All Phase Painting LLC www.happypainter.com

Frequently Asked Questions

Painting your home can seem overwhelming, whether you do it yourself or hire a professional.  Below are some points to ponder.

How do I pick my colors?
When painting your exterior, the first factor to consider is whether or not your community has covenants controling the colors that must be used.  If so, there are usually specific color schemes to choose from.  If not (or when painting your interior,) there are several factors to consider such as your personal likes and dislikes, what part of the home do you want to bring out and what to hide, do you like a modern look or a traditional look, how much lighting is there, etc.
What difference does paint quality make?
Paint quality can effect the finished product in many ways. Ability to cover, durability, even labor costs, can all be adversely affected with a low-cost, low-quality product.
How long will my new paint job last?
Depending upon the quality of the paint and the thoroughness of the preparation, your paint should last as long as fifteen to twenty years, maybe longer.  However it is imperative that you use high quality paints and sealants to ensure the life of surface coatings.  Titanium Dioxide is the ingredient in paint that effects durability – the more there is the longer the paint will last.  Less expensive or lower grade paints use less titanium dioxide and more fillers, which means they will wear out or fade sooner.   On the same hand, lower-quality caulking is less elastic and cracks out sooner, thus allowing moisture in behind the paint and loosening it from the surface.Back to top
Why do I need two coats of paint to cover the old color?
Many factors can cause lack of coverage in one coat.  The most important is beginning color and final color (the more drastic the change the more likely two coats will be required) and how heavily or lightly the paint is applied.  In addition, lesser-quality paints create a thinner film, thus letting the old color show through.  Also, the quality of application products can cause poor coverage. Back to top
What difference does the 'sheen' make?
As a general rule, the glossier the paint, the more durable it is.  However, shinier paint does reduce the purity of the color radiating off the walls.  Also, sheen can effect the paint's ability to 'hide' the color underneath.  Flatter paints have courser pigments and cover better than glossier sheens.Back to top
Why can't I just paint my exterior trim - that's what looks the worst?
Although it is possible to just paint your trim, it has been our experience that to do so often makes the body of the house look 'dirty'.  In most cases, the trim (which is real wood) is showing the failure of the paint occuring over the whole house (most of which is not wood.)  In addition, painting just the trim does not save a lot in labor as the trim requires the majority of the preperatory work to do a quality paint job.Back to top
Why does it cost so much to prepare a house for painting?
No matter how high a quality of paint you use, good paint cannot stick to a badly prepared surface.  Poor surface preparation (paint flakes not scraped thoroughly, old caulking not removed, cracks in the exterior) doesn't give the new paint anything solid to stick to.  In reality, preparation is about 80% of all exterior paint jobs and about 50% of interiors. Back to top More Information
Can't I just fill the really bad cracks and let the paint fill the rest?
One of the biggest causes for peeling paint is moisture.  Once the material the paint is ‘stuck’ to gets wet, the paint loses its adhesion quality and begins to pull away from the surface.  This allows more moisture to get in, which causes more reduction in adhesion, etc.   Caulking expands and contracts with heat and cold to ensure the surface is completely sealed from moisture.   It is our opinion that all holes, cracks, seams and nail heads have new caulking applied to them, not just the failing areas.  In this way, you are guaranteed the best possible protection from the damaging effects of water.Back to top
Why does my exterior paint have a white/grey/brown film on it?
Paint contains many innert materials that help it spread smoothly such as surfactants.  As the paint cures in cooler weather, the surfactants can 'leach' to the surface due to condensation.  On darker colors these surfactants can look like a white or creamy film on the finish. On lighter colors the film can look brownish.  In either case, washing down the surface usually corrects the problem and it rarely reoccurs.  Back to top More information
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