Making our dwellings gorgeous is nothing new. Humans have been decorating their homes for millennia. From the Australian Aborigines painting ochre onto cave walls over 40,000 years ago to the almost modern Egyptian pyramids of only 4,500 years ago we all have an innate desire to express ourselves and make our surroundings part of that expression.

But we have always paid a price for this activity. Paints have always contained poisons and toxins that not only pollute the environment but the air within a Vermont home. Early paints famously contained lead, which had a sweet flavor tempting for kids to ingest. We all know the horrible affects of these paints that caused problems with developing nervous systems in children and kidney damage, mood changes, memory and high blood pressure in adults.

The ingredients used to make paint can be broken down into four areas — pigments, solvents, binders and other additives. Color comes from the pigment while the solvent and binder provide the pigment with a base and helps the paint stick to a surface. The remaining additives are used to help the paint dry and prevent mildew from forming.

The solvents and pigments contain toxins, which not only pollute the environment but also, if improperly disposed of in a landfill, can contaminate the surrounding earth for decades. The solvents and pigments also contain volatile organic compounds that we know create smog and pollution in the environment, but can also have very harmful affects on the internal air quality of a home.

Recent government rulings have not only put in to practice some controls on the toxins and VOCs in paints, but has also drawn attention to this scary situation. The response has been for many paint companies to produce eco-friendly paints that either contain low or zero VOCs. It should be considered though that the majority of paint companies that create these non toxic paints also manufacture and market toxic and high VOC paints — so when you are looking to paint green you may think about who you are supporting with your dollars.

There are a handful of companies that do not have these legacy issues, and only create eco friendly paint. These non toxic paints range from completely organic ‘milk paints’ which are totally safe but lack in durability, to high-performance latex based paints that simply lack VOCs and all toxins.

The newest and most modern Vermont eco-friendly paints can come in any color and, although a little more expensive, have very low odor and zero VOCs. These paints are created in a completely new way, which means that they have all the durability of toxic paints, but without any of the toxins and VOCs. When looking to buy these paints you need to read their labels very carefully. The first thing to notice is if they carry a government warning label. If they do, then they are not completely safe and may contain some VOCs or toxins. Those paints with no warning label and state that they are zero VOC paints as opposed to low VOC are the best. These can often be found at independent hardware stores nationwide and can be researched online.

Author: Delilah Jones

If you’re a Vermont homeowner looking to sell, you’ve doubtless been a little discouraged by the recent downturn in the real estate market. These things happen, and it’s nothing much that can’t be undone when the market gets to it’s next boom. In the mean time, improving your home is one of the best ways to compete on the real estate market. But doing so incurs additional costs that you can only hope to get back on the sale.

Painting your own home is one of the most economical improvements you can make. It’s also one of the most visible improvements you can make, and at least prospective buyers can see the results even if only in the picture in the home-finders magazine. But exterior painting is a slightly more daunting task than interior painting. So hopefully this will help you through the hardest steps.

Digital imagination

Your first task is to decide on the color scheme. Now maybe you have an artistic, vivid imagination and flawless taste in choosing a color palette. So good for you. If not, there is a new method that home owners are taking advantage of and that is digital imaging.

To do this, take a picture of the house with a digital camera, then load it into your computer and open it in a digital imaging program. You can then change the color of the house in the program by applying various color filters to it, using this to help you decide what color scheme to use. Commercial software is the first thing you might think of, but there are many freeware, shareware, and even Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) programs that are more than capable of handling this simple task. You should be able to find one for any computer platform.

Lacking that, you can either ask your computer savvy friend to do it for you, find a resource online that will image it for you, or try asking at the hardware store. Most paint and home improvement retailers now offer to do the same in the store, loading up a picture of your house which you provide and giving you a preview of different color schemes and palettes. Ain’t modern technology wonderful?

Painting Prep Work

A rule of thumb to know is that three-quarters of Vermont painting is good prep work. That is the labor-intensive part that makes the job so much work; actually slapping the paint on it is the easy part. Here’s the least you need to do:

Start by thoroughly cleaning the outside of your house. Paint won’t stick to dirt, grease, grime and dust. You may be able to get by just spraying the siding with a hose with a nozzle attachment. But you’ll do a more thorough job and get better results with a brush attachment on your hose. These brushes often come with a reservoir for liquid soap which will clean better. You can also wash by hand with rags or sponges, but the rule with house painting is that you don’t want to do anything by hand unless you absolutely have to – Karate Kid notwithstanding! If you do use soap, be sure to rinse the siding with pure water after you’ve washed it. Start at the top and work your way down the sides. If your siding has areas of mold, mildew or discoloration, wash it with an anti-fungal cleaner which will be available in most hardware and home center stores for a few dollars.

On wood siding, fill in any gouges or holes with an exterior-grade patching compound, sometimes this is called ‘plastic wood’. If damage is more extensive, consider replacing the area with a new piece of siding. Remove even small areas of loose, flaking, chalky or blistered paint thoroughly, as the slightest crack can peel a whole sheet away in the next storm. If not too extensive, loose paint can be removed with a power washer. If you’re hard up this can also be done with a paint scraper, putty knife or a wire brush. Sand the edges of the area of removed paint afterward to help the new paint cover and hide the edge.

To remove larger areas or even multiple layers of damaged paint, you can use a heat gun. This device, which looks a bit like a hair blower, generates temperatures of 1000 degrees Fahrenheit or more. Aim it at one area to soften the paint, and then take away the gun and scrape away the paint with a putty knife. Always use work gloves and eye protection and keep your hands away from the barrel of the gun. Never point the heat gun at anything except the paint to be removed – it will melt almost anything given time! Set the gun down on the plate provided.

An alternative to the heat gun is a rotary paint remover you can attach to an electric drill. Its stiff wire tines quickly remove large areas of paint, very similar to how a buffer works. Take care not to press too hard on the siding, or it may gouge the wood, which will be hard to fix. Practice on a spare loose board or other surface before you begin on the siding. Keep the tool away from your face or other body parts when it is in motion, and wear eye protection to prevent eye damage from flying chips.

Seamlessly caulk all cracks, seams and gaps with a top-quality exterior caulk. This includes areas like the perimeter where the siding meets the windows and doors, and the corners and the edges of exterior trim. Cracks and seams leave edges where fresh paint can quickly deteriorate.

Mask off areas that are not going to be painted. You will want to place masking tape along the edge of house trim, around window and door frames, and around trim, since this is likely to be painted in a different color. You can also tape newspaper, plastic sheeting, or drop cloth material over windows and doors to protect them from drips. The rule of thumb is, paint wants to go where you least expect it to. Place plastic drop cloths over plants and shrubs, or where paint may drip on porches, roof sections, sidewalks, driveways or any other surfaces. Remember that it’s always easier to cover something up than it is to remove paint from it afterward.

Now you’re finally ready to paint and let dry, then remove all the prepping. You’re done! Wasn’t that easy?

Your Vermont house is your lifetime asset. And it’s a matter of time when you take a notice that your house needs renovation – not because it’s getting old, but because you feel the need of vibrant colors in your house.

Repainting your house is a tricky business. Some rely on painting companies to do the job for you. Hiring the Vermont house painting service may also cost you. But if you are planning to paint it yourself, you might want to consider the basics; and consider the time and effort you will put on painting your house.

PAINT

There are many types of paint available today, some giving different surface finishes, others are designed for a particular application. Choosing the correct paint type may appear to be confusing at first, but once you have projected which theme you would like to paint your house and sorted out which job and what finishes you want, the choice is rather easy.

There are two bases of paint for your house: solvent-based (oil or alkyd) and water-based (latex). Oil-based paints dry slow – usually taking up to 24 hours. The best clean up for an oil-based paint is turpentine or paint thinner. Latex paints’ advantage is that it dries relatively fast, but it is not desirable in hot weather or direct sunshine. The best clean up for latex paints requires just soap and water. So if you are painting the inside of your house, it is recommended to u se water-based paints, while solvent-based paints are suggested for painting the exterior of your house.

There are different types of paints that is either water-based or solvent-based that produces different finishes that is measured by its sheen factor. “Sheen” is a term used to describe the degree of light reflection the paint has. Lesser sheen for an interior or exterior paint means it has lesser stain resistance.

• A Gloss paint is easy to clean and resists scuffs better. This is ideal for rooms that are constantly used. Most gloss paints are best recommended to use on woodworks, baseboards, kitchen and bathroom walls, doorjambs, and window casings. The downside of using gloss paints, however, is the noticeable imperfections in the wall surface.
• A High-gloss paint is highly reflective and works well for highlighting details, such as trim and decorative molding. They are also the best choice for doors and cabinet – or any area that sees a high volume of abuse.
• Semi-gloss paints are very similar to gloss plaints except it has lesser sheen. Semi-gloss is also suitable for rooms with high humidity (best used for children’s room) and can be used for trim works and casings. These paints ensure maximum durability.
• Eggshell paints provide a smooth and low-sheen finish. Paints that are smooth and low-sheen that is ideal for your living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, and dens. It is washable and ideal for bedrooms, hallways, home offices and family rooms.
• Satin paints offer a good combination of easy-clean and moderate sheen. These paints go a step above eggshell in scrubbing ability. They perform and look great in just about any room.

Flat paints (matte paints) are non-reflective and always a good choice for large walls and ceilings. Flat paints hides imperfections on wall surfaces and spatters well during application. Flat paints are the best choice for vinyl and aluminum siding that is scratched or dented because it hides imperfections and spatters less when applied. These paints are ideal for low-traffic areas such as formal dining rooms and master bedrooms.

Special paints have been innovated from different consumer insights and brilliant paint technology that allows specific paints for specific needs.

• Ceiling flats are designed specially for ceilings. These are usually extra spatter-resistant.
• Primer paints may be oil- or water-based and are used to seal unpainted surfaces to prevent covering coats of paint soaking in. The appropriate type of primer should be used for the surface being painted – wood, metal, plaster or tiles. There are some ‘all purpose primers’ available which are designed for two or more of these surfaces.
• Anti-condensation paints are used for rooms with humid conditions such as kitchen and bathrooms. This paint is usually formulated to prevent condensation and often includes fungicide.
• Fire-retardant paints do not resist fires completely but its fire-resistance formulation prevents it from fire in spreading fast.

It is also important that before painting your room, you use a primer. A primer will help paint adhere to the surface by providing a uniform appearance. It is a must to use a primer if you are painting over new wood, bare wood, drywall, or repainting over existing bright or dark colors.

But before doing this, you have to know the condition of the surface you wanted to paint. Regardless of whether the base coat is oil or latex, you must dull glossy paint by sanding or de-glossing it with a chemical de-glossing product. If you don’t dull glossy paint, the second coat will streak and not stick to the base coat when drying.

INTERIOR PAINTING

If you want to alter your room’s ambience, painting it is a great option. When Vermont interior painting, use paints that are quicker to dry and does not have a strong odor that lingers around where your kids can smell it.

Painting the interior of your house requires a thorough estimation, visualization and preparation. When you have chosen your theme for your rooms and have bought the job materials you need (paints, paint brushes and rollers, extension handles, paint tray, paint stirrer, drop clothes, step ladder, painter’s tape, etc.), you simply follow these interior house painting tips:

BEFORE AND DURING HOUSE PAINTING

• Always provide adequate ventilation when painting inside your house. If you cannot get enough ventilation in the work area, use a respirator or a mask.
• Keep paint containers or solvent containers closed when not in use.
• Keep paint products out of the reach of children.
• Avoid direct contact with skin.
• Always read packaging (label) instructions.

SURFACE PREPARATION TIPS

• Remove as much as furniture as possible from the room or group the heavier fixtures and the delicate ones together and cover them with a drop cloth.
• Provide adequate lightning to allow a good view of painting imperfections.
• Remove switch plates.
• Patch holes and cracks in the surfaces you wanted to paint with premixed spackling paste. After the paste dries, sand the patched the areas.
• Dust and wash the ceilings, walls, baseboards, windows and door moldings.
• Clean, sound wallpaper can be painted over, but in most cases it is better to strip it. Painting over a wallpaper may begin to peel.

PAINTING YOUR CEILING TIPS

• If you are painting the entire room, it is best to paint the ceiling first!
• If you are using a paint roller, maneuver your arms in series of diagonal swaths (forming a letter M). Fill in the open areas by cross rolling.
• If you are using a paintbrush, apply the paint in short strokes towards the unpainted area, known as “wet to dry.” Then brush back into the area you just painted for a smooth surface.
• If you are painting your ceiling, remove light bulbs, chandeliers, fluorescent lights and fixture covers.
• Paint trim first, including edging around the ceiling, molding, and trim.

WALL PAINTING TIPS

Paint around the trim first, including edging around the ceiling.

When painting with a gloss finish, make the final brush strokes away from the light source of the room. The tiny ridges that a brush leaves won’t be as pronounced. Use the same “wet to dry” method of painting.

WOODWORK

• Check woodwork for damage. if there is one, patch it with a wood filler, dry it overnight and sand it for any rough spots and apply a sealer before painting.
• If you’ll be using the same paint on the walls and woodwork, paint the woodwork as you come to it. If it is another color of higher in gloss, wait until the walls are done.
• Paint double-hung windows from the wood between the panes then outward. On casement windows, us the same technique, but keep the windows slightly open until the paint dries.
• For panel doors, paint the decorative molded edges first, then the individual panels. Paint from the center out. When the panels are completed, paint the vertical and horizontal flat panels.
• Use a painter’s tape or painter’s shield to keep paint off windowpanes. Do not use a masking tape or a duct tape. Using a painter’s tape or painter’s shield allows you to keep areas covered for up to 3 days.
• Paint the top edge baseboards first, then the bottom along the floor. Paint the middle section last.
• Remove cabinet doors and drawers and paint the flat surfaces first. Paint inside the edges, then move to the outer surfaces.

CLEAN-UP and STORAGE or DISPOSAL TIPS

• If there are paint drops on your floor, don’t let it stay there. As the paint sets longer, the harder it will be cleared. Use a cloth with soap and water or a solvent for cleaning.
• Use a razor-blade scraper or a putty knife to chip off bigger paint droplets that have dried.
• Use a scraper to trim around windowpanes.
• Wash and dry paintbrushes and rollers. Store them according to the brand’s recommendation not all paintbrushes have the same type of bristles nor the rollers have the same material.
• Clean the paint from the rim of the can. Tap container lids tight with a hammer and block of wood.
• Store solvent-based paint cans upside down to prevent a skin from forming.
• Store your paints in normal or room temperature. Never put the paints in extreme hot or cold rooms.
• Each states in the U.S. or every community/ county differs on paint can disposal methods. Check your local environmental, health, and safety laws.

EXTERIOR PAINTING

In buying paints that you are going to use for your exterior house, you have to pick a brand that has essential characteristics: hiding power, color retention, chalk-resistance, and blister resistance.

Hiding power comes from the paint’s pigment and is affected by the manner and thickness of the application. Color retention is the ability to maintain its original color during exposure to sunlight, etc. Chalking resistance prevents the white chalky powder from forming on the surface and lightening the color of the paint. Chalking occur over a period of time. Blister resistance keeps excessive moisture from coming through the substrate and affecting the paint layer. Tip: if paint is applied over a damp or wet surface, blistering is imminent.

Painting the exterior of your house requires a thorough estimation, visualization and preparation. When you have chosen your theme for your rooms and have bought the job materials you need.

You will need any of these tools in painting your exterior: caulk, sandpaper, rags and/or paper towels, painter’s tape, garden hose, power washer, or hose brush attachment, sponges & buckets for wash water, spray nozzle, stepladder, extension ladder, paint scraper, wire brush, putty knives, heat gun, rotary paint removing tool and electric drill, caulk gun, sanding block, and work gloves.

When you have all the tools at hand, examine your exterior. You might find exterior painting problems, which could be any of the following: alligatoring, blistering, chalking, chalk run down, crackling, dirt pickup, efflorescence, fading, frosting, lapping, mildew, nail head rusting, paint incompatibility, peeling, poor alkali resistance, poor adhesion, poor gloss retention, surfacent leaching, staining, vinyl siding wrap, wax bleed, or wrinkling.

If you already know what your house exterior’s problem is or just for repainting it, simply follow some of these tips. You can also refer to INTERIOR PAINTING for brush or roller strokes, etc.:

Start by thoroughly cleaning the outside of your home. Start at the top and work your way down the sides of the house. If your siding has areas of mold, mildew or discoloration, wash it with an anti-fungal cleaner.

Mask off areas that are not to be painted. You may want to place masking tape along the edge of house trim, and around window and door frames and trim, since this is likely to be painted in a different color or with a higher sheen paint. You can also tape newspaper or plastic drop cloth material over windows and doors, including sliding glass doors, to protect them from drips.

Place plastic drop cloths over plants and shrubs, or where paint may drip on porches, roof sections, sidewalks, driveways or other surfaces.

House painting takes time, house painting costs a big chunk on your budget, but the end-result is always great.

Author: Charlie Angeles