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Painting Fairfield County CT
At Handyman Express we do both interior and exterior painting. Painting is one of the best ways to add value to your house. It makes everything look fresh, clean and new.
There are 5 facets to our Painting job.
- Set-up for interior and Powerwash for exterior
- Prepare
- Paint
- Clean
- Inspect
Interior Painting:
It is important to take care of the the holes in walls and ceilings
before painting. These areas should be repaired with
spackling compound and then sanded to a smooth finish. They will usually require more than one coat due to
shrinkage.
Choosing your paints and finishes:
Flat: Is the matte look which will minimize any
imperfections in your wall surface. This is great for homes with some
textural issues. But flat paint is not easy to clean and you may
actually remove paint if you have to scrub the wall for any reason.
Eggshell: Is probably the most common finish today and it gives off a more matte
look from the front while showing just a bit of shine from the side.
This is a good alternative to flat paint if you need to wash walls or
clean stains.
Satin: This has a soft sheen to
it. It also is a bit easier to clean.
Semi-Gloss: Has a nice shine to it and it is extremely durable. If you’re painting a bathroom or a kitchen you may want to opt for this paint finish. It is much easier to clean and wipes off dirty smudges easily with a
damp cloth.
Gloss: This is very shiny. It works well for highlighting moldings and window trims, and cleans up easily.
Exterior Painting:We begin our exterior painting job with
a power washing to remove the majority of the damage and then use a
paint scraper to remove the remaining flaking, chipped or blistered paint.
Exterior Paint Considerations:
Bare wood:
Apply
either oil- or latex-based primer, depending on the paint you decide to
use. Use oil-base or stain-blocking latex primer on wood with lots of
knots or with cedar or redwood, which have oils that can bleed through
your paint job. Acrylic latex paint will resist mildew and cracks and
retain color better than alkyd varieties.
Painted wood:
Prime
surface if you are applying latex
paint over an alkyd-based. Use acrylic latex paint in a
finish of your choice—eggshell finishes are easier to maintain then
flat finishes. (You may choose an oil-base paint if the existing paint
is also alkyd.)
Chalky or poor wood:
With
this type of wood, it may be difficult for a new layer of latex paint
to adhere—consider oil-based paint for this application.
Rough wood siding:
Semitransparent
alkyd stains or water-based stains with alkyd resins will saturate
rough wood fibers and are less apt to peel than other paint options.
Hardboard siding:
Prime
the surface with an exterior latex primer (even if your hardboard comes
pre-primed, this is recommended). Use two coats of acrylic latex paint.
Any finish may be used, but satin finishes work best because they are
not as susceptible to wax bleed as flat paints. Take care to prime and
paint all cut edges.
Stucco and concrete:
Prime
the surface, using an acrylic latex paint suitable for masonry or
stucco. Use two coats of acrylic latex paint, latex masonry paint, or
acrylic elastomeric wall covering.
Vinyl siding:
Primer
is unnecessary, although be sure to remove all mold, mildew, and dirt
when preparing the surface. Apply two coats of acrylic latex paint in a
flat or satin finish; it is best to spray paint onto vinyl. Never paint
on a shade darker than the vinyl siding’s original color; the darker
under-layer may absorb heat from the sun, causing your siding to warp.
Metal siding:
No
primer is needed for aluminum. For steel, use two coats of a latex- or
oil-based primer suitable for metal to prevent corrosion. Apply two
coats of acrylic latex paint in your desired finish.