A New Exterior Painting Season Begins

It is March 16th, and the weather is beautiful! Toronto Painters are out in 16′C + heat, in t-

Toronto Painters: Exterior Painting Preparation

Do your Toronto painters know how to do the right preparation on your house before painting it? This

Green Toronto Painting

Everyone is trying to embrace the new green mindset of recent years, but how many painting contracto

 

A New Exterior Painting Season Begins

March 17, 2012 in Painting in Toronto

It is March 16th, and the weather is beautiful! Toronto Painters are out in 16′C + heat, in t-shirts, and a few “couldn’t-wait” exterior jobs are already underway by some painting companies. The summer-like weather has seemingly encouraged people to think about weather their house needs a fresh coat this season. While you are outside, it can be quite educational to take a walk around your house and inspect.  After a winter of snow hides all, it is no longer excusable to overlook the important exterior maintenance that a house needs. Sometimes a house siding craves a good power-washing, even if the paint is ok. Are the gutters clear? Clogged eavestroughs and spouts can cause other damage because water sits where it shouldn’t. And if left too long, dirt can [...]

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Toronto Painters: Exterior Painting Preparation

March 10, 2012 in House Painting

Do your Toronto painters know how to do the right preparation on your house before painting it? This is a quick rundown of the process in video slideshow form. Always make sure that your painters don’t skip steps, or they might compromise the longevity of their work. Essentially, painters need to make the substrate sound, free of dirt or contamination, without cracks or holes, and dry. This is achieved by various methods, and the skill of a painter really comes down to how they can adapt to the needs of different substrates, and prepare them efficiently and properly. On the example shown here, the window trim was wood and had to be stripped of the old paint because it was not adhering properly, likely because the surfaces were not completely [...]

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Green Toronto Painting

February 5, 2012 in Painting in Toronto

Everyone is trying to embrace the new green mindset of recent years, but how many painting contractors really make the effort to be easier on the environment? Here are the things that one such company, ARC Painting, is doing to contribute. – Paper is outdated, and we try to do as much as possible via other methods to reduce paper usage. This includes training materials, company administration, and marketing. ARC painting uses almost no print media for marketing (we do have business cards, though). Our marketing is done primarily online and by word of mouth. We do not use flyer or mail campaigns. We are proud to only use about a few pounds of paper per year (less than many households). – We take care to recycle paint properly, and [...]

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Home Cabinet Painting

January 24, 2012 in House Painting

Cabinet Painting One painting project that many homeowners will encounter some time or another is the daunting task of cabinet refinishing. You might have an older home with dated wooden cabinets, and you don’t want to splurge for a whole kitchen reno. Painting kitchen cabinets is a great value, since if done properly you can get an almost new looking kitchen at a fraction of the cost of replacement. This task is not for the faint of heart though; cabinet painting is a process with many steps that must be followed closely if you want to achieve the best results. Preparing your cabinets for painting The key to a great finish, as in all painting, is the preparation, and this is extra true in the case of cabinets. You need [...]

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Faux finishing

January 24, 2012 in Painting Style

Faux finishing techniques are hundreds of years old, but they are currently enjoying a renaissance because of the often stunning results that can be achieved at a much more sensible price point than the real thing. The “faux” method means using paint, plaster, glazes and other specialty products to create the impression of authentic and appealing materials like marble, granite, bricks, old-world plaster, wood, and others. The techniques are more involved than regular painting, but not overly complicated; some faux finishes can be done by a reasonably artistic person with limited training. Or hire a pro painting company that does this kind of work, and you can get some impressive texturing done without lifting a finger. Home renovation can be expensive, especially if redoing a kitchen, or whole room refinishing. [...]

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House Paint 101: What Finish Where, and Why

January 20, 2012 in House Painting

This article is meant to shed light on the basics of paint products, and how to choose a house finish when faced with the plethora of brand names and lines of paint in the marketplace. Painting with what? Paint has been around for a long time, but it has changed dramatically in its formulation, especially in recent decades. Paint had been made with lead for centuries, up until it became known as hazardous. Oil based paints remained standard until relatively recently, but today latex water-based paints are the norm as they have developed technology to outperform oils. Latex paints come in many varieties, but share in common a waterborne formula. 100% acrylic paints are premium grade, they contain the most acrylic resins, and paint with a high acrylic content will [...]

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Get Painting This Winter.

January 4, 2012 in Painting in Toronto

Painting in the winter can be easy. Just try calling a pro and they will most likely be ready to work!

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