Why update my paint?

Has it been a while since your last visit from the painting company? Have your painting tools been lost to the ages? Most design pros recommend updating your home’s interior paint every five to ten years, depending on the style. There are many reasons to update your home’s paint scheme, including life events, new technology, and reaping the most from your investment dollar when you sell.

Sometimes the best time to repaint is when life presents us with an unexpected opportunity. If we can do a little research and advanced planning, we can often be ready when life provides the time and resources. Today, we will discuss some great times to update the paint in your home and why.

Technology Is Constantly Improving

New paints, textures, and techniques tend to emerge every few years in modern residential construction. As trends and designs evolve, paint manufacturers seek to take advantage by offering paints with new technology, like color changing primer. Paints are now available that sanitize walls, include unique textures, and glow in the dark. If the home is more than a decade old, these paints may have not been available when the home was last painted.

For example, today there are paints that include special textures that when applied with a special technique, looks much like leather. Today we have paint and primer formulations that cut the project time in half. Not to mention the availability of inexpensive paint sprayers that can provide the artistic homeowner with hours of fun and creativity.

New Life Event

Perhaps no time is better to update your home than when a new family member is on the way, or an in-law is moving in. Often, there is no better time to paint than when a room is empty and ready for a new occupant. Maybe the new occupant prefers other colors, or you simply want to make the room seem new. Either way, the new occupant will feel more welcome and at home. Changing the paint is often the least expensive, but most effective change a homeowner can make.

If you are expecting a new one or anyone sensitive to paint fumes, you might want to use low or zero-VOC paints. These formulas reduce or eliminate the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that can be a lung and eye irritant. Normally identifiable as the fumes the paint emits, these VOCs can cause sickness without proper ventilation.

Your Home Is Going On the Market

Homeowners interested in selling their home are looking for inexpensive and fast ways to give the home a facelift. Updating paint is usually the first choice, because it not only changes the look of a room, but can also cover up minor scrapes and scratches, not to mention offensive odors. Repainting can deemphasize some areas while making others more prominent, so real estate pros are great sources for advice.

Stale odors are also routinely reduced or eliminated by new paint, especially if the old paint is sealed with sealer or primer before applying the new. Be careful using bold colors though, because the perfect buyer may not share your love of periwinkle. A better option is a neutral tan or beige, because in many cases the new owner will be personalizing the home with their own paint anyway.

What common mistakes do painters make?

Professional painters are very good at what they do, but even the pros make mistakes occasionally. Sometimes in an attempt to improve a situation, commercial painters inadvertently make it worse. Today, we will discuss a few common office painting mistakes commercial painters make and how to avoid making them.

Moving Obstacles In the Way

Professional painters often are placed in situations where time constraints make performing a great job very difficult. As a result, sometimes they must make on the spot decisions due to new information, like discovering the customer placed an obstacle in their way. Commercial painting is frequently done over a weekend when the customer is unavailable.

Generally speaking, it is the client’s responsibility to make sure the painters have unfettered access to anything they are hired to paint. However, this isn’t always done correctly and the painter may be faced with either finishing the project, or moving furniture. In an effort to complete the project, sometimes the painter will move items that are later found to be missing or damaged, resulting in liability.

This imparts unnecessary responsibility on the painter, so the solution is often to inspect the area before the employees leave to ensure there are no issues accessing the required areas. This method protects not only the items, but the painter as well. Some painting companies take before and after photos, just in case any issues pop up in the future.

Spraying Paint That Should Be Rolled

Occasionally, commercial office painters will try to complete a project as fast as possible by spraying paint that really requires more brush or roller work. Spraying is much faster than brushing and rolling paint, but spraying paint can be difficult to control, especially in tight areas. The resulting overspray can be more time consuming to remove than brushing or rolling the paint originally.

Paint sprayers can allow for small paint particles to dry quickly and become airborne, which often appear as dust. The effect is similar to an orange peel texture, which dulls the sheen of the paint. Errant airborne paint dust can be harmful for sensitive electronics, not to mention the cleaning that will be required before the space can be used.

On a factory floor the dust may be less of a concern, but in an office setting, once the dust becomes airborne the HVAC system can disburse it into a wider area. Plenum spaces (the area above a drop ceiling used for air circulation) can also distribute the particles, dropping them in an area unrelated to the project. The air in these spaces is eventually filtered, but many are not effective against tiny airborne particles.

The solution is for these painters to use more controlled application of the paint, such as with brushes and rollers. This may be slower, but it usually produces the best overall results and tends to reduce problems later on. This practice is especially useful for smaller, hard to reach areas that might take longer to access than they do to paint

Disconnecting Electronics Without Permission

Professional painters are dedicated professionals and want to do the best job possible. Just like with moving furniture, sometimes workers forget to shut down their electronics before they leave, or leave processes running. In an effort to complete the project, sometimes professionals will personally disconnect and move technology preventing them from completing their work.

This can be problematic if a future problem arises, like missing data or mechanical failure. The professional just trying to do a great job, and correct someone else’s mistake can be held liable. Established painting companies will be insured against liability, but a much better practice is to simply avoid the problem.

The solution is often to have an agreement between the client and the painting company that clearly states that inaccessible areas will not be painted. Doing so, the painter is insulated either way and can’t be held responsible. In many cases, only a gentle reminder will ensure that a space is adequately prepared before the painters arrive.