Category: Paint Doctor’s News

Great Deals on Interior Paint

This is the time of year to get a good deal on your interior paint job. Here at Paint Doctor’s Painting we have an excellent crew and we would like to take care of them and keep them working through these winter months.

Give Mike a call and get that interior looking good – 541-497-3804.

Pets and Painting

Pet lovers need to make a plan for their pets during the painting process. It’s hard enough for homeowners to remember to take precautions with paint products and not touch, lean on or brush up against wet paint. Your pets will probably not get the concept when they are used to wandering the house freely.

One of the best ways to take care of pets is for you to take them off site and have the pros take care of the painting efficiently so you can get your pets back to their normal routine as soon as possible.

Brick and Mortar

Painting masonry is not for the casual painter. If painting is prep, even more so for painting brick and block surfaces. And specialized product, you’re gonna need the right stuff.

Wire brushing is a good start. Then a shop vac and a degreaser. Don’t forget drop cloth and masking tape, which is not easy to do along the uneven edges.

Prime with Sherwin-Williams’ Loxon Concrete & Masonry Primer starting with a brush in the mortar lines. A roller is probably the best tool for the surface. Finish with ProClassic Waterborne Interior Acrylic Enamel of your color choice.

Or, just give us a call…

Blue Paint Colors

According to Sherwin-Williams, blue is “by far the most popular color family, blue paint is traditional and conservative in its darker tones and becomes breezy and cool when you add white. Blue colors are known to have calming effects when lighter versions are used so it is perfect for a space where you want to retreat and relax. Blue can also be energetic when bright tones are used and contrasted with white or yellow. Blue paint used alone is usually not the best color for a kitchen but in any other space you can make it work.”

These interactive color graphs at Sherwin-Williams.com can help you choose your colors. On the first grid select a color then click “View Details” to see more including suggested complimentary colors.

Stop, Drop and Roll

You should include some quality drop cloths in your homeowner painting and remodeling kit. Hardly a painting project can be done without this vital protection to the floor surfaces in your home or office.

Several runner drops designed for hallways and room perimeters should be the backbone of your drop cloth supplies. These are commonly available in 4 feet by 12 feet or 4 feet by 15 feet and are very versatile for many of your touchup projects. After getting your runners, decide how large your room size drop cloth should be – perhaps a 9’x12′ or 10’x20′

Good drop clothes are heavy enough weight to stay in place, have a canvas absorbent side and a moisture blocking side. We recommend that you buy good quality and plan to keep your drop cloths for years of use.

Of course to get a good long life from your drop cloths, you need to take care of them – making sure they are clean of debris and dry before putting them away. Be sure to store them in a dry location as well. Our rainy area can cause stored drop cloths to deteriorate if they are not kept dry.

As we often say, painting is mostly prep and drop cloths are a big part of the prep before you take the lid off of that paint can!

Painter’s Tape

Painter’s tape has come a long way since back in the day when adhesives would give many homeowners real trouble. Here at Paint Doctor’s Painting we know a lot about masking and the right tape for various applications but a good place to start for the DIYer is ScotchBlue™ Original Painter’s Tape.

According to Sherwin-Williams, “Whether you’re protecting your wood trim, painted walls, tile floor, or glass windows, this versatile multi-surface tape can stay on surfaces for up to 14 days and then removes easily without leaving any sticky residue behind. Help protect your surfaces while bringing your creative vision to life with the help of ScotchBlue™ Original Painter’s Tape.”

Paint Doctor's Painting knows painter's tape.
Paint Doctor's Painting helps diyers with suggestions on masking.
Use the right tape to avoid leaving adhesive residue.
Using easy release tape protects your painted trim when you pull the masking.

Tone on Tone Interior Project

A trending approach to color selection for interior spaces employs several shades of the same color. This project used Sherwin-Williams greens called Jardin, Pickle and Houseplant.

Brush Up On Brushes

One of the reasons we produce quality results is that we understand and use quality tools. Paint brushes, for example, are much more job-specific than you may be aware. It’s why there are so many sizes and styles. According to Sherwin-Williams, you’ll want to consider the following attributes when choosing a paint brush:

Bristle Type

  • Nylon and polyester bristle: These synthetic materials are designed to hold their shape with today’s popular latex paints. A good quality nylon and polyester blended brush is the best choice for all latex paints and coatings. Many painters prefer a synthetic brush for oil coatings as well.
  • Natural China bristle: High-quality natural China bristle brushes have qualities that control oil-based coatings for better flow and leveling for the smoothest finish. A natural China bristle brush is the best choice for oil-based paints, stains and varnishes.

Brush Styles

  • Angle sash: Bristles are precisely trimmed at an angle that allows painters to hold the brush more comfortably while painting trim and corners. Brush ends are rounded for a smooth, gradual paint stroke.
  • Trim: Trim brushes have a straight cut-line and are also used for painting trim and corners. They can also be used for larger areas. Some painters prefer a straight edge versus an angled cut. Trim brushes also have rounded ends.
  • Wall: A wall brush is a larger brush with a straight cut-line. It is better used for larger areas like walls or side paneling. A wall brush has square ends.

Brush Size

Personal preference is always a factor in choosing a brush width, but a good rule of thumb is:

Brush Quality

Better brushes bring better results. Sherwin-Williams has continually been at the forefront of brush technology. Contractor Series offers several different product lines:

  • High Production Brushes: These brushes are recommended for painters looking for superior paint pick-up and release. High Production brushes deliver great results in less time. They pick-up and release more than 25 percent more paint than any other brush on the market. High Production brushes are available in a nylon/polyester blend for latex coatings and in a white China/polyester blend for oil-based coatings.
  • Nylon/Polyester and 100% Nylon Brushes: A specific blend of nylon and polyester filaments make this brush a fine finishing tool that is very durable and easy to clean. The white nylon tips are precisely flagged and tapered for a sharp cut-line. These characteristics have made this line the most popular choice for latex paints for the past 15 years. Sherwin-Williams sells 20 different sizes of these Contractor Series brushes.
  • Although nylon is a soft material, it is also the strongest and most expensive material in a paint brush. 100 percent nylon brushes offer extreme durability, even when used on rough or abrasive surfaces. 100 percent nylon brushes are finished using several hand-trimming steps to create a superior cut-in tool.
  • Black and White China Bristle Brushes: By nature, Black China bristle is stronger and thicker coarse hair, which makes it the perfect bristle to use with oil-based paints and epoxies. The highest quality Black China bristles available are used in the Contractor Series line.
  • White China bristle, by contrast, is soft and thin. A white China bristle brush is the perfect tool for stain, varnishes, polyurethanes and all clear coatings. It lays these topcoats on with a glass-smooth finish. White China bristle brushes are also suitable for oil-based paints if a softer flex tool is desired.
  • Black China/Ox Hair Blend Brushes: Ox hair is extremely fine and soft, creating an exceptional tool for fine finish work. Black China/ox hair blend brushes offer a perfect tool for special jobs or to provide a very soft brush feel.
Purdy’s Clearcut Elite Brushes provide the ultimate performance and excellent cut-in ability.
Who knew paint brush handles were so technical? We did!

FlexTemp

Here at Paint Doctor’s Painting we are thinking about the change of season and how it impacts our painting projects. We are very careful to make sure the atmospheric conditions are ideal when applying paint products to our clients’ buildings. Temperature plays a key role when deciding when to apply paint on exteriors and fortunately Sherwin-Williams has developed a new product to broaden the range of acceptable temperatures.

FlexTemp Exterior gives us more flexibility in our exterior painting schedules. With their new ExtremeTemp Technology™, Sherwin-Williams has made painting in extreme temperatures, from 35° F to 120° F, possible. FlexTemp provides excellent adhesion and long-term resistance to flaking, peeling and weathering and can be tinted in VinylSafe® paint colors.