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House Painting Tips
House painting is one of the easiest and best ways to add value to your house.
There are a lot of house painting contractors out there though, so here
are a few
house painting tips to help you narrow down your options and avoid problems with
your house painting contractor:
- House Painting Tips: 1 - Checking references of house painting contractors is especially important as it
is very easy for someone to call themselves a house painter. Considering that house painting contractors
do much of their work without you around, there is no way to know they have done what they
were supposed to until it is too late. Try to speak with at least 3 customers.
- House Painting Tips: 2 - When house painting, if a coat of primer
paint is not properly applied to all surfaces by the house painting contractor, you won't know
it until there is damage or discoloration. Be diligent with your house painting contractor about the use
of primer paint.
- House Painting Tips: 3 - Before beginning your house painting project, be sure to check the
references of the house painting contractor. When checking the references of a house painting contractor,
visit completed house painting jobs they have done. Do not rely on photos the house painting
contractor may provide of recently completed house painting jobs. Visit house painting jobs that were completed
some time ago to see how the work of the house painting contractor holds up.
- House Painting Tips: 4 - Before beginning your house painting project, be sure to make the proper preparations,
such as power washing the siding, scraping the clapboards, and chaulking around the windows and trim before painting.
Discuss these items with your house painting contractor when negotiating the price of the house painting job.
- House Painting Tips: 5 - Discuss what type of paint is best to use on your home and how it will be applied
with the house painting contractor. Depending on how your house is situated and the amount
of sun you get, you may need to have an anti-mold additive in the paint. A house painting professional
will be able to advise you on this.
- House Painting Tips: 6 - Be clear with the house painting contractor as to what is to be painted,
the materials being used, how the paint will be applied, and who (you or the house painting contractor)
is responsible for the prep work. Be sure to get it all in writing from the house painting contractor
before your house painting project begins.
- House Painting Tips: 7 - Be sure the house painting contractor takes the steps needed to protect
other areas of your house not being painted, such as walkways, shrubs, and flower gardens.
House painting contractors may also provide the following services:
- Interior Painting
- Wallpapering
- Handyman
- Power Washing
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Home Painting Tips
By D. David Dugan
Remember, everyone starts as a beginner at painting. Just because you have never painted a house doesn�t mean you shouldn�t give it a try. The money you save by painting your own house is money you can put into other home improvements. It can also be a fun thing for the whole family to do.
Now we need to choose the colors we want to paint the house. There is a really cool tool online that you can use. Click let�s paint. Choose exterior or the interior options. Choose the project closest to yours. Get started and you will soon know what color you want to paint your house and you�ll have a vision of what it is going to look like when you�re finished.
Here are some of the basics. Of course the first thing you need to do is wash down the walls of your house. A pressure washer can be rented at almost any rental yard and is the best way to do that. Now go around with a scraper and remove all loose paint and chipped areas. You don�t have to scrape the entire wall, but any areas where the surface is not flat can cause you problems as you paint your house.
Next, figure out your square footage so you can determine the amount of paint you will need to buy. Buy your paint in 5-gallon pails, rather than gallons to save more money.
Talk to the helper at your local paint store and tell him about your project. They can help you decide on how many brushes and rollers and other items you will need. You can buy natural or synthetic bristles for oil based paints, but only use synthetic bristles with latex paint. The same rule applies to rollers. Good rollers can run you around $7, but buy high-quality paintbrushes. A good brush for cutting in around edges will run you about $30.
Make sure you purchased some painter�s tape. It�s blue tape that comes in different widths and is easy to remove without messing up your paint job. That brings us to preparation. Tape off all areas you don�t wish to get this color of paint on. If there are large areas to cover, make sure you pick up some rolls of plastic. You can tape the edges of the plastic down over whatever you need to cover.
Don�t paint out of the paint cans. First reason is that leaving the paint can open will dry out the paint and make it difficult to apply. Another reason is that your brush or roller picks up dirt and foreign objects, which will end up in your paint and may even change the color as you go along.
Do all of your cutting or trimming in before you paint the walls. Use a 4� brush and with a smooth stroke guide it around the edges where you taped off. Make sure you have plenty of paint on your brush. The biggest mistake people make is trying to stretch the paint too far. Keep drips cleaned up as you go with a small rag. Remember you will be rolling up to the edge of your cut, so don�t worry about that, just make sure you cover the edges well.
Start on the edges of your walls and work your way toward the middle. Most people don�t do this and problems can result. If you start and new can of paint in the middle of the wall and there is any difference in the color at all, it will show up there more than it would on the edges. So with each new can of paint you open, start at the edges first.
Dip your roller in water (for Latex) or solvent (for oil-based paint), before you start. Whether you use a pan or a 5-gallon bucket with a screen, make sure you roll it out a little to make sure it isn�t dripping. You don�t need to go all the way from the top to the bottom as you paint. Do what you can reach.
Apply the paint in a Y or an N pattern, then apply paint in columns up and down smoothing out all the edges or ridges as you go. Again don�t try to stretch the paint out, make sure you have enough paint on your roller to give it a good coat. If you are applying more than one coat, make sure the first coat is completely dry before applying a new coat of paint.
Corners are a difficult part to learn to paint. If you aren�t careful, this is where you will see paint drips later. Get as close to corners as you can, but don�t scrape the roller against the corner. That will cause drips. If you are unsure, have a paintbrush handy to smooth out drips. That is also a good idea overall. Keep a paintbrush ready for taking care of any drips or ridges you leave behind. Doing this as you go is much easier than trying to fix it after it�s dry or partially dry.
Using tray liners for your paint trays will save you a lot of time at cleanup. Soak your brushes when done for awhile and they will also be easier to clean. For water based paint, soak in water and for oil based paint soak them in solvent.
I hope some of these tips have been helpful to you. Have confidence that you can do this job yourself. You will appreciate and enjoy it much more knowing that you or you and your family completed the job rather than hiring someone else to do it.
D. David Dugan has a website, http://homeimprovement.divinfo.com/ to help homeowners find all the information they need about remodeling, home repair, building decks and carports, room additions, and more. He also actively participates in a forum at http://forum.dugancom.com/ that can help you with computer problems you may be having.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=D._David_Dugan
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Exterior Window Shutters - Creative Curb Appeal With Custom Shutters
By Rika Susan
Exterior window shutters may be just the face-lift a frumpy, run-down home needs to blossom, and exude designer curb appeal. A custom window shutter, for interior or exterior use, adds warmth and interest, and comes with a number of practical benefits. Extensive ranges of exterior window shutters, make it possible to enhance virtually any architectural design in an elegant, and stylish way.
Fixed exterior window shutter installation is purely decorative. The shutters are attached to the outside of the home, and are used as a home improvement with aesthetic value. In contrast, operable exterior window shutters offer sun protection, improve security, and may also be of value during storms.
Colorful Vibes With Vinyl Exterior Window Shutters
Non-functional vinyl shutters are the least expensive ranges on the market. These decorative, lightweight exterior window shutters are a favorite choice of do it yourself enthusiasts, as installation is usually fairly easy. A wide variety of color options are available, from white, to burgundy, or the classic blues and greens. One of the advantages is that the manufacturing process allows for a molded-through tint, that is resistant to fading, and other signs of sun damage, or chipping and flaking.
Classy Composite Exterior Window Shutters
Composite custom shutters are normally a non-functional alternative to the more expensive wood shutter. This window treatment, manufactured from materials such as PVC and fiberglass, is virtually maintenance-free. A quality product will be finished with an automotive grade paint, ensuring years of colorful service.
New technology has made a fully functional fibreglass exterior window shutter possible. These hinged shutters are operable, and robust enough to be used as storm shutters. Beautiful lines are designed with historical accuracy, to satisfy even the most discerning homeowner. Extensive warranties attest to the durability of these exterior window shutters.
Warm Wood Exterior Window Shutters
Wood has always been a popular exterior window shutter choice, and with good reason. A wood such as Incense Cedar, with its naturally bug-repellent tannin, is often used. Incense Cedar isn't prone to warping, and the sealing properties of the natural oils help to prevent decay and rot. With the correct preparation, painted Cedar exterior window shutters hold their color extremely well.
Wood exterior shutters offer styles to suit every preference. Louvers can be fixed or operable, and designs make provision for flat, oval, or tapered blades. If you prefer a more unique look, opt for panels, board and batten, or tongue and groove. Custom shutters allow for any combination of these, including horizontal, vertical, or diagonal placement of the louvers and panels.
Attractive Aluminum Exterior Window Shutters
Thermal powder coated aluminum exterior window shutters are durable, and finished in an eye-pleasing palette of colors. These window shutters are styled to imitate the aesthetic appeal of wood. If security is a major concern, opt for interlocking slats to maximize protection. This is a virtually maintenance-free product, finished with peel-resistant paints. Although you can choose fixed louvers, operable louvers have the advantage of allowing you to manipulate privacy and sunlight.
If your family home is in need of a drastic change, add both value and verve to the property with exterior window shutters.
Awnings-and-Blinds.com - Read the FREE Exterior Vinyl Shutter article at Awnings-and-Blinds.com - also by Rika Susan of Article-Alert.com.
Copyright of this article: 2006 Rika Susan. This article may be reprinted if the resource box and hyperlinks are left intact.
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