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Why should I get a second opinion on paint?

January 21, 2012 in Color Ideas, Painting Information by chismville | No comments

Every room in a house has a personality. Whether it is a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom or living room, each room is unique. Personality in a room comes from it’s furniture, decorations, and size, but primarily from the color scheme. Some colors are versatile and can be used for many different rooms, but others are not. Paint a room black and it may seem modern or ominous, paint it pink and it will seem girly, paint it blue and it will seem more calm and relaxing. Depending on what purpose the room serves, it is obvious when the color is “off;” it may not look bad, but usually it won’t feel right if the color doesn’t fit.
Since there are over 2000 different paint colors to choose from, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when trying to pick out a color for a room, so getting a second opinion lightens the load significantly.  Not only is this decision easier when you have another person to help, but getting a second opinion also ensures that the color you choose is especially right for your paint project. Just be sure that the person you ask to help you with color is either an expert, or someone who knows you and your house well enough to know which colors will fit the personality of your family and of your home.
Here are some additional reasons why you should get second opinion on paint color:
  • Perception. All people perceive colors slightly differently. Getting a second or third opinion will better your chances of picking a especially great color.
  • Time and money. Oftentimes people will go to the store and buy a color they think will be great, but when they start painting they find it’s the wrong shade or it just doesn’t look good. Since paint isn’t cheap and it takes time to decide on the right color, it is more efficient to get the color right the first time and not end up with gallons of the wrong paint color.
  • Placement. Some colors are versatile for many different rooms, while others are appropriate for only a few rooms. Sometimes it’s easy to overlook some common standards when faced with so many colors; having a second person helping with ensure that you don’t oversight some color fundamentals.

All things considered, it pays to get a second opinion on color.

If you are uncertain about color, let us know; our color consultants are experts at picking the best colors for all different types of rooms. If you would like to schedule a free estimate with Lancaster Painting, call us at 209-634-1111. We would be happy to serve you.

Paint it Forward | Continuum College

October 27, 2011 in Community Events by chismville | No comments

Annually at Lancaster Painting we hold a “Paint it Forward” contest, where the people of our community nominate someone who would benefit from an interior or exterior paint job for their home.

Click here to watch a video of last year’s project. We had many wonderful volunteers who came out to help us “Paint It Forward” to Continuum College in Turlock.

Perhaps you know a family who is struggling due to medical or financial problems. We want to know about the people; tell us what their need is and Lancaster Painting will do the painting. Do not hold back on sharing a need with us if the project seems too big. If the whole interior or exterior needs a paint job, just let us know.

Fill out the nomination form before December 10, 2011. Lancaster Painting and staff will select the winning family and keep you all updated on our Facebook page. By the end of December we will announce the winner, and the painting will take place in January or February of 2012.

Why Should I Install Decorative Moulding?

October 22, 2011 in Design Tips and Ideas by chismville | No comments

Using decorative moulding is a great way of easily sophisticating a room without changing the overall theme.

The following types of Moulding are very popular and relatively easy to install:

Crown Moulding

  • Crown moulding provides a visual transition from the wall to the ceiling. When you use custom moulding for your room rather than a typical design, this striking technique creates an old-world effect that truly distinguishes a fine room.

Ogee Moulding

  • Ogee mouldings are made to install 6-12 inches below the ceiling to create a visual break that coordinates with the crown above it. The space in-between the Crown and Ogee moulding is perfect for painting a coordinating or contrasting color to add some new dynamic to the room.

Chair Rail Moulding

  • Practical and decorative, Chair Rail is a great moulding that adds a nice simple accent to a room, while also protecting the wall from scratches and scuffs.

Base Moulding

  • Similar to Crown Moulding, Base Moulding provides that elegant “finished look” for a room. Even if the room already has baseboard, you can always consider upgrading the base moulding to match nicely with the rest of the moulding project.

Panel Moulding

  • If you use chair rail with a nice base moulding, it would be in best taste to also use panel moulding. This serves as a union for the two elements while giving the room a more unique touch.

Door and Window Casing

  • Using Moulding for Door and Window Casing is a great way to add sophistication to an otherwise simple room.

Wainscoting

  • Decorative wainscoting are often light or white to blend nicely with the color of the walls or ceiling and provide an intriguing texture. Wainscoting works well to break up the potential monotony of a monochromatic room or wall. You can easily define and enhance the look of a room with well-selected wainscoting.

Any plain room will immediately gain character and personality when one or any of these moulding techniques are added.

Moulding installation requires precision and careful attention to detail. A skilled do-it-yourselfer can install elegant mouldings in a relatively short amount of time, but for high-quality results, homeowners often hire a professional contractor.

To schedule a free estimate, call Lancaster Painting today at 1-800-PAINTING; we serve the Central Valley areas surrounding Turlock.

How Long Should My Exterior Paint Last in the Modesto Area?

August 2, 2011 in Painting Information by chismville | No comments

This question is asked by almost every homeowner we talk to about an exterior painting project. Thankfully, we have the answer to this great question: “How long should my exterior paint last?” However there are a variety of factors that go into how long an exterior paint job should last, such as: location, what products you use and why type of home you have (Stucco or Wood Siding).
Here is a broken down list of our answers:
Stucco Surfaces
Typically painted stucco lasts anywhere from 7 to 10 years. After about 7 years you will usually see signs of aging or what is known as “chalking.”  You can tell whether it’s time to repaint if when you rub your fingers over the surface you have a layer of “chalk”. Don’t get chalk confused for dirt. If the chalk is not bad, a simple power-washing can typically help you get another year or two out of your painted stucco.
Wood Surfaces
A painted wood surface facing the sun most of the day will last anywhere from 3 to 5 years before needing a fresh coat of paint. Sometimes the entire house may not need repainting within this time period. If you keep your eyes open and apply a fresh coat when necessary, it will keep the surfaces from peeling or from wood rot. It is always cheaper in the long run to maintain your wood surfaces rather than calling a painter after 8-10 years when the paint is cracked and popped off.

If you want an optimal paint job, it is important that you do proper surface preparation and use a top-quality 100% acrylic exterior paint.

Is your exterior paint losing it’s lustre? Call Lancaster Painting for a free estimate at 209-634-1111.

Can I Repaint My Kitchen Cabinets?

July 27, 2011 in Design Tips and Ideas by chismville | No comments

Nowadays, we all look for ways to save money and time, or ways to be eco-friendly. Painting instead of replacing your cabinets is one of the easiest, quickest and most economical ways to revitalize your kitchen. By repainting your cabinets you can change the overall look of your kitchen and easily modernize the room. Also by repainting you save your self about 80%-90% of the cost of replacing cabinets, and typically you increase the life expectancy by 5 to 6 years. When your cabinets need a touch-up years down the road, you can easily just do one more coat to refresh the look.

How do you start this project?

First of all, you have to remove the gloss from your cabinets, since most cabinets have already been stained and sealed with a glossy polyurethane. There are a couple different ways to do this project, but the method I will offer is the least time consuming, least messy and least complicated.

  1. Buy a pigmented shellac for priming the cabinet surface. I recommend a product such as Zinsser B-I-N® which is designed to stick to glossy surfaces while simultaneously changing color (typically the shellac is white, but you can tint it if you would like to paint your cabinets a different color)
  2. Follow the instructions on the can, but you should typically do about three coats of the pigmented shellac. It dries very quickly (in about 45 minutes), so you should be able to do all of the coats in a short length of time.
  3. Now you can apply a finish coat of paint. We recommend using an oil-based paint since it has a harder finish and withstand kitchen treatment better. Oil-based paint also has a smoother finish and looks more factory-finished. You can also use an acrylic/latex paint, but then make sure it is a high-level gloss finish.

You can apply the primer and paint with a brush, roller or sprayer; but a sprayer will give a nicer and smoother finish.

The other ways you can go about doing this project is to first sand the cabinets or use a de-glossing liquid to remove the cabinet finish, and then to prime and paint or stain. If you want to stain, instead of paint your cabinets, then this second option might work better; otherwise we would highly recommend doing the first.

If you have any more questions, or would like help with this project, give Lancaster Painting a call at 209-634-1111.

Which Room Color Should I Pick First?

July 23, 2011 in Color Ideas, Design Tips and Ideas by chismville | No comments

When you are painting your entire house, it’s easy to get bogged down by the task. There is an overwhelming number of colors and choices and it is important that all of the colors you choose blend well together. Don’t worry though, this process is really a lot simpler than it may seem.

The first thing you want to do is select neutral or an adaptable base color for the hallway, foyer and stairway areas. This way, you can more easily pick complementary colors for the adjacent rooms.

If you already have a specific color in mind for a particular room, then you can also work from there. But we would encourage you to always choose the “connecting” hallway color either first or second.

You can also pick a second foundation color for the foyer or hallway to tie together a few rooms if your distinct room colors (such as the Kitchen or Living Room) don’t blend very well.

Just take it one room at a time, and your home will look superb. If you would like a free estimate or color consultation, give Lancaster Painting a call at 209-634-1111.

Should I Always Paint My Ceilings White?

July 12, 2011 in Design Tips and Ideas by chismville | 1 comment

The ceiling is really like the fifth wall of a room. Painting it white doesn’t always complete a room to its full potential. So don’t settle for standard when it comes to painting your ceiling, the sky is the limit when it comes to what you can do with it.

The main two deciding factors of what color you should paint the ceiling should be:
1. Ceiling height.

  • If you have a high ceiling and want to bring it down a bit, you can get away with painting the ceiling a darker color since it will draw attention to the ceiling and make it appear lower. But you don’t want to paint a low ceiling a dark color because it will make the room seem small and confined.

2. Which room of the house it is.

  • For instance, in a dining or living room you can create elegance by painting the ceiling a lighter color that compliments the wall finish; but in a bed-room you can get away with doing a more wild and unique ceiling that livens up that room.

There are a couple of simple techniques you can do to add sophistication to a room.

  • If your ceiling has mouldings or other architectural features, such as a coffered or tray design, you can apply a nice accent color on the moulding or on the design rather than blankly painting the whole ceiling one color.
  • Consider adding crown moulding if it’s not already there. Not only does it always add a tasteful touch, but if your ceilings are high, then the moulding will bring the ceiling down by catching your eye’s attention. When you have crown moulding, you can most easily add class to a room by painting the moulding a nice accent color. This technique looks especially great when you paint the moulding a few shades darker than the color of the walls.
  • You can also paint the ceiling a lighter shade of the wall color. This strategy looks best when you follow it through the whole house so that each ceiling color is a lighter shade of each specific wall color.

Painting the “fifth wall of a room” is great and inexpensive way to complete a room and make it more naturally aesthetic. If you would like a color consultation or help with the project give Lancaster Painting a call at 209-634-1111.

How to Freshen Your Composite Deck

July 8, 2011 in Painting Information by chismville | No comments

Composite deck systems are one of the most popular decking options because they are low maintenance and great quality. When you have a composite deck, you can initially get by without giving it an annual staining. Although after receiving a few years of wear and tear, the deck will fade and decrease in durability.

But rest assured, there is a simple process you can do to revitalize and beautify your deck.

Start by removing mildew.

  • Make a solution of bleach and water (1 part bleach to 3 parts water), pour it over the entire deck surface and wait for 20 minutes.
  • Scrub the deck to remove all the mildew, and then rinse it thoroughly to get rid of all the bleach and residue.

Next, remove the gloss.

  • Gently sand the entire deck surface with #220 sandpaper.
  • Wash the deck with an all-purpose cleaner to remove all the debris, then rinse it thoroughly.

Last, stain or paint your deck.

  • For Stain: Apply the stain you want to use. We recommend a high quality acrylic latex solid color stain, used especially for composite decking.
  • For Paint: First, apply an exterior latex primer. Then, apply a good quality latex deck paint. (You can use either a satin or semi-gloss, but we recommend using higher gloss levels because they have better mildew resistance and are easier to clean.)
One more thing you should know: this process should be repeated every four years or so depending on how much abrasion the deck receives. To ensure that your deck maintains a good quality appearance, be sure to continue to use a high quality exterior latex coating when you repaint.
Would you like help with this project? Call Lancaster Painting at 209-634-1111. We would be happy to assist you!

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