Painting Is The Easy Part

Several years ago I was standing on a ladder that was leaning on a wall, above a wood floor covered with a drop cloth. There wasn't enough friction to prevent the ladder feet from sliding away from the wall. When I hit the floor, still holding onto the ladder, the paint in the bucket flew across the room. Because I protected the entire room with drops and plastic sheeting, there wasn't any damage at all.

This is important: your painter must protect for the unexpected. Be careful hiring the cheapest painter, this is where he'll save some time.

Use Protection

Blue painter's tape. I use it to protect carpet, molding, anything my client doesn't want paint on. It takes a little time, and cost a little money. But it is cheap insurance. And tape is the only way to get crisp lines between walls and wood.

Some painters think they are skilled enough to dispense with this little expense. But I'm as good as anyone. And I don't do this just to crawl around on my hands and knees.

Prepare The Surfaces For A Great Finish

Just a word of warning, this is where cheap painters save time. By the time a homeowner realizes the prep was poor, the painter is gone.

Good Paint, Times Two

Every finish needs two coats of good paint, some need three. I've tried single coats at the clients request, but I've never been happy with the results. And I've tried less expensive paint. This didn't work either. I have standards. I'll leave the cheap paint to cheap painters.

If you hire me, you'll be getting the best paint and at least two coats.

Some preparation pictures. These are thumbnails, click on them to enlarge.

When I removed a light fixture, I found that the electrician should have moved the fixture. The four screws are holding small pieces of wood that I need to hold the filler wallboard in place.

With the filler wallboard in place, I'll tape and spackle. I didn't think of taking more pictures of this repair, but it is in the Spa that I illustrate in the Faux section of the website.

These walls were deep red. My first layer was Benjamin Moore's Super Hide. Then the Restoration Blue. More blue tape. Other painters may laugh, but nobody gets the straight lines that I get.

Three Groups Of Painters

Station Wagon Bandits

These are the guys (there are a growing number of women) that earn extra money painting. These are part-timers. Or perhaps, illegal aliens. They won't have any insurances. They don't pay taxes. And they are here today and gone tomorrow. They will be the cheapest.

Lowest Priced Competitors

These guys think that the only way to get jobs is offer the lowest price. Now, this is ok for many low-priced rentals and preparation for sale jobs, because the object is to put as little into the job as possible. But, if all a homeowner considers when than hire a contractor is price, this is their guy.

When the service is poor, paint is left on the door hinges, and the sheen is uneven, painters are bums. Well, I'd say the homeowner got what he or she paid for.

There have been times when I spent good money only to receive poor quality. But I've seldom bought cheap to be surprised by high quality.

Quality Competitor

This is where I work. People who hire me expect that I'll conduct the project professionally, service them respectfully, and install a good finish. Yes, I am more expensive than the low price guys, but I am also on the lower end in my market. Where I can get a little pricey is in all the preparations, good paint, and painting methods that I put into a job. If this isn't important to you, you may do better with the low price guys.

I know what a good job is and I can't take the low road to lower prices. Wilmington is a big little town and I never want to be ashamed of my work.

More preparation pictures

This illustrates two of my best painting practices. I loosened the thermostat so that I can get a little paint behind the edge. When the paint dries, I tighten it up and replace the cover. The blue tape is on door molding. I put the tape in place, do a couple things that I keep secret, then apply the wall paint right up the tape. I get a perfect edge.

This is how I set a room up. The woodwork is already painted. When I tape it off, the tape protects the wood, and the carpet from drips. I also get perfect lines.

I haven't painted the woodwork yet in this picture. I press the blue tape down between the floor molding and the carpet. Using the tape I am able to paint the molding low and quick. I never get paint on carpet. I'll leave the tape down until I'm done with the room. It offers some protection when the drop gets pulled back from the wall.