Ask The Painter

(“To prime or not to prime?”)  There are some newer products on the market that are making a big deal out of the fact that they have the primer “built-in” and can therefore cover better.  But is “primer” built in to the paint really necessary?  And how effective at “priming” are the so-call self-priming paints?  How do you know when

Foot Traffic and Weather are Key Considerations  In another Ask the Painter article we discussed using epoxy to coat garage floors.  But because it does not hold up to sunlight, epoxy is not well suited for exterior use, so what are some options for concrete patios and walkways?  Let’s be very clear that epoxy coatings are not suitable for exterior

Possibly — But it may not be worth the risk One of the more common things we run across during remodeling, updating, or preparing a home for sale is outdated wallpaper.  Let’s face it, styles and tastes change, and what was “in” or looked good 20 years ago may be a detractor from your home’s beauty or value now.  While

With a few exceptions, the answer is “Anytime!” One of the questions we are frequently asked is this: When is the best time of year to paint? With a very few exceptions, the answer is “Anytime!”. Each time of year has different factors to consider, and professional painters who are well-versed in the specifications of the products that they use

Stain is the Traditional Choice, but Which Stain? Exterior stain is the traditional product choice for protecting and beautifying wood decks and fences, but even a few minutes spent investigating stain products can lead to a bewildering number of choices. The two main considerations when choosing a stain are whether it is oil-based or waterborne, and whether to use a

What are the trade-offs between the two enamels? Traditionally, oil-based (technically known as “Alkyd”) enamels have been the coating of choice for painting interior trim and doors. There are several reasons for this. Among them are glossier appearance, increased durability (compared to acrylic enamels), and a longer drying time that allows brush marks to “flow out”. One disadvantage of oil-based

Homes Built Before 1978 May Have Issues If only we knew then what we know now. How many times have we heard that expression? As science and technology advance, we continue to find that materials previously thought to be relatively benign are, in fact, more harmful than we knew. In the housebuilding and painting world, we have known for some

Save for a Few Considerations, Let Personal Preference Decide One question that must be answered before paint can be purchased for any job is that of which sheen to use. “Old school” thinking is that flat is for ceilings, semi-gloss should be used in wet areas (kitchens and bathrooms), and Satin is for kids’ rooms and high traffic areas. Advances

One Product Stands Above All Others We are occasionally asked by homeowners what can be done to improve the look of their garage floors. While there are many products that can be used on concrete, very few of them are suitable for garages, because of the simple fact that garage floors are meant to be driven on. There is one

(Elastomeric Coatings vs. Acrylic Latex) “Stucco” is a mixture based on Portland Cement that is widely used as a siding material on Texas homes, as well as other parts of the country. Stucco may be applied by hand trowel, sprayed on to a very coarse rough texture, or sprayed on and then partially smoothed with a trowel to created a