The following painting tips are offered to help you become a more knowledgeable consumer. Dutch Touch Painting Service firmly believes that informed consumers make better purchasing decisions.

Things to consider when painting your home.

 Paint is one of the least expensive and easiest ways to improve a home. Color wheels and color families make it stress free for the average consumer. Most people take the task on themselves; however, some hire contractors to complete the job. The results may be stunningly dramatic or clean and simple, depending on the atmosphere desired.

Choosing Interior Paint Colors

When considering the best colors for rooms inside the home, take into account how the room will be used, as well as the ambient and direct lighting. Walls may seem to take on a completely different hue at night than during the day in direct sunlight and paint will look different in dark rooms than bright ones. Lighter colors work well in smaller rooms  and larger rooms can take on the bold colors with ease.

Different colors evoke different emotions. Since a bedroom is used for sleeping, a calming bedroom paint color is usually desired. All of the blues, greens and violets will achieve this effect. A bedroom painted in the more cheery colors: orange, yellow and red will infuse energy into the room and the occupant. For some, this may be the optimal color family.
These days, paint takes on new personalities with faux paint techniques. Rag rolling, sponging, stippling and dragging are some of the ways to achieve looks similar to wallpaper. Sponging is easy and often a good way to hide irregularities on walls. To achieve the sponge effect, simply place a sponge in paint and apply to walls in random patterns. The result is often dramatic and elegant, best for dining rooms and master bedrooms.

Rag rolling involves three different colors of paint all within the same color family. A random blending of the two darker colors is done before the lightest of the three is placed on the wall with a rag, in an effort to create a textured look.

Types of House Paint
The two main types of house paint are oil-based and water-based. Oil-based paint is generally used for the exterior of a home, and water-based paint for the interior.

Since oil-based is thicker it needs more time to dry than water-based, though additives help speed this process. Oil-based paints are glossy, can withstand the weather and are washable. Water-based paints are easier to work with, as clean-up after painting is simply soap and water, whereas oil-based paint products require paint thinner and sometimes other solutions.

Primer is a base coat of paint for either the interior or exterior of the home. Primers are used to insure the paint adheres to surfaces correctly. They are specially made to bond specifically with the material being painted, for example, wood, masonry or metal.

Hiring a paint contractor may be the best avenue toward a successfully painted home. They can help determine the best house paint colors and assess the condition of the walls to be painted. We can give you more advice and recommendations at:

http://www.dutchtouchpaintingservice.com/

Dragging is done on walls painted with a clear glaze. The paintbrush is dragged downward to create vertical lines. This effect goes nicely in rooms with wall paneling to help disguise paneling grooves. Stippling is done with a special stippling brush and produces tiny dots. This technique is a calming one, good for bedrooms where the walls need not be bold and showy.

Start Out Right
You’ll enjoy the job more if you get everything together at the start. Organize a tool station in the middle of the area you’ll be working in. Gather together your paint, brushes, rollers, hammers, screwdrivers, plastic bags, plastic wrap, rags, paint can opener and drop cloths.

Plan a Day for Prep
Don’t try to get everything done in one day. Use the day before painting day to gather furniture in the center of the room, patch cracks and holes, put blue painter’s tape around doors and windows, and cover wall and ceiling light fixtures (light bulbs removed, of course!) with large plastic bags.

Clear the Decks
If you can, clear out all the furniture and accessories. Take everything off the walls. If you can’t move everything out, place the furniture and lamps in the middle of the room and cover them with a good drop cloth. Be sure that you tape the cloth around the furniture. Then put a second cover of plastic or old sheet over everything.

Remove All Hardware
It may seem easy painting around door knobs or cabinet hinges, but unless you’re a professional or very experienced painter, you’re bound to get drips around. So carry some zip lock bags and remove all cabinet knobs and hinges, door knobs, light switch plates, outlet covers and light fixtures. Place the pieces together in separate bags and clearly mark the contents and location (top left cabinet, bathroom door, etc.) you took them from. This is a great time to clean the hardware! Put them back when you’re done painting.

Get Yourself Ready
No matter how hard you try, you’re bound to get drips (or more) of paint on whatever you’re wearing. So take off all jewelry and reserve some old, but comfortable, clothes for your painting jobs. Slip-on shoes are easy to take off if you need to leave the room. You won’t have to worry about tracking drops of paint into other rooms. When you paint the ceiling, put a scarf, shower cap, or old baseball hat over your hair and some plastic over your eyeglasses.

Don’t Paint Over Problem Walls
If your walls have holes or cracks, fix them before you start painting. Any home center or paint store has knowledgeable personnel to guide you to the best products for the job. Wide cracks and large holes can be “bridged” with fiberglass tape, spackle will fill small holes and cracks and texturizing products are available to match your existing wall finish.

Use the Right Painting Supplies for Best Results
Rollers, pads, brushes, painter’s blue tape & paints. Every year, new products come on the market to help make painting more enjoyable. You’ll want to select the best ones for your job.

Natural or Synthetic Brushes

Paint brushes with natural bristles are meant for oil-based paints. Natural bristles will soak up the water and go limp in water-based paints. The newer synthetic bristles were designed for water-based or latex paints, but can be used for anything. Densely packed bristles that taper to a chisel edge help with painting a straight edge, cutting in or tipping. Split ends or “flags” hold more paint and spread it more evenly and smoothly. Choose the right brush for your job.

Foam Brushes and Rollers
Foam brushes come in many widths, inexpensive and great for small jobs or touch ups. Foam paint rollers work well, don’t spatter the paint and are easy to use when you want a really smooth wall. Don’t try them on rough surfaces because they will not hold up.

Pad Painters
Smooth pad painters offer simple and neat paint application and easy clean ups. Don’t apply too much paint to the pad because it will drip. You’ll have to take it apart, clean it, dry it thoroughly and start over.

Paint Rollers
A paint roller with a plastic core will last longer than one with a cardboard core. Select a roller “nap” (fullness of the covering) according to the texture on your walls. Use a flat, smooth roller for flat, smooth walls and a thicker, more plush roller for rough textured walls.

Water-Based or Latex Paint
New latex paints are formulated to be environmentally-friendly. Drying time is short (usually about 1 hour) and clean ups are easy with water. Apply water-based paints with rollers, pads, or synthetic bristle brushes. Latex paints tend to get a “skin” of paint in the can when they begin to dry out, so keep the can covered as much as possible. Pour paint into another container to work from and close the can.

Oil-Based Paint
Most professional painters prefer oil-based paints, especially for cabinets, furniture, and trim. New formulations do not harm the environment and are not toxic. Because they dry more slowly, oil-based paints allow for better coverage and work well in warm, dry climates where water-based paints would dry too fast. Apply oil-based paints with pads, rollers, or natural bristle brushes. Clean up with paint thinner or other solvent.

Drop Cloth

The best material for a drop cloth is a heavy canvas cloth. It’s not as slippery as plastic and covers better than newspaper. Fold the cloth to fit any size room and tape down the corners to prevent paint from oozing over the edge. To prevent scratching, be sure to vacuum hardwood floors before you put the drop cloth down.

Tinted Primer
Most paint jobs work better when you use a primer or base coat. Have the primer or base paint tinted to match your surface paint color. You may be able to avoid a second coat of finish paint. For ceilings, try paint that is specially formulated for ceilings. Some brands go on light blue and change to white when dry. This makes it easier to see where you’ve already painted.

Painter’s Blue Tape

If you’ve never used painter’s blue tape, why not? It has a waxy coating to keep paint from seeping through, is available in several widths and provides a perfect straight edge for painting. It will not pull up the paint on the surface it’s stuck to and the seal is activated when you put it down onto a smooth surface. Its special properties don’t last forever, so don’t leave it on the wall more than a couple of days.

Even if you’ve done a great job, some clean up will be required. You’ll have to do some touch ups and put things away.

Keep Your Brush Ready
You won’t want to clean your paint brush or roller every time you need to take a break. Wrap them in plastic wrap and seal them in a plastic bag. They’ll be ready and flexible when you return from your break. For longer storage (as much as a week), put the plastic bag with brushes in the freezer– yes, the freezer! Thaw out the brushes for an hour before you use them again.

Have Plenty of Rags for Wipe Ups
No painter would be without a supply of rags. You’ll undoubtedly need to wipe off excess paint, catch drips, clean up spills or wipe off your hands.

Razor Blades
Scrape excess paint or drips from windows, tile, or glass with straight razor blades. The drips won’t smear, and the surface will be perfectly clean.

Simple Clean Up for Latex Paint

When you’re done painting, take time to soak your brushes or rollers with latex paint in a solution of water and laundry fabric softener for about 10 minutes. Swish them around in the water, remove them and rinse well with clear water. Before putting them away, wipe or roll off excess moisture and air dry the brushes and rollers .

Extra Paint
No need to save a big can of paint to store just the little bit left over. Use a glass jar or pint size paint can to store excess paint. Remove the paint can label or mark the new, smaller container with important information. Include the date the paint was used, the color name and number, where it was purchased, the room where it was used and where (wall, trim, etc.) If you have it, attach the paint swatch from the paint store.

Be Ready for Touch Ups
Use small baby food jars or food storage containers to store small amounts of paint for touching up scratches or dents. Fill them with leftover paint, label where the paint was used (kitchen cabinets, master bedroom ceiling, etc.) and what type of paint it is (latex flat, oil eggshell, etc.) and place the containers in sealing plastic bags. When you need to make a small repair, shake the container well and dab on a spot of paint with a small foam brush or Q-tip.

On your next inside painting project, religiously follow these simple rules and I guarantee that you will save at least 2 hours. Here we go!

1. Slosh Your Brush
Before painting, slosh your brush in whatever solvent you will be using at the end of the day to clean the brush (i.e., water for latex, mineral spirits for oil, etc.) It’ll be easier to clean when you’re done.

2. Wrap Brush or Roller
If you don’t feel like cleaning your brush or roller at the end of the day and expect to get back to painting within a few days, wrap the brush or roller tightly in a plastic bag and put in the freezer.

3. Latex Gloves or Lotion, Your Pick
Latex gloves are great for keeping your hands clean (especially if you’re using oil-based paint!). If you can’t stand latex gloves or are allergic, a thick application of hand lotion before painting will make cleaning a lot easier later on.

4. Wet Edge
Always keep a wet edge as you paint, and work away from that wet edge. If you paint over a dry edge, you will get overlap marks.

5. Avoid Cheap Roller Covers and Brushes
This one is important. Cheap roller covers leave fuzz on the wall. Cheap brushes leave streaky brush marks. Avoid those multi-packs of rollers, ten for a dollar. Pay the extra few cents and get better tools. It’ll be worth it. Honest it will.

6. Test for Loose Paint
Will the existing painted surface take new paint? And hold it for years to come? Test this out by adhering a strip of duct tape to the existing painted surface and…ripping it away. If flakes of paint more than microscopic size come off, you may need to scrape and sand.

7. Low-Stick Masking Tape
Also known as “blue tape,” this tape comes off easier and doesn’t peel off primer or existing paint. Blue tape, by itself, will save you at least an hour of frustration over the old-style beige masking tape.

8. Rein in Your Paint Can Opener
Paint can openers, those little metal keys (you do use one, don’t you?) are notorious for getting lost in the shuffle. Chain it to a small chunk of wood just like a public bathroom key. Whatever you do, just don’t lose it!

9. Painting Process
Paint in this order:

Ceiling
Walls
Trim
Cabinets
Doors

And remember to always paint from top-down!

For more information, please visit our website:

http://www.dutchtouchpaintingservice.com/

Preparation is the Key:

Before you begin, remove hardware and fixtures from the walls and ceilings with a screwdriver. Remember to turn off the breaker or fuse for the room before working with electrical components. Remove electrical switch plates, cable TV outlets, phone jack covers, curtains and decorations and cover edges with painter’s tape. It’s best to move any furniture you can to another room. If that’s not an option, move your furniture to the center of the room and cover it with tarps or drop cloths.

Before you paint, remember to prepare the walls. Wash the wall surface using a damp cloth, mild detergent and water. Patch any holes and wall damage with spackling compound. Scrape off flaky paint using a putty knife.

Use synthetic brushes, such as polyester or nylon, with latex paints. Natural bristle brushes work best if you’re using oil-based or alkyd-based paints.

Priming seals the surface of the wall and helps the paint cover more evenly. Always prime if you’re painting a lighter color over a darker one. On flat-painted walls with minor repairs, you may only need to spot prime. For walls with larger areas of patching plaster, use stain-killing primer.

Priming doesn’t require as much care as painting, but you’ll use the same technique. Start with the ceiling, first covering the perimeter and unpainted areas around the fixtures. Moving in 6′-square sections, use a series of overlapping “W” strokes from right to left, then back from left to right. Spread the primer evenly using horizontal strokes. Continue in 6′-square sections until the entire surface is primed.

Mask the perimeter of the ceiling with painter’s tape. Next, “cut in,” or outline, the entire room with a brush to reach the areas a roller can’t. An angled sash brush works well for cutting into corners. Get as close as you can, applying the paint about a 1/4″ from the edge of the surface. On your second pass, apply more pressure to carefully push the paint into place.

To roll closer to edges without making a smeary mess, put your hand inside a plastic bag and slide the paint-soaked roller so it extends about one inch past the end of the roller handle cage. This allows you to roll right up to edges and cover any brush stroke messes.

When doing ceiling brushwork, it’s easier to pour paint into a smaller can, like a coffee can. That way you don’t have to lug a heavy paint can up the ladder with you. Start with the ceiling before painting your walls. Always use a quality latex paint. Use the same technique as priming your ceiling and walls, moving in 6′-square sections across the ceiling and walls. Be sure to feather the edges of the squares, using less pressure when applying paint at the edges of the square. This will keep the finish even and prevent any lines where the paint overlaps from another section. Keep working with the squares until the surface is completely painted. Without adding paint to the roller, use light strokes to re-roll from the bottom of the wall to the top (or across the ceiling) to make sure everything is even.

If your paint is any other finish than flat, you should go over the entire surface (for very large areas, do two square sections at a time) once again with one-directional, overlapping, non-diagonal strokes to blend the paint.

Be sure to choose a roller cover that suits the surface texture. If you have a “popcorn” or textured ceiling, use a roller with thicker pile. Your Dutch Touch associate can help you find the right roller for your paint project.

Use the brush to do wall brushwork wherever your roller couldn’t reach. Dip the bristles no more than an inch into the paint and go over areas in the corners, next to the doors, windows and molding.

The first coat doesn’t have to be totally dry, but you’ll get better coverage the longer you let the surface dry. Paint the second coat in the same way you painted the first.

Paint all the trim areas around the doors and windows with brand paint. For base molding, run blue painter’s tape along the floor to prevent any drips. Before painting a door, you need to take off the handle or knob and the strike plate. If you have inset panels, paint those first, followed by the horizontal bars and then the vertical.

For windows, you need to move the outside sash—the top part of the window—down. Move the inside sash up. Now you can paint the bottom part of the outside sash. Push this back up when you’ve finished painting it. Pulling down the inside sash, paint the top part of the outside sash and the inside sash. Make sure you open and close the window occasionally as the paint is drying so the window doesn’t stick.

If you get paint on the glass, just wait a day and use a one-sided razor blade to scrape it off. Good brushes will last for many years if you treat them well. Use a brush comb to separate bristles that stick together near the heel of the brush. Rinse the brush out in either water or paint thinner. When the water or paint thinner runs clear, thoroughly shake out any excess liquid. Put the brush back in its protective sleeve or hang it on a nail or hook.

Water can cause many interior paint problems. If an easily dissolved material, such as drywall, has absorbed water its size and shape changes. This pulls and stretches the paint film causing a tare. Plus the water applies pressure to the paint.

Now with a microscopic tare the water begins to loosen the paint film and lift it from the surface. The end result is what we see as peeling. Peeling of the paint film can be prevented in most cases. The most common areas that show signs of paint peeling first is painted windows and bathrooms.

Windows, especially single pane, sweat in the winter. The water running down the glass will penetrate behind between the glass and frame, into the wood. No matter how good the primer or paint is peeling will occur. Stopping this water is as easy as caulking the frame to the glass with a clear caulk after painting and trying to reduce the humidity within your home.

Foundations are often a source of moisture. Many basements in older homes will have problems due to foundation cracks or lack of concrete sealer, tar.

In order to prevent interior peeling paint look to the exterior of your home first. Fixing this problem can be as simple as redirecting downspouts and increasing the slope of the landscaping away from the house. If the peeling recurs water locking concrete primers can be used. These primers do work but prevention is a better solution.

Other components of your home can cause water damage as well. Roof leaks will appear as a water stain before causing serious damage. Plus air conditioning ducts will cause water to condensate on the metal surfaces if the humidity in your home is too high.

A dirty or greasy surface prior to painting can bring about interior peeling paint. Cleaning the walls and ceilings to remove any grease and grime will assure a strong bond for your new finish. Use heavy duty cleaners, for heavy deposits of grease or grime. Rinse well and allow complete drying of the surface before starting to apply any paint.

Glossy finishes need to be dulled before painting. Sanding the surface with 120 or 150 grit sand paper and using a liquid de-glosser, such as Paso, will insure maximum adhesion.

Old paint becomes hard and brittle with time causing cracks that can develop into flaking and peeling. Using a good interior primer with sealing capabilities is needed in order to promote the best adhesion of the new finish.

The use of the best primers and paints will help prevent interior peeling paint in the future.

All surfaces, including previously painted and new, must be properly prepared before painting. This includes removing any loose and flaking paint by scraping with a stiff putty knife, paint scraper or wire brush. Sand the remaining paint edges to produce a smooth transition.

If the exposed surface is in good shape, no chalky and loose plaster or drywall, a patching compound can be applied to level the repair with its surroundings. Now retexture to match the surrounding surface. Apply a stain blocking primer to the repaired area and apply a compatible paint.

Interior paint preparation can consist of many steps, each equally important at preventing paint problems.

Choosing Colors: 

       RED         

It is one of the first colors a baby can discern, that male babies prefer yellow based reds such as tomato colors. And that female babies prefer blue based reds such as raspberry. The chemical reaction of red while eating will cause a person to eat more and stay longer. Red is an ideal color for restaurant decor or in bars.

    ORANGE      

 This color is associated with low quality or being very accessible. This color is used in both the restaurant and hotel industry to convey low cost to passers by. Whether its a lobby, a roof, or a bill board, it gets our attention and tells us its a bargain. Orange is not what one would use to bring about a feeling of elegance, but of something informal or very casual.

   YELLOW       

 The color yellow is transmitted to the brain faster than any other color, in nature yellow represents caution (hornets, bees and fire). In our world yellow represents caution in warning signs, construction signs and fire trucks. Babies will cry more when surrounded by yellow and studies have shown adults to lose tempers when around yellow. It’s a very high anxiety color, but in turn is good for drawing attention, or for packaging products. Yellow flowers in the foyer are said to be great when selling a house, the people remember the house with the beautiful yellow flowers after a long day of home shopping.

      BLUE      

 This is the number one favorite color of people by far, it represents respectability, responsibility, knowledge, caring, and trustworthiness. Country type blues are the number one color in homes, but blue is not a color that sells houses well. Blue is a color that encourages fantasy and at the same time is very tranquilizing. This color is ideal for calming, such as doctors offices and in the rooms of over-active children. Blue is not a color that goes well with eating, if you want to push away from the table sooner (or the in-laws are coming)…..dig out the blue dishes.

    GREEN    

These are living colors. Green is a great color around food and diminishes sweetness. Green represents wealth and money, makes people feel secure and tended. Some health disorders such as eczema, diarrhea and stomach upset tend to lessen in a room painted in green.

   BROWN       

  This is a very friendly color, its will represent someone as being believable. Browns work very well in interiors and its known to be a warm and friendly color.

     GREY      

It’s the only color without an after-image, known as a color representing creativity. Grey is best for a background color and will inspire people to do more for a longer period.

       BLACK & WHITE           

 These are not colors, but are known as the power twins because of the bold statements they make. Black represents dignity, sophistication, refinement and authority. White represents delicacy, purity and cleanliness. White also encourages precision in the workplace.

Color Your Home!
Color your home can bring life and excitement to otherwise dull areas. Why do we choose particular colors for interior decorating? It is because we either like them or have seen them in a magazine or someone’s home. But, some of us have trouble deciding on which colors we really want to use in our own home. Choosing to color your home can be difficult if you let it.

So, what do you do? Look around the room and see what color is predominant in your furniture and fabrics. Now choose a predominant color from the ones you see and that will be your base color for the room. It will also be the interior wall paint color.

OK, now that we got past choosing color; you want to know “Do colors really reflect our personalities?” Why don’t you decide for yourself? Below is a list of colored bedrooms and their respective personality traits.

 

 

 

Blue-Green = Sensitive, Exacting and sensitive.

Blue = Secure, Conservative, Trusting and loyal friend.

Purple = Polite, Vain and non-impressionable.

Lavender = Social, Civilized and neat.

Brown = Dependable, Conservative by nature.

Red = Aggressive, Vigorous, Impulsive in your mood and actions.

Burgundy = Ambition, Conscience and strength.

Pink = Romantic, Charm, Softness and warmth.

Orange = Adventuress, Good-natured and charming.

White = Simplicity, Neat and immaculate.

Gray = Cautious and non-committal.

Black = Dignified, Sophisticated and mysterious.

For more information, please visit our website:

http://dutchtouchpaintingservice.com/