Giving a room or two in your home a fresh coat of paint is an exciting and satisfying DIY project, but it takes a lot of planning to get it right.  As you plan your painting project, avoid these common mistakes!

1. Don’t skimp on protection. You need to thoroughly cover and protect the area where you’ll be painting.  Cover furniture or move it far away from your work area. Lay down drop cloths to cover all nearby surfaces that aren’t part of the painting project.  Spend time taping and masking off the area. You shouldn’t cut corners on any of the prep work, and especially not when it comes to protecting your furniture and flooring!
2. Don’t settle for cheap coatings.  Many homeowners think they’ll save money by opting for the least expensive paint or coating.  In reality, the opposite is often true!  If you buy the cheapest paint, you’ll often end up needing more and more, whereas if you select a high quality top coat with strong pigmentation and the right chemical makeup for your surface, you’ll likely cover the area in a single coat.
3. Don’t settle for cheap applicators.  Again, if you reach for the cheapest brushes and roller covers, you’ll probably end up frustrated.  Fuzz from cheap roller covers and hairs from cheap paint brushes can come out and stick to your freshly painted walls.  Find high quality brushes and applicators that don’t “break the bank,” and your project will go smoothly, figuratively and literally.
4. Don’t rush!  Once your painting project is underway, don’t rush through the work.  When you rush, you’ll get drips and spills, your lines won’t be straight, and the coverage might be too thin on parts of the wall.  You need to take your time, keep your hand steady, and give the work the time and attention it calls for.
5. Don’t bite off more than you can chew! House painting is one of (if not the most) cumbersome and tricky DIY projects out there.  Even small painting projects require lots of planning, lots of prep work, lots of manual labor, and lots of your precious time.  Why not call on a great professional painting company to do the job?

When your painting projects gets too big, call on The Painting Craftsmen, northeast Florida’s luxury house painting service.  The Painting Craftsmen is the best Jacksonville FL painting contractor and the company to trust with your home’s painting project.  Our technicians are trained and experienced painters and know how to perform each paint job with precision and efficiency.  We are the painting service of choice for customers throughout downtown Jacksonville, Riverside Avondale, San Marco, and along the Beaches, and we’d love to take care of your interior painting project for you.

Painting projects take a lot of work, and the idea of simplifying the process by using two materials in one is very tempting. This is where 2­-in­-1 paint and primer combination comes in. Nearly all paint manufacturers have come out with their versions of this combination, but to mixed reviews. So, how do you know if it’s right for you to use a paint primer combination on your own home?

Understanding Paint And Primer
To begin, it’s important to understand the difference between primer and paint. Primer is a specially­ formulated application meant to adhere to the substrate and create a smooth and uniform surface that is ready to be coated with paint. The substrate may be anything, including metal or raw wood, or a surface that has already been painted, whether the paint is fresh or beginning to peel. The substrate may also have issues with rust, mildew, or any number of other issues, and the primer may be formulated to alleviate any such problem. In short, the primer prepares the surface so that the paint will look and perform as well as possible.

Paint, of course, is the topcoat that you’ve selected in the perfect color for your home. The higher the quality of the paint, the richer its pigment, and the better it will look and perform. When the proper prep work has been done, and a good quality primer has been applied, a high quality paint will make the job complete, and will look great and last for a long time.

Paint and primer are unique, and they are formulated to do entirely different things. If you were to try to create your own paint and primer combination, you could not simply pour a can of primer and a can of paint into a bucket and begin applying the mixture with good results. Chemically, this is just not possible. Paint manufacturers, therefore, formulate their own 2­in­1 paint primer combinations, which usually consist of a thicker than usual coating, designed to cover the substrate in a single coat.

When should I use 2­-in-­1 paint primer?
● Similar paint types ­- If you are painting a surface that has already been painted, you can use a paint primer combination product and expect good results. There are several caveats to this situation. First, the existing paint must be in good shape. It can’t be chipped or peeling, and there certainly cannot be any issues such as rust or mildew present. Second, the existing paint must be the same type as your 2­-in-­1 product. For example, if the existing paint is latex­ based, and the paint primer combination is latex based, then the product should work. You cannot, however, coat oil ­based paint with a latex­ based product.

When should I use traditional primer and paint?
● Dissimilar paint types -­ If you are covering a previously painted surface, and will be using the opposite type of paint, you’ll need to use traditional paint and primer. Using the example above, if you are covering latex paint will oil­ based paint, only a high quality primer formulated for oil­ based paint, followed by oil­ based paint will do. Dissimilar paint may also refer to color. If your walls are white, but you’d like to paint them a deep shade of blue, only traditional primer and traditional paint ­ and perhaps several coats of each ­ will give you the results you want.

● Raw substrate ­- If you are painting bare metal, raw wood, concrete, or any other substrate that has never been painted, you will need to stick to the traditional painting process and avoid 2­-in-­1 combination products. Only a
true, high quality primer will prepare such a substrate to accept and hold paint.

● Substrate with surface issues -­ If your substrate suffers from mold, mildew, rust, or any other problem, a 2­-in­-1 paint primer will not be able to properly coat it. You’ll need to find a high quality primer that is specially formulated to protect against the issue. Then, after properly ridding the substrate of the buildup, apply your primer, using more than one coat, if necessary, followed by the topcoat.

● Cost matters -­ If you are painting your home on a budget, you will most likely want to avoid using combination products. Contrary to what we want to believe, investing in high quality primer, and especially in high quality paint will save money in the long run. With quality products, you will apply fewer coats, and they will provide a finish that lasts longer and performs better.

● Quality and appearance matter ­- The traditional method of prep work, high quality primer, and high quality topcoat will always provide the most beautiful results.

After all the steps that go into proper prep work, it does sound nice to simplify the subsequent steps by using a paint primer combination. However, for the best results, stick to the traditional process of painting ­ including all prep work, 1-­2 coats of high quality primer, and then 1­-2 coats of the highest quality paint. Beautiful and long lasting paint jobs not only require the right materials, but also the right process!

The Best Jacksonville FL House Painters
At The Painting Craftsmen, we believe that painting is a process and an art form. We believe that in order to give our clients the best possible paint job, we need to complete each step of prep work, primer application, and topcoat application, using the eye of an artist, and the steady hand of a skilled technician with years of experience. We pride ourselves in offering only the highest quality coatings and products, and using the best equipment in the industry to paint your home. We specialize in providing durable coatings, in a high quality luxury finish that your neighbors will envy.

Homes throughout Jacksonville Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach, Sawgrass, Ortega, Mandarin, and beyond are looking beautiful, thanks to our award­ winning teams of expert painters. Let us do the same for your home!

The drywall in your home is subjected to damages of all kinds. Our walls get bashed by doorknobs, scraped and gouged by furniture, and riddled with dents and gashes, especially if there are kids or pets in the house. The good news is that repairing damaged drywall is easier than you might think. Take a look at our tips, head to the hardware store, and your walls will be looking great in almost no time!

For every surface to be painted, there is a method that suits it best. The traditional paint brush and roller are still the best option for many painting projects, but there are some areas of the home for which a paint sprayer will do the best work. In most cases, a combination of methods will be used for your project to create the best possible final product. Great painting contractors know how to make each part of your house look its best, and will know when to brush, when to roll, and when to spray. As a homeowner, it can be intimidating to think of paint being sprayed onto any area of your home, but there are actually many cases in which the paint spray gun is safe and effective and will give the best results.

Caulk is an important element in nearly every painting project, and indeed, in countless home improvement jobs in general. Caulking is a great way to seal your home from moisture, close drafty cracks or joints, and block dust, debris, and even insects from entering your house. A neat bead of caulk is also the perfect solution for closing unsightly gaps between pieces of trim, around baseboards or door frames, and many other areas around your home. Caulk is the solution to many problems, but before your grab your caulk gun and buy the first tube of sealant you find, do some research to make sure you are making the best decisions for your caulking project.

Gray is one of the most versatile colors on the spectrum. Color enthusiasts love to play with the vast array of gray shades to create the perfect pairing or palette for a room. Many homeowners choose to incorporate gray because of the modern or contemporary feel it creates. Still others are drawn to gray tones because of the calming effect they can give. Whatever your reason for choosing gray, we have tips for finding the perfect hue for you.

Read More»

You found the perfect paint color for your kitchen and are ready to get started on the transformation.Or perhaps you finally decided on the right sheen for the master bedroom, and can’t wait to begin. A painting projects always begins as a dream, but without adequate planning it can turn into a nightmare. Follow our tips to make the process go smoothly from start to finish.

Selecting the right color for painting a room is a big task, and considering the sheen and finish makes the job even bigger. It can be hard to make sense of the painting terminology, so The Painting Craftsmen has compiled a list of the best sheens and finishes to use on each area of your house, for both interior and exterior painting projects. Follow our tips as you plan your painting project, and you’ll love the results.

Color and style forecasters predict upcoming runway fashions, new trends in the auto industry, popular designs for furniture and home décor, and just about anything else that consumers are interested in. Likewise, color consultants and design specialists have the expertise to predict the tones, shades, sheens, and combinations of colors that will be popular for the walls in your own home! Whether you prefer timeless palettes or the latest styles, knowing the current painting trends can give you the inspiration you need to plan your next interior painting project.

When lead paint was introduced for its use in homes and businesses there were no health concerns or risks associated with it. Rather, it was a high-performing paint suitable for nearly any paint job. Adding lead compounds to paint it made it stronger and more durable, as well as flexible and able to withstand all types of weather. It adhered especially well to wood, and was subsequently the first choice of homeowners and master painters from the mid 1800s through the 1940s.