Tag Archives: House painting
Comparison of “Green” Paints before House Painting in San Ramon
You’re about to start house painting in San Ramon, but have become more environmentally-conscious. You know you definitely want to use paint that is environmentally-friendly. Fortunately, many paint manufacturers produce “green” paints because more and more people are aware of their paint use and its impact on the earth.
Do you know which paints are “green” and which ones aren’t? Most people will identify the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in paints that cause them not to be environmentally-friendly. These include chemicals like benzene and formaldehyde, but these aren’t the only things to think about when you compare “green” paints and non-“green” paints. There are other ingredients that are harmful to the environment such as biocides (which is a necessary ingredient because it kills bacteria), phthalates, vinyl chloride, and others. You may want to find out how biodegradable these ingredients are. You may also consider the packaging of the paint since packaging may be hazardous to the environment.
Check the major paint brands first. Most manufacture “green” paints because there is such a requirement for them. Consider Kelly-Moore Enviro Coat, Delta Soy Paint, Yolo Colorhouse No VOC Paint, Benjamin Moore Green Promise, Behr Premium Plus, Real Milk Paint, Center*Star Thermopel, Sherwin-Williams GreenSure, and Glidden Brilliance. These “green” paint varieties can be found in low or no VOC. Most of them are also low in odor.
Visit the paint manufacturer’s website for information regarding their products. They will tell you which of their paints – either one variety or all of them – fall into the category of “environmentally friendly.” The presence of VOC is an example of paint’s eco-friendliness, although you may see other components as well.
Federal regulations restrict the limit of VOCs to 250 grams per liter (g/l) for flat paints. Other paint types are allowed 380 g/l. For paints to be labeled as “low VOC,” it must contain less than 50 grams per liter. To be labeled as “no VOC,” VOCs must be 5 grams or less. The brands of paint listed above offer paints in both of these two categories.
Some other ingredients that may be detrimental to the environment include mercury, cadmium, and lead. However, most paints that are advertised as “green” are devoid of these harmful ingredients. Real Milk Paint, for instance, uses pharmaceutical grade lime which is a natural anti-bacterial ingredient. This environmentally-friendly ingredient is also a curing agent. It works through carbonization which draws carbon dioxide away from the air as the surfaces hardens. This provides cleaner air and a safer environment overall. This is the type of information you want to know about when comparing eco-friendly paints.
Be careful when tinting environmentally-friendly paints. Some tints can greatly increase the levels of VOC. Research and verify the VOC levels in tints before adding them.
It’s best to discuss the green paints you are interested in with experienced professional painting contractors in San Ramon. They can provide suggestions and recommendations for “green” paints when you are about to do house painting in San Ramon.
House Painting in San Ramon Can Help Your Home Sell
Consider house painting in San Ramon if you intend to resell your home. Doing so can help tremendously. Painting is one of the basic parts of staging a home for resale and can help you sell your home in a short span of time. “Staging” is a term that means decorating a home to highlight its greatest features.
Staging is needed to sell your home quickly and at the price that you want. If you are passive in this area, chances are it will undermine the resale value of your home as well as keep it from selling for a longer time. If you want to avoid this, then you may want to invest in staging. It lets potential buyers know that they won’t need to do a lot of work when purchasing the house.
The most basic and most encompassing area of staging is painting. A fresh coat of paint will help make the house look cleaner and brand-new.
People have their own opinions about the choice of new paint colors. Some say that the classic white is perfect for the interior of a home because it leaves a blank slate. However, some people dismiss white as being too stark, too bland, cold or unwelcoming. While white is still the unbeatable choice, it is still better if you try to use warm neutral colors – beige, tan, gray, and light pastels. Any of these colors will work because it will enable prospective buyers to see the potential of the home as it may go well with their own furniture and decorations. For a more flowing look, use only two or three paint colors that complement each other.
Don’t forget your home’s exterior. Remember that first impressions are everything when selling your home, so it’s recommended that you pay attention to your home’s curb appeal. White or neutral colors are still the best option for exterior painting. Consider the overall look of your home when paint the trim. If your home is symmetrical (with the door in the center and windows on its side) then you may want to choose a classic white color for the walls and black paint for the trims. If it’s asymmetrical, choose a lighter color for your trims like grays. Or rather, for example, paint your asymmetrical home with a beige color, and then choose a soft brown for the trim.
If you aren’t still sure what color would you paint for your exterior, take a cue from the homes of your neighborhood. You may want your house to stand out in the area, but not stand out too much as it may upset your neighbors. For example, paint your home with a color that blends with others in the neighborhood, but paint the details (such as door and window frames) with contrasting colors to make your the colors pop and make your home more of a standout among your neighbors homes.
Remember that when you’re doing house painting in San Ramon, keep in mind to use paint the best paint color combinations to sell your home a quickly as possible.
Do I Need to Use TSP When House Painting in San Ramon?
If house painting in San Ramon is needed, it’s not only paint or primer that are being used. There are also some chemicals that professional painters use during the time they painted in your home. Homeowners may wonder about the process of painting as well as certain products other than paints and primers. One of these products is TSP. What exactly is TSP and does it have to be used when painting a house?
TSP stands for trisodium phosphate is a type of additive that is used by painters to clean a painted surface, before applying a new coat of paint. TSP is mixed with only warm water. TSP is considered safe, and is an ingredient in commercial laundry soap and other cleaning agents, as well as an additive in some food.
You may wonder why TSP is used in painting. As you may have noticed, our day-to-day activities directly affect the condition of our walls. For instance, there’s grease on the kitchen walls and cabinets or smoke from cigarettes (if someone in your household smokes often). If you have a fireplace it may leave soot on the walls or there could be water damage from a leak as well as many other things. If you are planning to re-paint your home, TSP is needed to clean all the dirt attached to your walls. Remember that a clean wall means better paint adhesion.
TSP also acts as a degreaser. TSP is most often used when re-painting your kitchen walls and cabinets, especially for areas that are around the stove. For kitchen surfaces that aren’t cleaned thoroughly, chances are the paint won’t adhere properly. It may take a bit of time and effort (as well as materials) to address this problem which may have been prevented by using TSP.
You may think that your walls aren’t that dirty, but it is likely more dirt is there than you realize. TSP is a potent cleaner, and you can use it to prep your walls before painting. In fact, painting contractors in San Ramon will know that when the walls are free of dirt, then they can proceed to paint.
There are other things that TSP can do, including de-glossing any paints that have levels of sheen – from satin and eggshell to a very glossy paint finish. De-glossing the surface using TSP means the surface will become dull, thus enabling a new coat of paint to adhere better. Usually, the surfaces are cleaned and prepped before using TSP on them. Make sure to rinse the surfaces with a damp (but not too wet) and clean sponge. Finally, allow them to dry completely.
If your surfaces have mildew, especially inside the bathroom, you may have seen professional painters in San Ramon using a certain solution. This solution consists of a combination of TSP and chlorine, which is ok for removing mildew but is not recommended for getting rid of mold permanently. Do not consider using TSP for general cleaning, for it may damage grout and stain metal in your bathroom.
Even though TSP is safe to use, you want to wear protective material such as glove, long-sleeves, and full-length pants. You will also want to use eye protection, as you would with other cleaning chemicals. It is also imperative that you keep TSP out of children’s reach. In case TSP accidentally falls on plants, remove it immediately.
Perhaps the best way to utilize TSP to clean your walls is to hire a professional and licensed contractor who will do house painting in San Ramon. They understand how to properly use this additive and will your family is safe.
Use Paint for a Bold Entry When House Painting in San Ramon
The entry to our home may be the last area that we think about when we are house painting in San Ramon. Most of us see them as non-room spaces, which is unfortunate. These are high-traffic areas, meaning that we use it frequently. Obviously, in some houses at least, the entry way is what is seen when we open the main door, or after we climb up the stairs. So it’s appropriate that we create a bold, unique space that is welcoming.
When painting the entry way or a hallway, it is important to know the size of the space. Some are long and narrow. Others are short and wide? Make a narrow space seem wider with lighter colors. You can make wide spaces seem smaller with darker colors.
Another way to highlight your hallway is to paint the architectural details. This could be arches, door frames, or window frames if your entry ways has windows. You can also paint the trim and molding either the same color as your walls or choose a shade darker. Tight hallways will look taller when the ceiling has been painted with white paint.
Think about the hallway’s visual relationship to other rooms. If your hallways are open and have adjoining spaces, you will want to coordinate the hall with the room to make a seamless visual flow. If you have doors you keep closed, consider other colors. Remember to use the tricks above if your hallways are short and wide, or long and narrow. You may want to use similar colors for the adjoining rooms if you add artwork or photographs on the walls.
If your hallway is not open, you may want to try other colors. There are so many colors available. Consider adding bold colors like red or neutral colors (black or white) with other colors. Contrasting colors like plum and yellow may also make your entry way stand out. You can emphasize narrow spaces by painting vertical stripes with two shades to make it appear taller. Different shades of horizontal stripes will widen short hallways with an illusion of length.
Some hallways have walls at the end. Use that as an accent wall. If you have the budget, you could also install a window brighten it up.
Most entry ways are high-traffic areas. Be sure to use paints that are durable and can be washed.
When house painting, don’t forget the entry way. It is an important part of your home. Make the entry bold by using wall colors and details that will capture the attention of your visitors whenever they come to visit. This is all possible with house painting in San Ramon.
House Painting San Ramon – Use Doors and Windows for Interest
When you say curb appeal, a house and a yard’s general attractiveness first comes to mind. House painting in San Ramon will definitely contribute to a house’s curb appeal, but do you know that doors and windows can also affect your home’s outside appearance?
You can make doors look more interesting in several ways. Consider updating the door with a coat of paint. If you want to make your door stand out, use a paint color that is contrasting with the rest of the exterior. For example, if your exterior is white or light in color, you can paint the door with eye-popping colors such as red and blue, especially in their most vivid hues. Such colors will catch your attention and make the doors look more welcoming.
For homes with wooden doors, a nice amount of stain on it gives the door a natural appeal. Some people even deliberately stain their doors to give them a more natural, weathered look. Such stained doors would look good when paired with trim painted with black, hunter green, deep brown or a shade of red. You can also change the trim by painting them with color that contrasts the door to make them seem pop out.
If you are having major renovations done to your home, adding windows on the sides of the door will add to your home’s curb appeal. These windows will also make an added element of interest as well as make the entry way more welcoming. Your windows will seem to stand out when you paint them with bold, vivid colors. It also helps when your house numbers are viewable from the street. Consider large, white numbers to add more interest to your home’s exterior.
Windows make an excellent focal point on the home’s exterior. You can add frames, shutters or trim and paint them with colors – either elegant or contrasting and bold – that will draw one’s attention to the windows. You can also add window boxes and plant flowers for an added splash of color.
Adding headers or toppers on the topmost part of the door or window will also provide interest. They can be painted with eye-catching colors will make your windows appear taller and add another attractive feature to them. More elaborate or elegant accents may also make your windows more of a standout.
You may also want to change the blinds or curtains to add another interest factor to your windows. Shutters can also be helpful to make them seem more functional than mere decorations.
Adding ivy can lend a touch of drama to your windows or doors. However, a word of caution when planting them: you have to be aware of their growth as they can work their way into the cracks in wood siding or bricks which could cause structural problems. It is best if you add a frame around the window with non-intrusive vines that can grow around the window frame instead along the walls of your home’s exterior.
Adding interesting and attractive features to your home in San Ramon can be simple or elaborate, depending on your preference. House painting in San Ramon is good opportunity to add attractive elements especially to your doors and windows.