House Painting Services in Austell

Paint primers: what and why?

admin — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 17:14:51 +0000

Primers come in many varieties: latex and alkyd, spray can or brush on, dedicated or already in the paint. How does one choose the right primer for the job?

In all cases the substrate and/or the use-case being painted should determine the primer. A primers job is to bond to and seal the surface for final applications of paint. The first decision is usually latex or solvent-based primer. For most surfaces latex is perfectly acceptable, does the job and is much less messy and smelly than the solvent alternative.

Solvent-based primers are usually reserved for stain blocking and for metal surfaces. Latex is not recommended for either because the stain may bleed through when latex paint is applied or metal surfaces will be more prone to rust.

PROJECT CONCEPT

An oil base primer must be used on an oil based paint, urethane or varnish in order to apply latex paint. This includes oil-based trim paints, stained and sealed wood trims and cabinets.

If the substrate you want to paint is not something that is usually painted then you will want a specialty primer. Examples would be: masonry primers, fast bond primers for shiny surfaces like ceramic or glass, or shellac based primers for smoke damage.

What about paint and primer in one? The only time this is an advantage is for bare surfaces, saving the painter the step of a separate prime coat. Say one has peeling paint on the outside of a house, with paint and primer in one, the surface can be scraped down and painted directly without having to prime, wait for it to dry, sand and paint. Paint and primer over a previously painted surface gains no advantage over paint alone.

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One coat of paint or two?

admin — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 17:09:27 +0000

A common question we receive on estimates is “Should I do one or two coats of paint?” . The quick answer is anytime there is a color or sheen change, our policy at Express Yourself Paint is to apply two coats of paint. While there are many so-called “ one coat ” paints being marketed we have tried them and rest assured our years of experience have taught us they do not cover. Here are a few reasons:

P rofessional painter s perform minor drywall repairs both before and in- between coats of paint as they become visible. One coat is often not enough to cover even when the patchwork has been primed. The patches will absorb the paint and seem dull compared to the rest of the wall.

Many homes have not been painted for years and in some cases still have the original coat of paint. The walls become extremely dry or “thirsty”, thus a bsorbing a lot of paint. This results in a very spotty and unpleasant looking surface.

PROJECT CONCEPT

A second coat of paint is necessary for a sheen change as well. Paint film retracts slightly as it dries resulting in small gaps or tiny holes on the surface. When a new paint with a different sheen is applied over an old paint, often the difference in shine levels can be recognized. Even if it’s a color match, the result make the surface look uneven or patchy.

Every manufacturers warranty calls for a second coat of paint within a certain window of time in order to bond the coats together, creating a minimum barrier thickness that properly seals the substrate from damage.

So, when is one coat of paint an option? Here’s are three scenarios:

Touch-ups . If a surface hasn’t been painted in more than a month then it should be painted with one coat, corner to corner with a paint match of color and sheen.

Rentals, painting to sell, some commercial spaces. Offices can be painted with a one coat application when computer matching existing color and sheen in order to improve the appearance of the space while keep costs within budget.

Exteriors. If the paint film is in good shape (no chalking, cracking, peeling, exposed wood etc.), a high-end, high build exterior paint can be applied. A computer match of existing color and sheen is still required in order to avoid brush strokes or uneven coverage.

The power of paint fills many roles : color change, ability to clean with ease, increased durability are just to name a few. Depending on the color and condition of the surface to be coated, sometimes one coat of paint is just not possible. In most cases the extra expense of two coats is well worth the value gained in terms of the life of the paint.

Are you ready to behold the power of paint? Schedule your free estimate here!

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How to properly power wash a house

admin — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 07:14:18 +0000

Power washing is a part of our exterior painting process. Whether it be outside of a home or a deck, it’s important we have a clean surface to apply any paint or stain. We power wash the day before the project to give ample time to dry. Here are the steps we take in the process of power washing:

PROJECT CONCEPT

Assessing a house to be washed .

Siding should be checked for chalking by rubbing one’s hand across it and looking for a white chalk-like powder If this is found and the house is not scheduled to be painted, the customer should be informed and NO BLEACH is to be used. A mild soap is fine. Any stained wood such as front doors or porch ceilings will also need to be protected from bleach, ideally by taping plastic over them. A ceiling can be rinsed with clean water before bleaching siding near it and then rinsed again afterwards. The same with plants near to the house. We then rinse with clean water before doing any bleach work and rinse again immediately afterward.

Parking and water hookup

Typically we will park on the street as long as an available water spigot is within reach of your hose. In using the customer’s hose we always ask for permission. We are aware how far the washing line will reach in order to get all the way around the house. Water hookup is done first and the water turned on before rolling out washer line and turning on the pump.

Standard washing

We choose two sides to begin washing. We start at the farthest point from the pump and work back towards it. First rinse all the windows lightly with clear water. We then b egin bleaching at the top and work down the house. We avoid bleaching the window glass. This is done until two sides have been covered in bleach. The bleach is turned off and we begin rinsing where we started the bleaching. Rinse from the bottom up , changing tips as necessary to reach the high points. Then an another light rinse on the window glass. Once two sides have been washed and rinsed, we wash the remaining two sides in the same manner.

Decks

Normal washing of a deck is the same as a house: bleach and rinse. Striping a deck for new stain or paint requires additional prep and care. All adjacent surfaces that aren’t being striped will need to be protected with plastic, for example the painted siding. Next, wee carefully apply stripper only where old stain is to be removed. Allow the striper to work for 10-15 minutes. Remove old stain with pressure. If it is coming off easily, we apply an acid like vinegar to neutralize the stripper and finish removing the stain.

Driveways

If the driveway has mildew or is especially dirty, we apply a layer of bleach first. Hook up the hard surface cleaner and turn on the pump and heat. Work in rows like mowing a lawn and keep the cleaner in motion as long as the trigger is pulled. A second pass in the opposite direction may be necessary to remove swirl marks.

Clean up

We then turn off water and roll up hoses. We replace any items moved such as trash bins or welcome mats. If necessary, we use leaf blower to spread out disturbed mulch or debris blown by pressure.

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