Do Commercial Painters in Lathrop Need to Be Licensed?
When looking for commercial painters in Lathrop, you have to consider the importance of licensing. “Do I have to hire a licensed painter even it would cost me a bit more” or “Do I want to hire an unlicensed painter to save me some money?”
But here’s something you should know, first and foremost: not all US states call for professional commercial painters to have a license. But in Lathrop and in the rest of California, commercial painters do indeed need to have a license to perform their services in a legal and ethical manner. All builders and contractors should be licensed by the Contractor State Licensing Board (CSLB) to work or operate their business legally in California.
For a commercial painting contractor to become licensed, first candidates should have the qualifications to apply for a basic contractor’s license. They should be 18 years old and above and have the sufficient skills and experience and carry a valid social security number – these things are necessary to qualify for a contractor’s license.
For people want to contract for a construction work for any project whose total cost is at least $500 (the cost also includes materials and labor), they should also be licensed by the CSLB as well.
For a lot of applicants, cost is probably their biggest concern when applying for a CSLB license. The cost of applying for a CSLB license has considerably changed throughout the years. In California, painting contractors understand about the need of a license to provide services legally and ethically, and the fact that once their licenses expire, they need to renew them to continue working in the state.
Commercial painters have several ways to apply for a license: they can call CSLB’s 24-hour automated information line, write an application letter, or personally drop by at any CSLB branch.
Fingerprinting, undergoing a criminal background check, taking the required law and trade examinations are also strongly suggested. But applicants can forgo the exams if they are able to meet some specific criteria. You can refer to CSLB’s website (http://www.cslb.ca.gov) for guidelines to become qualified for the examination waiver. Painters shall also present a proof of a worker’s compensation insurance and a copy of a license bond, plus pay extra fees for processing their license. Finally, they are issued with an ID card that bears their official license number.
To know more about requirements and qualifications to obtain a license from the CSLB, download a PDF copy of a guide entitled “Blueprint for Becoming a California Licensed Contractor” or go to CSLB’s website.
Sure, hiring licensed commercial painters in Lathrop may make you shell out a bit more money, but the benefits of employing them to your project far outweigh the cost and the trouble. It also gives you peace of mind. Having a license means that painters have not committed crimes or any other serious offenses against local or state laws that would have prevented or disqualified them from renewing their licenses. Knowing that your painter is following the laws and regulations of your state is a good indication that they are a true follower to the rules.
How Commercial Painting Services Near Me Estimate Jobs
“How can I get commercial painting services near me?” That’s a question that won’t probably lead you to a single, simple answer. Finding for commercial painters take a lot of work, and one of the things that you should not forget is to study their estimates.
An estimate is given to you (as a client) after a painter inspects your property. For many commercial painters, the more complete and accurate the estimate, the bigger chances of winning the job. And for many clients, on the other hand, cost is probably the biggest concern. So, if they think that the estimate is complete, accurate and meets within their budget, then they will hire that contractor.
If the contractor provides an estimate that’s below than the average pricing, it means that they won’t be able to make money. But if they otherwise offer a way too high estimate, then they won’t win the job. Sure, low pricing means that contractors will get lots of jobs, and you will be tempted to hire such contractors because of their low estimates. But this will do your business more harm than good.
While it’s a fact that contractors work to earn a living, you want nothing less than a satisfactory paint job – of good quality, no less. Some contractors cheat on their estimates just to appear competitive – beware of such contractors.
When estimators that you’ve invited come to your property, they should be complete with their own equipment. They should not borrow anything from you such as a measuring tape or a step ladder.
The following are the typical guidelines that most contractors follow when assessing your property before working on their estimates:
1. Measuring the size of the space
Estimators need to know the square footage of a space by measuring its length and width of the walls, and then multiplying them. Next, they add the resulting product to get the total square footage.
However, not everything in the room should be painted because there are doors and windows. For this, estimators subtract the doors and windows from the total square footage.
For instance:
– Your room has a total of 700 square feet, with one door and three windows.
– The door measures 20 square feet
– Each of the three windows measures 15 square feet. So, 15 square feet x 3 windows = 45 square feet.
– Subtract the 20 square feet and 45 square feet from the total square footage of 700:
700 – 20 – 45 = 635 square feet.
Therefore, you will paint 635 square feet of space.
2. Determining the amount and cost of paints needed for the space
Now you have the square footage of space to paint – which is 635 sq. ft. – then you must determine how much paint you are going to buy.
Typically, a gallon of paint is enough to cover 250 square feet of space. If you have 635 square feet of space, then divide 635 sq. ft. by 250 sq. ft.:
635 / 250 = 2.54 (which means you will need roughly two and a half gallons of paint)
Obviously, the bigger the space, the more paint you will need. It also goes the same for textured surfaces.
3. Determining the labor cost
For painting companies, determining how much they should pay for their workers is just as important. A typical day of work from the contractor will cost about $500 or $600. However, the rate still depends on how many workers are assigned on the project.
For instance, two painters are assigned to your project and are required to complete 2,500 sq. ft. in two days.
If you have 635 sq. ft. of space needed to be painted, divide 635 sq. ft. by 2,500 sq. ft. = 0.25.
The result will give you an idea how much you will pay to the workers. In this case, if you get 0.25, it means that you will pay the two painters a quarter of a full work day (about $200).
4. Determining the cost of paints and supplies
Prices of paint products depend on the brand, color or quality. Price range from $20 to $50. In this case, you will need two gallons of the best-quality paint you can find, which means:
2.5 gallons x $50 = you will have to pay $125.
There are also supplies and materials needed for the job like brushes, paint rollers, drop cloths, painter’s tape, primers, caulks, paint trays, etc. Using good quality paints and materials will lead to a good-quality paint finish.
Let’s say you want your paint job to look best and long lasting, and you want nothing less than the best materials. It’s expected that you should pay a little more, but the good results are going to be worth it:
A set of brushes – $30
A set of rollers – $30
Caulking – $10
Drop cloths – $20
Paint tray – $15
Painters tape – $15
5. Determining the overall cost of the job
The typical formula of figuring out the total cost of a painting project is as follows:
Cost of paints + labor cost + cost of supplies and materials = total cost.
In this case:
$125 worth of two and a half gallons of paint + $140 worth of supplies and materials + $200 worth of labor = $465 total cost. That will be the rough result of the estimate.
Remember that the computations above are only for illustrative purposes, intending to demonstrate how painters typically estimate a space to be painted. There are other factors to be considered such as additional paints on trim and baseboards, and other architectural details. Even fuel and insurance are also factored in if you want to get a more realistic estimate.
“Do I really need an estimate to get good commercial painting services near me?” Of course. Without a correct and accurate written estimate, you will never have an idea how much you are exactly going to pay for the workers. Without a written estimate, contractors can even cheat by adding “hidden” charges that will put an unnecessary dent to your budget – and you don’t want that to happen.
All Commercial Painting Services in San Jose Are Not the Same
Not all commercial painting services in San Jose are supposed to be the same. Apart from the name, there are many other differences among commercial painters that include the kind of paints and materials, rates, estimates, contracts, warranties, schedules, the number of workers and lots of other things.
It is only you who can tell who among them is the best contractor to hire. To avoid the mistake of hiring fake or illegal contractors, here are some suggestions you should follow:
- Go to the Web. The Internet is a vast source of information, so nowadays it is normally the first place where people are looking for something they need, such as painting service companies. Their websites are important to the contractors as well as their clients, so take your time to check and navigate their pages that contain their history, the kind of services they offer, articles and blogs, portfolio, and customer testimonials. You may also have to check out their social media platforms as well.
- Ask around – you should also approach your friends, neighbors, co-workers or relatives who also happen to own or manage a business and ask them about the painters they’ve worked with in the past. They will give you a genuine and honest feedback, and may even invite you to their offices and commercial spaces where you will be allowed to check out and inspect their work. If they talk about this certain contractor enthusiastically and even recommend him to you, then it’s a good sign that this contractor is at least worth considering.
- Invite at least three contractors over to your commercial property so that they will also have the time to inspect around. Normally, after inspection, the contractors will give you their rough estimates. Pick up this hint: a contractor who takes a longer time to inspect is more likely to give you an honest estimate. Next, get to know more about the contractors – their skill level and experience, their competency and commitment to their work, and their professional behavior.
- Ask questions, like “How long have you been in this industry?” “Does your company use subcontractors or do you employ your own workers?” (Having their own workers is an indication of a good company.) “Is your company licensed and insured?” If the company answers all the questions affirmatively or reasonably, then that contractor may be almost a shoo-in.
- You will be given a written contract, which details everything that ranges from the paints and materials to the project timeframe and payment procedures. Read the contract carefully (and ask questions to the contractor if you find something uncertain) before signing it. Having such document will protect you from possible fraud and/or disputes.
- Ask for a written guarantee, always. It includes the surface problems and issues that can be the result of a defective paintwork from the contractor (like fading or peeling paint). However, surface damage from causes like graffiti, weather, a defective work done by the other contractor, or a natural disaster will not be usually covered by your chosen contractor. Normally, a written warranty has a period of up to three years.
Interviewing contractors, studying their professional behavior and checking their backgrounds are helpful because they prevent you from hiring a sham contractor. Doing these procedures furthermore allow you to hire the ideal contractor who will provide the right commercial painting services in San Jose for your commercial and office space.
House Painting Danville: To Add Value, Paint Before Selling
House painting in Danville serves a lot of purposes, and one of them is to “stage” a property when it’s put up for sale. As simple as painting your house may seem, it can help you to sell it more quickly.
House painting is a cost-effective way to increase your home’s resale value. If you want to make your home look attractive to potential buyers but you don’t have a big budget for remodeling or renovation, the more economical but effective alternative is to paint it. Even something as simple as re-painting will help your house to rise its value on the property market.
If you want to re-paint your home when planning to sell it but you don’t know how to start, here are some tips that may help you:
1. Repair and repaint the surface
You want your home not only to look good but also to be stable as well — and these are the things that your potential buyers also want for their future home. If the exterior isn’t properly prepped and repaired, how could you effectively sell it? Even if the interiors look good, house shoppers won’t bother to check it out if they are turned off by a house that looks old and dilapidated on the outside.
Before painting your home, it is extremely important to prep and repairs the surface. Proper preparation and repair mean less painting. Check the siding for any noticeable flaws like cracks, holes, fissures and rust. Fill these gaps and flaws with a spackling compound or wood filler. For peeling, flaking, or blistering paint, scrape it and then sand the surface to smoothen it. If the siding has accumulated a great deal of mold, use bleach or a solution of borax and vinegar to remove molds and inhibit the new spores from growing. Priming the surface adds an extra layer of protection to the siding and provides the topcoat a better adhesion, so it’s highly recommended especially when re-painting old surfaces.
2. Re-paint your kitchen
A beautiful kitchen, whether new or remodeled, can easily sell homes. A kitchen is probably the most popular communal room for renovations. Since it is usually nearby to the dining area, the kitchen is not just a place to cook and prepare meals but it is also the place for family bonding and for entertaining guests.
A fresh coat of paint will definitely bring new life to your old kitchen. No matter the color you choose, you should always go for paints that have a sheen as they are excellent in repelling dirt, dust, splattered oil and food, and grime.
If you want to repaint your kitchen altogether, be careful with the choice of your new color scheme to avoid turning off potential buyers.
White is the default color for most kitchens, but you may want to bring a pop of color by adding touches of red, blue, or yellow. If your kitchen is a bit dingy, brighten it up a little by painting the cabinets with white or shades of yellow, or by adding metallic colors (like gold and silver) to the backsplash to give the kitchen a little shimmer.
It’s also okay if you want your kitchen to remain white as it will leave the new owners the ability to add the colors of their choice once they’ve bought the property. You just have to refresh the look by re-coating it with a new white paint.
3. Re-paint interior walls
Most homeowners have little idea what the potential buyers want the interiors to look like. For this reason, they re-paint the safest colors such as white, beige, or light gray. This will leave the new owners the chance to personalize the space with their preferred paint colors and add new furniture and decor to complement the whole look.
Some homeowners though think that white or beige is too plain, dull or cold, so they insist on adding colors to make the rooms look more inviting to potential buyers. But just like in re-painting the kitchen, they should also be careful in choosing their new color scheme for the interiors or else it might repel house shoppers.
If want to re-paint your home with new colors but you’re still not so sure, it’s best to use one color but with varying shades so that they will blend well together, or choose the colors that match the other design elements of your home. It’s also helpful to consult with a professional contractor in regards to choosing a new paint color scheme for the interiors.
4. Spruce up the bathroom
Next to the kitchen, a bathroom is also a popular area for renovations. Refurbishing an old bathroom doesn’t have to cost much, other than cleaning/disinfecting, repairing the toilet, faucets, shower heads, plumbing and other fixtures. Brighten up the bathroom by giving it a fresh coat of paint and perhaps replacing your old shower curtain with a new one. It is ideal to choose a paint and primer with anti-mold and mildew properties.
Aside from making your bathroom look good, it is also important to make it smell fresh as well! Buyers will definitely love a bathroom that’s clean and smells really nice. Place natural odor absorbers like a potpourri or a scented reed diffuser. Nothing beats like coming to a pleasantly-scented bathroom!
There’s another option to keep your bathroom looking good and smelling fresh: choose a citrus-based paint and paint products like solvents and primers. Citrus-based paints are considered as one of the eco-friendly paints that are made from natural ingredients (lemon is the common main ingredient). Usually, citrus paints have absolutely no VOC levels, plus they give off a pleasant fruity aroma.
When you plan to sell your home in the future, prepare it by house painting in Danville and see your property value rise, wow your potential buyers, — and eventually, peg that “SOLD” sign in front of your property in no time!
House Painting in Danville – Intumescent Paints Can Protect Your Home
House painting in Danville isn’t only for the sole purpose of beautifying your home. It can also protect your abode from natural elements such as heat and moisture. Not only does paint protect your property, it can even save your life. How? Paint can help save your live by acting as an extra layer of protection against fires.
If you haven’t heard of “intumescent paint,” then it’s time for you to know all about it. This may be important especially for those who are living in areas where forest fires often occur. California, with its mostly hot and windy conditions, is prone to forest fires which range from moderate to devastating. If you are living particularly close to the forest, maybe you should learn why intumescent paints will protect you and your property.
An intumescent paint is a special type of paint which can be incorporated into your regular exterior paint. Since intumescent is colorless and clear, it doesn’t conflict with any color scheme. You can use the intumescent paint to both painted and unpainted surfaces. Intumescent paints are also easy to apply as it is done in the same way just like regular paints. Anyone can use intumescent paint; but if you have to prove building compliance to a government agency or for insurance issues, it is best to let a professional painting contractor to handle this kind of paint.
Intumescent paints are not really new technology and, in fact, have been in use particularly on commercial structures for several years. However, it has been reformulated and redeveloped for better performance and quality. The best news is that intumescent paints are not that expensive any longer and thus are more reasonably priced. These paints are highly recommended for use for residential buildings in fire-prone areas. Intumescent paints can be used when painting the exterior of your home, even applied to most sidings. With intumescent paints, you will now be able to enjoy its benefits of safety and protection without sacrificing style.
An intumescent paint consists of a substance which when exposed to very high heat such as a fire, produces swelling. Indeed, it can swell by as much as 50% of its normal volume, and insulate between the heat source and the surface you’ve painted. When the paint’s swelling becomes larger, it is actually going through a chemical change which causes the paint to turn into carbonaceous char that is resistant to fire and a weak conductor for heat. Therefore, the intumescent paint protects whatever surfaces it has painted, for a time. Please keep in mind that despite these facts, an intumescent paint is not otherwise fireproof, and can’t be depended on to extinguish a fire. However, intumescent paint can buy time for other fire retardants to take effect, or for firefighters to reach the scene. The more coats of the intumescent paints you apply, the longer time you have before damage occurs.
For commercial buildings, the additional time could imply saving inventory. For homes, the extra time might mean the precious time you need to save your family and important items out of the house. Intumescent paint is reasonably priced but it saves lives and properties — and in that respect it is priceless. It could also make a difference between structural damage and cosmetic damage. By delaying the spreading of fires to actual components of a structure, it gives firefighters the extra time to arrive and apply water to put out the fire.
With all these factors, you may want to consider applying intumescent paints for the protection of your home the next time you’re going to do house painting in Danville.
House Painting Danville: Using Stronger Colors
There are times when you need a fresh change in your home can be as simple as house painting in Danville. It gives you the opportunity to choose the colors that you want for your room. Sometimes it’s fun to think out of the box and experiment with different shades or colors you wouldn’t normally use.
For instance, why don’t you try using dark, bold, and vivid colors? You may be tempted to avoid trying strong colors for your room. Why? You don’t know where to start? Well, take a look at the color of your furniture and your curtains, for instance. These will give you a good starting place. Decide which wall colors will complement them. The small color chips that you can get from paint stores may not always be of help when choosing stronger colors. Instead, try painting cardboard or a piece of plywood with the bold color of your choice, and set against the wall to get a better idea of how the color would look like when painted.
Perhaps some of you aren’t sure enough of your choice to paint your entire room in bold colors. But you may want to choose just one wall to paint the bold color, turning it into an accent wall to highlight artwork, souvenir collections, or an entertainment set.
The choice of colors will help you decide the overall atmosphere you will have in your room. For instance, if you want your room to feel cozy, go for warm colors such as deep red or orange, a goldenrod yellow or chocolate brown. This is especially suitable if the color of your furniture is neutral. These bold colors can also help you locate accessories more easily such as decorative pieces or throw pillows.
If you want colors that are more relaxing to the eyes, choose deeper shades of blue, green and purple. If you have natural-looking furniture such as mahogany cabinets and shelves, a dark forest green will perfectly complement them. Another suggestion is pairing ultramarine blue or indigo with gray trim; this combination will give a tasteful, exquisite feel. Dark lavender is also a good choice to set you in a relaxed mood.
You can also go for colors that are quite the opposite of your furniture. For instance, if your furniture is mostly warm colors; tone down the room by painting cooler colors. This gives balance to the whole space. If you have mostly cool-colored furniture, paint your room with warm colors to lift your mood.
This may sound odd, but painting dark colors on the walls does not to make the space recede as is commonly thought. You’ll be surprised that they will instead make your space larger and still allow it to feel cozy at the same time.
House painting in Danville can help you create the space you want. Your imagination is the limit so go on and paint your room in any color that you desire. However, it doesn’t hurt to seek the helpful advice from professional painting contractors in the area for more dark color ideas.
House Painting Danville: Safe Paint Strippers to Use
Most homeowners consider safety a top priority when house painting in Danville and then achieving an excellent finish. Sometimes there is a need to do away with old paint more effectively when a simple scraping won’t work. When this is the case, the situation calls for a paint stripper.
Before, the only available paint strippers were made of chemicals like methylene chloride (sometimes also known as dichloromethane or DCM). Such chemicals found in strippers are highly toxic because they have great quantities of VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) that give off nasty fumes. Prolonged exposure to strippers containing high levels of VOC will likely result in a variety of respiratory and kidney problems. You may still use chemical-based paint strippers but do so ONLY when absolutely necessary and when your space is properly ventilated while being used and for as long as possible after they are used.
Thanks to a combination of scientific research, advanced technology, and growing awareness towards “green” building, we now have several safe and eco-friendly paint strippers on the market today. They are now commercially available and you can use them in your house painting in Danville, without worrying about health risks.
However, no matter how safe these paint strippers are, there are still some guidelines that you should follow. A paint stripper that is “green” doesn’t mean that it has zero harshness — it’s just that it’s less harsh compared to its chemical-based counterpart. Eco-friendly strippers may still irritate your skin, eyes and nose, but not as seriously as the harsher ones. It’s still necessary to wear protective gear like face masks, goggles, and hand gloves when using eco-friendly strippers.
The downside of “green” strippers is that they don’t have the same capabilities of removing paint as quickly as the chemical-based strippers. So you may need more patience when using eco-friendly strippers. After applying the stripper you may have to wait a bit longer until you begin to see the old paint has been entirely stripped off.
Here are some of the safe and environmentally-friendly paint strippers:
Soy-based paint strippers are one of the most common eco-friendly strippers available on the market. They are safe and even considered gentle that you can put them on your hands. Soy-based paint strippers can remove acrylic lacquer, shellac, urethane, and varnish, aside from old paint.
Milk-based paint strippers are available mostly in powdered form. Many people who have used milk-based strippers praise its effectiveness in removing old paint and its ease of use, as well as its pleasant, non-noxious odor. The powder is mixed with water, and then applied on the old paint. It usually takes about an hour before the old paint has been totally stripped off and the stripper has been completely dried. Afterwards, just rinse it with water.
Citrus-based paint strippers are also available on the market. However, there is some debate about how safe they really are. Citrus-based strippers may be less toxic and carcinogenic, but you should still use them with caution. They would still irritate your eyes and skin, as well as may cause some breathing problems. Their lemony scents are a particular allure to children and those who have sensitivity to odors. However, that very scent can cause the user prolonged exposure to the paint stripper, causing him/her to feel sick, especially when the space doesn’t have enough ventilation.
Eco-friendly paint strippers now make removing old paint much safer for your house painting in Danville. Contact your professional contractor to discuss which any of these “green” paint strippers is suitable for you.
Why Hire a Professional for House Painting in Danville?
When thinking about undertaking such as a house painting in Danville, you basically have two options: You can try to tackle the job as a do-it-yourself project or hire a professional who will do the job for you. But why hire someone else when you think you can do the job by yourself?
Some people do the job themselves because they think it will save them a bit of money. However, they often don’t realize that it really may not be the cost-effective option they hoped it would. Here are some reasons to hire a professional which make sense if you plan to start house painting in Danville:
1. Equipment
Painting, obviously, requires the right materials that are on hand at the same time. If you the paints but haven’t already got any of these materials — paint mixers brushes, rollers, painter’s tape, caulking, paint trays, drop covers, caulking guns etc. — you may have to purchase all of them before you start painting. And despite buying many of these, you’re still not too sure if they are made of the high-grade materials and will do the job correctly.
When prepping the highest surfaces of your home’s exterior, you will need scaffolding or ladders to help you reach it. But only a very few number of homeowners (if anyone of them at all) own a scaffolding or a tall ladder; almost all of them would need to rent it. These items are not cheap, and could end up being expensive depending on how long you actually keep them.
A power washer is also a good tool to have. It is used to remove debris or loose and peeling paint. However, most homeowners do not have their own power washer so they would need to rent it. If you don’t have your own power washer, you may rent one, too. But are you certain you will be finished with it by the time you have to return it? Suppose it rains for a day or two while you have the machine, the rental company will not reimburse you for those days, so the rental would be a waste of money.
Some tools require someone who knows how to use them properly, either by experience or training. For example, a power paint sprayer makes painting easier and saves a lot of time and effort — that is, if you have one and you know how to operate it. If you don’t have one, painting your home can take a little bit longer than you think.
Hiring a professional painter for house painting in Danville will eliminate all of these inconveniences. They will already have the equipment needed, as well as have the knowledge and confidence on how to use them, to do the job right.
2. Time
Time is an important consideration in every undertaking, including house painting in Danville. If you attempt to do it yourself, consider the time you will need to prepare the home’s exterior surfaces before you can start painting. You may have to spend your entire vacation painting your home, or weekends, too, depending upon how big your home is.
Even if you have the time you need to do the project, will you be able to achieve the results you want by doing the work yourself? Chances are you won’t have enough time to devote yourself to the project and finish with the results you want. Let’s face it, saving a little bit of money may simply not be worth the time and effort needed.
Hiring a professional painting contractor will save time. Since painting buildings is what they only do and nothing else, professionals will be able to devote their time to the project. As a result, they will be able to finish it on time.
3. Safety
How safe do you think it is to climb a tall a ladder or scaffolding is to paint the uppermost parts of your home, such as the eaves and ceilings? Even if you don’t have any problem with heights, it can be risky working too high off the ground. A professional painting contractor has the tools that are needed and experience working at these heights so they can do it safely.
4. Quality
Do you think you will be able to produce the quality work you want when you do the painting job yourself? This is an important question since your home is important to you. Professional painters have the experience to make sure your house looks great when the job is done. If the finished product matters to you, then it’s better to hire the seasoned pros to do your house painting in Danville.
Why Paint the Fireplace As You Are House Painting in Danville
If you are house painting in Danville, there are some parts of the house that require being updated. One of those things is the old brick fireplace. If you have one in your home, you may want it to look different . Sure, the weathered look makes it pretty in an antiquated way, but in the long run you may want to refurbish its appearance to make it look new again.
The following are common reasons to give your old brick fireplace a brand new look:
1. The old bricks aren’t nice looking
If your fireplace was as pretty as you would like it to be, then there’s no reason why you should update its look. But the reality is, many fireplaces look outdated and ugly, even fireplaces constructed with high-quality bricks. You want your fireplace should look more modernized, and a fresh coat of paint can do wonders to refurbish its look. As long as you know how to paint with the right techniques, your fireplace’s updated look can greatly affect the style and ambience of your home’s interiors.
2. Bricks have become discolored or you have replaced bricks
When the bricks of your fireplace get damaged, you replace them with newer bricks. Overtime, a fireplace will lose its overall appeal because of the newer bricks or patched mortar which doesn’t perfectly match the rest of the fireplace. Even if you try to duplicate the old look on the newly installed bricks or patched mortar, it will still look obvious.
Do you know that cleaning your fireplace can alter its overall look? It may leave your fireplace cleaner than before, but removing the most stubborn dirt, residue, and soot means you will need to use harsh cleaning chemicals, apart from laborious scrubbing. It will end up with a whole new look for your fireplace. Cleaning may also remove outer layer of the brick.
A simple repainting will eliminate the disparities in your fireplace, to give it a fresh look. It’s recommeded that you only use high-quality coats of paint which will seal bricks and thus protect the fireplace from damage.
3. Remove, cover, or improve existing paint
Trying to remove existing paint on your fireplace may sound easy. But in reality, once you start removing the paint it will become burdensome. This task is also messy, costly and even risky. Stripping the existing paint means using harsh chemicals that can be potentially harmful those living in the house.
There is a method called sandblasting (or abrasive sandblasting) where it forcibly propels an abrasive material against a surface to smoothen a rough surface, under high pressure. However, this method is only done outdoors and therefore not recomended for use inside your house. Sandblasting can leave considerable damage to the bricks. It can also leave an uneven surface which can be corrected by painting the surface.
Cleaning a fireplace using a wire brush is time-consuming; it can take several weeks or more to complete. Besides, after cleaning is done, it will leave more damage to your fireplace or at least look really awful.
When you decide to replace your existing brick fireplace with other materials such as granite or marble, it can cost you a fortune as these materials are expensive. And the cost is separate from the fees for the contractors who will do the demolition and installation. The results are costly, time-consuming, very inconvenient, and noisy.
To avoid these incoveniences, simply cover your old brick fireplace with a fresh coat of paint. You’ll want to choose a paint color which will blend with your interior.
Like any other surface, good prepping is a key to a good paint job. Lightly scrub the brick fireplace. Next, sand the surface and remove any dust and soot by using natural cleaning materials such as a mixture of water and vinegar. To achieve better paint adhesion, quality latex primer that is formulated for bricks is a necessity.
Families gather around fireplaces for both comfort and warmth during the colder months. You may want to give your old bricks a makeover but you don’t want to break the bank. You also don’t want to be inconvenienced. A fresh coat of paint may be the solution
Repainting will transform your outdated and dreary-looking brick fireplace into the center of attraction inside your home. If you have an old brick fireplace to freshen up its look, house painting in Danville will do the trick.
House Painting Danville – Painting Over Crayon
House painting in Danville is no easy job, especially if you have to hide flaws in the surface. Nothing is more frustrating than removing crayons from the walls when you’ve got little children in the house. Kids are just kids trying to explore their creative side. Unfortunately, a spotless wall is a sure target for them to turn it into a canvass.
If your children have left artwork on your walls, you may wonder if you can you paint over them. Unfortunately, crayons have a wax-resist effect. Painting alone won’t magically make the crayons disappear because when the paint is dry the wax displaces the paint and will appear again. Yes, even if you apply several layers of paint, it won’t cover the crayon.
But don’t lose hope. Luckily, there are ways to remove crayon marks on the surface when you are house painting in Danville. Surprisingly, the materials are easy to obtain and many of them are found just inside your home.
WD-40
It is true that WD-40 is an automotive lubricant often called “the miracle fluid” because it has so many uses including removing any kinds of stains. Spray a small amount of WD-40 on a clean cloth. Next, wipe the crayon marks with the cloth. Or spray the WD-40 directly on the crayon marks. For stubborn crayon marks or older stains, it may take more effort to remove them.
There’s also another WD-40 product called the WD-40 No-Mess Pen. The product doesn’t leave messy residue and can be washed off after the crayon is gone. Just be careful when rubbing it off because the marks may damage the paint’s surface.
Baking soda
A damp cloth or rag dipped in a small amount of baking soda is another option. Gently scrub the crayon. The marks will come off almost instantly.
Toothpaste
Get regular toothpaste, not a gel type, and a rag. Squeeze toothpaste directly onto the wall. Gently scrub the wall and then rinse it when the crayon marks are gone.
Pencil erasers
You can also try pencil erasers to remove crayon marks. Be sure to clean any residue left after erasing.
Steel wool
Aside from cleaning pots and pans, steel wool is also a good item to remove crayon marks. Rather than scrubbing in circles, skim the surface with the steel wool. Use straight strokes in one direction. Your walls will be clean in no time. Be sure to use gentle strokes to avoid scraping the paint on the walls
Vinegar
Pour undiluted vinegar in a bowl and soak an old, unused toothbrush in it. Use the toothbrush to scrub the crayon marks. The vinegar will cut through the majority of the oil used to make the wax.
After removing the crayon stains and washing the surface, let it dry. Then check to see if waxy or oily marks are left.
Some oil-based stains will require new paint; crayon stains, despite being oil-based, may not need it. Try any of the cleaning methods and chances are the stains will be removed.
But in case you still find waxy or oily marks, here are some ways on how to remove them:
- Apply a good quality primer over the remaining oily marks. For surfaces covered with latex paints, use a latex primer. Use an oil-based primer for walls with oil-based paints.
- Allow the primer to completely dry, but at least for four hours. Check the area periodically to see if oily marks are visible through the primer. If you can see the mark, another coat of primer is needed. Be sure to let it dry before checking again.
- When the primer is dry and you no longer see oily marks, you can begin to repaint.
If you accidentally scraped one of the outer layers paint while removing the stain:
- Lightly scrape or sand to remove loose paint. Then prepare the surface as usual.
- Apply drywall compound with a putty knife over the areas that have been scraped. A thin coat of spackling paste can also be used. Allow either to dry.
- After the drywall compound or spackling paste is dry, sand it until it is smooth. Make sure to sand the areas completely and remove residue before you apply primer, drywall texture, paint.
- Apply a primer, if necessary. This will ensure the paint sticks to the surface properly.
- After the primer has dried, you may add a fresh coat of paint.
If you notice your child has left crayon drawings on the wall, don’t get angry. Instead, take a picture so you can appreciate their creativity, and then consider these helpful tips the next time you need house painting in Danville.