How to maintain the exterior paint on your house or building.

Please people understand paint is not paint. Only a few contractors and I mean a few use quality paint simply because most have just been laid off from their job at the shoe store so now their a painter and are clueless. The owners pays the ultimate in many ways.First call the paint store of choice and speak to the manager. Explain to him/her your project and get some recommendations on primer,caulk and paint to use and make a note..Now contact a paint contractor and question him/her so you can make a sound decision on whom to hire.After speaking with the store manager your knowledge probably exceeds majority of the so called contractors. When hiring your contractor do not always take the paint stores recommendation due to a lot of politics and you lose again. Have the contractor to remove shutters,storm windows and all possible the gutters before pressuring washing.Make sure the contractor cleans your home/building thoroughly. If any paint peeling,make sure they remove the lose paint back to an area of bondage. Make sure the contractor spot primes the areas with(exterior oil primer) only.Make sure when contractor begin painting to spot prime these areas with the color of paint he will use or you will have flash spots. If he repaints with same color 1 coat of quality paint is sufficient if color change 2 coats a must.After paint job is complete. Try at least to pressure wash your home yearly with mild detergent and inspect for split caulking areas and address them then touch up. Will be amazed the years  add to the paint job. Watch contractor when all possible.

Can you paint Vinyl (Shutters)?

Answer is absolutely. I like to remove my shutters and clean and spray them with color of choice (2-3 thin coats). If shutters have to remain on house depending on skill level whether to spray them or not.If you cant spray,brush them (2 even coats). Remember to apply lite pressure to brush. Only insert your brush 1"inch into the paint to help contain mess.
 Do not hesitate to use spray can paint for this app.Again multiply lite coats. For product recommendation please email me.

Prep and Paint Trim First

Much easier to cut in walls to trim than trim to walls.If painting new wood trim, always prime with oil base primer. This is definitely old school. Today's painters never heard of such and sure not getting a luxurious finish.Next let primer dry 24 hours and sand using 220 grit sand paper. Next caulk and putty. I like using an oil base gloss finish paint applying two thin top coats and letting dry 24 hours in between coats. A company sales a brilliant interior oil base paint.The MUST HAVE TOOLS.:1: 5 in one. Do not begin a job without it. It's like a carpenter showing up without his hammer.2: 1- 3" Black China Bristle paint brush. Beginners maybe 2" 1/2.3: 1- One gallon of paint thinner.4: 1- Pint of Penetrol .Penetrol is a paint conditioner to be added to oil or alkyd based paints to make painting  flow more smoothly. Penetrol reduces brush marks and leveling problems while improving penetration and adhesion of the paint.NOTE: When using Penetrol only 2-3 cap full to 1/3 gal. of paint. When thinning oil paint remember be careful. Do not add to much thinner. Whats to much? Paint has body and thinning takes this away. A good rule, after mixing the additives pull the paddle or stick out of the paint, the paint should flow off the paddle like pouring liquid dish detergent. If over thin add some paint that's why I only mix up a 1/3 to 1/2 gal. at a time unless I'M spraying.

Painting Interior Walls

PREP PREP PREP Makes the job turn out looking as if a professional was hired. 1st: Start with using a sanding pole with at least fine to medium grit drywall sand paper and sand walls with some lite to medium pressure. 2nd:Spackle all holes and while that's drying caulk trim as need to wall if this hasn't taken place during your trim painting. 3rd: Using a hand held sponge block to sand Spackle holes. 4th: I use a five gallon bucket of water with mild soap and a damp sponge mop and clean the walls and rag down the trim. Be sure to double check above door and window trim. These areas always collects dust build up and trashes your cut in. 5th: Step if you are a first timer, use the Green Frog tape and mask off the trim. Please make sure the tape is sealed to trim to stop paint from seeping onto trim. No don't start painting yet! To determine the amount of paint say measure one wall from floor to ceiling then corner to corner. Example: You measure 8'x10'=80sq.ft. then 80' x 4 = 320sqft. and on the bucket of paint it covers 400sqft. which I found to be about 250 to 300 sqft. .If you purchased more than one gallon box them together before applying. I mean take a five gallon bucket and pour both gallons in together and mix. Now your ready to apply paint. 1st using one of the gallon buckets, pour up 1/3 to 1/2 full. Then attach pot hook to bucket so you can hang the bucket onto the ladder while cutting the ceilings. While cutting in ceilings paint down the corners as far as possible this makes cutting in the walls to base much faster. 2nd now cut in the wall to base and that completes that. 3rd Now your ready to roll the walls. I use a 5'x 9' or 4' x 9' drop cloth are maybe a little longer but not much wider maybe 4' wide drop cloth. The paint stores uses the term walkers. Makes rolling much easier and if not painting ceilings the furniture is fine. 4th Assuming you have a roller frame now a lot of difference between frames. The metal rod is much smaller in diameter when you purchase them in the combo packs unless you buy the orange Home Depot packs and their OK but I recommend a frame made by USA a very sturdy and smooth rolling. Using this frame with 3/4" Purdy WhiteDove roller cover and with adjustable extension pole 2' to 5' for 8' to 9' ceiling height lets apply some paint. 5th load the nap with paint and start in the middle of the wall. Next roll in a {N} pattern and finish with up and down strokes and do not stop the rolling in the middle of the wall, always pull off the wall at the bottom or top I prefer the bottom. By not doing so you will see a variation in texture. Roll out one complete wall. Without loading your nap using what we call a dry roller, easily roll back over the wall you just completed stopping the nap at the bottom. This eliminates hard lines in the paint. Now using this technique roll all your walls the same and always apply two coats. GOOD LUCK