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Rochester NY Painting Blog

The Best Way to White Wash Wood

10/30/2019

 
PictureWhitewashing allows the grain of the wood to show through
Simple and affordable, whitewash wood isn’t just for farmlands any longer. For those looking for something different besides staining or painting and a desire a bit of added elegance, whitewash wood delivers a bright and clean appearance. Find out below how to bring the character of whitewashed wood to your living space.

Whitewashing Wood Using Conventional Whitewashing Methods
Conventional whitewashing is done with water, salt, and masonry lime. It has antibacterial properties, stops mildew and mold from forming, repels bugs, disguises odors, making it well-liked on farmsteads. Quick-drying, simple to work with, and low cost, it remains well-known today.

Here’s how to go the traditional route. You’ll need:
  • Masonry lime/Hydrated lime/Builder’s lime
  • Water
  • Fine grade salt
  • Gloves
  • Protective eyewear
  • Dust mask
  • Big bucket

Mix
Use ¼-cup of salt with 2-cups warm water, making sure the salt dissolves. Add the hydrated lime (6-8-cups) until dissolved. The mix should be thinner than normal paint.

Paint
Apply with a sprayer/roller/brush. You might need several coats. If you begin to paint and discover rotting wood, fix the wood damage before you go on.

Dry
Let the wash dry fully. As it dries, it will turn white.

Whitewashing Wood with House Paint
While this technique doesn’t have the same advantages as a custom whitewash, it has one thing going for it: It’s simple. It also produces a white smooth finish, ideal for bringing an air of sophistication with this classic color.

Whitewashing is best done on unfinished, raw wood. This means you’ll have to sand off an existing finish if you’re bringing new life to old furniture. After sanding, wipe with a dry tack cloth to get rid of sawdust.
​
A Very Weathered Whitewash Look
You can have a very weathered whitewash look by rubbing candle wax on the wood in the places you don’t want the paint to stick. You can also put paint on unsmoothed wood and spread it with a wide putty knife or a big plastic scrapper. You can also apply the wax with a rag, mixing water with the white paint and applying it.

If you want to liven up your house with whitewash wood, but don’t have the time, let an experienced house painter bring your desired whitewash wood look to fruition.

Tips on Removing Crayon Marks From Your Walls

10/23/2019

 
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If you have little ones, the odds are good that your tiny Picassos are going to explore their artistic side on your walls. They will probably decide that the walls in your house badly needs their creative talents. And while no one likes spending the whole weekend at home so they can remove crayon marks from walls, it’s a reality.

Therefore, when it does, take some deep, cleansing breaths and remember this is just a phase. You can have beautiful things and your children will grow out of it. After your blood pressure has gone down, you might want to explain to your little artists why coloring on the walls is a big “no-no.”

Teaching Opportunity
Based on the age of your child or children and the situation, they might need the opportunity to experience the consequences of drawing on the walls. Give them non-toxic, green cleaning tools and demonstrate how to clean up the mess they have created. They most likely won’t get all the markings off completely, but in the interest of good feelings within them about chores, you should still commend their efforts.

If the crayons are washable, no worries. You can clean those with just soap and water. However, if they aren’t the washable kind, below are a few simple ways to aid in removing those crayon marks from your painted walls.

A Word to the Wise
Before you get going on removing the wall marks, test the cleaning solution on a tiny non-visible space of your wall to see what it does to the color and surface. If the space still looks good, then you’re okay to do the job. If you don’t perform a test, you might find yourself desiring to keep those crayon marks.

Bad News
Even after your best efforts to get rid of the crayon marks from the wall, some surfaces will just have to be repainted to reestablish them to their glory state before your child began working on their masterpiece.

Good news, now you can try that new vibrant color you’ve had your eye on. Schedule a consultation with a professional Rochester painter if you don’t want to try and get rid of the crayon marks yourself. ​

Removing Painted Popcorn Ceiling

10/16/2019

 
Picture
At one point in the painting industry, popcorn ceilings were the rage in many houses. Usually called an acoustical, cottage cheese, or a stucco ceiling, people installed these ceilings to hide imperfections, flaws, as well as deliver sound absorption at a low cost. However, there might come a point where you want to remove the painted popcorn ceiling.

Before you start the removal process, read the following information to be sure that you know what this job entails.

Test Material for Hazards
Any acoustic texture material created before 1980 might have asbestos in it. Before you start a popcorn ceiling removal job, test a small piece to determine if it has asbestos. Asbestos that is in the popcorn ceiling doesn’t pose a health risk. Though, disturbing this deadly material could cause fibers to get into the air and get into your lungs, creating serious health risks.

You can purchase a home test kit, which necessitates that you get a tiny amount of the ceiling, put into a sealable plastic bag and mail the sample to the testing lab. To reduce any health risks with the sample, reach out to an official testing service to come to your residence to do the test.

If you discover that your popcorn ceiling material has over 1% asbestos, you have a few options:
  • Get the popcorn ceiling removed by a certified asbestos abatement business.
  • Do not touch the ceiling.
  • Encapsulate the ceiling with another material.

In addition to the possible presence of asbestos, numerous professional house painters recommend suggest that you also perform a lead paint test, particularly if you have kids in your home.

Removing a Popcorn Ceiling
Removing popcorn ceiling is one thing but removing a painted popcorn ceiling is a completely different thing. You can still remove it, but it will be a little difficult since paint acts as a sealant by sticking to the ceiling.

If you want or need to remove your popcorn ceiling, your best option is to let a professional Rochester painter handle the job. Once you've gotten rid of your popcorn ceiling, you'll want to remove any water leak stains, and possibly modernize your ceiling fans as well.

​

Learn to Use A Paint Roller Like a Pro

10/9/2019

 
Picture
One of the most critical tools in any Rochester painter’s toolbox is a top-quality paint roller. Quicker than a brush, less untidy than a sprayer. Using a roller is one of the fastest ways to get that fresh color you desire.

If you understand how to pick the right cover for the project and have the correct application technique, a gorgeous, pro-looking finish is just around the corner. If you don’t use your paint roller like a pro, you’ll have wasted paint, roller streaks, and an uneven finish.

Choosing the Right Roller Cover
Roller covers come in an assortment of thicknesses. The right roller cover for the painting project will differ according to the sort of surface you’re painting.

3/16 - ¼ inch – Used with high-gloss paints and smooth surfaces. Perfect for trim, cabinets, and doors.

⅜ - ½ inch – Used for semi-smooth surfaces such as ceilings and walls.

¾ - 1 inch – Used for semi-rough surfaces such as stucco.

1 ¾ - 1 ½ inch – Used for painting rough surfaces such as cinder blocks, brick, and masonry.

Rolling Paint onto Your Walls
When using a brand-new roller cover you have to remove any loose fibers, even if it states the roller is shed-resistant. Dab painter’s tape against the roller cover to get lose any extra fibers. When the cover is lint-free, you can start to paint.

To load your roller, put it through the paint in a five-gallon bucket fixed with a painting screen or in a tray a few times until your roller is coated. A correctly loaded paint roller must have an even coat of paint. When your roller is correctly covered, it doesn’t drip when moved or needs much pressure to apply paint to a surface.

With a little practice and working on an accurately prepped surface, your walls will look as perfect as if they were painted by professional house painters. Of course, if you get into any trouble, get in touch with a painting contractor. Put some new color on your walls and see how you can transform your Rochester, NY home.

What to do About Water Damaged Drywall

10/2/2019

 
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Practically every home will have some water damage. Water damage can produce peeling paint, unsightly discoloration, or ruined drywall. If water damage is not correctly handled, it can produce more serious issues like mold growth and musty smells in your house. Homeowners must know what to do in the case of a water damaged drywall.

Causes of Water Damage
One main cause of water damage is busted or leaky water pipes. When there is a cold snap in Rochester, many residences suffer from having water pipes freeze and burst.

Another reason for water damage, particularly during the summer is condensation. When the air is humid and warm, condensation that gathers on cool surfaces like toilet tanks and water pipes.

All year long, there is rain and snow which could create water damage due to improper soil damage, a leaky roof, clogged gutters, old siding, or declining window caulking.

Source of Water Has to Be Repaired or Stopped
The first step to fixing water damage is to be sure that the water source has been completely dealt with. This may involve having your plumbing replaced or repaired. If condensation is the source of water, pipes may be insulated.

Running a dehumidifier or AC might lessen humidity enough that condensation doesn’t gather. If water is seeping in from outdoors, the reason for the leakage will have to be detected and dealt with. When the source of water has been repaired, space must be dried completely.

If There’s Mildew or Mold, Remediate or Remove It
The next step is to detect whether there is any mildew or mold present. Usually, if water has been in the residence for some time, there will be mold or mildew. If any mold or mildew is present, space must be cleaned.

It might also have to be treated to stop the mildew or mold from spreading or returning, and the affected drywall might need to be removed. Once these initial steps have been performed to make sure that no more damage comes from continued mildew, mold, or moisture.
​
Fix Water Damaged Drywall
If drywall needs to be moved to dry the interior of the wall, to remove mold, or to get to the pipes, you should contact a home painter to do the work. After removing the drywall, it has to be patched and given plenty of time to dry.

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