Interior Painting
I would like to consider myself an Interior Painting Specialist as the majority of my work involves painting for homeowners, like yourself. Homeowner painting projects include repainting ceilings, walls and trim; repairing stress cracks, popped nails, loose sheetrock tape and everything else that comes along with an aging home.
I paint every customer’s home as if it were my own. First, I start with organizing and protecting your personal items. After moving all of your furniture to the center of the room, I cover it with plastic from top to bottom. Then I lay canvas drop cloths over any exposed flooring. I remove outlet and light switch covers, carefully protect other items that may be vulnerable to falling paint droplets. Once the cleaning and organizing is complete, I’ll set up and turn on bright work lights and begin any spackling that may be necessary: filling small holes from picture frames, big holes from door knobs and any visible blemishes in the walls or ceiling. Finally, I prime any repaired areas, bare wood or bare sheetrock and apply finish paint to the manufacturer’s specifications.
Painting by Neal’s Most Important Interior Painting Considerations:
Sheen: Sheen is the finish of your paint and has a major impact on your walls. Gloss, satin or egg shell – each comes with many considerations. We will discuss the sheen that fits best with your lifestyle. For instance, gloss or satin is a great option for high-traffic areas as they hold up to touching and can be cleaned more easily. But, gloss/satin sheen can make wall imperfections (wavy drywall, patched areas) more pronounced. A matte finish will not clean as well, but you won’t see the imperfections.
Embrace Color: I don’t fear bold colors and neither should you! I will help you understand the psychology behind a color and use that information to select hues that will add depth and texture to a room. For instance, you may want a calming color, such as blue, for a bedroom.
Sample First: It is always best to sample if you’re trying out colors a little outside of your comfort zone, or if you’re unsure how a color will look on your wall. I can bring samples with me and help you chose which works best.
Professional Interior Painting Considerations (Cont.)
Let’s Talk Numbers: I will never start a job without drafting up a proposal and having you approve it before any work is done. Proposals include the total area being painted, accounts for multiple coats and primer, as well as labor cost so there are never “hidden” costs later on.
Prep Work: Prep work takes up quite a bit of the time spent painting the interior for your home, but for good reason. Taping off areas for sharp lines, moving and protecting furniture, repairing imperfections, covering the floors and removing switch plates and door knobs make all of the difference in the world when it comes to the final product.
Primer is Key: Primer is a very important component to interior painting, particularly if you’re drastically changing the wall color. Primer covers up colors and stains, as well as adds a layer to allow the top coat of paint to better adhere, giving you a much richer result.
Combine Gallons for Uniformity: Finally, I have mastered a fool-proof way to ensure each gallon of paint is an exact match: boxing. Boxing is the process of combining multiple gallons of the same color paint into a large re-sealable bucket and stir thoroughly. While today’s mixing processes are much more uniform than in the past, this step is a failsafe measure just in case the dye lot is a bit off from gallon to gallon or from batch to batch when the paint was mixed.
Skilled Interior Painting Services in the Greater Philadelphia area
I take each one of these considerations, plus many more, into account when starting and all the way through completion of an interior painting project. If you would like to speak further about painting the inside of your home, give me a call today.