Painter

A Toronto painter is a person that makes homes something beautiful and functional, protecting them with durable finishes. Getting a painting company to paint your home is a great way to get the needed maintenance done quickly and cleanly, with as little headache for you as possible.

Many people claim to be painters, but the truth is that having painted your own place or a few apartments for friends and family does not qualify as professional training. There is a big difference between the work delivered by the amateur and the professional painter, and hiring one or the other can mean many years difference in the longevity of a paint job. Efficiency, correct methods, knowledge of products and their application, and overall skill are all at play. Just as you would not hire a student or an amateur to do plumbing for your home, don’t let just anyone paint your interior walls or exterior surfaces. In plumbing the mistakes of poor workmanship can be quick and severe; in painting work, the effects are more gradual, yet over time add up to a significant problem.

Anyone can pick up a paint brush or roller, but the experienced painter uses them as tools to deliver great results.

 

Painting Articles to Read

Here is a link to an article on Painting your stairs that I think is very helpful if you are trying to paint your stairs, or refinish them in a creative way. It is written by Toronto Painters, and a reputable company. Some great tips here. Cheers!

The task of stair refinishing is one that can add great style to an old house, and its important because its usually a focal point of your entranceway, so you want it to look its best. There are more articles at this hub, and at hubpages in general.

Quality Painting Toronto

The internet will lead one to believe that all painting companies are the same. After all, they all appear with the same keywords and writups when you search for them in Google and other search engines. The fact is that there is a wide variance in the specific skills and abilities of the painters you find on the internet. But how do you tell them apart?

Here is a story of two types of painters. One woke up one morning and decided that “I can run a painting business, no problem!” and started to spam the internet with marketing slogans boasting of ‘expert quality service’ and ‘guaranteed results’. Homeowners end up hiring these guys, and the service they receive falls short of their lofty advertising. Sure, they will often be able to perform reasonably well on simple jobs, but you are taking chances if they end up coming across something they arn’t familiar with.
The second painter is someone who started painting as a kid and took time to build the skills of a painter. They have a desire to do good work because they enjoy their craft, and the business they earn has grown organically. This is the kind of painter you want to hire, because quality comes before salesmanship.

There are ways to find such a painter. You need to be able to recognize phoney marketing-heavy websites. Look for legitimate testimonials and photo galleries with real images of projects they have done (if the photos look like they are from a design magazine, they probably are!). Its known to always excersize vigilance in choosing a contractor, and this is true with painters as with any other.

here is an article relevant to hiring a great Toronto painting company, and being careful of the not so great ones. ARC Painting is a Toronto painting service that cares about quality, and we want to prove it to you. Call us for a quote at 416-454-3150.

 

House Painting 101: Ladder Safety

Painting at heights can be a daunting task, enough that it compels many a homeowner to call a professional painter to take care of the high soffits and roof areas. This, of course, is a great idea since this can be dangerous work and requires skill using ladders and sometimes even a harness system, as well as steady nerves. If you are set to tackle the project yourself though, there are important guidelines to follow to be successful, and not end up in the hospital! We assume you have selected your paint and have a basic understanding of house painting at this point.

Ladder Placement: Do not try this at home!

Firstly, you need to obtain a safe ladder. This means a commercial grade and fully-functional ladder. Homeowner grade ladders can be quite narrow and are not advisable if working higher than 20 feet off the ground, the trade-standard are more robust, rated at 225 pounds, and will feel more secure. Rent one if necessary, you’ll need a 28′ or longer for many 2 story homes to reach the 2nd story soffits, and 3rd story areas will require a 32′ or a 40′ ladder.

Most important is to know how to use your ladder safely. When setting up, always be sure it is on level and solid ground. if you are on dirt or grass, you should use the spikes of the feet (if applicable) to dig into the soft earth. It is also very important to lean the ladder at the correct angle. There is a rule of thumb to obtain the right ratio: for every horizontal foot, you have 3-4 feet of rise. So if against a wall, if your ladder is extended to a total 20′, you want to base of the ladder 5 or 6 feet from the wall. Stay close to the recommended angle and the risk of the ladder slipping or moving will be kept to a minimum.

Reaching the soffit from the ladder should be comfortable, and you should not need to reach. Set it up at a height that is just below the area you need to work. Your body should stay centered on the ladder, and still be able to work effectively on the surfaces scraping and painting. But always keep one hand on the ladder, and scrape or paint with the free hand. This can be tedious work, but you will be sorry if you lose your balance!

A few other important safety tips:
- get a paint can hook. You don’t have an extra hand to hold a can of paint when working at heights!
- work when it is not too windy. Wind can be quite strong 30′ off the ground, enough to cause you to lose your balance.
- Always work with another person to assist with the ladder.

Using a ladder is the biggest challenge to painting your house yourself, but it is certainly doable if you proceed methodically and never rush or skip steps that could jeopardize your safety.

Click for more house painting ideas at a Toronto painting blog.

Tips on House Painting

House painting is a skill; and although its one of the most popular diy home projects, it can be quite a chore for the unprepared or “unhandy.” If you have alot of painting to do, it is almost always recommended to hire a professional painting company. But if you have just 1 or 2 rooms to do, its possible to get good results on your own.

In addition to paint, you will need some basic painting materials: these include a quality brush, roller cage and sleeve(s), drop cloths, extension pole, sanding materials, fillers and caulking, and tape. You should generally allow for $100 for 1 room in paint and materials, depending on what you want to do. Generally, the better the quality of paint, the easier it will be to apply, and the longer it will last. Too cheap a paint can require an extra coat for coverage, and you don’t need extra problems when painting!

Interior Painting Tips

The interior of a house is a place to make your own. The fun part is picking paint colours that you like, and that will make you feel at home. Often the particular beauty of the house is compromised by dull and worn walls. Maintaining your interior can be hard as often the damage is caused by simple vacuuming, so painting eventually becomes necessary. While starting your painting work consider the current type of paint, and what type of paint will go over it well. If you have oil paint, you may need to prime; if its glossy you may need to scuff sand as well for good adhesion. Before applying the painting try to clean the surface. Cover floors to guard against damage from dust and paint drips. If any dent, holes, or cracks, get some spackling if it is available and repair it properly before painting. Without doing this, the paint will not hide the imperfections. Consider masking materials for getting a straight line. Try to maintain a wet edge; this will reduce inconsistencies in the finish. You need to practice quite a lot the technique to use the paint brush to obtain a good finish. If you are not handy, It is sometimes much more cost effective to just hire a professional painter.

Exterior Painting Techniques

Professional painters always consider the exterior of the house painting to be very serious business. Exterior condition of the paint is the barrier against elements, the only way to protect the surface of the house from any kind of damage caused by the rain and bad weather. A pro-quality painting job can often save yourself thousands of dollar by not needing to repaint in the near future, or worse, have to replace exterior house sheathing and trim. Before painting the exterior surface preparation is a very important job. Choose a high-performance primer, use the best quality products you can, especially on important trim and highly exposed areas. Painting materials like brush, roller, and airless paint sprayer can help you to be more efficient in your painting as well.

The various surfaces of your home can require different painting techniques, and its important to apply paint well for maximum longevity. There are plenty of resources online to help you in painting, and it can be done yourself, but always consider the value of a professional painting company to get it done quickly and effectively, expecially for the exterior of your home where skill and safety are essential.

Consider hiring this Toronto painting company if you need a great team of trustworthy painters.

House painting in Toronto – ARC Painting Professionals.

Go to the homepage of Toronto Painters (ARC Painting).

or get more information via Toronto Painting Blog

want to hire an interior or exterior house painter?