Home Painting 101 & The Lion City

Nippon Paint 2012 Unveiled!

2011-11-30T01:09:00.001-08:00

Nippon Paint 2012 Colour Chart unveils a slew of new exciting colours.

Check out The E Store Facebook photo gallery for new refreshing paint ideas.

Product of the Week: Hammerite-Direct To Rust Paint

2011-10-24T21:26:00.000-07:00

This week, we will introduce one of the the more innovative enamel paint products around -Hammerite.

Hammerite offers an easy to understand range of paints for protecting and rejuvenating metal in more than over 50 countries in the world.

Unlike conventional paints, Hammerite can be applied directly onto metal without using a primer and undercoat first. And it can also be applied even directly onto rusty surface!

This means substantial cost savings and convenience for users. What's more, Hammerite uses a special alkyd formula that can offer up to 8 years of superior rust prevention.

Hammerite is an all in 1 solution that provides corrosion resistant coatings which withstand severe weather conditions as the finish actually sheds water. Ideal for refurbishments as well as restoration work.

Hammerite can be used on ferrous and non-ferrous metals, wrought iron gates, certain plastics and interior wood.

For more details on the science behind the technology, please visit the following link.

Hammerite is available in 250ml ($12.90~$14.90) and 750ml ($21.90~$24.90) per can.

Coverage: 5 square metre per litre
Touch Dry Time: 1-2 hours

Colour properties-How it affect mood and emotion

2011-09-28T01:47:00.000-07:00

Nippon Paint Singapore

Package Painting Deals-Too Much of A Good Thing?

2011-09-23T01:11:00.000-07:00

Just yesterday, a customer, James, dropped into our shop to enquire about the rates for painting.

I replied matter of factly that we do not have painting packages because we sell direct to our customers- home owners and contractors alike at 1 price- that is the lowest price we can offer.

He was puzzled why we didn't so since so many other painters and paint companies are offering the same.

When I asked him what was the quote he had gotten, he said the painter quoted him a particular brand and he had no idea whatsoever why that brand was quoted.

There are many others, like James, who apparently have the misconception that painting packages is the real deal. Unfortunately they may not be so. Here's why:

1. By lumping the cost of paint and labour cost together, home owners cannot differentiate the actual cost of the material and the workmanship cost.

To get the true picture of how much the painters are charging for labour, it would be much clearer if the painter can provide details of workmanship and the cost of paint seperately.

Ideally, homeowners should check how many painters will be available for the job as well the number of days required to complete the paint job. If Painter A quoted you $200 for a job that will be completed by 2 person within a day while Painter B quoted you $100 but takes 3 days to finish the job, Painter A would definitely offer better workmanship cost in terms of the manhours involved.

2. Package deals offer limited choice of colour.

If you enjoy introducing different colour or shades to your home, you will probably find it restrictive with painting packages.

Most packages limit you to a choice of 2 or 3 colour including white so you probably have to stick to less colour options.

3. Painting package may not ensure quality paint products are used

Uninformed customers who sign up for painting packages often do not realize that some dishonest painters actually use alternative inferior paint products to increase their profit margin even though they were promised and paid for premium paint products.

One way to safeguard your interest would be to purchase the paint seperately so that there is less incentive for the painters to witch products.

Hopefully new homeowners can seriously pay more attention to the issues we have raised above before committing to a new painting package next time. You might save a lot more hassle than you think.

ICI Dulux Launches Dulux Pure- Singapore's first Air Purifying Emulsion Paint

2011-06-26T04:47:00.000-07:00

ICI Dulux officially launched Singapore's First Air Purifying Interior Emulsion Paint - Dulux Pure

Introducing it's latest innovative paint, Dulux Pure complies with JC/T 1074-2008 'Purificatory performance test method of coatings on air purification'

Dulux Pure is a multi-function super premium paint that not only offers high coverage, superior washability, low odour and low volatile organic compound , environmentally friendly, anti-bacteria and anti-fungus and durability as well as neutralizing dangerous substance such as formaldehyde.

Dulux Pure is available in a wide range of colours under colour solutions.

The Estore is offering a special introductory online price of SS59.90 for 5 Litre instead of the normal price of S$93.00. Promotion is available on a first come first serve basis and whilst stocks last.

For more information, email sales@estore.com.sg or contact Victor at 96315540

Nippon Paint Singapore Launches Mobile App for Apple Iphone and Android

2011-05-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

Nippon Paint Singapore officially introduced iColour - it's latest mobile app for Apple Iphone and Android.

Not only can users generate and download thousands of colour from the colour library, the app also provide a paint calculator and a fun memory game called "Nippon Paint Sumo"

You can also share your ideas with friends via email or Facebook.

Visit the following hyperlink for more information:

http://www.nipponpaint.com.sg/inspiration/icolour-app-for-iphone-and-android

Nippon Paint Introduces New Ultra Premium Odourless EasyWash Emulsion Paint

2010-12-05T06:18:00.000-08:00

Nippon Paint has introduced it's first collection of ultra premium emulsion paint for the interior walls of your home.

With virtually no odour during and after painting and twice the washability of normal Easywash paint, it is ideal for household with odour sensitive and allergy prone occupants, as well as homes that may require frequent cleaning.

Nippon Odourless EasyWash is available in more than 100 shades and colours to choose from and is now available at The E Store at a special price of S$74.90(Usual S$95.00) per 5L tin.

Latest Energy Saving Paint from Nippon Paint-SolaReflect

2010-08-16T06:44:00.000-07:00

Nippon paint introduces their latest environmentally friendly and energy saving paint for exterior masonry surfaces - SolaReflect

It's a highly stretchable exterior wall paint that reduces heat by reflecting infra red light from the coated surface and reducing surface temperature by 5 degree celcius.

This mean less energy required to cool your homes and savings on your electricity bills as well.

SolaReflect is available in 5L and you can choose from 29 exciting colours.

For more detailed product specification, you may visit the link here.

It now retail at www.estore.com.sg at S$58 per 5 litre tin

Painting Tips for first timer from Nippon Paint

2010-08-08T06:41:00.000-07:00

Visit Nippon Paint website now for useful tips on painting.

It contains many useful tips on painting preparation , mending walls, and things to look out for when painting your door, skirting, windoww etc.

It even comes with short video clips, making it simple to understand.

The website address is as follow:

http://www.nipponpaint.com.sg/paintadviser/diytips_videos.asp

Nippon Paint Introduces Singapore's 1st water-base Paint for wood and metal - Aquabodelac

2010-07-31T09:37:00.000-07:00

No Odour

Fast drying

Low Volatile Organic Compound (VOC)
Easy wash up with water
Anti-fungus
Non-toxic-does not contain lead
Good coverage and hiding power
Environmentally friendly - Green label
Non-yellowing

ICI Dulux Hari Raya 2010 Promotional Offer

2010-07-31T04:33:00.000-07:00

Get a S$2.00 McDonald's Voucher and limited edition ICI Dulux green packet when you purchase 1 x 5Litre ICI Dulux All (New), Light and Space and Wash and Wear Emulsion paint.

Promotion in on till 31st August 2010 (available whilst stocks last)

Nippon Medi-Fresh 3 in 1 Paint Final Clearance Sale @ $S29.95 per 5L tin

2008-10-31T18:38:00.000-07:00

The E Store is offering discontinued and dented range of Nippon 3 in 1 Medi- Fresh emulsion paint at a crazy price of S$29.95 per 5 litres tin.

If you do not mind the external appearance of the tin can condition, this is actually a very good value deal as the normal price of Medi-Fresh is about S$60.00.

Limited stocks are available while stocks last with 10 colours left to choose from.

Painter's Tip: Excuse me, which paint is Cheaper?

2008-10-28T01:23:00.001-07:00

Clients often asked me which is the "cheaper" paint and I often find it difficult to answer then immediately.

This is because many customers often fail to realize that price difference varies depending on the performance and quality of the paint.

But I think a more useful rule of thumb would be to find out about the coverage that the paint offers which in layman terms would mean how much paint is required to cover 1 square metre area of space.

I then divided the cost price for the respective price of our 5 Litre interior paint for both ICI Dulux and Nippon paint to calculative the unit cost required to cover one square metre area.

The results can be quite startling.

For instance , Dulux All Emulsion paint that cost $60 per 5L tin which seemed expensive compared to Dulux Light & Space that cost $5 cheaper (at $55 per 5L tin).

However, Light and Space actually cost $1.13 to cover 1 square metre area while Dulux All only cost $0.83 to cover the same area.

In other words, Dulux All is 36% cheaper to use to paint 1 square metre area compared to Dulux Light and Space.

For those who are torn between using ICI Dulux and Nippon paint, the unit cost per coverage also give you a better coverage given similar price range.

For example, both Dulux All ($60/5L) and Nippon Odourless ($62/5L) cost around the same price range but in terms of coverage, Dulux All seems value for more as it is also low in odour, is green label certified and has a much higher coverage of 14.5 sq metre per litre compared to Nippon Odourless that only covers 11 sq metre per litre on average.

So next time, do not be fooled by the absolute price of the paint and pay attention to the coverage that the paint offers.

View the comparison results here.

Halloween Hot Product: Glow In The Dark Luminous Latex Paint

2008-10-09T19:29:00.000-07:00

Rustoleum Glow in the Dark Luminous Paint is your perfect tool for your upcoming Halloween Party decoration and project.

Glow In The Dark glows for up to 2 hours. Apply to wood, metal, plaster, masonry or unglazed ceramic. Washes with soap and water.

PRODUCT FEATURES:
Fast-drying
Indoor use only
Great for kids rooms, school projects and holiday decor

Available in 1 Quartz packing S$39.95

Visit Estore for more details

Halloween Project Ideas #1 Chalkboard Pumpkin

2008-10-05T21:58:00.000-07:00

With Halloween just 3 weeks away, we would like to share some project ideas to spice up your Halloween party.

Today we'll share with you the simple and easy to do chalkboard pumpkin featured on paintideas.com

ESTIMATED PROJECT TIME: 30 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

One pumpkin, any size you choose
Rust-Oleum Specialty ChalkBoard Spray Paint -Black
Decorative ribbon
Chalk
Eraser

DESCRIPTION

Clean Pumpkin with a clean rag, removing all dust and dirt
Wipe dry
Turn pumpkin right side up and spray 2 light coats with the Specialty Chalkboard Paint
Allow to dry for at least 20 minutes
Turn pumpkin up and spray the entire pumpkin with the Chalkboard Paint
Scrape writing edge of chalk on pavement before use, giving it a smoother rounded edge.
This will not allow the chalk to cut through the paint
Glue one end of the chalk to the ribbon and tie it to the pumpkin stem
Glue one end of the eraser to another piece of ribbon and tie it to the other side of the pumpkin stem

New ICI Dulux Low Odour Interior Paint Introductory Offer

2008-10-05T21:34:00.001-07:00

In conjunction with the launch of new Low Odour range of interior wall paint from ICI Dulux, Estore is offering discounts of up to 30% for all Dulux All, Supreme 3 in 1, Light and Space, Wash N Wear, Pentalite and Mouldguard 5 Litre can.

Promotion is valid whilst stocks last.

Visit Estore for all the special prices on offer

ICI Dulux Unveils New Low Odour Range and 2009 Colour Catalouge

2008-09-29T23:26:00.000-07:00

ICI Dulux has officially unveiled its latest range of low odour emulsion paint which include all time favourites such as Dulux All, Supreme 3 in 1, Light and Space, Wash and Wear as well as Pentalite.

I personally tested the new product on display and they were indeed impressive. Not only did they smell much nicer but I thought it has a light lavender fragrance. Perhaps the ambience may have distracted my sense of smell?

Home owners will probably be delighted that all of ICI Dulux emulsion paint are now low in odour and they have been awarded green label mark which means there are low volatile organic compound (VOC) and friendly to the environment and your loved ones.

The latest 2009 ICI Dulux Colour Inspirations catalouge was equally impressive with several user friendly improvements.

For instance, ICI Dulux showcased a number of projects by local interior designers which I thought was pretty useful.

Another plus point was that ICI Dulux has included a product code index to make it easier for buyers to located a particular colour code or product.

In conjunction with the launch of the Low Odour range, Estore is offering special prices starting from S$43.00 for a 5 litre ICI Dulux Pentalite to S$60.00 for Dulux All 5 Litre.

So hurry as promotion is only available whilst stocks last.

Click here the view all ICI Low Odour Products.

To seal or not to seal? Water vs. Oil base Sealer

2008-09-27T21:26:00.000-07:00

Wall sealers are often the neglected component of most first time home painters because novice home owners are ignorant of the long lasting benefits of applying a layer of sealer before painting their walls.

For the uninitiated, sealers are formulated paint with high resin content and low solid pigment (that gives colour to paint) content to regulate the absorption of the top coat finishing paint.

The resin content within the sealer will form a coating barrier upon drying to prevent the finishing paint from leaking into the inner most wall surface.

Moreover, different materials absorb liquids at different rates.

Finishing paint which is applied to a surface that has several different porosities will not dry at equal rates.

Those areas of the surface which absorb the paint quickly will pull the paint (and paint particles) deeper into the surface.

The sheen of the paint will appear uneven, even though the surface which was painted is smooth!

Therefore, we usually recommend our clients to apply a layer of sealer first in order to minimize incidence of patchy finishing which would eventually involve re-painting and additional work.

Now that you are aware of the importance of applying a layer of wall sealer, the other most common question would be choosing the type of wall sealer.

Water based sealer, as its name implies, is formulated using water. It take less time to dry, has lower odour level, clean easily with water but do not have the same coverage as oil based sealer (about 9 square meter vs. 15 square meter for oil base sealer).

Oil base sealer, on the other hand, is favored for its higher coverage (about 15 square meter) which means that it uses less sealer to cover more surface area compared to water base sealer (and hence more economic!)

This is possible as oil base sealer has more volume solid content.

However, as oil base sealer uses solvent as its base, it has a much strong smell and takes more time to dry and apply.

As such, we would recommend our clients water base sealer for enclosed and air-conditioned environment and oil base sealer for exterior surface that requires stronger outdoor protection.

You may visit our estore under for the various brand we carry which includes ICI Dulux, Nippon Paint, Berger, Kansai, Jotun, Mesa etc.

ICI Dulux Colour Solution Hari Raya / Deepavali 2008 Promotion

2008-09-16T02:00:00.000-07:00

Are you having difficulty looking for a particular paint colour to match your furnishing or decoration but couldn't find it in the Nippon Paint or ICI Dulux catalouge?

Fret not as ICI Dulux Colour Solutions can offer colour customization just the way you like it to be.

With both Hari Raya Puasa and Deepavali just around the corner, Estore is offering great discounts of up to 30% on all ICI Dulux Colour Solution Product range (Supreme 3 in 1, Wash & Wear, Pentalite, Pearl Glo, Gloss Finish, Satinwood and Weathershield) to usher in the festive mood.

Some of the prices are even lower our normal ready mix paint from ICI Dulux. For instance, you could customize the colour that you like from Dulux All (S$62.00 per 5 litre tin ) product range and pay only for the ICI Dulux Pentalite range (S$43.00 per 5 litre tin onwards)

Promotion will end on 15th October 2008 or whilst stocks last.

So hurry and drop us a visit online and check out our hard to beat promotional prices at the following hyperlink.

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pVJSMRxCrSe_P9xd2zVkTWQ

Selamat Hari Raya Puasa & Happy Deepavali...

Nippon Paint Releases New Catalouge for 2008/2009 & New Colour Offering

2008-08-23T20:03:00.000-07:00

Nippon Paint has unveiled it's new colour catalouge for 2008/2009.

What i like about the new catalouge is that not only does the new catalouge contain it's latest colouring offering but also a more comprehensive painting guide.

Helpful tips include:

1. How to achieve the desired visual effects with your choice of colours

2. The Appropriate Painting Sequence

3. Painting Preparation

4. Painting Tool Checklist.

It also has a bilingual paint guide for with Chinese translation.

However, I feel that Nippon Paint could have been more informative by including the coverage of the different type of paint instead of generalizing paint requirement for 3, 4 and 5 room flats as the size modern HDB flats differ from older HDB.

And this is why I think the 2007/2008 ICI Dulux catalouge is more informative in this area.

But for first time painters and new home owners, this new catalouge should be quite handy.

You may grab a copy for authorized Nippon Paint Dealers or contact Nippon Paint directly at 62655355 to request for a copy and they'll gladly post a copy to you.

I shall review those painting guide and tips in subsquent posting.

Introducing our new Painting Service Package

2008-08-05T04:09:00.000-07:00

We are please to introduce our competitive and flexible painting service package for our customers.

Basically we are offering 3 different package to suit your budget and needs.

What's more, Citibank & UOB credit card holders may also sign up for our 0% interest free installment plan.

A: Economy Package (Price: From S$450.00 for HDB 3-Room/Apartment <901sqft)

-Choice of 2 coating of either Nippon Matex

or ICI Dulux Supermaxilite

B: Standard Package (Price: From S$720.00 for HDB 3-Room/Apartment <901sqft)

- Choice of 2 coating of either Nippon Vinilex/ Vinyl Silk + Matex (Ceiling) or customized colour

or ICI Pentalite Emulsion paint + Supermaxilite (Ceiling) or customized colour

C: Supreme Package (Price: From S$810.00 for HDB 3-Room/Apartment <901sqft)

- Choice of 2 coating of either Nippon Premium Paint( EasyWash/ Ordour-less/ Medi-Fresh/ Soft Matt + Matex (Ceiling) or customized colour

or or ICI Dulux Premium Paint (All, Lumitec, Supreme 3 in 1, Wash N Wear) or customized colour+ Supermaxilite (Ceiling)

Please contact Victor at 96315540 or email victor@estore.com.sg for more information.

You can also view the summary package at this link

Extra Painting Package for wall sealer, door frame and pipes are also available.

Choosing the right colour

2008-06-09T06:48:00.000-07:00

Choosing the right colour can be exciting and fun. However, finding the right colour can be problematic with the wide variet of colours and shades to choose from.

ICI Dulux have come up with an easy solution with their online paint simulator.

Do check out their websites and test drive your desired colours before making the final selection.

ICI Dulux Mouse Painter

Nippon Paint currently do not provide any online colour simulator but you may also visit their website for their colour scheme selection.

The Great Singapore Nippon Medi-Fresh 3 in1 Emulsion Paint Sale 2008

2008-05-24T05:10:00.000-07:00

In conjunction with the start of the Great Singapore Sale 2008 which kicked off officially yesterday, The E Store is offering discontinued and dented range of Nippon 3 in 1 Medi- Fresh emulsion paint at a crazy price of S$39.00 per 5 litres tin.

So hurry. Extremely limited stocks are available while stocks last and the of 15 colours.

Choosing Water Base Paint for Interior Walls

2008-05-17T01:57:00.000-07:00

Many first time home painters are often bewildered by the sheer variety of paint on sale.

Water based paint or emulsion paint can generally be classified into 2 broad categories namely the economy range and the premium range.

Nippon Paint offers an economy range under the Matex brand while ICI Dulux names its own economy range as ICI Super Naxilite. Matex can cost between S$18.95 ( 7 litres can) to S$46.40 (20 litres drum) and Super maxilite ranges from S$20.55 (7 litres can) to S$48.50 (20 litres drum).

Both economy range are extremely popular with painters and contractors due to their affordable prices and their no frills qualities. They are also an economical choice for white washing of walls.

However, users must be aware that the finishing from the economy range can be quite chalky after some time. Moreover, the choice of colous are also more limited compared to the premium range.

It you are looking for quality and other properties such as washability, durability, low volatile organic chemicals (VOC), silky finish or mulitpurpose function, you may want to consider the premium range offerred by Nippon Paint and ICI Dulux.

The premium range, however, comes in 1 litre and 5 litre packaging only and the price range for 5 litres from Nippon Paint starts at S$40.25 (Nippon Vinilex 5000) to S$61.30 (Nippon Medi-Fresh).

ICI Dulux 5 litres premium paint collection starts from S$42.70(Pentalite) to S$65.20 (Dulux All).

As a rough guide, a 5 litres can of paint is sufficient to provide 2 coatings for a normal HDB room with 4 walls.

Please visit our online store for the complete range on offer by Nippon Paint and ICI Dulux.

Water Base and Oil Base Paint

2008-05-17T00:22:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my very own blog on home painting in Singapore.

This blog aims to provide useful tips, news and information for home owners who are planning to decorate or re-decorate their homes.

For the uninitiated, the comonly available paint available are either water based or oil base paint.

Water-base paint include

Nippon Vinilex 5000,

Nippon Odour-less,

Nippon Matex Paint,

ICI Dulux All,

ICI Dulux Wash & Wear and

ICI Supermaxilite.

Oil-base paint include :

Nippon Bodelac 9000 and

ICI Dulux Gloss Finish.

Many of my customers are often confused about the difference between the 2 categories of paint.

Generally speaking, water based paint are applied on interior wall painting while oil base or solvent base paint are more suitable for wood and metal surfaces.

You may want to visit the following wikipedia link to find out more details about their differences.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emulsion_paint

I shall attempt to share some tips about using and choosing the respective type of paint in my next post.