Colleen Kalil

Preparing Your Home For An Exterior Paint Job

Nearly half of the painting process for painting the exterior of your home is preparation, so make sure to follow these steps to guarantee that the exterior paint will look great and last.

Wash Your Home’s Exterior

Wash your house’s exterior from top to bottom prior to having it painted. A thoroughly washed surface can maximize the adhesion of the new paint to the exterior surfaces. Consider renting a power pressure washer, which can save you hours of time and effort you would otherwise spend with hand washing. You can wash your exterior with regular tap water; use clean additives only when there is mold and heavy stains. Allow your home to dry for at least one day prior to having it painted.

Make Repairs

Paint isn’t the solution to damaged or rotten surfaces of your home. It will only cover the unsightly marks. Repair any damaged areas of your home first prior to painting it. You may do this on your own but there are instances when you have to seek help from a carpenter or a handyman. Get professional help when the job calls for replacement or repairs of crucial parts of your house, such as stairs or overhangs.

Trim Nearby Plants And Trees

Be sure to trim the trees, plants and bushes close to your home before getting your exterior painted. This will provide enough space to work outside around the house without the painters having to brush off branches and thorns that can potentially injure them. Trimming plants that are in close contact to your home can also prevent foliage from hitting the wet paint once applied.

Scrape Away Flaking Paint

After washing your home’s exterior, you need to scrap and sand away any loose paint. Taking off this old flaking paint may involve a lot of work but this is a crucial step. The condition of the surface that needs to be painted will determine the success of the project.

Houses built before 1978 may also have lead paint, so scraping and sanding the exteriors of these homes need to be done with care.

Prepping your home prior to a painting job will require a lot of work. Fortunately, these tasks can be included in your painting project when you hire a professional. This can help you save a great deal of time, effort and money. Contact us here at University Painters for professional painting services.

interior painting,House Painting Pressure Washing
Written by Colleen Kalil

How To Prepare Your Home For An Interior Paint Job

Hiring a professional can save you the hassles of painting the interior of your home yourself.  All you have to do is sit back and relax while the painter does the hard work for you. If you want things to get done faster, however, here are some things you can do prior to the arrival of the painting service contractor:

Remove Hangings On The Wall

If you have framed wall decorations, pictures and mirrors hanging on the wall, take them down before the painter arrives. This will not only expedite the painting process but moving these valuables out of the way can also protect them from accidental damage. 

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House Painter Exterior Painting
Written by Colleen Kalil

Benefits Of Exterior Painting You May Not Be Aware Of

People paint the exterior of their house primarily for aesthetic purposes and to increase the value of their home but there is more to giving your house a colorful touch-up. Here are some other benefits of exterior painting:

Protects Your Home From Harsh Weather

Your home is constantly exposed to extreme temperatures and the damaging elements that they bring. A fresh protective coating serves as a barrier that can protect your residence from an extremely cold winter and a hot summer. 

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painters, painting interior, services
Written by Colleen Kalil

Avoid These Mistakes People Make When Choosing Paint Colors

It is crucial to make an educated choice when selecting paint colors for your home. You do not want to live in a home with colors that are either too boring or too overwhelming. Make sure to avoid the following mistakes people often make when choosing paint colors:

Failing To Take The Furniture And Decor Into Consideration

It isn’t a good idea to choose a paint color simply because it is your favorite hue. Consider all the elements in a room or your house when choosing a paint color. You do not want a paint color that clashes with your couch or favorite painting.

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interior painting, home painting, University Painters
Written by Colleen Kalil

Signs That Mean Your Bedroom Needs A Makeover

Your bedroom is the place where you relax and unwind but it may be time for you to update your room if you no longer feel the zest it used to have. Here are some of the things you need to check out to see if it’s time for a room makeover:

Clutter

Has your bedroom become a dumping ground for old books and magazines, worn-out clothing items and virtually useless collections? Clutter can prevent you from relaxing in what should be your sanctuary at home, so take time to declutter and get rid of things that are no longer useful.

Windows

A gloomy room can deflate your spirits so consider lightening things up if your room is on the dark side. Go for sheer curtains instead of blackout blinds. Adding a new curtain pole may help improve the look of your room.

Beddings

It may be time to buy new pillows if you are sleeping on old and flattened ones. Plump, new pillows are not just beneficial to your health. They can also make your bed look more enticing. Consider accessorizing your bed using cushions and throws to make it look more inviting.

Furniture

Worn-out and old-fashioned furniture can be expensive to replace but there are other ways to give them a new life. Give the old furniture some love with sanding and re-painting. You may also want to replace the old knobs and handles.

Lighting

You can update you room by simply changing the lights. Ceiling lights can brighten up a dull space as well as serve as an attractive feature. Feature mirrors are a great way to reflect light in your room.

Flooring

Threadbare carpets are an eyesore. Rugs are an inexpensive option instead of re-carpeting if you are on a tight budget.  For your worn floor boards, check if they are suitable for sanding, varnishing, or painting.

Peeling and faded wallpaper and paint can drag down the look of your room so if these characterize your walls, it is time to get decorating. A feature wall using a large piece of art or wallpaper is a great way to modernize your room. Neutral colors on your wall will allow you to make easy changes when your mood strikes.

Should you decide to give your room a new color, avoid sloppy painting jobs by entrusting this work to an experienced professional. Contact us at University Painters for a free estimate of the painting jobs you have in mind.

Interior painting, Home painters,, repairs
Written by Colleen Kalil

Most Common Causes Of Peeling Paint

Paint may start to peel off of interior walls or exterior surfaces of your home regardless of when it was applied. Here are some possible causes and how you can fix the problem:

Poor Adhesion

Paint will start to peel off when it does not adhere properly to the surface underneath it. This happens when the wall was not cleaned and primed correctly.

Mildew, oil, dirt and dust need to be thoroughly removed before painting. If you are painting a wall covered in old paint with a glossy finish, you must use an abrasive cleanser to clean and dull the wall to improve adhesion. If you are painting over a wall with an existing paint type, you need to choose the same type of paint. Oil, latex and water-based paints do not mix well together.

Moisture

The paint will not dry correctly if it is applied to a damp surface. This can lead to premature peeling of paint.

Paint That Has Gone Bad

Peeling can happen if the paint used has already gone bad. Latex paints may no longer be usable when they are left stored in open containers in the garage. They start to develop a strong odor and leave a rough finish on the surfaces that can cause peeling. Cheap paints may also fail and peel sooner compared with higher-end paints.

New Wood

New wood has natural oils that can cause paint to peel off regardless if the wood appears dry when you paint it. Cedar is particularly susceptible to this. Wood that was not properly cured may contain too much moisture.

A wall with peeling paint is an eyesore, as well as a health risk, since areas in your home with flaking paints can become a breeding ground for bacteria and mildew. Ensure you make the necessary repairs as soon as possible.

Fixing peeling paint requires removal of the chipped paint, use of a patching compound, sanding, then use of an oil-based primer.  An easier option to repairing peeling paint is to entrust the job to an experienced professional.

University Painters can help fix peeling paint in your home. Our expert painters can remove old and peeling paint layers then repaint the surfaces using tried and tested techniques that can prevent peeling from happening again. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you repair peeling paints in your home.

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Painting Jobs, Home painters
Written by Colleen Kalil

Choosing The Right Paint Colors For Your Home

People often have a hard time picking out paint colors. Colors can transform your house into a home but the challenge for most homeowners is having to choose from thousands of available colors and picking the perfect one. Should you choose a dark or light color? Cool or warm? Neutral or bold? Here are some tips to help you pick out the perfect paint color:

Consider The Location Of The Room

There are several questions that you need to answer when choosing colors for particular spaces in your home. What is the purpose of the room you want to paint? Will the room serve as a dining area where you plan to entertain guests and spend time with your family every night for dinner? Will it be a laundry room, or will it be the master bedroom that will serve as your sanctuary after a busy day at work?

Different colors have different impacts. A pale blue, for instance, helps you feel relaxed so it is often painted in the bedroom. A bright color, on the other hand, can make you feel more active so you can use it in a work area.

Pick A Color Palette

Once you know the purpose of the space and what you want yourself and others to feel in this particular room, it is time to pick a color palette. Look around you. You should pick a color that goes well with everything in your room, You can also choose the color first then work around this color by accessorizing with curtains, decors and painted furniture.

See The Colors In Action

It is a good idea to give your colors a test before you proceed with the painting job. Paint the colors you’re considering onto white poster boards and place these next to your furniture, carpet and cabinets. Move the poster boards to different places in the room and look for color undertones at night in artificial lighting, during the day with natural lighting, and during rainy days.

Once you have chosen the colors for your home, be sure to choose a professional to perform the paint job for you. Feel free to contact us at University Painters to learn more about the house painting jobs we provide.

home painters, repairs , maintenance
Written by Josh Jablon

Home Issues That Homeowners Should Not Ignore

Homeowners do not have to fix minor cosmetic issues around the house right away but it is important to know how to identify problems that need to be addressed as soon as possible. Here are some of them:

Pest Damage

Many homeowners think that pest infestations are a mere annoyance but rats and termites do not just bring germs and other pathogens into your home. They can also cause tremendous amount of physical damage to your home in a short period of time.

Water Leaks

Figures from the United States Geological Survey agency show that a slow leak can cost a family more than $200 a year in wasted water. Besides wasting money on your utility bill, water leaks will damage virtually everything that it touches.

Broken Garage Door

A broken garage door can pose a safety risk to your family. Thieves can easily break in if you have an unfixed garage door. A garage door that does not close all the way also gives easier access to pests.

Damage To The Roof

A damaged roof can decrease the value of your property. It can also result in structural problems when rainstorms occur. Homeowners need to check the roof and the attic for signs of water damage at least twice a year.

Frayed Wires

Many homeowners ignore repairing damaged wiring unless they run into important home appliances such as the refrigerator. Frayed wires are unfortunately one of the most common causes of house fires. The condition can create short circuits that may possibly escalate into a fire hazard.

Flaking Paint

Colors can transform your house into a home. Adding an extra coat of paint will not only increase the value of your property, it can also improve insulation and protect the structure of your home.

Peeling paint is a common problem for ceilings and bathroom walls because of possible water leaks and high humidity. Flaking paint can be an eyesore in what could be an attractive bathroom but there is another reason why peeling paint warrants attention: areas with flaking paints serve as a prime breeding ground for disease-causing bacteria and mildew.

If your home was built before 1978, it likely used lead-based paint so it’s a good idea to hire a professional who can handle the repair. University Painters can provide you with the professional painting services that you need. Contact us today to learn how we can help you with your painting issues in your home.

Home Painter, Interior Painting
Written by Josh Jablon

How To Create A Color Scheme For Your Home

Choosing a color scheme for your home may seem a difficult task but this is doable when you know how to simplify things. Here are some tips that can help you pick the best paint colors for your house.

Find A Base Color

Start with just one room, which ideally serves as a focal point in your home or the first room that people see when they enter your house. Once you have chosen the room, consider the colors of the items there. Find one color that you love and use this as your base color.

Build Your Palette

You can start building your palette once you designate your base color. Using a color wheel and a paint deck, create three color schemes: complementary, monochrome and neutral. A complementary color scheme includes colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel. A monochrome palette will have several colors that are similar to your base color. Use the paint deck to find the base then choose three colors around it to produce a balanced palette. A neutral scheme allows your base color to stand out as a dynamic focal point.

Consider How Colors Impact You

Colors have enormous effect on how people feel so make sure you consider how the colors you choose impact you. Ensure that the colors you choose for a particular room match the goals you want to accomplish there. The color blue, for instance, relaxes people so it is best used in bedrooms where you want to rest after a busy day.

Try The Colors Out

Before getting an entire room painted, test out the paint colors that you plan to use. You also need to be aware that the color or finish may look totally different on different sides of the room because of lighting. Experts advise painting two coats of large swatches in a light corner and in a dark corner then look at them at different times of the day.

A new color scheme can give your home a new look. To get the best results, consider hiring experienced painting service providers. They can provide you with expert advice on color schemes and guarantee a hassle-free and clean painting job. University Painters has years of experience painting houses, offices and condominiums.  Contact us to get a free estimate for a painting job you have in mind.

Home painter, interior painting
Written by Josh Jablon

How To Change The Size And Shape Of A Room Using Paint Colors

Paint colors can affect the way we see a particular space. Wall colors, for instance, can change how we perceive a room’s size and shape; how should you choose and use colors to achieve the effect you want for your home?

Lighter and cooler colors generally tend to recede so they appear farther away. Darker and warmer colors, on the other hand, advance so they appear to move towards us. This basic color concept can be used to paint rooms so they appear larger or smaller, change the room’s shape, and hide the ugly features of the home.

Make A Room Appear Larger Or Smaller

The eyes stop at lines where the color changes and this makes the edges and size of the room more apparent.  Lighter colors allow your eyes to travel continuously around the space so this gives the effect of a room appearing larger.

Using different colors make it easier to see boundaries and this can make small rooms appear smaller. You cannot easily see boundaries when the same color is used creating an illusion that the space continues.

Make The Room Feel More Spacious

If the room is very large, a ceiling with a darker color than the walls can make it appear lower and thus make the room feel cozier. If a space makes you claustrophobic, then paint the ceiling a lighter color to raise its apparent height and make the room feel more spacious.

Alter The Shape Of The Room

Painting the two short walls in a long room with a shade darker than the main wall color will make the room appear more of a square shape. For those with large, bare walls, you can break up the space with molding above and below. Paint the bottom with a darker color than the one above to ground the space.

Disguise Unattractive Items

If you have features in the room that you do not want to look at, have these “eyesores” painted in the same color as the walls. This would make them blend in and become less noticeable.

For rooms with lots of angles and architectural features that you want to downplay, try painting all the surfaces the same color.

University Painting can provide you with the house painting services you need to change the size, shape and appearance of your space. Contact us to set an appointment for a free estimate.

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