Painting Your Home: Know What to Look For
What
is Paint?
Basic noun definition of paint is a pigmented (solid
component) liquid, applied like a light film, to protect
and beautify surfaces.
What
Paint is Made Of
Various raw materials to make paint fall into Pigment,
Resin, or Solvent that make up two portions of paint.
The liquid portion is resin and solvent. The pigment
is the solid portion.
Primary Pigment is commonly titanium dioxide, its amount
impacting greatly on the hiding capabilities of the
paint film and its UV protection.
Secondary Pigments could consist of talc, silics, calcium
carbonate, mica, etc. They have little hiding capabilities.
Basically used as fillers to help control viscosity,
leveling, sheen, etc. (see Common
Terms Glossary.)
About
Painting Tools
BRUSHES,
ROLLERS, PAINT PADS. "Do-it-yourselfers"
main three types of paint applications to choose from.
All three can be used for a variety of painting jobs,
the most common uses are:
Brushes: Interior trim; Exterior trim; Exterior
siding; Detail work and accessories; Wood.
Rollers: Interior walls and ceilings; Exterior
walls such as stucco, masonry; Floors.
Paint Pads: Interior walls and ceilings; Floors;
Exterior siding; Shakes and Shingles; Wood staining.
BRUSH & ROLLER FIBERS. Made with either natural
or synthetic fibers. (All paint pads are synthetic.)
Natural is not necessarily better. It depends on the
job! Natural fibers work best only with oil based paints.
The water in latex paints make the brush or roller soggy.
Synthetic quality fibers such as polyester work well
with both oil and latex paints. Nylon wears well but
works only with latex paints.
Natural Brush: China bristle
Natural Roller: Lambs wool
Synthetic Brush: Polyester Nylon
Synthetic Roller: Polyester Blends
BRUSH SIZES. Larger brush holds more paint than
a smaller one, which makes painting faster. Smaller
brush easier to use in hard-to-reach places.
BRUSH STYLES. Two basic styles: (1) Flat, where
the edge of the bristles are straight across, and (2)
Angular, where the edge of the bristles are on a slanted
edge.
BRUSH HANDLES. The best choice from the different
shapes and sizes is simply the one most comfortable
for your individual use. Long handles may be preferable
when painting trim and hard-to-reach areas.
BRISTLE TYPES. Basically three types: (1) China
Bristle, recommended for oil or alkyd based paints,
stains, varnishes, shellacs, enamels, and fine finishing
paints. (see Common Terms Glossary),
(2) Polyester or Polyester/Nylon Blend Bristle for all
types of latex paints, and (3) Nylon Bristle, recommended
for latex paints, but not for hot, outdoor work. Nylon
bristles tend to lose stiffness.
Brush
Recommendations
TYPE OF AREA/SURFACE BRUSH SIZE/STYLE
Large areas: Walls, ceilings, exteriors, etc. 3"-6"
wall, flat
Detailed areas: Doors, cabinets, shelves, furniture,
etc. 1"-3" angular or flat
Hard-to-Reach Areas: Window sash, eaves, molding,
woodwork, etc. 1"-3" angular or round
How to Select Roller Covers ROLLER COVER SIZES.
Lengths from three to nine inches long. As with brushes,
choose best roller you are personally comfortable with.
Most painters prefer the nine inch roller cover for
standard painting jobs.
ROLLER COVER NAP HEIGHT. Nap height is the length
out of the material on the roller cover. It is important
because certain nap heights perform better on specific
surfaces.
For textured surfaces, when texture paint is used, a
specialty texture roller cover is recommended and will
make your job easier and probably more decorative. Sutherlands
has a large variety for all styles and designs. Visit
or call Location nearest you
or e-mail us for further
information and ideas.
PAINTING
ROLLER RECOMMENDATIONS
SURFACE PAINT TYPE ROLLER & NAP HEIGHT
Smooth surfaces: Interior/Exterior Smooth Kitchen,
bath, metal Semi-Gloss/Gloss 1/8" to 3/8"
Semi-Smooth surfaces: Interior/Exterior Medium
Walls, ceilings, floors Flat & Satin 3/8" to 1/2"
shingles, plaster, etc.
Semi-Rough surfaces: Interior/Exterior Rough
Driveways, concrete, All types of paints 3/4" to
1" masonry, old ceilings, brick, etc.
Extra-Rough surfaces: Interior/Exterior Extra
Rough Cinder block, chain All types of paints 1"
or more link fences, old & tough surfaces, etc.
For other optional and/or recommended painting tools
and equipment, see Interior Preparation & Painting Hints.
INTERIOR
PREPARATION & PAINTING HINTS
Plan Ahead! Study your room for size, sun exposure,
decorating objectives, and room's use and lifestyle
needs. Purchase the correct tools, equipment, paint,
any protective coverings, and be sure there is correct
interior ventilation. Ventilation means opened doors
and/or windows and any operating fans turned on.
Surfaces to be painted must be clean, smooth, and free
from dirt or obvious dust, mildew, grease, flaking and
chipping paint, wax, wallpaper paste, glue, and rust.
New plaster or new masonry surfaces must be cured and
thoroughly dry for a minimum of thirty days before painting
with latex primer.
Cracks, open seams and holes should be filled with a
quality patching or spackle compound, allowed to dry
thoroughly, sanded smooth and spot primed with appropriate
primer.
Slick or glossy surfaces must be dulled or de-glossed
with medium sandpaper. New wood should be sanded smooth,
wiped clean, and primed with enamel undercoat.
Countersink all nails, spot prime with a rust-control
primer, putty flush with surface, and then prime.
Flat wall paint tends to hide wall imperfections and
reduce lighting glare, giving a "softer" look
than the semi-gloss that has a higher sheen.
Semi-gloss paint has excellent stain-removal properties
so is better for kitchens, bathrooms, as well as door
and window trim.
A slight color change upon paint's drying is most prevalent
in lower quality flat wall paints. They tend to "lighten"
because the dry paint film may be thinner. Premium quality
flat wall and semi-gloss paints may tend to darken slightly
upon drying since the latex binder is milky white when
wet and clear when dry.
Remember you are probably looking at a very small chip
or picture of a color. It will normally appear somewhat
darker on a wide expanse of wall. The room size, sun
exposure, and/or other colors in the room may also influence
how the color tint appears once on the wall.
On surfaces that have never been painted or areas that
have become bare, the first coat should always be a
prime coat. The primer seals the porous surface so the
paint you want to show (topcoat) doesn't soak in and
dry unevenly. The prime coat also forms a tight bond
between the topcoat and the actual surface. The topcoat
paint can label should recommend a type of primer. On
new wood, you may prefer an alkyd primer. (see Common
Terms Glossary.)
The best way to paint a ceiling is to work across the
width of the ceiling rather than the length, painting
about two-foot wide, slightly-overlapping strips.
COLOR
HINTS
Just
as in any major project undertaking, the most important
steps are the planning and preparation. Plan ahead about
your paint color choices while you are also planning
the type and amount of paint.
If possible, it's a good idea to purchase paint with
all matching color gallons having the same number batch
code. At least, try to use one batch code on one side
of the room (or house). Today's color matching techniques
eliminate most color-matching problems.
Most companies' paint departments have high-tech measuring
and computer color mixing formulas to achieve the exact
color tint you have chosen from paint samples or to
match a customized decorating color tint from your own
sample item. (such as a piece of cloth, ceramic, porcelain,
wood, picture, flowers, etc.)
Each mixed paint can should be computer accurate if
your sales representative is correctly following the
formula. During this time you may want to pay close
attention to their adding the formula and the mixing
time. Sutherlands guarantees their color mix for your
convenience and confidence.
However, if you should have some reservations about
absolute color perfection or you have an extremely "critical
eye," to be even more certain that all the gallons
are the same tint, place all the gallons in one separate,
large container and thoroughly mix them together before
you begin painting. (Known as "Boxing.")
Colors are often associated with our moods and emotions
.
Yellows, oranges, and reds are warm colors. Greens,
blues, and purples are cool colors. Consider the "temperature"
of a color if you want to "warm up" a room
that may be on the shady side of the house. Rooms with
a southern exposure are already naturally more on the
warmer side so you may want to consider a cool color.
Colors visually "alter" the proportions of
rooms.
Light colors like white or yellow are airy, expansive,
and cheerful. Use light colors in small, dark areas
that you may want to appear larger and brighter.
A light color of paint on a low ceiling will make the
ceiling seem higher.
Dark colors like blue or brown help create a cozy, sophisticated
feeling in oversized rooms. A long narrow room can be
made to appear wider by painting both shorter walls
a darker color than the longer walls.
A dark color of paint on a high ceiling will make it
seem lower.
Optional
or Recommended Protective Equipment
Safety
Glasses
Splash
Goggles
Dust/Mist
Respirator
Vapor/Paint
Spray Respirator
Vapor
Respirator
Air-Supplying
Respirator
Protective
Clothing
Gloves
(All
these products are available at all Sutherlands Locations.)
If there is any doubt about adequate ventilation,
especially in confined areas, use the highest recommended
level of personal protection.
Purchasing
Correct Amount Of Paint
The amount depends on the type of paint, the kind of
surface, and the amount of surface.
To compute the surface area:
Measure height and width of each area.
Multiply to find number of surface square feet.
Look at gallon paint can label for the number of square
feet each gallon covers.
Divide that into the number of square feet to obtain
the number of gallons of paint per coat.
It's important to apply the paint at the spreading rate
recommended on the label.
Safety
SKIN:
Avoid exposing skin to overspray, liquid solvents, and
vapors. Protect your hands against solvents. Wear neoprene
or chemical-resistant gloves.
If paint comes into contact with skin, promptly wipe
away. Clean thoroughly with waterless hand cleaner and
soap and water. If skin irritation occurs and persists-or
worsens-see your doctor.
If coating is accidentally injected into the skin during
airless spray application, GET IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION!
EYES: Always wear safety glasses with side shields
to protect your eyes whenever and however you paint.
This is an absolute minimum safety requirement. Vapor-tight
splash goggles may be required to keep paint oversprays,
splatters, and solvent vapors out of the eyes. This
is important during spray application and ceiling painting.
If eye irritation seems to become serious, or simply
persists, stop the project and get immediate medical
attention. If paint actually gets into the eyes, flush
immediately with large amounts of clean water for a
full fifteen minutes. Get immediate medical attention.
NEVER wear contact lenses while painting. Overspray
and/or solvent vapor can become entrapped between lens
and eyeball that will cause serious irritation and perhaps
potential damage.
ALL ELSE: In case of accidental inhalation, ingestion,
or any other medical problem, CALL your doctor or local
Poison Control Center IMMEDIATELY.
DISPOSAL: Do not put rags and other cleanup materials
from leaks and spills into regular trash. Dispose of
paint products according to federal, state, and local
environmental protection regulations. Never pour paint
or thinners into sinks or floor drains.
Find
a complete directory of paint vendor links HERE
See
our Preparing & Painting Your
Home's Exterior on this site for further paint information.
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The
above information is for general information only, and is not
necessarily the opinion of Sutherlands. Always check your local
codes before building, and obtain the required building permits.
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