Posts Tagged ‘Painting’

Hiring Painting Contractors

Friday, July 25th, 2008

When you make the decision to take the necessary steps to improve your home, the last thing you want to do is pick a sub standard contractor for the job.  Especially when the situation deals with the paint on your interior or exterior walls, it’s important to know that the job is done right the first time.  This is the very most important reason behind knowing how to find the most qualified painting contractor for your job.  If you have never been in a position in which you needed to hire a professional, the challenge can seem a bit overwhelming.  Keep these tips in mind as you interview the local painting contractors and you, as well as your house, should come out on the other side just fine.

Painting Contractors

It can’t be overstated enough that the opinions of previous clients is imperative when hiring painting contractors or any other kind for that matter.  One of the best places to start your search for a good painting contractor is among the people you know.  Family members, friends, and co workers are all excellent resources when it comes to home improvement.  If you are lucky enough to have an acquaintance that has had painting work done in the past, ask if you can look at the area, either interior or exterior that was worked on.  You will want to look for things like how well the area was prepped before paint was applied, if the corners were properly cared for, and the overall appearance of the paint in terms of attractive and durability. 

Not only is it crucial to find out the type of work the painting contractors do, you also have to make sure the company or individual is properly insured and licensed to practice this kind of business.   He or she should be in good standing with the Better Business Bureau and have a clean record of taking care of disputes.  It doesn’t matter how much of a hurry you might be in to have the job done, it’s vital that you double check the integrity of the company you are considering. 

For more information on painting contractors

Faux Painting Concrete Floors: Can’t Believe The Concrete

Friday, May 23rd, 2008

It’s amazing what people can accomplish by faux painting concrete floors.  By the time the painting is completed, you’d never know in many cases that it’s concrete.  Instead of looking like a garage floor poured in your basement family room, there’s painted tiles, textured finishes or painted designs which fit the room décor.  The possibilities are endless which makes this kind of painting all the more interesting.

Houses poured on concrete slabs, houses with basements and houses with garages and driveways are all candidates for faux painting.  Actually, there’s concrete paint or stain choices you can use to create a textured look.  That’s what faux painting concrete floors is all about – making the floor look like something other than concrete.  For example, the concrete can be faux painted to look like it’s made out of cobblestone, granite or marble.  Another popular idea is to paint faux tiles on the floor.

Faux Painting Concrete Floors

This kind of painting can turn a really ordinary concrete floor into an interesting and room enhancing floor.  A contractor will first prime the floor with concrete primer and then paint the design on using brushes, rags or sponges.  The design is then covered with a polyacrylic sealer which is durable and prevents paint chipping.   This type of painting is ideal for living rooms, family rooms, entertainment areas and even kid’s rooms.  Some people even faux paint their garage floors when they get tired of looking at ordinary gray or when they convert the garage into another use.

Just like faux painting walls, it’s recommended you use the services of a contractor for faux painting concrete floors.  The success of this project is dependent upon proper cleaning and sealing of the concrete.  Also, pictures in books can make this style of painting look easier than it really is in most cases.  If you don’t paint or stain the floor consistently, the final look isn’t going to be what you intended.  That can be a huge disappointment after a lot of work.  There’s no reason why you have to continue settling for boring concrete floors when you can faux paint any design you wish. 

For more information on faux painting concrete floors

Popular Faux Finish Painting Ideas

Monday, February 11th, 2008

The one thing every person wants to do is make their home an extension of who they are, their personal tastes, and unique from everyone else’s homes.  One of the most inexpensive and easiest ways to personalize the inside of your home is with faux finish painting ideas.  People have become seriously creative when it comes to using unique materials to apply paint for a more interesting look.  Gone are the days of simply painting your walls a solid color.  With the sheer number of shades and tones of colors and the modern techniques for applying the paint, you have tons of choices and options.

Let’s take a look at some of the newer painting ideas to hit the home interior scene in recent history.  For those who prefer an interesting look, color blocking has a lot going for it.  Using several complimentary paint colors, levels, and straight edges you can paint sections of a wall different colors.  Many people like this look in the baby’s room or an open air sunroom or indoor patio.

Faux Finish Painting Ideas 

Another unique look you can create with paint alone is shadow striping.  We have all seen the elegant wallpaper found in fine restaurants and nice hotels with stripes of varying shades of the same color.  Often this wallpaper is made from silk or other pricey material. You can alternate hues on your walls in the dining room or bedroom to give your home the look and feel of a high price hotel or lovely European home.

Silk wallpaper isn’t the only home adornment that many of us can’t afford.  If you like the natural look of terracotta tiles and have priced them to discover that they are way out of your price range, the good news is you can use paint to replicate the look.  You will need some stencils, the right paint shades, and tons of patience, but it’s worth it for the appearance you want in your kitchen or mudroom.

Faux finish painting ideas are what have kept the average person in the black when it comes to decorating their homes.  For any expensive wall dressing you may like, there is a faux idea that works just as well.