The Basics of Professional Painting

There is an old saying that "paint won't peel unless there is a problem that is allowing water to get under it". This saying is very true as I have proven in my career. Paint jobs done twenty years ago are just getting faded out enough to where people who can afford it as easily as you and I buy a soda, are just now thinking about getting there homes redone.

That is why a good painter has to know at least the basics of all the building trades. He will know if a gutter, flashing, or roof is leaking and causing problems with the paint. Or even if a landscaper had placed plants or sprinklers too close to a house thus keeping the siding continuously wet. Many water related things can cause paint failure. Anyone who doesn't troubleshoot and repair the other problems as they paint is nothing more than a paint slapper, and has no right to call themselves a professional.

Another good thing to remember is that water can run (soak) uphill. Thus the only way that you can ensure a lasting paint job is to seal it completely before painting. Some people try to say that a house needs to breathe to be healthy. They are absolutely right, that is why they build vents into a house. On the other hand they have enough built in and don't need any extra which is why they put vapor seals under the siding and also why all cracks should be sealed up with caulk before painting. This has a dual benefit, one being that it has a slight positive effect on heating and cooling bills as air is blocked from getting into the walls, thus forcing heat or cold to go through all layers of insulation to get in. The other good reason for caulking all cracks is that water can't get in them then and be held there by the size of the crack till it causes the paint to peel.

If you always seal everything as airtight as you can then the paint applied afterwards will last. Remember if the house was built right to begin with it has enough vents for air flow. And if air can't get under the siding to deliver cold or heat to the walls vapor barrier then the cold and heat has to go thru the siding to get in and depending on the type of siding as to how much insulation value that adds to a house.

Now that we have covered sealing the house let's address the actual painting. Surely you have heard that oil and water don't mix, well that is still true in painting. Oil based paint can go over a water based paint once the water is thoroughly dried out of the paint. A water based paint can't go over an oil without doing special preparation because the oil never really fully dries out, thus you end up trying to mix oil and water and it will easily peel or fall off then.

However if you first use an oil primer over an oil paint and then lightly sand that primer, follow it with a latex primer and then the latex paint you can successfully use a latex (water) based paint over an oil.

Oil based paints are great for interior kitchens and baths or anywhere inside you want a hard durable surface that can be washed many times over. If it is so hard and durable why not use it outside then? The reason is that it needs to be in a climate controlled area because it is so hard that it doesn't expand or contract very well. So when used outdoors it develops tiny cracks that let water in behind it causing it to peel. Latex on the other hand is very flexible and expands and contracts easily while maintaining its seal, thus making it perfect for outdoor use. A flat latex is not at all washable and washes off easily with soap and water. While a high gloss latex washes well and is almost as durable as an oil. Some people don't like that high gloss look. They say it looks too commercial. Use as high of a gloss as will look right to you because the higher the gloss is, the more durable the paint is. A satin sheen usually mixes the best of all in that it is washable / durable yet while it has a little gloss to it, it isn't enough to be easily noticed.

Other things to keep in mind when picking a paint is that the higher the gloss is, the easier it will be to see minor imperfections that all walls have. Thus I recommend the novelist use a satin sheen so that it will be durable, wash well and help hide their imperfections in their preparation. I also recommend they stick with latex paints because if they drip a little on something it doesn't belong on then it will still be possible to clean it up without harming most things even after it has dried. Just use a little denatured alcohol and a rag to scrub it off with. The only things it would harm is latex (water) based items like paint which is almost non-existent.

Now when it comes down to the basics of painting you always roll walls in the pattern of a "W" always crosshatching in opposite directions over your work as you work your way down. Leave the last few inches at top and bottom and near corners and edges for you to paint with a brush.

The trick to painting a nice line with a brush is to load the brush with paint knocking the excess off one side of it. Then with the loaded side towards the line place it a little bit away from the line and press down until a little bead forms next to the brush. Pull your brush towards the line watching that bead edge so it never crosses the line. By gradually feeding into the line you are less likely to make mistakes and will have more control over exactly where your line ends up. If painting letters use a brush that is less than 1/3 the width of the body of the letter so you can still start in the middle and gradually feed into the edge.