Monday, September 13, 2010

We're Moving!

Just a quick and final note to let you know that our blog is moving to http://blog.paintquality.com.

Visit us at our new and improved home!

Thanks,
Debbie

Thursday, July 29, 2010

5 Insider’s Painting Tips to Sell Your Home

We're often asked for paint tips to help home sales. Read the recent article posted on www.calfinder.com or click or paste the link! www.calfinder.com/blog/painting/5-painting-tips

Here's a preview of great tips!

From www.calfinder.com

Everybody knows that selling your home is tough, especially in a market like this. But what most people don’t know is that there are easy, inexpensive tricks to set your home above the rest—and those tricks involve paint.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Recent Posting on CalFinder.com, "5 Insider’s Painting Tips to Sell Your Home"

The folks at Calfinder.com recently posted an article, "5 Insider’s Painting Tips to Sell Your Home". Take a read and let us know if you have other tips to share!

You can access the article at: http://www.calfinder.com/blog/painting/5-painting-tips/.

Thanks,
Debbie

Saturday, July 24, 2010

12 REASONS WHY TOP QUALITY PAINT IS WORTH THE MONEY

If you’re tempted to save a few dollars by trading down to a lower quality interior paint, it’s important to know what you’re giving up in the process. Here are 12 reasons top quality 100% acrylic latex interior paints are worth the money:

1. Better adhesion. The superior “binder” in these paints helps them grip any surface.
2. Better hiding capability. Top quality paints can often conceal the color below in just a single coat, saving the time and money needed to apply a second coat of paint.
3. Better spatter resistance. These paints are less likely to throw off flecks of paint while you’re applying them.
4. Better flow and leveling. Top quality paints go on evenly; brush and roller marks tend to flow out and become unnoticeable.
5. Better touch-up. If you have to touch up your paint job at a later date, it won’t be noticeable when using a top quality paint.
6. Better stain resistance. These paints tend to keep dirt and grime from sinking in, making for easy cleaning.
7. Better scrub resistance. Even if you have to scrub hard to remove a stubborn stain, top quality paint is tough enough to take the scrubbing without damaging the surface of the paint.
8. Better burnish resistance. Lower quality paints get shiny when they’re scrubbed; top quality paints have less of a tendency to do so.
9. Better block resistance. Ever notice how it’s hard to open a window after it’s been painted? Top quality paints are less susceptible to sticking.
10. Better print resistance. Windowsills and other face-up surfaces can be imprinted when objects are placed on them. When painting horizontal surfaces, use of a top quality paint in an eggshell (rather than a glossier) sheen will minimize this problem.
11. Better mildew resistance. If you don’t like mildew, don’t compromise on paint quality.
12. Better fade resistance. You’ll probably sweat bullets choosing just the right paint color. Make sure your color lasts by using a fade-resistant top quality 100% acrylic latex interior paint.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

TIPS ON COLOR SELECTION FOR AFFORDABLE INTERIOR PAINTING

With money tight and household expenses rising, there’s a natural tendency to put your remodeling plans on hold. But even if your budget is limited, there’s one home remodeling project that is still affordable, and fun, too: interior painting.
The do-it-yourself cost of repainting a room is typically well under $100, about the same as taking a family of four to the movies. Unlike a night at the movies, however, the enjoyment of a freshly painted room will last for years.
Start by visiting your local paint retailer, asking to see the color display. The fun begins by looking through the color cards and envisioning what your room will look like with an entirely new color scheme.
If you’re the decisive type, you might quickly spot the perfect color for the room you’re repainting. For everyone else, it’s usually best to take a few color cards home to view in the space you want to paint. Once there, you should follow a few time-tested rules.
First, when evaluating color options, conceal all the colors on the card except for the one you are considering. By isolating the color, you’ll get a better idea of how the room will look in a particular hue.
Second, evaluate the color both in daylight and at night when all the light is artificial. You may be surprised how different a color can look when lighting conditions change. (Paint colors usually look darker at night, in shadow, and on cloudy days.)
Third, consider when you most often use the room. If you are painting a breakfast area, be sure you like the way the color looks in morning light; but if you’re painting a bedroom, it’s more important that the color be pleasing under artificial light.
Fourth, be aware that color tends to be more intense on a large area than a small one. A color that looks just right on a color card may be too dark or too bold when applied to your walls. For safety’s sake, move down one degree of intensity on the card and choose a slightly lighter tint or shade.
Finally, if you are still not certain of your choice of color, buy a small quantity of paint and apply a couple of large swatches to the walls. Live with the color for a day or two. You’ll soon know if you missed the mark or nailed it.
One final tip: Regardless of the color you choose, use top quality 100% acrylic latex interior paint for all of your projects. This advanced type of paint goes on evenly, typically “hides” the color below in just a single coat, has very little odor, and is very durable. By using it, your beautiful new paint job will last for years.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

ARE YOU THE STRIPE TYPE?

If you’re seeking a new look for your interior walls, think about turning to stripes. Applying your paint in panels can produce a variety of effects and even solve some nagging problems with your room dimensions.

When striping with paint, most folks gravitate to vertical striping, often in different tones of the same color. So-called “tone-on-tone” striping is one way to imbue a room with subtle elegance. For added visual interest, some do-it-yourselfers use different paint sheens on the different tones – alternating flat and satin paint, for example, or even flat and semi-gloss.

Vertical striping, by the way, has the same effect in a room as pinstriped clothing has on a silhouette – it will elongate the wall, making the ceiling appear higher. Horizontal striping does the opposite, creating the illusion that a room is wider than its actual dimensions.

Very thin stripes of paint fool the eye in a different way, adding texture to a wall. The thinner the stripes, the more convincing the effect.
Most do-it-yourselfers think only in terms of repeating stripes. But if you’re confident of your color sense and want to generate more visual interest in your walls, you might consider painting non-repeating stripes, possibly in very different colors. With this approach, you’re essentially outside the rulebook, yet one or two wide swaths of horizontal or vertical color can make a bold and dramatic statement in the right setting, particularly in a modern or contemporary home.

Let us know if you decide to "stripe"!

Thursday, June 17, 2010

FIVE QUICK (AND INEXPENSIVE) HOME PAINTING PROJECTS

When time and money are in short supply, it’s hard to think about big remodeling projects. But think about this: With a little imagination and a small outlay for top quality 100% acrylic latex paint, you can quickly make big changes in the appearance of your home’s interior or exterior.
Below are five economical paint remodeling ideas from the experts at the Paint Quality Institute. If you were to put your mind to it, you could probably come up with many more.

Idea #1: Paint just an accent wall. Instead of painting an entire room, consider painting just one wall in a different color. A so-called accent wall can add visual interest to any space and create an opportunity to introduce another hue into your color scheme.

Idea #2: Paint the area above (or below) a chair rail. If your home is blessed with chair rails, think about repainting just the wall area above or below the rail. The natural break created by the trim provides a convenient boundary for the new paint color.

Idea #3: Paint just the interior windows and trim. Another option is to stick with your wall color, but paint your windows, molding, and trim. This can produce dramatic change in rooms where the walls are painted in a neutral color like beige or off-white.

Idea #4: Paint the front door. Ask any realtor and he or she will tell you that the front entrance is what creates the first impression about a home. By adding a fresh coat of paint to the door, you can ensure that first impression will be favorable. (Note to those who are selling a home: Repainting the front door may be the best investment you ever make.)

Idea #5: Paint just a few exterior architectural details. Even if you don’t have to paint your home exterior for maintenance reasons, you might want to consider painting a few architectural details for appearance sake. Shutters are one possibility. But if you are lucky enough to own a house with some ornamental fretwork, flaunt it by painting the trim in a strong color that contrasts with the color of your exterior walls.

Regardless of the nature of your interior or exterior home painting project, you should always use a top quality 100% acrylic latex paint. These paints offer a wide range of benefits, from superior “hiding” capability when painting over dark colors, to stain- and mildew-resistance, and best of all. . .tremendous durability. By using a top quality 100% acrylic latex paint, you can be sure that your paint job will continue to look great for years to come!

What’s your creative idea to quickly and inexpensively remodel with paint?