Category: Painters

Interior Painters on Thumbtack cost

The national average cost to paint a single room is $917. That price goes up to $1,223 for two rooms, $1,834 for three rooms and $2,446 for four rooms.

Prices depend on a variety of factors, including the size of your room, the type of paint, primer or finish you choose, how many coats you need, your ceiling height and the cost of hiring painters in your area.

How much do professional painters charge an hour?

The national average cost for professional interior painters is $45 per hour. However, average prices can range from $27 to $85 per hour depending on the painting company or contractor. 

If you feel like you haven’t been quoted a fair price, ask your painter to break down the numbers. Some painting companies include charges for things you wouldn’t ordinarily think about, such as materials, gas for traveling, and overhead expenses like utilities and crew benefits.

How to estimate the cost of painting a room

It’s helpful to ask yourself the following questions when you’re estimating how much you’ll pay for interior painting services.

How many interior rooms need to be painted? Your prices will go up if you need more rooms painted. However, the cost of painting two rooms is generally not double the cost of one room. You can spread out overhead expenses — an extra room just adds more square feet, some extra time and more gallons of paint.

How high is my ceiling? The higher the ceiling, the higher the walls — and that means more time and more paint.

How do painters set their prices? Ask the pro whether they charge per room, per square foot, per hour, per project or if they use a different cost unit.

How large is my room? Your room’s size or total square footage may have a large impact on your overall price. For an accurate quote, have measurements of your room ready when you contact a professional.

HOW TO PAINT RV WALLS

Use these RV interior painting ideas and tips to learn exactly how to paint RV walls. We’re breaking down the exact steps we used to paint our RV walls, cabinets and ceiling to give our camper a brand new look! This is a RV remodel project you don’t want to miss.

Paint is one of the easiest (and cheapest) ways to transform any space. That’s especially true when it comes to remodeling an RV. Painting the interior of an RV can be intimidating, but don’t worry, you can handle the project!

Prep The Walls For Paint

Whether you’ve completely gutted your RV or just wanting to give it a fresh paint job, you’ve probably got some imperfections in the walls.

Sanding The Walls

While sanding the walls of an RV, you want to be careful not to destroy the outer layer of the RV wall panels. This outer layer seems kind of like wallpaper, but it’s actually usually made from vinyl.

Wash the Walls with TSP

Once you’ve finished sanding, and filling all the holes, it’s time to clean the walls to prepare for paint. While it’s always a good idea to wash down an area before painting, it’s extra important to do so before painting RV walls and ceilings. With all the hauling, camping, and in our case, demo-ing, the interior of RVs can get dirty quick.

Wallpaper vs Paint: Insider Info You Need to Know

Looking for a way to breathe new life into your lacklustre walls? Deciding on the right type of wall treatment is no easy task, given the huge number of products available today. And homeowners are mostly confused between two popular options – paint vs wallpaper

Variety in colors and finishes is a major plus point if you are looking to create a unique look for your home. Thankfully, there is no dearth of variety in both wallpaper and paint.

Paint is available in literally every color under the sun – you can mix and match to your heart’s content. When applied in combination with the hundreds of texturing techniques in use today, paint can create stunning effects that completely transform the look of any home.  You can also choose from a variety of finishes such as matte, satin, semi-gloss and glossy.

Between the two, paint is the easier and less fussy option for walls. A day or two will suffice for a paint job for a standard size room. Painted walls are also very accommodating to incoming, newer coats of paint of the same hue. In most cases, if the surface isn’t too worn out, a new coat of paint can be applied on to the older one.

Good quality paint on walls, when finished well, can last you up to five years. That said, paint tends to fade and flake in areas that have high usage and exposure to sunlight. Hence, retouching will be necessary 3 years or so – maybe even sooner for paints in lighter colours.

Best Paint Colors For Your Living Room

Your living room is probably the most popular room in the house, so decorating it to make sure it’s a place that you actually look forward to spending time in a must. And that brings us to color, since coming up with a palette will likely drive the design process and set the mood for years to come. Whether you want something bold and bright, neutral, or moody, we’ve got tons of living room paint color ideas for your to get inspired by ahead. All you have to do is put on your overalls and grab a roller

Mint Green

This fresh color makes a room feel like a tropical oasis. In this room, where the paint stretches all the way up to the high rafters in this living room, the hue changes depending on the way the light hits it, shifting between sharp mint green and soft sea foam green.

Crisp White

A crisp, matte white is totally timeless. Pure White is there for you when you just can’t with trends anymore (see ya never, millennial pink).

Ocean Blue

Not only is this deep blue paint a lovely and bold color for the living room, but the high-gloss finish in this room by Kate Reid also adds some extra punch. It’s basically the color of wanderlust right in your own home. It’ll make you feel like you’re on vacation, even if the closest you’re getting to an island escape is your laptop’s screensaver (sigh)

Dark Gray

The mix of cool and warm tones in this designer living room strikes the perfect balance. Even though it’s subtle, the added texture you get from linen helps tone down the cool sophistication of the gray wall. And in a bold, colorful coral shade, it also cheers things up.

Painting Tips & Techniques

Which paint brush do I use for various types of paints?

A natural bristle paint brush is made from animal hair, and is very soft and porous. For oil-based paints, most professionals choose a natural China-bristle (hog hair) paint brush.

If you are painting a smooth surface with oil-based paint, a natural White Bristle paint brush is your best choice because it is soft and supple. When painting a textured surface, a natural Black Bristle paint brush will work better, because it is stiffer and has superior abrasion wear. When you require an ultra-fine finish, a brush blended with ox hair is the best choice.

Synthetic filament – When your choice in coatings is water-based (frequently referred to as latex), it is absolutely essential that you select a synthetic filament paint brush. The Purdy synthetic filament range includes:

100% black nylon

100% dyed nylon

Nylon/polyester blend

100% Chinex® filament

Chinex/nylon blend

Chinex/polyester blend

Chinex/nylon/polyester blend

Which paint roller is the best choice for various types of paints?

Most people believe that all paint rollers look and feel similar, but it’s important to keep the following painting tips in mind to achieve professional painting results:

Woven roller cover – Paint rollers that are made of woven material, such as the Purdy White Dove roller cover, are virtually shed-free because they are made out of continuous yarn. Every thread that makes up the face fabric is locked to the back of the fabric. These roller covers are recommended for smooth surfaces such as doors, paneling and smooth walls.

Knitted roller cover – Paint rollers that are made out of knitted material are usually used for rough or semi-rough surfaces, such as rough-cut siding, stucco or textured walls and ceilings. We recommend the Purdy Golden Eagle paint roller. This roller cover contains a high-density material that will hold a lot of paint without dripping.

Selecting the pile (or nap) – The more texture desired, the higher the pile should be. A 1/2-inch plus pile height is ideal for a stippled effect common to most homes. Pile heights on some Purdy textured paint roller covers are as high as 1-1/4 inches, creating an extremely textured effect. Conversely, if you desire a smooth finish in your kitchen, bath or utility room, use low-pile 1/4-inch to 3/8-inch roller covers such as the White Dove and Parrot paint roller covers.

Painting tips for cutting in with Purdy brushes.

“Cutting in” is the art of drawing a straight line, separating two colors using only the paint brush – no masking tape or other aid. You often see it at the edge where a wall color is cut into a different ceiling color. When cutting in, follow these simple rules:

Use a fully loaded brush.

Using the brush parallel to the area to be cut, let the paint brush open up into a semi-oval and bring it into the line you are cutting. Follow the line until the line of paint begins to break up. Repeat. It is best to cut in while breathing out or holding your breath.

Work into the previous area

Common Exterior Paint Problems and How to Fix Them

Under the blistering exposure to sun, frequent soakings by rain, and radical temperature shifts, the paints that cover exterior siding and trim surfaces face some of the most demanding conditions possible. Modern paint chemistry makes today’s paints remarkably adept at handling these situations, and the house surfaces that once required painting every two or three years can now sometimes go a decade before they require repainting. But under certain conditions—or when the preparation or application has been less than ideal—there are a number of common problems that occur with exterior paint jobs. Understanding the origins and solutions for these ten common problems will help you address them quickly and avoid them in the future.

Blistering Paint

Blistering paint is identified by small- to medium-sized bubbles or blisters under the paint film. It is most commonly seen on wood siding and trim.

Possible Causes

• Paint was applied in direct sunlight on a hot surface, which trapped solvent vapor as the paint dried too quickly.
• The Paint was applied when the wood was damp, causing trapped moisture to expand the paint film.
• Dew, rain or very high humidity penetrated after latex paint dried—a common problem if the latex paint was of lower quality or if the substrate surface preparation was inadequate.
• House moisture escaped through the walls due to improper house ventilation.

Repair and Prevention

• Scrape away blistered paint, and sand to bare wood. ​Let wood completely dry before painting.
• Make sure to sand, prime, and paint in non-direct sunlight and in non-humid conditions.
• Use high-quality latex paint.
• If due to lack of home ventilation, corrective repairs must be made to properly ventilate the home’s walls, roof, and eaves, bathrooms, etc.
• Check and repair any loose or missing caulking around windows and doors.
• Consider providing siding ventilation.

Alligatoring and Checking

Alligatoring is a type of paint film failure in which the surface develops a cracked pattern with deep relief, resembling a reptile’s skin. Checking is a similar failure, but it is less severe and is characterized by long, fairly evenly spaced cracks in the paint film, having shallow relief or depth. Occasionally checking may become severe in some areas, leading to a deeper crack or split in the paint.

Possible Causes (Alligatoring)

• The second coat of paint was applied over the first coat of primer or paint base coat that had not yet fully dried.
• The second coat of paint was applied over an incompatible paint, such as a glossy paint or a hard oil enamel over a latex-based paint.
• Oil-Based paint has naturally aged and lost its elasticity, leading to cracks caused by fluctuations in temperature.

Possible Causes (Checking)

• Natural aging occurred with several layers of older oil-based paint. As the material that was painted (usually wood) contracts and expands over time, the paint has to move, and it “checks” as it loses elasticity.

Repair and Prevention

• Remove the old paint, then sand, prime and repaint with a flexible latex-based paint.
• Use high-quality latex paint.

Efflorescence

A problem of painted masonry construction, efflorescence is identified by crusty white salt deposits bubbling through the paint film from an underlying masonry structure. It is caused by salts in the brick or concrete dissolving with water and then leaching to the surface as the water evaporates.

Possible Causes

• Surface preparation was poor; prior efflorescence was not entirely removed and washed before the surface was repainted.
• Heavy moisture migrated through exterior masonry walls from inside the home.
• Inadequately waterproofed basement walls allowed groundwater penetration.
• Masonry was painted before the concrete or mortar had adequately cured and dried out.
• Cracks in the masonry wall or poor tuckpointing have allowed water to get behind masonry wall.

Repair and Prevention

• If moisture is getting into the masonry wall, eliminate the source of moisture by properly tuckpointing any cracks or missing mortar in the wall or patching concrete with a latex concrete patch; clean out gutters and downspouts, and caulk joints around windows and doors with a butyl rubber caulk.
• If moisture is migrating through the wall from the outside (e.g., basement wall), apply waterproofing to the outside of the wall.
• Remove all efflorescence and any loose flaking, chalking paint with a wire brush, scraping, or power washing. Then clean the area with a trisodium phosphate cleaning solution and rinse with clean water. Let completely dry, then paint with a high-quality latex house paint.

Chalking

Chalking is identified by the fine chalky powder that forms on the surface of a paint film. Although some chalking is a normal way in which paints self-clean when exposed to the sun and rain, excessive chalking can indicate paint failure. In dry arid climates where there is little rain, chalking can become excessive. Chalking is actually the paint pigment released by the paint binders that have been broken down by exposure to the weather. Chalking is especially common with very light-colored flat paints, especially lesser quality oil-based paints containing high levels of pigment extenders. When chalking gets severe, it may run off and stain the surrounding construction.

Possible Causes

• Cheaper-quality exterior paint was used, containing high levels of pigment extenders.
• Improper paint (such as interior paint) was used in an exterior application.
• Paint was applied over lower-quality factory-finished aluminum siding.
• The paint was over-thinned before it was applied.
• Porous surfaces were not properly sealed before painting.

Repair and Prevention

• Chalking must be removed before repainting. Remove chalking by power washing or scrubbing with a trisodium phosphate cleaning solution and rinse with clean water. Let dry and paint with a high-quality latex house paint.
• To clean brick areas stained by chalking runoff, the masonry should be scrubbed with a specialized masonry cleaning solution. If staining persists, a professional cleaning contractor may be required to clean the brick.

Sagging or Running

This paint failure is easily identified as paint film with a droopy, dripping appearance.

Possible Causes

• Application of a coat of paint was too heavy or overloaded.
• Paint was thinned too much at the time of application.
• The paint was applied in poor environmental conditions, such as when temperatures were too cool or when humidity was too high.
• The paint was applied to a high-gloss surface that was not first primed. This prevents the paint substrate from having the “tooth” necessary for the finish coat to adhere.
• Painted surface was not clean or properly prepared at the time of application.

Repair and Prevention

• If you catch the sagging while the paint is still wet, use a brush or roller to redistribute the excessive paint evenly.
• If the paint is dried, sand the uneven area and lightly reapply paint.
• If the paint was applied to a glossy surface, sand the glossy surface to dull it and create a “tooth” for the paint to adhere, or apply a primer and repaint.
• Paint using two light coats instead of one very heavy coat.
• Do not overload the paintbrush. Follow proper technique for use of a paintbrush.

SPRAY PAINT VS. ROLLING PAINT: EXTERIOR PAINTING DILEMMA

Some painting companies spray the siding on houses while others brush and roll the paint on. I have had a lot of my homeowners ask me what the difference between the two are. Each of the two has its own advantages and disadvantages.

ROLLING

At textbook painting we normally roll the majority of our jobs because rolling jobs will give a higher quality finish. The advantages to rolling a house vs. spraying is that the paint will be applied much thicker giving overall better coverage than if it was sprayed. Also it is much easier to be precise and when a house is rolled it eliminates the risk of such things like overspray.

SPRAYING

We also spray some jobs for its primary advantage: speed. When we spray large areas it allows us to work much faster and produce a job much quicker. Since fewer labor hours are needed it costs me less to produce the job and I pass that savings on to my homeowners. So I normally write an estimate up with a price to have it sprayed with the additional option to have it rolled. Most of my homeowners end up going with the roll price because it is a higher quality job.