A satin finish reflects more light than matte and stands up well to washing. Use in high-traffic areas such as bathrooms, the kitchen and a kid's room as well as on trim and molding throughout the house.
Front doors deserve special thought as they are the center of attention. In general, doors with high-gloss paint finishes look dramatic and punchy, while those with natural wood finishes are welcoming and warm.
When it comes to buying paint, quality does matter and can even be more cost effective in the long run. Often, higher grade paints will be able to cover even dark colors in a couple of coats, while lower quality paints might need three or four.
The first paint roller was invented in Canada by Norman Breaky in the year 1940, though he did not patent it. It was widely used during the World War II.
The color purple was once associated with royalty due to the rarity of its pigment. In Ancient Rome, one pound of purple pigment took 4 million crushed mollusk shells to make. Removing the animal and crushing the shells was a long and difficult process.
While interior latex paint may be formulated to be free of any odors, proper ventilation for the room being painted is still recommended.
To make things run more smoothly while painting, organize all your supplies at the beginning of the project. That will let you know if you need to head back to the paint store before you pop open your first paint can.
Can you guess the four ingredients that all paint is made of? Solvent, resin, additives, and pigment are the staples. Outdoor paint has additives to help it withstand the elements, and indoor paint has more rigid resin to help it resist scuffing.
Do you own a sash brush? This is a paintbrush with its bristles cut at an angle. It allows you to edge a lot easier than other brushes. It’s typically a faster brush to use for indoor paint jobs than other brushes.
You probably know the part of a brush you grab is called the handle. What about the rest? The hair is called filament or bristle, and the metal band holding everything together is called a ferrule. There's also a spacer inside the ferrule, holding the filament in place and creating a reservoir for paint.
When you’ve narrowed the paint color options to just a few, it’s a good idea to get paint samples that you can try on your walls at home. Rest assured that we’re always happy to provide you with small samples of each color so that you can see if it really looks as good on the walls as it does on the color swatch.
Small and subtle changes can have a big impact. Update a room by adding color and shine to trim work and doors, the "frame" around the room. Use semi-gloss or gloss paint in a complementary hue to highlight wall color.
Wondering how much paint you need for your project? A gallon of paint can cover anywhere from 25 to 44 square yards. The exact amount will depend on the color of the paint, the wall, and the color of the wall that you're covering.
Paint has three parts: The Pigment for color, the Vehicle for stickiness and strength, and the Carrier which holds the others and determines the thickness. Most house paint you buy uses water for the carrier and primarily latex for the vehicle. Pigment is added when you buy it to make custom colors.
To prevent your new coat of paint from peeling, use a two-step sanding process before priming the walls. This involves hand sanding the wall and using a liquid sandpaper to make sure the surface is completely deglossed.
Did you know that the vast majority of the time spent on interior painting projects goes to prep? On average, taping off trim and removing switch covers and doorknobs usually takes about 75% of the total project time.
Prep work is crucial to a successful paint job. If you're inside, wipe down the walls with a cleaner. For outside jobs, use a mix of detergent and water to scrub the walls clean. A pressure washer can handle the job very quickly.
A rule of thumb for maintaining a balanced color scheme is 60-30-10. 60% of your room in the dominant color (wall color), the next 30% represents a secondary color (accent walls, wainscoting) and the remaining 10% in accents, like accessories.
In some cases, oil paints are a better option for exterior applications. This type of paint offers better adhesion and stain blocking, so it's better for chalky surfaces, stained surfaces, bleeding woods such as tannin or sap, and metals prone to rust.
Paint consists mainly of pigments, binders, additives, and solvents. The pigments are fine particles that provide the color and are held together with the binder. Additives are used to enhance different paint properties, while the solvent provides the chemistry that makes paint stick.
Applying a primer to a surface before painting it makes the paint adhere better. Some of today's paint products eliminate this step, though. They include the primer right in the paint. You may pay a little more, but it eliminates one step for a faster project.
Back in the day, pigments of paint were made using plants, sand, and various different types of soils. A lot of paints also used oil or water as a base.
When estimating how much paint you are going to need, remember to take into account the nature of the paint job. For instance, you may need more paint if you are making a dramatic color change or if the surface you are painting is porous, rough, or textured.
The onset of World War II caused a shortage of linseed oil, at the time an important ingredient in paint. This shortage led to the development of artificial resins, or alkyds, commonly used today. These resins also made the paint hold color well and last longer.