We are residential painting specialists in Rochester, NY since 1994. The goal of this website is to provide a place for our local customers to stay in contact with us, and a place for new customers to get to know us. Our Subscribers will recieve weekly e-mail notifications of new posts, and exclusive discount offers!
If you are from the Rochester area and would like to schedule a painting estimate, visit our contact page or call 585.455.4099 and we will promptly respond to your request. See the navigation bar above, or click on these links to visit the different pages and learn more about us and our services.
We also provide informational articles, video tutorials and product links to help DIY painters save time and money. To find specific posts of The House Painting Podcast select from categories on the left to learn about painting your own home. Please leave a comment here if you have specific painting questions or to request a video tutorial, We value the chance to provide information and stay connected with our local and online communities. Thanks for visiting!
When thinking about scheduling a spring painting project it is best to start the process in March. Especially for us northerners who tend not to even think about painting until the first warm sunny day in spring. As a professional painter I can tell you that the sooner you start, the more likely you are to book the most ideal project time frame. Every year I can expect a large number of calls all on the same day because the weather reminds people of the warm summer breezes. Be the first to call and you will have a much better chance to schedule your project for a time when the kids may be away, or when you may be on vacation..etc. If you start now you will also have plenty of time to select the right painter and choose the perfect color combinations. If you are in the Rochester N.Y area contact Sun Painting Co. for a free estimate. We also offer free consulting on how to hire a qualified and suitable contractor in your area to subscribers of The House Painting Podcast.
Its almost Summer! cooking out and enjoying your deck on a warm Summer evening is one of the best ways to relax with family and friends. If your deck looks like the one in this picture then you should think about cleaning it and putting on a new coat of stain. The Summer sun is brutal on unprotected wood and can severely shorten the life of your deck. When you treat your deck in the spring you don’t miss a weekend of nice Summer weather and it’s much easier to do before you set up your outdoor furniture and grill. If you want to do the work yourself Benjamin Moore has some great information on their Deck Design Ideas page.
Another great resource for DIY deck maintenance is Decks.com. They have more than you’ll ever need to know about cleaning and staining decks
Sun Painting Co. offers many years of experience of cleaning and preserving decks of all styles and finishes. Please leave comments or send us an e-mail if you have any qustions about your deck staining project.
What homeowner doesn’t have multiple gallons of paint sitting in their basement or garage? We are often told that the only way to dispose of any old paint is to open the lid and let it dry out, or to pour kitty liter in it to accelerate the dry time. Once its dry, then you can toss it in the trash. I’ve got about 50 old cans laying around myself, but lets be honest. From contractors to homeowners nobody has the time, or motivation to dry out old paint. I don’t know how many times clients have asked us to take the old paint or asked how to get rid of it.
Paint is of no use sitting in your basement, and tossing it into landfills thousands of gallons at a time is harmful to the environment. There is a green solution to recycle that old paint.
Here in Rochester, NY we have paint recycling program which provides residents with a way to safely recycle or dispose of this household hazardous waste (HHW) free of charge. The free portion of this program is open to Monroe County residents with non-industrial household chemicals ONLY. Most communities around the country will have these recycling collection points operating at no charge to area residents. visit Earth911.com for more information, and enter your location to find a recycling center near you.
This is a great option. Recycled paint is often provided asa money saving option for community projects such as playgrounds, public works, graffiti removal, and Habitat for Humanity building projects. Think of the wealth that is sitting in your basement. Old paint that is useless to you, but invaluable to your local community if you would take a short drive to your local paint recycling center.
Sun Painting Co. offers a recycled paint delivery service to local customers. If you do not want to schedule the appointment or drive to the recycling dropoff, we will do it for you for a small fee to cover traveling expenses. No hassle, good for the environment, good for the community. Recycle that old paint!
Failure to properly prepare the surface before painting, which can interfere with the ability of the paint to properly adhere to the surfce
Use of a lower quality paint product that has less-than-ideal adhesion and flexibility characteristics.
Applying latex paint in weather conditions or high interior humidity that hinder the formation of good paint film – painting on extremely hot or very cold days.
Applying an oil-based paint to damp or wet surfaces or on a surface previously painted with acrylic latex based paint.
Moisture penetrating the walls through uncaulked joints, deteriorated caulk, a leaking roof, or windows, causing wood to swell and paint to lose its adhesion
Excess humidity or other forms of moisture within the home escaping through the exterior walls.
Check the Internet for Well Known Local Painting Contractors
Use your preferred search engine and type in “painters in (your city or town)” Websites are an incredible tool for consumers to gather information and get to know a contractor before they even request an estimate. You can be sure that a painting contractor that has an up to date, and content rich website is also interested in communicating and creating a positive interaction with their customers. This will undoubtedly extend to their painting workmanship on local homes.
Ask for Referrals from Family, Friends or Neighbors
Make a call to Family or friends and ask them if they have hired a painter lately. If you see a house in your neighborhood thats been freshly painted, it’s a good opportunity to find out who did the painting. Sometimes you will see a sign in the front yard, this is an indication that the customer is very happy with the workmanship and relationship with the painter and is willing to allow advertising in the front yard. Successful word-of-mouth advertising doesn’t happen unless a painting contractor has satisfied customers. You can more accurate information about a painter from past clients than any other source. Friends, Family and Neighbors are not shy about telling you who to stay away from, or who they have had a great experience with.
Ask for References
You want a list of references. If a painting contractor cannot give you references, don’t hire them. Ask for a minimum of at least three references if they have not been referred by friends, family or neighbors. Follow through and contact each person the contractor has provided as a reference.
Require Proof of Insurance
This is important. If an uninsured contractor conducts work on your property and causes damage or injury you may be liable. Ask for liability and workman’s compensation insurance. Getting the lowest price may mean that the contractor is cutting corners and operating without insurance. It may cost you big if an accident occurs or something goes wrong.
Ask The Right Questions
Did the painter deliver quality workmanship? It’s important to understand what quality work looks like. Even if your friend is happy with the results, you might want to take a look at the finished paint job. Give special focus to areas such as windows, doors and trim. Careful work in these areas is a positive indication of a good painting contractor.
Was the painter polite and pleasant to work with? This is more important than it might seem on the surface. It’s important to find a contractor you communicate well with and feel comfortable around. A courteous demeanor is a hallmark of professionalism and will save you unnecessary stress. Also, a painter who is enthusiastic about his job is more likely to do a good job than one who is burned out and just in it for the paycheck.
Did the work start (and finish) as scheduled? Good contractors let their customers know their planned schedule in advance. And professionals do their best to stick to it. Look for a painting contractor who arrived at a reasonable time every morning. Just remember that exterior paint jobs can be affected by the weather, so watch for customers who hold a bad rainstorm or unseasonably cold temperatures against the contractor!
Was a guarantee included? A contractor that stands behind his/her work is a sign of a professional. Look for a two or three-year warranty and see what limitations or exclusions were explicitly spelled out in the warranty policy. If the painting contractor only guarantees work for one year, it could be a sign that some aspect of the painting work could be low-quality.
Flat Finish (Matte) paints dry with no sheen – that is, they have a finish and appearance that does not reflect light. They work wonderfully at hiding imperfections on the wall and are forgiving on novice painters. Some paint specialists advertise washable matte paint. However, a matte finish is generally hard to clean, so it’s advisable to keep leftover paint on hand for touch-ups. Matte paint is a good choice for walls in rooms that receive little traffic, or where a glossy finish does not fit the decor.
Eggshell Finish has a tiny glimmer of sheen when dry. It will reflect light but is not shiny. It is most commonly used on walls as it washes better than flat-finish paints. Eggshell paints also showcase color better because they do not have a distracting gloss.
Satin Finish is a subtle step above Eggshell in sheen. It’s ideal for children’s bedrooms and other high-traffic areas such as hallways and living areas as it’s suited to washing and light scrubbing. Satin-finish paint is regularly used for walls, windows, doors, trimwork and ceilings. It is useful if you want to paint all surfaces in a room with the same sheen, but still be able to wash or lightly scrub the trim surfaces.
Semi-Gloss Finish paint dries with a significant shine without being too glitzy. It is most often used on doors, windows, trimwork and bathroom and kitchen walls. It withstands frequent cleaning. Ensure, however, the surface is properly prepared prior to painting as its reflective nature mildly highlights wall and woodwork imperfections.
High-Gloss Finish paints have a sparkling reflective quality. They bring out even the slightest of imperfections, so meticulous surface preparation is essential. Some people find it too shiny and opt for semi-gloss instead. It is used mostly on windows, doors and trim. High-gloss is a good choice for painting furniture and detailed woodwork as it creates a beautiful, durable finish.
Each paint manufacturer will name their sheens differently but they are all equivalents to these five sheen categories. Benjamin Moore Sheen Guide
Having the right tools for the job is essential for any project, and painting is no exception. There are many cheap alternatives but if you want to have a professional looking paint job you must choose the right brush. There is a reason that some brushes are cheaper than others.
Most importantly, cheap paint brushes have less than half the amount of bristles. Bristles are needed to hold the paint in the brush and to apply a smooth finish. When you have less bristles, they tend to separate and make it very difficult to cut in a straight line. The qaulity of the brush bristles also effects the useful life of the brush. If they bend easy, fray at the bottom, or fall out, you will begin to lose the ability to effectively apply the paint. Eventually you will feel like the brush is working against you, and it will be. Cheap, poorly made brushes cost you time if not money and you end up with a poor result. How much is your time worth?
You can test a brush to see if it is cheaply made by squeezing the flat sides of the bristles up near the metal frame. If you can squeeze and almost touch your fingers, put the brush back on the shelf and walk away. It’s a CHEAPO!. On the other hand, if there is significant body to the bristles and you cannot squeeze too far down you have a winner. It is a balance. You also don’t want a brush so firm that it makes streaks and pulls your paint off the surface. Fuller bristles are generally the best way to go. No chip brushes for finish work!
Some brands are consistently better than others. The best brushes in my opinion are Purdy and Wooster. you can find them at most stores that sell painting supplies. Dont waste money and time on any other brushes if you are planning to paint trim or cut in walls. Keep the old cheap brushes for rough work on an exterior or to sweep up some cat litter or something.
The most useful paint brush sizes, are 3 inch, 2 1/2 inch angled sash, and straight cut. Get china bristles for oil based paints, and vinyl bristles for acrylic latex based paints.
Thanks for reading. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to drop em in. I will do a short video on this soon to show exaclty how to do this so keep checking in to The House Painting Podcast.
We are residential painting specialists in Rochester, NY since 1994. The goal of this website is to provide a place for our local customers to stay in contact with us, and a place for new customers to get to know us. Our Subscribers will recieve weekly e-mail notifications of new posts, and exclusive discount offers!
