Painting Contractor Blog Evans Painting

Painting The Gutters On Your Home

T.Evans — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:49:51 +0000

Modern gutters are made today with a baked on enamel finish and are very durable, however gutters are prone to become dirty and stained over a period of time and can become unsightly. As a homeowner you can either clean your gutters using a cleaning product such as Dirtex or you can paint them. As a professional Birmingham Al painting contractor I am often asked by homeowners whether or not it is ok to paint gutters. The answer is yes, you can paint gutters and downspouts after proper preparation. A good example of painted gutters is in the picture of the house that we recently painted in Birmingham, Al. These gutters were painted after proper preparation and look much better than cleaning alone. If you choose to clean your gutters instead of painting them, just keep in mind that it is often difficult to remove all of the stains completely and the gutters will probably need to be cleaned often in order to keep them looking nice. Painted gutters will usually need to be repainted about as often as you have the rest of your house repainted. New gutters come in a wide array of color choices but regardless of the color of guttering that you choose, it will usually be a shade or two different from the paint color on your home. Painting your gutters is a great way to match your gutter color to the rest of your trim and is another benefit to painting the gutters on your home. If you have any other questions about how to paint the gutters on your home, ask a local Birmingham Al house painter for tips and suggestions.

Maintaining And Staining Your Deck

T.Evans — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 21:48:21 +0000

Proper and timely maintenance of your deck is crucial to your decks longevity and protection. A deck must be able to endure all of the elements of the weather, from extreme heat and rain of the summer months to the cold and ice of the winter months. The stain or sealant that is on a deck will begin to break down over time and will offer little if any protection. If the deck is not properly maintained, the boards will begin to split and will eventually begin to rot. In order to avoid the high cost of replacing a deck, it is very important to keep your deck well treated. Another benefit of a stained deck is the beauty that it offers. A properly prepared and stained deck can dramatically change the entire look of the deck. In the pictures that I have posted is a before and after picture of deck that we stained recently in Hoover, Al. The deck prior to staining was not very pretty to look at but as you can see in the pictures, the freshly stained deck looks so much better in comparison.
One of the most important steps when staining a deck is surface preparation. The deck must be cleaned prior to staining so that the stain will adhere to the deck properly. Applying a good deck cleaner and then pressure washing is the most common way to clean a deck, however the pressure must not be to high or else it may cause damage to your deck. Once your deck has been cleaned, you will need to determine what type of stain that you want to apply. There are generally three different types of stains or sealants that are used today. First is a clear sealant which goes on clear and leaves no coloration to your deck. Most of the clear sealants are just water repellents and many offer some kind of U.V protection. Next is a semi-transparent stain which will add some color to your deck but you will still be able to see the wood grain of the deck. Last is a solid stain that leaves a more consistent, solid color to the deck. A solid stain is what was used in the pictures of the recent deck staining which I have posted. All three types of stains and sealants offer a layer of protection to your deck and will to keep your deck looking great for many years. If you have any additional questions about deck staining, ask a local Hoover, Al painting contractor for advice and suggestions.

Choosing Exterior Paint Colors

T.Evans — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:31:07 +0000

Using more than one paint color on the exterior is standard nowadays. But choosing which colors will look great while complimenting each other is oftentimes very challenging. You will probably be choosing at least three colors and possibly more when determining color options for your exterior. Most of my customers today use one color on their siding, another color on their trim and a third color on their doors and shutters. While you can use any color scheme that you choose, this is by far the most common. A great example of choosing multiple exterior colors that look great together is in the picture that I have posted. This is a house that we recently completed painting in Homewood, Al. Notice how all of the colors compliment each other very well. This customer chose the soft green color for the siding, a nice ivory color for the eaves and window trim and a third, deeper color for the window stiles. All three colors work well with the other and looked great together.

A few things to keep in mind when choosing paint colors for your exterior is you need to be sure that the paint color that you choose will blend well with any brick that you may have on your home. Also, you need to consider the color of your roof when choosing paint colors.

Once you have narrowed down a few colors that you really like, I recommend purchasing a few small paint samples so that you can test the colors on your exterior. Most paint stores sell these small paint testers and it is a great and inexpensive way to see how the colors will actually look on your home. You may also choose to use one of the online programs that allow you to choose a house similar to yours from a template and pick different color combinations.

If you need additional assistance with choosing your colors, check with a local Homewood Al painting contractor. Most professional painting contractors will be able to offer advice and assist you with your color selections.

Painting The Brick On Your Home

T.Evans — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 03:30:10 +0000

Is the brick on your home old and outdated? If you would like to change the entire look and feel of your home then painting the brick is a great way to do this without spending a fortune on a complete exterior remodeling job. Over time, brick becomes worn and aged and painting brick is a great way to make it look more modern and contemporary. Another important factor to consider is that paint also offers a layer of protection to help shield your house from the weather elements which can erode your mortar over the years and cause damage to your brick home. While painting brick is a great idea, it is much different from painting the more common wood siding. Before painting unpainted brick, a special masonry primer will need to be applied to ensure that the paint bonds properly to the brick. Also, since brick is so porous, back brushing is also necessary when using an airless sprayer to apply the paint. I have posted a picture of a painting job that we completed in Alabaster, Al where the brick was properly primed and painted. While my photography skills are not great, you can still see the dramatic difference paint made in the look of this home.Having painted many brick houses over the years and knowing the dramatic effects it offers, I can say that painting your brick home should be a very viable option for you if you want to update your brick home. If you have a brick home and would like information on painting it, call your local Alabaster Al painting contractor today.

Different Types Of Caulk And Uses

T.Evans — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 01:45:33 +0000

Using caulk to seal cracks, joints and any other types of separation on the exterior of your home prior to painting is an essential step in the preparation of your home in order to achieve a long-lasting paint job. As a Hoover Al house painter, I recently completed painting a house in Hoover, where we used almost two cases of caulking in the preparation process. While most homes normally wont require that much caulk, it is very important that enough is used to ensure that your home is properly sealed and protected. The main reason to use caulking is of course to help to protect your home but there is a second, albeit a less important reason to use caulk and that is because it will help your paint job to look much better, providing a clean, seamless look to your house. There are many different types of caulk sold today, but the most common types of caulk is latex and a latex/silicone blend. While both of these caulks have their advantages, I normally use and recommend a latex/silicone blend caulk especially for outdoor use. The latex/silicone blend will offer more protection from the elements and the temperature changes when used on the exterior and will generally last longer than a latex caulk will. A good quality latex caulk is fine to use on the interior of your home and cleans up easier. Finally, if you do not plan to paint over the caulking once it is applied, you may want to consider using a clear, pure silicone caulk. Just keep in mind that silicone caulk is sometimes difficult to apply and will not clean up with soap and water. Whatever type of caulking that you choose for you home is not as important as making sure that your house is caulked and sealed properly. If you have any other questions about properly caulking your home, ask a local Hoover Al painting contractor for advice and suggestions.

How To Remove Wallpaper

T.Evans — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:54:33 +0000

If you have wallpaper in your home and want to remove it yourself there are a few things that you should know before you tackle this project. Removing old, outdated wallpaper requires a lot of patience and some hard work. First, you will need to purchase a few products before you begin. A good wallpaper remover solution, a wallpaper scoring tool and a putty knife. I recommend a product called DIF which is very effective in dissolving the wallpaper glue. You will also need to purchase a wallpaper scorer which will put small holes in the wallpaper and allow the wallpaper remover to penetrate and loosen the glue. I use a tool called the Paper Tiger, which will puncture the top layer of wallpaper but will not damage your drywall. Begin by testing a small area and try to peel the wallpaper from the wall to see if it comes off easily. If it doesn’t, then you will need to use your wallpaper scorer and apply small holes in the wallpaper before you apply the wallpaper remover. After mixing your wallpaper removal solution, apply the solution to the wallpaper and let it stand for about 15 to 20 minutes so that is can effectively break down the wallpaper glue. Next, working in small sections, use your putty knife and begin to gently scrape away the wallpaper. Once you have removed all of the wallpaper, thoroughly clean any remaining glue residue from the walls before you begin to paint.

One word of caution, after you begin to remove the old wallpaper and you see that the wall was not primed prior to hanging the wallpaper, then this is going to present a whole new challenge. An unprimed wall is a much more difficult surface to remove wallpaper from and you will probably have to remud part, if not all of the walls after the removal of the wallpaper. If you encounter a unprimed wall after removing a small section of the wallpaper then you may want to consider hiring a professional Birmingham painting contractor to complete the job.

Great Time Of The Year To Paint

T.Evans — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:58:43 +0000

Not only is it a great time of the year to paint your interior but because of our usual warm winters in Alabama, it’s also a great time to paint your exterior.So whether it’s the exterior of your home or the interior, you can trust that Evans Painting has the knowledge and expertise to do the job right. In addition to exterior and interior painting, Evans Painting also offers home repairs of all types. From rotten wood or siding replacement to repairing or installing dry wall, we can provide you with professional, unmatched service. We are well aware that the success of our company depends on our satisfied customers and we listen to our customers to understand their needs and expectations. At Evans Painting, our goal is to always exceed our customers expectations. We are a family owned, fourth generation painting contractor with many years of experience and our number one priority is customer satisfaction. We at Evans Painting realize that you are busy with work, family and life in general and just want to remind you that we not only offer free estimates but also weekend or evening appointments if needed. In addition to that we can also assist you with color selection for your next painting project. Give us a call today and we can schedule your appointment when its convenient for YOU.

When To Use A Primer Before Painting

T.Evans — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:15:17 +0000

While priming before painting is oftentimes not necessary, there are certain painting projects where applying a primer first is crucial. When painting on the interior of your home and you have stains such as water stains, smoke or tobacco stains or other markings then priming first will be needed. In the case of smoke or tobacco stains, the primer will also be needed in order to block the odor of these stains. Also, if you have any newly installed drywall or if you have just patched a small area then priming first will be necessary. The next instance when you will need to use a primer is if you are planning to apply a latex paint over a previously painted oil finish, then you will need to prime first using an oil based, bonding primer so that the latex paint will adhere properly. Additionally, if you are going to change colors in a room and the colors are vastly different, then priming may be necessary however, there are several paint manufactures that sell an all-in-one primer and paint and using one of these products might be a viable option in lieu of priming first whenever you are changing colors.
On the exterior of your home, any newly installed or unpainted wood will need to be primed prior to painting. This is also true if your house had loose or flaking paint and has been scraped, all bare wood should be primed before being painted. Next, just like on the interior of your home any stains will first need to be primed before painting to ensure that they do not bleed through the fresh paint. One of the most common stains on the exterior is mildew. If you have any mildew on your home it will need to be treated first by using a combination of water and bleach before painting. Priming alone will not neutralize the mildew and it will bleed back through the paint in a short amount of time if not treated first.
There are other times when you may need to use a primer before you paint but these are some of the most common. If you are uncertain about whether or not you should prime first, ask a local Birmingham painting contractor for their advice.

Painting Stained Wood Trim

T.Evans — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 01:13:14 +0000

Do you have stained wood trim in your home and would like to for it to look more modern? The best way to achieve this is by painting it. At one time stained wood trim was very popular in many homes but over the years it has become outdated and painting it is a great way to make it look great and more contemporary. Painting stained wood trim is more difficult than painting trim which has previously been painted because it will have to be primed first using an oil based primer to ensure that the new paint adheres properly and also that the stain does not bleed through the new paint which will cause discoloration. After applying the primer, all nail holes will need to be filled with putty and all cracks will have to be caulked before painting. After these steps are completed, the trim can now be painted using two coats of either oil or latex paint. Most people prefer to use either a semi-gloss or a gloss paint on the woodwork which will give the woodwork a nice, shiny look and will be a great contrast to the paint on the walls. If you would like to paint the stained wood trim in your home I would suggest talking with a local Birmingham painting contractor who is familiar with the process and can offer you guidance on painting your trim.

How To Hire A Professional Hoover Painting Contractor

T.Evans — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 01:11:29 +0000

Having been born and raised in this area all of my life as well as working here for many years, I have witnessed The City of Hoover grow by leaps and bounds over the years. In 1967 Hoover, Alabama had approximately 400 residents. Hoover now has well over 80,000 residents and is projected to grow by more than 12% by 2014. With all of this growth came thousands of new homes being built. Of course with any home, painting is something that every homeowner will need to do at some point and time. When its time for your home to be painted and you need to find a professional Hoover house painter there are a few things that you should do to find a reputable company. The first way to find a good local painting contractor is to ask around to someone that you know and trust for a referral. Most people have used a painting contractor to paint their home in the past and are great sources to obtain a reference. You can learn a lot about a painter from his prior customers. Ask about the quality of their work, did they do everything that they said they were going to do, were they neat and would they hire them again to paint their home. Another good source to find a reputable Hoover painting contractor is on the internet. Many sites now offer consumers the ability to rate various companies that they have used, such as a painter. A good example of this is Angieslist. Although there is a fee to use this service, the fee is nominal and is well worth the price. These are the two best ways to locate a good professional painter. Once you began taking bids a few things that you should require from any painting contractor are a thorough written estimate outlining all work to be done including all prep work and the type of paint to be used, a warranty, proof of insurance, estimated start and completion dates and also ask if the estimate price if firm or is it subject to change once work has began. Just follow these guidelines whenever you need to find a professional Hoover painting contractor and you should be able to find someone that you are comfortable with and trust to complete your next painting project.