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Prepping for Interior Paint

To the casual observer, painting an interior room is simply a matter of dipping a brush or roller in paint and brushing/rolling it on. The reality is that a quality paint job involves a lot of preparation. If you are thinking about doing your own interior paint project, here are some of the steps involved:

1. Clear the Area

Furniture: Move all furniture out of the rooms to be painted. If moving them out isn’t possible, push them to the center of the room and cover them with plastic sheets or drop cloths. Wall Hangings: Take down pictures, mirrors, and other wall decorations. Store them safely in a different room.

2. Clean the Walls

Dust and Dirt: Wipe down the walls to remove dust and dirt. A clean surface helps the paint adhere better. Grease and Stains: Use a mild detergent to clean any greasy or stained areas, especially in kitchens and bathrooms.

3. Protect Fixtures and Floors

Outlet Covers and Light Switches: Remove cover plates from outlets and switches. Cover the exposed outlets with painter’s tape for protection. Floors: Lay down drop cloths or plastic sheets to protect floors from paint drips and spills. Secure them with painter’s tape to prevent them from shifting.

4. Address Repairs

Nail Holes and Cracks: Fill any nail holes, cracks, or dents with spackle or putty. Allow it to dry completely, then sand it smooth. Loose Wallpaper or Peeling Paint: Remove any loose wallpaper or peeling paint. Smooth the edges and sand the area to ensure a uniform surface.

5. Gather Supplies

Tools and Materials: Gather any tools or supplies you might need, such as ladders, tape, brushes, and rollers. Organize them in a convenient location. Lighting: Ensure the room has adequate lighting. If the room is dark, consider adding temporary lights so you can see your work clearly.

6. Confirm Paint Details

Confirm paint colors, coordinating colors and finish types.

7. Safety Considerations

Pets and Children: Keep pets and children out of the work area for their safety and to avoid interruptions. Ventilation: Ensure proper ventilation in the rooms being painted. Open windows or use fans to help with airflow and reduce paint fumes. Ladders: Falling is a serious hazard associated with ladder work and can result in injury or death.

Alternatively, you can call the Paint Doctor and we will take care of most of the steps listed above as normal part of our scope of work, 541-497-3804

December 2024 Color of the Month

According to Sue Wadden, Director of Color Marketing at Sherwin-Williams, “Like a blanket of understated elegance, Sand Dollar inspires us to sit back, relax and indulge in cozy quietude.”

Beige wall paint with white fireplace wood box and over mantel. — Find calm in the chaos with soothing Sand Dollar.

Pair the inviting neutral with deep earthen browns and soft creamy whites.

The comforting hue goes seamlessly with various wood tones and accent colors, bringing out natural grains and a sense of continuity.

Ready to transform your interior with Sand Dollar? Call Mike 541-497-3804

November 2024 Color of the Month

“Chinchilla brings a luxurious dose of drama to any space. Through its muted undertone, the hazy purple paint color captures the essence of tranquility. Watch this eclectically urban shade come to life next to warm and cooltones alike – an effect that feels almost neutral in nature. Find balance within the bold with this purposeful color selection,” says Sherwin-Williams.

Chinchilla not your jam? Look for other color ideas in previous blog posts right her at the Paint Doctor. Call Mike to schedule your project 541-497-3804.

I Love Your Accent

Adding an accent color can bring new life to an old room with a minimum of effort. Check out these projects with an interesting color inserted into the scene.

This room benefits greatly with the trim color used inside the open shelves.

Shade of white in living room setting — This fireplace surround breaks up a large wall with a warm vertical accent.

This kitchen island is an oasis of color in a sea of grays and whites.

This vanity brings vibrancy to this business-like bathroom.

Too shallow for a conventional closet, this entry space really comes to life with an accent color and functional coat rack.

This converted closet makes a cool office alcove with its own color scheme.

We can help you spice up your interior space with an accent color. Call Mike 541-497-3804

October 2024 Color of the Month

Pairing the rich blue-green of Mount Etna by Sherwin-Williams with leathers and natural wood adds a level of sophistication to existing casual décor. Call Mike 541-497-3804 to schedule your interior transformation.

Dark and Light Color Inspiration

When the colors are called Dark Night and Extra White, you know you are going to see some serious contrast. We found this combination at HGTV Home by Sherwin Williams. It was featured on Christina on the Coast Episode 505.

Throughout the open concept, natural wood and leather add to the contrast of colors.

Black appliances and black hardware add drama to the dark blue cabinets.

Sherwin Williams Alabaster, Extra White and Dark Night

Max Monochrome

Check out this approach to interior color. Using one color for the entire room, “brings harmony and creates the impression of open space,” according to Sherwin-Williams. Notice the extent to which this concept was taken. Walls, ceiling, book case, window seat, casing and desk all in the same color. The color is Mount Etna SW 7625. We can do this. Call Mike 541-497-3804.

Photo credit: @our_edith_house via Sherwin-Williams.

Hazmat – No Joke

I recently had a friend get very sick with pneumonitis caused by spraying penetrating oil on a neighbors deck without using the proper safety equipment.

In previous blog posts we have mentioned the dangers of falling from ladders and roof tops when attempting to paint your own structures. Exposure to painting products can pose just as serious a risk. Here at Paint Doctor’s Painting, our combined training and experience makes us experts at safely handling a large variety of painting products.

Many of the products we use are atomized and airborne during application (that is, sprayed). Once applied, they form very resilient protective coatings, which are perfectly safe for our customers and their pets. However, when in spray form, they can penetrate respiratory tissues, eyes and skin and do some serious damage if not handled with proper safety equipment.

Safety first. Leave it to the experts at Paint Doctor’s Painting, 541-497-3804.

Sheen

You’ve finally narrowed down your paint colors, and now you must make another decision – it’s time to choose a sheen.

A non-reflective sheen that helps hide surface imperfections, making walls appear smooth. Visually this finish smooths walls that are dented or rough. However, it can be harder to clean. Best for:

Adult bedrooms
Formal Living Rooms
Ceilings
Uneven or textured walls

This flat finish is great for hiding surface imperfections, while its angular shine helps make walls smooth and washable. Use this sheen for:

Living rooms
Dining rooms
Exterior siding

With a slight shine, Satin and Eg-Shel finishes offer a richer look. Washability makes these sheens ideal for high-traffic areas most likely to attract nicks and scuff marks such as:

Hallways
Woodwork
Children’s bedrooms
Family rooms
Exterior surfaces

This moderately reflective, durable finish is perfect for areas that get cleaned frequently, such as:

Kitchens
Bathrooms
Utility area
Closet doors
Trim

Gloss sheens have higher light-reflective characteristics. This shiny, durable finish works great for any element of a room you would like to highlight such as:
Wood trim
Cabinets
Doors
Furniture

If you have questions about choosing the sheen of paint to use for interior or exterior finishes, give us a call at 541-497-3804.

New Construction Schedule Options

Painting for our long-time general contractor clients requires that our team learns the sequence the builder prefers and bids the jobs accordingly. The interior photos in this blog post are from a recent project where the general contractor wanted a “wall-out” right after the drywall texture was completed and before any cabinets, doors or trim were installed. One advantage to this approach is that wall paint is much tougher than drywall texture so the paint protects the wall from minor scrapes and impacts during the finishing stages. This order works well for contrasting trim colors.

Other contractors may do the sequence differently for a variety of reasons. Perhaps they want to paint all of the trim and doors the same color and sheen as the wall paint. Maybe they want to eliminate an additional time slot for the painters before the finish carpenters begin, which can help a tight construction schedule. We can even put more than one crew (each with their own equipment) on one job to speed up the process.

In addition to the two approaches listed above, hybrids of these approaches can be employed such as primer between drywall prep and texture to help hide drywall joints.

Whatever the approach, we can accommodate your construction schedule and will bid the job according to your system. As a valuable member of your trade team, we can make suggestions and work with your other trade partners to help make up for some lost days on the construction schedule when needed.

Call Mike 541-497-3804 to talk schedule, bids and sequence for your upcoming new construction projects.