I decided to cut and paste an email that I got and replied to since it contains some important questions about painting kitchen cabinetry.

Thank you for your thoughtful questions.  Washability, in fact, *scrubability is extremely important so we use products that are very scour proof.  In terms of rolling vs spraying we in fact do both all the time.  As professional applicators who are experts in both approaches and can make brush and roll look like its been sprayed…no brush or roller marks and perfect glass-like uniformity of sheen, we generally reserve the right to use either method.  Having said that;  some customers have expressed to us that that is all well and good but would prefer a sprayed finish just the same, because in their estimation, and perhaps experience and maybe statements made by friends not excluded by the hearsay rule..the sprayed look gives more of a ‘factory finish’.  That observation is not entirely without merit which is why we continue to spray out cabinetry more than ox tail brushing and high density foam rolling…. notwithstanding our perceived ability to make a brush and roll application look like a sprayed finish.   In short, if you want them sprayed we will happily spray them…the pricing is the same regardless of methodology.

We do not prefer semi gloss latex over lacquer at all.  Both can work out quite well.  One challenge with the lacquer is the fact that its more translucent and therefore requires more coats which bumps up the price on both the labour and material side.  Also, white lacquer can amber (turn yellow) over a number of years whereas the latex semi always remains true to its original colour.  This issue doesn’t really come into play with off whites and darker colours.  Lacquer, in my experience is more scour proof than latex semi although you will find a ton of people telling you otherwise.  Retailers will tell you this untruth because they want to sell a user friendly product and painters will say its so because they lack the requisite experience with lacquer.  And again, lacquer tends to influence the overall price to do the job in a disproportionately high way.  The solution we have found is in the product known as Melamine, which definitely looks like a lacquer finish.  The cabinets depicted on our site were all done in Melamine.  The one downside with Melamine that we don’t have to address too often at all is that it only comes in semi gloss..which is only a downside if you prefer more of an eggshell finish.  95% of the cabinetry we do has a semi gloss finish.  So, if you like a glossy finish then you’re almost home free and no, Melamine doesn’t amber like lacquer does, which in your case seems like a non issue anyway.

In terms of timing we can paint any time you wish and the whole process will take approx 5 days.  We have at our disposel what seems like every colour under the sun and I would be happy to show you what *I believe to be ‘expresso’ and a white or an off-white that will compliment it.  It also might behoove you to visit a paint store or two and pick out what you like and then we can compare notes and take it from there.

Your last point is well taken and I can assure you that your cabinets will look every bit as immaculate as the ones depicted on our site.

Thanks again for your discerning questions.

Regards,

Rick Anderson

www.vancouversbestpainters.com

cell: 604-PAINTER

From: Loni Johnston [mailto:Loni_Johnston@shaw.ca]
Sent: Saturday, January 30, 2010 8:27 PM
To: Vancouver’s Best Painters
Subject: Re: Painting

Hi Rick,

Thank you for the quote and reference letters.

I have a few questions:

Does the paint you use work well in kitchen?  For example, does it wash well.

Why do you roll and brush the kitchen carcasses instead of spray them? (is it visibly obvious the difference between spray and roll/brush)

Why do you prefer semi-gloss latex over lacquer?

When will you be able to paint our kitchen and how long does it take?

Do you have standard white and espresso color you normally use or do we provide the paint chip?

We spoke of a kitchen you have on your web site.  You mentioned that the kitchen was painted to a high standard for $5,000.  I understand that kitchen is bigger but I just want to make sure that you are quoting us a price that would make my kitchen painted to a high standard.  (for example, we would expect both sides of the doors to be painted well).

How Much to spend on Public Relations?  PR work can start out small and the budget my well involve more time than money.  To start your PR effort, a budget of $1,000 for your firs year will get the publicity wheels in motion.  Along with the budget, you need some way to quantify how effective your PR efforts have been.  Whenever you receive a new contact or project, you need a way of finding out if the person learned about your company as a result of your PR efforts or by some other means.  At the end of the year, you want to be able to refer to your records and see, for instance, that of the 30 new contacts received, 15 came from volunteering to repaint the lobby at the local hospital, and of those, five turned into contracts worth $40,000 that netted you $12,000 in gross profits.

Your Best PR

Once you have decided what resources you can devote to PR, scale your PR efforts to fit your resources.  If you don’t have much money, but can afford some time, volunteering is a very effective public relations strategy.  As mentioned, you can conduct seminars and become the local expert on paint colours, applications and technical tips.  They can take place just about anywhere there is space—a library, a paint dealers store, a school gym, or a church basement.  Here are some tips to get your seminars started successfully:

1)  Have the venue do the advertising.

The place you are conducting your seminar in has a vested interest in you getting aq good crowd.  If they do other seminars, they likely already have effective avenuse they use to annnounce them.

2)  Have Patience

You may only get one or two people to your first seminar as they sometimes require a bit of momentum to become popular.

3)  Make Adjustments

You will discover very quickly what works and what does not work to attract attention and draw crowds.  Start off with a plan and a highly visual presentation, but be ready to change it as you go.

4) Have  Your Company Material Available

Once the audience has seen your presentation, they will need a way to get a hold of you.

5) Dont Start Selling Too Early

Seminars are about relationship building.  If you start selling your services too soon, you will alienate your audience and send the wrong signal about yourself and your company.  At a seminar, take a here to help attitude; dont sell.

6)  Be Prepared

You can’t just go up there and talk.  Visual aids are important to an interesting seminar.  Audience participation is important too.  Bring sample boards, paint and brushes.  Make your presentation informative and fun.

Hiring A PR Professional

If you can budget a little more money towards PR, you should consider hiring a PR professional.  But who?  Like most industries, the PR world runs on relationships and a P’R professional with good relationships with the media outlets that matter to you is your best value.  When you have a new project you think is newsworth, or if you are doing something as a company that will send a positive message about you (like cleaning up that playground) you need someone who can get the story into the local newspaper.  If it is industry based, you want a PR professional who knows which industry media outlets go to your market.

More Marketing (For Your Painting Company In the Vancouver Area)

Beyond PR work, you can get the message out about your company through traditional channels like ads in local papers, radio spots, signage on-site and in neighbour hoods or listings on contractor websites.  The key thing to remember is that, according to marketing studies, it takes nine “impressions” (views of your logo, name, or message) on average for your company to register in the mind of the viewer.  Finding different means of getting those views and making sure the whole package is well-coordinated will make your marketing most effective.  Get some good professional advice before you spend too much money on marketing.

What if it Works?

This may be the most underrated question asked about a new marketing effort.  If you spend time and money working on a marketing campaign to get your company beyond referrals and you actually start to bring in more prospects, do you have the resources to handle them?  Are there enough hours in the day for you to meet all those prospects?  Do you have a way of qualifying all the prospects to reduce the time you spend on the weak ones?  Starting uup a marketing effort can be a lot like hitting the switch on your stucco sprayer….it will generate a lot of activity, and if you haven’t prepared for it, you’ll end up with a mess.  Here’s what you need to have in place before you flip the switch.

1) A Protocol for judging the quality of the phone-in prospects

Phone inquiries will increase, but you only want to visit those sites that have the same likelihood of becoming jobs as your referral customers.  You need a set of standard questions you use on every call that will help you discern how serious the caller is.

2) someone in your organization who can help you with sales calls.  Start training them now.

3)  A prepared supply chain.

You suppliers need to bump up your account limits.  You need to do an inventory of your tools, trucks and supplies.  Can they handle an increased workload?

4)  Cash.  Increased cash flow means more chances for gaps in the flow.  Those extra three guys you hired need to be paid whether you managed to collect from your new clients or not.

5)  Flexibility in your workforce.  You need subtrades  to fill gaps in your crew resources when the work starts to increase.

6)  Written Policies.  Whatever was verbally communicated within your company (”you can’t smoke on the jobsite”)..or known to you only..(I will always return phone calls within two hours)…must be committed to writing and made known to every one.   You are about to become a bigger company, which means it will take on a life of its own.  The only way to control that life is through writing down your vision for how the company should look, work and behave.

Rick Anderson

www.vancouversbestpainters.com

cell: 604-PAINTER

The best kind of marketing that goes beyond referrals (word-of-mouth) is public relations.  Public relations is essenttialy the work of getting exposure for yo9ur company…whether thats Vancouver’s Best Painters, 604-PAINTER or Vancouver Industrial Painting…by means other than paid advertising.  For instance, if you became the painting expert giving seminars to homeowners at the local paint supply store, that’s PR.  If you sent a press release to your local newspaper to announce that your company was going to partner with the city to fix up a run down play playground, that’s PR

Have A Budget

Companies new to PR, like Vancouver’s Best Painters make the mistake of thinking it won’t cost them anything.  Though it should cost you less than paid advertising, there will still be some cost involved, either in hiring a public relations firm or in the time and money it will take for you or one of your employess to conceive, produce and send out your PR material and conduct your PR events.

So, whilt it is true you have to have a budget for PR, don’t be discouraged.  The budget doesnt have to be big, and the return is usually much greater than the cost.  The important thing is to recognize that PR needs its own budget.

Rick Anderson

www.vancouversbestpainters.com

www.604painters.com

www.vancouverindustrialpainting.com

cell: 604-PAINTER

Dealing with painting employees who have been filling space while you tried to meet your contractural obligations is easy.  Thank them for their contribution and lay them off (making sure you have obeyed your provincial labour laws in doing so of course.)  If they go to your competition, all the better.  The better painters for your Vancouver Painting Company are tricky.  You dont want them to either go to your competition.  Determine if they intend to stay in the market if they are laid off as a Vancouver painting contractor.  If so…see if you can set them up as a sub contractor for your Vancouver painting company to reduce your obligations but still have them in your stable.  Yes they have the potential to become your competition that way..but if you maintain a healthy relationship with them, you can trust they will feel indebted to you to some degree and wont hurt your business in the long run.

First, look at your long term employees.  Often, its these employees that become the biggest burden on a company trying to weather an economic storm.  Their painting salaries may have been ratched up and beyond their production value simply because they have been with you for a long time.  Letting some Vancouver painting contractors (employees) is a legitimate option, but has to be weighed against the possibility that they will become your competition.  In the paint trade…in the Vancouver area…that is a particularly difficult problem, as the workforce is fluid and its not hard to ex painting employees to set themselves up in the painting business.  Your best chance to get their salaries in line is to renegotiate the salary with non monetary compensations.  If you dont have a benefit plan, it might be time to renegotiate salaries and start one so you can play a reduction in rates against the increased security that a benefit package offers.  Can you split compensation between money and equity.  Your long term employees have seen you operate and like what they see.  They may be willing to invest in you.  Remember, there are great benefits to employees to remain employees with you during a recession, so keep in mind the bargaining power that the current slowdown gives you.

www.vancouversbestpainters.com

www.604painters.com

www.vancouverindustrialpainting.com

What should your employees make?  Certainly, they should make what they earn, but finding out exactly what that is can be tough, and getting them to that point even tougher.  The general range for pay for a Vancouver’s Best Painter in Canada today can be anywhere between $10 and $35 per hour.  YOu need to ask around to friends in the business to find out what employees are being paid in your area.  Anectdotal evidence suggests that non union rates for employment in construction have gone down between five and 10 per cent in the last year.

There is much that is unpleasant for a Vancouver painter about a slowing economy.  For ‘glass-half-full’ painters however, a slowing economy affords an opportunity to re-evaluate business practices and make adjustments in anticipation of future growth.  The salary structure within a painting company can be very c0mplex, and, as painting employees in the Vancouver area come and go…unbalanced.  As a painting contractor company in the Vancouver area retools and downsizes, it should be able to adjust its salary structure to rebalance the ledger.

Starting at the top

First, look at your own salary.  As business contracts and jobs become harder to come by, no doubt you can expect to work longer hours and take on more of the day-to-day tasks.  Should you then pay yourself more?  Should you just work more and take home the same pay?  Should you take home less?  The answer is, once you have adjusted for your new circumstances you should be taking home the same or more, but never less.  In other words, the choices you make regarding how you downsize your painting business should have as their primary goal protecting your personal income and your lifestyle.  That is the privilege of painting business ownership.  Is it fair?  Absolutely.  You are your best employee.  You care the most, work the hardest, have the most experience with the painting company and have the biggest stake in its success.   There is no better formula for employee motivation than to pay that kind of employee as much as you can afford.

In addition, you must always consider the opportunity cost you pay for being in business.  You hear is most often expressed when you hear your peers say:  “For that money, I am better off staying home”  The point is that reducing your income makes no sense when you could just close up shop and work somewhere else for a lot less hassle, fewer hours and more money.

What You Should Earn As A Painter or Painting Contractor In the Vancouver Area

If you are a painter in the home renovation trade in the Vancouver area, you are probably not being paid enough.  Rick Anderson from Vancouver’s Best Painters says that owners of general contracting and subtrade companies should be earning at least 10% of their companys gross income in consideration for the many hours they work.

Section 2.01 deals with approved paints and manufacturers.  While this provision benefits the Co-Op by ensuring that interior surfaces are well protected and assures the new occupant of quality paint, it also benefits the member doing the painting.  Under the Materials section, a number of paint manufactureres are listed.  These all have in common the fact that they provide quality products.  Those of us who have had experience with “budget” paints will no doubt remember having to run out for extra paint when the paint we have applied has soaked into the wall necessitating two, three and sometimes four coats to cover.  Good quality paint applied over a proper primer/sealer often can provide reasonable coverage in one coat.  Buying higher qualtiy paint that goes much farther, coupled with the discount we enjoy at General Paint, makes this alternative the cheapest way to meet the standards i the PAINT SPECS.  If, however, you have a favourite paint or alternative finish that is not listed, please bring it before the Committee for approval as desc ribed.

Like touch-ups, wallpaper has often been a problem in past move-outs.  Colour and especially quality are highly variable, and most wallpaper, unless it is expensive, cannot be cared for like a painted wall.  Also, wallpaper is often painted over rather than being stripped, making removal even more difficult.  The intent here is not to pass problems on to the next member occupying the unit.

Like touch-ups, wallpaper has often been a problem in past move-outs.  Colour and especially quality are highly variable, and most wallpaper, unless it is expensive, cannot be cared for like a painted wall.  Also, wallpaper is often painted over rather than being stripped, making removal even more difficult.  The intent here is not to pass problems on to the next member occupying the unit.

Section 2.01 deals with approved paints and manufactureres.  While this provision benefits the Co0op by ensuring that interior surfaces are well protected and assures the new occupant of quality paint, it also benefits the member doing the painting.  Under the Materials section, a number of paint manufacturers are listed.  There al have in common the fact that they provide quality products.  Those of us who have had experience with “budget” paints will no doubt remember haing to run out fo extra paint when the paint we have supplies has soaked into the wall necessitating two, three and sometimes four coats to cover.  Good quality paint applied over a proper primer/sealer often can provide reasonable coverage in one coat.  Buying a higher quality p aint that goes much farther, coupled with the discount we enjoy at General Paint, makes this alternative the cheapest way to meet the standars in the PAINT SPECS.  If, however, you have a favourite paint or alternative finish that is not listed, please bring it befor the BMC for apaproval as described.

Touch ups in Co-Ops in the Vancouver area for painters have always been a problem with move-out inspections and are not now being accepted.  The colour and sheen characteristics of a paint can never be exactly matched, and even paint from the same can saved for this purpose undergoes oxidization, resulting in the sheen properties changing rapidly.  Unless a wall has been painted very recently (for example, during move out itself) it is better to repaint the entire surface as other problems such as furniture and picture “shadows” are often present.  For the best touch up painters in the Vancouver area please call 604-PAINTER  604-724-6837

Reflectance Coefficient is simply a measure of how much light bounces back from a painted surface — how bright it is.  The Membership Manual makes reference to “neutral colour” for repainting.  Member and the BMC have always had a hard time defining what is “neutral” even though we think we know it when we see it.  The subcommittee of BMC on paint specs has pointed out that what we really mean by neutral is “bright” and the “reflectance coefficient” is the only measure of this property that allows all paint colours or tints to be compared on an equal basis.  For example, a reflectance coefficient of 0.90  (or 90%) is dead white.  The PAINT SPECS call for paint to be between 0.80 and0.90, allowing for some relatively light colour tints.  Every paint sold has reflectance coefficient value that the paint dealer can supply for each tint.  Members are required to have this value available at inspection for whatever paints they use.  The Co-op office has list of these reflectance values for all tints offered by General Paint, the recommended paint for Co-Op members since we get a discount.  This list provides a handy reference for members and the inspecting teams and eliminates any doubt or confusion over this item in the PAINT SPECS when General Paint products are used.

For the best painters in the Vancouver area, particularly for Co-Op painting in the Greater Vancouver area, please call the best painters:  Vancouver’s Best Painters at 604-PAINTER 604-724-6837 or visit www.vancouversbestpainters.com

Recently, it has become clear to the Building Mainenance Committe that what is mean by “Co-op Standards” is really now quite well established.  However, inspecting teams were frustrated with their inability to provide something to members moving out that shows them clearly what is to be expected and, in turn, what they can expect when they move into another newly prepared Co-op unit.  As a result, a subcommittee of  BMC has recently drafted, and the the Board passed, a set of SPECIFICATIONS FOR PAINTING AND FINISHING that formalizes the expectations of the Co-op for members painting their units for move-out.  This document is a formal paint specification written in a style familiar to the building trades and stating all necessary information in a concise manner.  In this sense, it stands as a reference for Co-Op management, outside contractors, committees and members alike clearly outlining the standards that interior painting must meet.

However, since these specifications will be read and used primarily by members at the move-out, some notes are being provided as a companion to the PAINT SPECS to explain and expand some of the section in the document.  Please keep in mind that the PAINT SPECS are an explicit statement of standards that must be adhered to in preparing your unit.  The following poste will hopefully help you to achieve these standards.

www.vancouversbestpainters.com call: 604-PAINTER

When a unit is first inspected, almost without exception the member is asked to paint some or all of their unit.  At final inspection, this painting is evaluated and if it meets what the Membership Manual refers to as “Co-op” Standards”, the job is approved.  These Co-op standards, as such, have never been written down but have in fact gone through a process of evolution over the years.  They have changed as a consensusn developed amon the Builing Maintenance Committee..members who do inspections, the Membership Committee who provide input from members who have been through the process and the Board of Directors with on-site management.

When a member prepares to leave their unit in the Co-op, either to move to another unit or to leave the Co-op altogether, they must do a variety of thngs to make the unit ready for the next occupant.  This can be a complex process and is described in the Move In and Move out Policies and Procedures that comprise a whole section of  the Membership Manual.  Indeed, many current members have been through this process —some, several times.  What follows is a detailed account of what is expected from each tennant.

7:  Cut back on prep

You want your Vancouver painting company to go up in flames?  Forget the drop sheets and ignore the spatter on the 18th century armoire.  Leave the light switch covers and door hinges on and cut around them.  Paint over the spider webs and the dirt on the top of the baseboards.  Skip the sanding.  It won’t take long to say bye-by to your business.

6:   Don’t confirm colours

There is no better way to end your business than having to do your work twice, and no better way to ensure doing that than painting the wrong colour.  If you want to put yourself out of the painting business in the Vancouver area…then don’t do samples.

5:  Hire Cheap Vancouver labour and don’t supervise them

What you really need destroy your business is chaos so don’t be shy to ignore the warning signs of your new hires like their sloppy dress, or the fact that they are not bondable.  And if they say “yea, I can paint.  Anyone can paint” then sign them up, because you’re got a one way ticket to disaster.  Run from the guy with the clean whites and the appreciation that painting in Vancouver is a trade that will take a lifetime to learn.  Laugh off the guy whose five year old brushes are immaculate and who cleans and stacks his rollers and trays.

And once you have a couple of those losers on site, take a break.  Go for a coffee.  Maybe even take the rest of the day off.  Your plan to kill you Vancouver painting business is in good hands and it wont take long before you are collecting wefare.

10:  Dont return Calls

By itself, not returning calls won’t put you under, but it’s a great start.  Not only will you frustrate the people who pay your bills, supply your paint and do your work for you, you won’t have to interrupt your lunch or leanr how to put phone numbers into that stupid cell phone directory.  When you short circuit your communications by ignoring calls, you destroy trust, confidence and efficiency.  When you want to wreck your painting businsess in the Vancouver area, what could be better than that?

9:  Over-promise, under perform

We are still on cummunication here.  If you want your Vancouver painting business to tank, make sure you promise the moon to your customers and then deliver the abondoned building across the street.  String them a line about how you going to make their decorating and painting dreams come true.  Tell them your work will be perfect and you’ll be done well ahead of schedule.  Whatever you do, don’t be realistic about your schedules or the challenges of the paint job before you.  Make it look easy.  If you want your customer to never recommend you to her friends, raise her expectations so hight that not even Michelangelo could meet them.  Then, slow down.  Relax.  Believe your own press, and you will under-perform beyond your own expectations.

8:  Do extras for free

This actually looks like a strategy for growing your business because you are making your customers happy, but in fact, it is an excellent way to cripple your Vancouver Painting Business..by drying up the funds you need to operate effectively.  When you do painting extras for free in the Vancouver area, you are guaranteed to eat up your profit margin, frustrate your subs with your subsequent nickel and diming and lower the quality of the work overall as you rush to finish your now money-losing job.  In the end, you will have made the customer more upset tha if you had ch arged for the extra work.  Excellent.  No referrals here, either.

As if there wasn’t enough to worry about as a painting contractor, winter loves to introduce complications…not so much for the Vancouver painter, painters painting in the Vancouver area but more so for the Ontario painter.   I remember a particularly ugly, stormy day just before Christmas in Ontario, nearly twenty years ago.  My guys and I were frantically trying to finish a job and get on the road ahead or rush hour traffic.  Well, the best laid plans of mice and men…..We didn’t get out on the road until 4: 15 pm  –just in the nick of too late.  It took an hour to get down to the main highway…..normallly a 10 minutes drive—and another hour oon the highway to get to our exit, which was one exit away.

During our two hour ordeal we saw at least a down accidents and countless cars stalled on the streets and hapless tractor trailer trucks stuck on hills.  I realized after I dropped off my guys that I was better off in a restaurant for a few hours than fuming over what I couldnt change.

PICTURE FRAMING ON DRYWALL (HATBANDING) Read the rest of this entry »

PEELNG FROM. CONCRETE FLOORS

Hardeners added to concrete will often prevent good adhesion. Also, concrete contains alkali, which is drawn to the surface by water and deposited there. When the water evaporates the alkali leave a crystallized substance (efflorescence), which pushes against the paint film and causes peeling

An additional problem with concrete is that grease, oil, wax, and dirt tend to soak in and are difficult to remove. If they are present when the floor is being painted, they can cause peeling.

Moisture seeping through concrete floors in basements contributes to peeling paint. Floors that are laid on-grade, without a moisture barrier, do not hold paint well.

If a concrete floor is old, it could crumble, bringing the paint film with it.

Finally, peeling from concrete can also occur when an alkyd or oil base floor finish is applied to a bare, unetched, uncured floor. When alkyd resins in the floor coating come in contact with the alkaline concrete surface, they combine, react with one another, and form a film between the concrete surface and the alkyd coating. This reaction (saponification) results in extremely poor adhesion and softness of the alkyd coating.

Solution

First, remove the paint by scraping. If necessary, use chemical strippers. To clean the floor. scrub with hot water and a strong detergent solution. Avoid mild dishwashing detergents; they contain skin softening ingredients which interfere with paint adhesion. Rinse thoroughly. Allow the surface to dry for several days. Stubborn grease may continue to rise to the surface; in that case, you may have to scrub again.

Once the floor is clean, mop on a 10% solution of muriatic acid and water. Always mix the acid into the water, not the water into the acid. When painting with a water-thinned coating, use a 10% solution of phosphoric acid instead of muriatic acid. Allow the solution to remain on the surface for 10 to 15 minutes until all bubbling stops. Flush the surface with clean water and allow it to dry completely.

 Note: Local codes may prohibit flushing this material down a drain. If so,

it will be necessary to plug the drains and vacuum up the fluid.

It is advisable to wear protective goggles, boots, and rubber gloves during this process, which is called etching.

When the floor is properly etched, it should resemble the texture of fine sandpaper. Etching creates the necessary surface profile to provide a good bond. Make sure all acid is removed prior to coating. It might help to apply an alkali-resistant primer before repainting.

If the concrete is loose, sand off any crumbly areas, then repaint.  Latex floor enamels may adhere successfully.

Acid etching with a 10% solution of muriatic acid and water also halts saponification.  Follow the previously mentioned washing instructions.. Acid etching not only cleanses the surface of efflorescence, but also helps to remove latency in concrete.

If no vapor barrier is provided under a slab foundation, it may be possible to elmininate the problem by coating the surface with a breathing material such as concrete stain.  However, some surface cannot be successfully coated: long-term standing water is an indicator of such a surface.

Article Prepared by Rick Anderson of Vancouver’s Best Painters:  Call 604-PAINTER Today!

PEELING FROM WOODEN WINDOW SILLS AND  FRAMES

Paint usually peels from window sills and frames because of condensation. Water standing on the sills eventually penetrates the paint film. When it evaporates, the pressure under the film causes peeling.

Solution

Remove all the paint by scraping, sanding, and, if necessary, using a chemical stripper. The use of a heat gun is a good alternative to chemical strippers. Either method can damage unprotected glass or window sealing material. Caulk where necessary, especially at every 90° angle and crevice, to eliminate any opportunity for moisture to penetrate into the wood substrate. Coat the sill with an exterior primer and finish coat. When painting frames, leave a 1/16-inch edge of paint on the pane to prevent water from getting behind the film. Open vent holes in aluminum window trim.

Other solutions involve using cedar wood as a replacement for pine, which soaks up water like a sponge. Paint the butt ends of the wood before replacing the sills.

Use oil-based gloss paints for surfaces exposed to standing snow and rain to help keep water from entering the wood. On new wood, use two topcoats of oil-based gloss. (Check safety and environmental regulations and codes.) Some manufacturers have latex primers that are impervious to water. The use of storm windows and dehumidifiers also helps to prevent peeling.

Article prepared by Rick Anderson of Vancouver’s Best Painters.

  PEELING FROM GLAZED WESTERN RED CEDAR OR REDWOOD SIDING

Mill-glaze is a hard, varnish-like glaze that appears on smooth, flat-grained Western Red Cedar and occasionally on redwood.

There is controversy over the exact cause of mill-glaze, but the general belief is that it is caused by planing and/or drying the lumber. During the milling or planing process, overheating of the flat-grained, smooth siding may bring water soluble resins to the surface, creating a hard, varnish-like glaze. Mill-glaze problems normally occur when siding has been installed smooth side out.

Solution

If the surface is unpainted, the best system is one that uses three coats, consisting of one coat of primer and two coats of latex finish. The most important feature of the system is the primer. It must be one that seals in tannic acid and prevents extractive bleeding. If, after one coat of primer dries, a brownish stain forms on the surface, an additional coat of primer must be applied to seal in the stains in the affected areas. Allow the first primer coat to dry before re-priming. If no additional stains are present, apply two coats of a high-quality latex finish.

For repainting over mill-glaze problem areas, remove the coatings either by pressure washing or hand scraping. Apply primer as indicated above and finish with two coats of latex finish.

Newly-installed siding should be finished as quickly as possible. Ultraviolet rays from the sun tend to degrade the integrity of the wood’s surface. A 50% loss in adhesion occurs on Western Red Cedar weathered for 16 weeks prior to finishing.

Abrading the mill-glaze surface by sanding prior to painting will ease surface tension and provide a better surface for the initial primer coat.

This article prepared by Rick Anderson of www.vancouversbestpainters.com call: 604-PAINTER

Paint Problem:  Painting Peeling From Brick

The most common cause of peeling from surfaces composed of mortar, brick, building block or concrete is efflorescence. Soluble salts are contained in these materials. When dissolved by water, they will be carried to the surface and will remain there after the water has evaporated. These crystallized salts push the paint away from the surface and peeling results.

Sometimes efflorescence occurs on brick walls of new construction. In the past, it was a common building practice to wash new brick or concrete walls with muriatic acid to clean away excess mortar. The acid was then washed away along with any chloride salts which may have formed. However, if the final rinsing was not thorough and the wall was painted later, any salts left on the bricks absorbed the moisture swell, causing peeling. (Current thinking is that acid etching, especially with muriatic acid, actually adds chloride salts back into concrete, so it is best to avoid it.)

Not all peeling from masonry is caused by efflorescence. Peeling can occur when an alkyd or oil-based paint is applied over a surface with a high alkalinity content (for example, unetched concrete). Alkyd resins that come in contact with an alkaline surface react by forming a soap film between the concrete surface and the alkyd coating. This reaction (saponification) results in extremely poor adhesion by the alkyd coating.

Solution

If efflorescence is evident, it must be removed before repainting. First, remove all flaking or chalking paint from the damaged area by wire brushing, sandblasting, or high-pressure water washing.Fill all cracks with a masonry patching compound, latex concrete patch, or caulking compound. If the surface is very porous, apply an alkali-resistant primer or block filler. Cover with latex house paint. If an exterior latex masonry paint is used as the topcoat, priming is not necessary.

To prevent recurrence of efflorescence on interior walls, the exterior walls should be sealed with a high-quality masonry coating. Waterproof coatings help seal exterior masonry walls.

Note: Extraneous water sources must be removed before painting (e.g.,

water migration at ground level, which is often caused by poor drainage).

Chalky or crumbly masonry surfaces can be primed with clear phenolic coatings (e.g., silicone sealer) to bond and seal old masonry.

This article was prepared by: Vancouver’s Best Painters:  Painters painting in the Vancouver and greater Vancouver area:  call: 604-PAINTER

Solution for Loose Flaking Paint

Remove all loose, flaking paint from the damaged area until you reach the bare metal. It is a good idea to follow coating removal with an application of a metal conditioner such al. Lithoform®, Galvaprep®, or similar conversion coating. Apply a galvanized metal primer, preferably latex, and follow with two coats of an acrylic finish.

If you must paint galvanized metal that has not weathered for six months, remove surface oil with a solvent such as lacquer thinner and/or a detergent wash, then coat the surface with a latex galvanized-metal primer or a Portland cement-based galvanized metal primer. Once the primer has dried completely, apply the topcoat.

PEELING FROM HARDBOARD SIDING

Peeling from hardboard siding is usually due to moisture buildup inside a structure. In tightly-constructed houses, moisture escapes through the walls because there is no place else for it to go. In the summer heat, the water trapped inside the exterior paint film is vaporized, and the resultant pressure causes peeling.

 Solution

The source of moisture must be removed either by installing vents and/or repairing worn caulking; more detailed recommendations are covered later in this module.

Remove all loose paint and sand the edges smooth. Apply a primer to seal the board and cover with a topcoat after the primer is thoroughly dry.

Hardboard, which is reconstituted natural wood, is fabricated by reducing natural wood to fibers and then pressing the fibers together into panels. It can be either tempered or standard. Tempered board is denser and has a higher moisture resistance. Standard hardboard should not be used outdoors where it will be directly exposed to the weather.

Rick Anderson

www.vancouversbestpainters.com

www.vancouverindustrialpainting.com

www.604painters.com

Local: 604-PAINTER

Toll Free: 1-800-PRO-PAINTER

Galvanized metal is very alkaline when received from the mill. In most cases, it also has an oil on its surface that prevents atmospheric humidity from coming in contact with the surface. This oil normally disappears naturally during the first six months of weathering; however, it must be removed if the customer wishes to paint before then. The oil is removed by solvent wiping or detergent washing. The alkalinity is then neutralized by acid wiping the surface with phosphoric acid followed by fresh water rinsing.

Failure to properly prime galvanized metal is usually the cause of peeling. When galvanized metal is allowed to weather for six months, it will develop white rust. This is the appearance of a white haze which dulls the galvanizing after exposure to the elements. This white rust must be removed by washing with water and detergent, followed by a complete rinsing.

Galvanized metal is usually specially treated to remove chemicals deposited on the surface after the galvanizing bath. Otherwise, peeling may occur (Figure 7). Peeling may also occur when an alkyd or oil-based product is applied over a bare galvanized surface. A chemical reaction occurs between the zinc metal used in the galvanizing process and the alkyd resins in the coating. When this reaction (called saponification) occurs, a soap film forms between the galvanized metal and the alkyd or oil coating.

Rusting also can cause peeling. Check the backs of the paint chips for signs of rust. Rusting often occurs because of failure to paint immediately after cleaning the metal surface.

Vancouver’s Best Painters.

www.vancouversbestpainters.com

604-PAINTER

Toll Free: 1-800-PRO-PAINTER

Paint Failure by Rick Anderson (Vancouver’s Best Painters)

INTERCOAT  PEELING UNDER EAVES AND COVERED PORCHES (SCALING AND CORNFLAMNG)

Intercoat peeling often occurs under eaves, covered porches, and other protected areas. The loose paint scale resembles cornflakes, which is why it is sometimes referred to as cornflaking.

Protected or shaded areas on buildings are susceptible to condensation and salt deposits. Water-soluble chemicals in paint films contain salts which are pulled to the surface by moisture. When the moisture evaporates, the chemicals are left on the surface in crystalline powder form.  This formation of crystals is due to sulfur dioxide, which is produced in varying amounts by burning commercial fuels that are carried through the air. When the chemical comes into contact with water, an acid is formed which reacts with some of the pigments in paint and leaves crystalline powder deposits.

The powder is not noticeable on white paint. On colors, it resembles salt. This depositing also occurs on siding, but the salts are washed away by rain.

These chemical salts are hygroscopic; meaning they will absorb moisture through an existing coat of finish that is applied over them if they are not removed prior to painting. The result is that a year or so later, the salts draw moisture through the existing coating film and form a pressure on the back side of that film. Gradually, that pressure becomes greater than the adhesive strength of the coating film to the substrate, and it is forced off.

Salts attract moisture, even after new coats of paint are added to the surface. When freezing temperatures occur, any moisture lingering on the salt layer freezes and expands, forcing the topcoat of paint outward, thus causing intercoat peeling.

Scaling also can be evident in protected areas where gloss paints have been applied. Lack of weathering leaves these surfaces hard and shiny. A new coat of paint will not adhere properly to the slick surfaces without correct surface preparation.

Solution

Protected surfaces should be washed with detergent to remove dirt from the paint. They then should be rinsed with a strong stream of clean water to take off the salts.

When the surface is dry, remove all loose paint with a scraper or wire brush and sand these areas, along with any glossy surfaces. Apply one or two coats of latex- or oil-based house paint.

Rick Anderson

www.vancoversbestpainters.com

www.vancouverindustrialpainting.com

www.604painters.com

local: 604-PAINTER

Toll Free: 1-800-PRO-PAINTER

EXCESS CHALKING

by Rick Anderson Vancouver’s Best Painters

Chalking is the excess formulation of fine powder on the surface of a paint film.

Eventually, all paints chalk to some degree. Generally, alkyds chalk more quickly and to a greater degree than acrylic latex coatings. Chalking is a result of the breakdown of the coating binder because of its prolonged exposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun.

Chalking is caused by failure to adequately prime and seal a porous surface, by over-thinning the paint prior to application, or by spreading the paint too thinly.

All oil paint will chalk to some degree as the result of exposure to sunlight. On most surfaces, especially white surfaces, moderate chalking is helpful because dirt is washed away with the chalk when it rains. In addition, chalking is a normal, desirable way for the paint film to wear away and provide a good surface for future repainting. However, a freely chalking type of paint should not be used above masonry or brick because the chalk wash down will leave an unattractive discoloration on these surfaces.

If you wipe your hand over a surface and the chalk dust covers your entire hand, you should think about repainting.

 Sollution

The chalk residue must first be removed. This is easily accomplished with the use of a pressure washer. If one is not available, use a stiff brush and mild detergent and spray the chalky surface with a strong stream from a garden hose. The detergent will act as a lubricant to easily remove residual dirt and chalk in addition to any other foreign contaminants. After the surface has dried thoroughly, rub your finger to check if some chalk residue remains. If so, a surface conditioner (oil or acrylic) should be used under the finish coat.

If chalk wash-down on brick has occurred, the stains can be removed from the brick by scrubbing with a stiff brush and detergent solution. Use a strong stream from a garden hose to rinse. If the brick is a slightly different color after it dries, it can be masked by rubbing a piece of brick over the area, or by painting the area with a brick-colored coating.

Rick Anderson,

www.vancouversbestpainters.com

www.vancouverindustrialpainting.com

www.604painters.com

local: 604-PAINTER

Toll Free: 1-800-PRO-PAINTER

Painting Article By Vancouver’s Best Painters

CRACKING AND LATE  STAGE FLAKING

Cracking and flaking are advanced stages of checking. The breaks in the coating penetrate the film completely to the substrate.  On surfaces that have received numerous coats of paint, the underlying layers lose their elasticity and are unable to expand and contract with the surface as it responds to temperature and humidity changes. As the wood swells, stress breaks the bond between layers to form checks.

Additional swelling widens the breaks to form cracks. Because wood expands to a greater extent between grain lines, more force is exerted across the grain. Cracks are therefore more likely to form with the grain.  If the surface is plywood or flat-grain wood, the material itself is likely to crack eventually, which causes the paint film to crack also. Finish coats for plywood should, at minimum, be 100% acrylic latex, but elastomerics are the best of all for plywood.  If paint cracking at plywood joints is severe, caulk the joints with a good grade of acrylic latex or elastomeric-type caulk. This prevents further moisture from penetrating the laminations of the plywood. Failure to adequately prime and protect pressed composition boards and siding can also result in cracking.

Solution

Cracking down to the wood usually requires the complete removal of the coating, re-priming, and re-painting. In cases where cracking occurs over plywood, only periodic scraping, sanding, re-priming, and re-coating will solve the problem.

Latex paints will usually fill plywood cracks better than oil-base materials. Try a latex exterior primer and a good grade of latex finish coat. Pressed composition boards should be primed immediately following installation; adequate coating should be kept on the surface at all times to seal out moisture.

Rick Anderson

www.vancouversbestpainters.com

www.vancouverindustrialpainting.com

www.604painters.com

call: 604-PAINTER

Toll Free: 1-800-PRO-PAINTER

Solutions For Blistering..cont And Checking

If the blistering was caused by moisture, a number of solutions exist. Repair loose caulking and install vents or exhaust fans, if necessary. If the home has lap siding, siding vents can be installed under the siding in areas where blistering has occurred. This will allow moisture from the inside of the house to evaporate before penetrating the wood siding, preventing future blistering problems. Sand and scrape the peeling paint to bare wood; prime exposed areas and repaint. If large areas of the painted surface have blistered and need to be removed, high-pressure washing or the use of a heat gun will speed the removal process.

If the entire house is reprimed, but stands without the finish coat for an extended period of time, more blisters may develop. These should be scraped smooth and spot-primed before applying the finish coat. Blistering is the beginning stage of peeling. Blistering problems and solutions are discussed in more detail later in this module.

CHECKING

Checking (Figure 3) is shallow breaks in the coating film that do not penetrate to the substrate.  Slight checking indicates a relieving of the shrinkage stresses in a paint film. If the film does not check, it may crack due to greater tensile strength and the expansion and contraction of the coating film.  Characterized by a pattern of short, narrow breaks in the top layer of paint, checking usually develops as the paint begins to lose its elasticity. The underlying layers of numerous coats of paint become brittle and no longer expand and contract in response to changes in temperature and humidity. As the wood swells, stress breaks the bond between layers and checks form. Plywood is likely to check because of its construction.

Solution

Remove as much loose paint as possible with a scraper and wire brush and smooth the surface with sandpaper. Use exterior spackle to level material that cannot be removed. If many layers of coating are involved, you should probably remove all the paint to the bare wood to avoid unevenness and prevent rechecking. Prime all bare wood and let it dry; then apply the finish coat. Be careful not to apply it too thickly or when the temperature is too high.

Rick Anderson

www.vancouversbestpainters.com

www.vancouverindustrialpainting.com

call: 604-PAINTER or Toll Free: 1-800-PRO-PAINTER

Notes From Vancouver’s Best Painters:  Call 604-PAINTER (604-724-6837 or

Toll Free: 1-800-PRO-PAINTER

 Solution for Alligatoring of Paint

Remove all paint completely by scraping and sanding. Removal of large areas can be don quickly by power washing or with the use of a heat gun. Make sure the substrate is properl cleaned to remove dust and oils. Prime with either a high-quality latex or oil primer, an paint with either oil or acrylic latex house paint. Make sure the substrate has the propE moisture content and that the paint is dry before it is exposed to additional moisture (de’ rain, etc.)

BLISTERING

Blisters are raised bubbles in the finish surface.  Blisters can be caused by heat or moisture. Painting in direct sunlight on a surface that i too warm causes heat blistering. The film dries too rapidly and trapped solvents late vaporize, bringing pressure against the topcoat and creating blistering. This is more commo:  when using a dark-color coating, since darker colors absorb the heat more readily than lighte ones.  Blistering can also be caused by moisture, particularly in winter months. Interior moisture in tightly constructed homes is a major cause of exterior paint failures. Moisture build up inside the house escapes through the walls because there is no other place for it to go.   In the summer, the sun heats the siding and the water trapped behind the paint film i vaporized. The resulting pressures cause blistering. (Condensation problems are discussed in greater detail later in the posts that follow.

The use of alkyd or oil paint finishes in extremely humid environments with wide temperature variations can cause blistering. Alkyd finishes are sealer-type finishes that restrict the ability of moisture to vaporize and escape through the siding’s surface film Summer sun will cause moisture escaping from the interior of the home to vaporize faster than the alkyd finish coat will allow moisture to escape through its surface. Eventually, this causes blistering of wood surfaces.

One other cause may be the application of coatings over contaminated substrates. Failure to properly remove soluble chemical salts from the substrate prior to coating may result in blistering at a later date.

 Solution

First, determine which type of blistering exists. Break open one of the bubbles. If bare wood shows, the blister was probably caused by moisture; if another layer of paint shows, a heat blister is the most likely cause. In either case, remove the blisters by scraping and sanding In the latter case, the primer coat is generally not affected; you can repaint, without priming when the sun is not shining directly on the surface.

Rick Anderson

www.vancouversbestpainters.com

www.vancouverindustrialpainting.com

www.604painters.com

local: 604-PAINTER 604-724-6837  Toll Free: 1-800-PRO-PAINTER

Vancouver’s Best Painters:  Call: 604-PAINTER

Improper application and thickness control of the paint film can lead to coating failures. These are definitely within the control of the painter.

Moisture can also cause coating failures. These failures can occur as a result of:

•           Painting over wet or moisture-contaminated surfaces

•           Rain falling or moisture condensing on wet or insufficiently dried paint

•           Moisture seeping into a building or structure as result of improper construction Many paint problems, particularly with exterior wood, are caused by moisture, It is important to eliminate sources of moisture and ensure that a substrate is dry before painting. This subject is discussed in more detail later in this module.

TYPES OF EXTERIOR FAILURES

Many types of coating failures have characteristic appearances and specific causes, which are described in this module. The following paragraphs discuss the causes and remedies for most of the coating failures you will encounter.

ALLIGATORING

Alligatoring is seen as pronounced wide cracks over an entire surface. These cracks may not reach the substrate; they may affect a single layer of coating film only. Alligatoring may begin as checking or cracking, but the breaks tend to grow wider at the bottom as wel’ as the top. The topcoating contracts, exposing portions of the undercoat. In an extreme case of alligatoring, the islands of coating between interlacing breaks have not only contracted in area, but have increased in thickness. Consequently, they become wrinkled.

Alligatoring is often caused by failure of the topcoat to bond smoothly to a glossy coat beneath it. A glossy finish is too hard to provide a good bond. In addition, application of an extremely hard coating over a soft primer can result in alligatoring. Alligatoring also may be caused by not allowing time for the undercoat to dry before recoating.

Another possible cause is the natural aging of oil-based paints in extreme climates of freezing and thawing. Also, the moisture absorption/drying-out process, combined with everyday expansion and contraction, results in a loss of paint film elasticity.

Other possible causes include application of a shorter oil-type finish over a longer oil-type undercoat or primer. This problem is magnified if the finish is applied before the undercoat is completely cured. Another cause is a coating that is too thick.

Rick Anderson

www.vancouversbestpainters.com painters painting in the Vancouver area call toll free:

1-800-PRO-PAINTER or visit www.vancouverindustrialpainting.com or call locally:

604-PAINTER

Vancouver’s Best Painters

When a manufacturer makes a mistake with a coating batch that causes it to fall outside specified tolerance ranges, the coating is either discarded or remanufactured to bring it within tolerance. As one might imagine, it is expensive to throw away a batch of 50 to 1,000 gallons or more of coating material. Accordingly, coating manufacturers may do extensive reworking of a batch before deciding to discard it. These “reworked” batches may have more application or performance problems that a coating batch that initially is manufactured properly.

SURFACE PREPARATION

The preparation of a substrate prior to painting is probably the most tedious, expensive, and time-consuming portion of any paint job. It is also the most critical in preventing failures. Prior to painting, the surface must be dry. All oil, grease, dirt, mildew, and other residues must be removed. Surface irregularities must be eliminated or minimized, and holes must be filled. Non visible chemical contaminants as well as aged, brittle, or loose coating material must also be removed. Finally, the surface should have a roughness suitable for good adhesion. If any of these surface preparation conditions is not adequately met, the possibility for coating failure becomes high, particularly if the exposure environment is relatively severe.

When there is insufficient surface preparation, paint may fail because:

•Dirt, debris, oil, grease, mildew, moisture, or old, deteriorated paint prevent the coating

from bonding.

Contaminants such as salt residue draw moisture through the coating to the surface and cause blistering.

            The surface is too smooth for paint to adhere.

            The surface is not sound.

       Cracks or holes, such as bug holes in concrete, cause openings in paint film.

COATING APPLICATION

Most coating materials are applied by brush, roller, or spray equipment. Because successful application depends upon the skill of the craftsperson, failure can occur because of application error. For instance, during spray application, the spray gun should be moved at the appropriate speed, be held perpendicular to the surface being painted, and not be held either too close or too far away. In roller operations, the proper roller nap should be used, and care should be taken not to roll out the paint too much. When brushing, the proper size and shape brush and suitable bristle should be used. It is also important to use the proper technique for dipping the brush and spreading the paint onto the surface.

Vancouver’s Best Painters.

www.vancouversbestpainters.com

Vancouver’s Best Painters

CAUSES OF FAILURES

The following is a brief description of some of the causes of premature failures, which may result from substrate conditions, paint material, surface preparation, application, and underlying moisture.

SUBSTRATE VARIABLES

The substrate, or base material over which the coating is applied, may be suitable for some coatings and unsuitable for others. For example, an epoxy coating that may work well over concrete and steel may fail when applied over wood because the wood expands and contracts too much. Similarly, an alkyd coating that is suitable over wood and steel may fail over concrete due to the high alkalinity of concrete. Many substrates can be painted, and each has its own characteristics, including hardness, porosity, flexibility, coefficient of thermal expansion, roughness, pH level, and moisture sensitivity.

COATING MATERIALS

There are many generic coating types. Even within the same generic type, different solvents and pigments can be used to manufacture a paint with modified application and performance characteristics. Just as no single coating material can be expected to resist all environments, no one coating material can be expected to work on all substrates, with all types of surface preparation methods, and in all kinds of weather conditions.

Coating materials are generally formulated to be applied under specific conditions, to specific substrates, and with recommended surface preparation methods. Deviation from the recommended conditions or usages for the paint may result in failure.

On rare occasions, coating failures may be caused by a manufacturing error. When developing a paint, manufacturers test a number of different coating formulations and decide upon the best formula based on cost, performance, ease of application, and other factors. Once that formulation is determined, the paint is made in batches, often consisting of 50 to 1,000 gallons or more.

Resins, pigments, and solvents are added to the batch according to the paint formula. If all of the ingredients are carefully screened for quality, weighed, mixed, and added to the batch as planned, the paint will be consistent with other batches and with the original formulation. However, if any of the ingredients are defective (for example, an improperly-compounded resin) or if something should go awry in the manufacturing process (such as the addition of the wrong pigment or solvent blend), uniformity is not maintained, and a particular batch will be different from other batches. The properties of this batch may cause problems during or after coating application.

Rick Anderson

www.vancouversbestpainters.com

www.vancouverindustrialpainter.com

www.604painters.com

local: 604-PAINTER  Toll Free: 1-800-PRO-PAINTER

 Paint Failure By Vancouver’s Best Painters www.vancouversbestpainters.com

As a member of the painting trade, you will often be called upon to correct finish problems. It is important that you be able to determine what caused a problem so that you can both correct it and prevent it from recurring. This includes recognizing problems caused by improper construction and advising building owners on what to do to correct them. If you are not able to do these things, your work will suffer. You may also find yourself in a situation where you take the blame for a failed finish when the problem was caused by something outside your control.

As you will learn, many finish problems can be attributed to poor workmanship, such as a failure to anticipate problems, improper surface preparation, or improper application of the coating.

However, workmanship is only one of several possible reasons for paint failures. Other potential causes include:

•           Improperly-specified paint (the wrong paint for a given environment)

•           Poor coating specifications, including improperly-specified surface preparation, paint thickness, or application

•           Improper batching or paint formulation

•           Unanticipated exposure conditions such as temperature extremes, chemical contamina­tion, unanticipated abrasion, or mechanical damage

Most often, the problems of workmanship are a result of cutting corners, working too fast, or not doing a thorough job. Here are some problems that arise from poor workmanship:

•           Improper or insufficient surface preparation

•           Mixing and/or applying paint when ambient or substrate conditions are inappropriate (too hot, too cold, too wet, or too windy)

•           Improper or inadequate mixing of materials

•           Application of a coating that is too thick or too thin

O         Curing under adverse temperature or moisture conditions

Virtually all of these application-related problems can be solved by the painting contractor or the company’s workers.

The next few blogs will cover problems related to adhesion on interior and exterior surfaces. As we go on you will receive training on application errors, paint discoloration, and special situations.

Rick Anderson www.vancouverindustrialpainting.com call: 604-PAINTER

Or visit www.604painters.com or www.vancouversbestpainters.com Painters painting in the Vancouver and Greater Vancouver area.  Toll Free: Call 1-800-PRO-PAINTER

8. Which of the following methods can be used to get rid of algae?

a. Avoid painting when there is direct sunlight on the surface

b. Clean the affected area with a bleach solution

c. Use paints that contain a mildewcide

d. Use only oil-based paint in areas where algae is likely to form

9. The use of a colorant intended for indoor use on an exterior surface may result in          

a. fading

b. wrinkling

c. mildew

d. tannic acid bleed

10. If you find mildew on a painted surface, a good way to get rid of it is to

a. scrape it off

b. paint directly over it with a mildew-resistant paint

c. clean with a bleach solution, then apply a mildew-resistant paint

d. spray it with a high-powered hose

11. A pinkish tint is likely to appear on the surface if you    

a. paint over algae without cleaning it

b. do not apply a primer/sealer before painting drywall

c. paint over an aniline stain with a light-colored coating

d. paint over hardboard siding with a light-colored coating

12. Which of the following correctly describes a surfactant?

a. A detergent-like substance in natural wood siding

b. A harmful acid that will damage the finish if not removed

c. A detergent-like substance found in latex paints

d. A discoloration left when leeches crawl across a surface

13. Which of the following conditions is not a recommended method for identifying wax bleeding from hardboard siding?

a. Place a few drops of water on the surface to see if it beads

b. Place a flame close to the surface to see if the wax melts

c. Place a few drops of bleach on the surface

d. Check to see if the surface feels oily

14. True or False? It is a good idea to use a primer containing tung oil on a surface that has previously been decorated with a wallcovering.

15. Before painting over a vinyl wallcovering, you should   

a. sand the wallcovering

b. prime the wallcovering with a semi-clear acrylic sealer

c. prime the wallcovering with an oil-based primer

d. spread a skim coat of topping compound over the wallcovering

these questions were brought to you by Rick Anderson of Vancouver’s Best Painters:  Painters painting in the Vancouver and Greater Vancouver area.

www.vancouversbestpainters.com www.604painters.com www.vancouverindustrialpainting.com call 604-painter

PAINTING QUESTIONS FROM Vancouver’s Best Painters

1. One way to avoid brush marks when you are working on a porous surface is to  

a. use less paint

b. brush harder

c. apply a primer

d. apply the next coat before the first one dries

2. Which of the following is a likely cause of the small depressions known as cratering in a dry paint finish?

a. Painting in cold weather

b. Using a new roller without proper preparation

c. Failure to stir the paint

d. Thinning the paint too much

3. True or False? If cratering occurs, you can easily eliminate it by just painting over the cratered surface.

4. Which of these is a recommended way to prevent bristles from shedding onto the painted surface?

a. Avoid natural-bristle brushes

b. Throw the brush away after the first use

c. Buy top-of-the-line brushes

d. Shake the brush each time before you dip it into the paint can

5. Excessive splatter when using a roller occurs because       

a. the roller pulls the paint up from the surface

b. the roller nap is too short

c. there is not enough paint on the roller

d. the paint has not been thinned enough

6. Which of these problems is likely to occur if you apply paint when the humidity is higher than 85%?

a. Tannic acid bleed

b. Algae

c. Surfactant leaching

d. Sagging

7. When a paint has thickened over the winter, which of the following should you do?

a. Use it as is, but brush it out more

b. Allow it to warm naturally

c. Add thinner to return it to normal consistency

d. Throw it away

These questions about painting were brought to you by Rick Anderson at www.vancouversbestpainters.com cell: 604-painter

PAINTING OVER[: AREAS WHERE WALLCOVERINGS HAVE BEEN REMOVED

Areas previously decorated with wailcoverings may have a residue of paste and/or wailcovering backing if the proper commercial walicovering paste has not been used. Failure to assure proper surface cleanliness can result in staining or discoloration of the paint film. Newly applied paint film may fail to properly cure due to chemical reactions between the resins in the film and the residual paste on the wall.

The paint film may separate into layers, especially if a latex is used. When paint is applied over residual wallcovering backing, the water in the paint reacts with the walicovering paste.

For Painting Over Wancovering Residue

Wall preparation is key. Make sure to remove all walicovering pastes and backings by using a commercial grade walicovering remover or paste remover. If you are unsure of the complete cleanliness of the wall, use a primer containing tung oil and either a latex- or oil-based topcoat.

 PADDING OVER WALLPAPER MW OTHER FLEXIBLE WALKOVERINGS

Problems usually caused by improper surface preparation include dye-bleed, uneven surfaces that have not been spackled, and loose seams.

Solution For Painting Over wailcoverings

When possible, remove old walicovering attached to a solid surface rather than painting over it. However, if wallboard or sheet rock is underneath, paint over the walicovering because wet-stripping can damage those surfaces. When painting textured wallcoverings, be aware that the texture will show through the painted surface

Test for dye-bleed with a finish coat. If dye shows through or the surface is stained, a prime coat is necessary. Oil-based stain-killer/primers are quick drying and work well.

When painting over vinyl or foil wallcoverings, the surface should always be primed. A clear or semi-clear acrylic sealer is best for vinyl; an oil-based primer is best for foil.

When the primer is dry, apply a finish coat of latex or oil. If latex water-based paint is used, bubbles may develop where water reacts to dry areas of wallcovering. Wait to see if bubbled areas dry back against the wall. If they do not, slit the bubbles with a razor blade, remove the loose paper, then spackle and sand. Repaint the affected areas.

Rick Anderson

www.vancouversbestpainters.com

cell: 604-painter

LAP MARKS

Lap marks (Figure 14) sometimes occur where wet and dry layers overlap during the application of paint or stain. This non uniform appearance can be caused by a number of situations such as working too long in one area when painting, too much heat or draft during application, too porous a surface, or the use of an improper thinner. Too much heat or draft causes a rapid loss of solvent and speeds up the setup time, resulting in a thicker film wherever overlapping occurs.

Solution For Lap Marks

Another coat of paint, spread uniformly, is necessary to block out lap marks. If the finish coat is relatively transparent or the surface overly porous, a second coat or a primer coat should be applied.

To avoid lap marks, do not paint one section of a building from top to bottom completely. Instead, paint in small sections as defined by length or width of boards so there is no time for one to dry completely before starting on the adjacent one. However, top to bottom painting is appropriate on siding shingle surfaces since they provide natural breaking points.

Low-luster exterior paints that are highly pigmented require special application techniques. Unless a wet edge is maintained, brushing back into a semi-dry area will double the coat and result in shiners in these places. Work in limited areas to maintain a wet edge, even if it means doing one board at a time.

Painting on hot, windy days speeds up drying time; avoid painting on these days. Add thinner sparingly if it is needed.

Rick Anderson

www.vancouversbestpainters.com

call: 604-painter

Knots that are visible in siding, either painted or stained, are caused by solvents in the wet paint film dissolving the heavily concentrated resins in the knot itself, making them visible through the dried paint film.  Existing resin buildup on the surface of the know prevents latex paints from covering satisfactorily.  Stains, ranging in colour from orange to brown, will appear over the pitchy area of the knot after the coating of paint has been applied.

According to Rick Anderson of www.vancouversbestpainters.com , painters painting in the Vancouver area (call: 604-painter) the solution for pitch bleeding is that new and future coats of paint also will stain unless the knots are prepared properly.  The knots, and the areas aroud them, should be scraped to bare wood before being sealed.  A coat of exterior grade primer sealer or shellac should be applied over the pitchy knot. Finish with the desired topcoat.

Rick ANderson

www.vancouversbestpainters.com www.604painters.com www.vancouverindustrialpainting.com

One cause of discoloration seen on painted hardboard siding is wax bleeding.  Used while manufacturing hardboard siding, wax or petroleum make a board more moisture resistant.  But under certain conditions, the wax can migrate to the surface of the painted board.  Once on the surface, the wax can change the appearance of the board with a wetting effect.  Another cause comes from the surface wax retaining dirt, thereby affecting the appearance of the painted surface.

Some contributing factors are:

The was in the board is more mobile at high temperatures, so dark colour paints tend to exhibit more discoloration because of their tendency to absorb heat.

Areas with inadequate coats of paint are more likely to stain because was bleeding is seen more readily in the thin areas of the brushed or rolled surface.

Paints containing low levels of binder or a non-volatile vehicle are more porous, and are therefore more likely to allow wax migration from the hardboard.

Southern and western exposured are often subjected to direct sunlight; when a surface becomes hot, it accelerates wax bleeding.

In order to correct discoloration, wax bleeding must be identified as the problem.  Some identification methods include:

Wax is not affected by household bleach.  To test this, place a few drops of bleach on the discolored area.  If there is no whitening or bleaching, the stain is probably wax.

Place water droplets on both normal and discolored areas.  If the water beads up and runs off, a wax film is likely.

In sever cases, the wax may be felt as an oily substance.

When cleaning, if surface wax is light or moderate, areas of discoloration can be cleaned with a detergent solutions.  In sever cases, the surface must be cleaned thoroughly with a solvent such as mineral spirits.  The rags should be changed frequently and the surface allowed to dry before painting

When repainting after cleaing, the surface should be primed with an oxidative primer and topcoated as recommended above.

According to Rick Anderson of Vancouver’s Best Painters, painters painting in Vancouver area in BC, British Columbia www.vancoversbestpainters.com and www.vancouverindustrialpainting.com Vancouver Industrial Painters painting in Vancouver alongside 604-PAINTERS of www.604painters.com and Canadas bes painters located at www.canadasbestpainters.com the solution for Wax Bleeding is as follows:

Early painting prevents discoloration.  Unprimed boards should be primed or painted within 30 days.  Factory-primed boards should be painted within 90 days of installation.  The proper amount of paint will minimize problems.  On unprimed hardboard, apply a primer and two topcoats.  Factory primed hardboard may need to be re-primed and then have two topcoats applied.  Paints should be applied at the spreading rate recommended by the manufacturer.

The type of paint selected is critical to achieving good performance.  On unprimed hardboard,use a good quality, oxidative cure primer (such as alkyd or oil).  The topcoat should be first quality and contain sufficient binder to form a tight uniform film.  It may be oi or latex based.  Stains and or shingle and shake paints should not be used on hardboard.  Paints that are specially formulated for hardboard are recommended.  Always apply two topcoats over factory primed hardboard.

Rick Anderson www.vancouversbestpainters.com

Chemical extractives in wood react with metal flashing and produce a stain below the flashing.  Stains can also occur in other areas where the wood surface is in contact with metal;  outdoor faucets, air conditioners, and conduits, for example.

Solution For Flashing Stains

Chemical extractive stains normally can be removed by washing with a mild solution of houshold detergent and water.  Fill any cracks between the flashing and a wood surface with a top quality acrylic or butyl rubber caulk to prevent the stain from recurring.  After the surface is dry, coat with a clear wood finish or other coating or stain.

Surfactant Leaching

All latex paints contain detergent like substance called surfactants.  There are necessary to the paint formula and are used in the process of making paint.  Under certain curing conditions, such as low temperatures or dondensing moisutre, a leaching process occurs which results in a buildup of surfactants on the surface of the paint film.  Surfactants are not part of the paint film, and their coming out of the paint film does no harm to it whatsoever.  In most cases, these substances come out of the paint film slowly and are often washed away undetected.

Solution For Surfactant Leaching

Most often, weathering removes the visible film of surfactant from the surface.  The sheen and colour are then restored.  If washing is necessary (for example, in areas protected from the weather) it should be done only after the surface has cured and well before condensation in the evening can occur.  To hasten the washing process, spray with a fine mist from a garden hose.  The best solution is to do nothing and let nature take its course.  The surfactant does no harm and time will correct the problem.

Rick Anderson Vancouver’s Best Painters www.vancouversbestpainters.com local: 604-PAINTER or toll free from anywhere in North American 1-800-PRO-PAINTER

Dark vertical lines at the bottom of siding shingles are caused by rusting nail heads used to attach the siding to the xterior wall.  Good construction practices call for the use of box nails in siding, but common nails with large heads are often used.  The cannot be countersunk, so they usually rust when excessive moisture is present.

Solution For Rust Stains From Nail Heads.

Rick Anderson of Vancouver’s Best Painters www.vancouversbestpainters.com says that nail heads should be coated with a rust-inhibitive primer before house paint is applied.  If rust has already developed, it must be removed from each nail head with sandpaper and rust-inhibitive primer applied.  If possible, countersink each nail head 1/8 inch below the surface and immediately spot prime.  Fill primed, countersunk holes with caulk or putty.  Removing the stains is almost impossible, but they usualyy can be hidden by another coat or two of paint.  Cover the stains with a rust-inhibitive primer before applying the top coat.

The best prevention against further rusting is to remove the steel nails and to replace them with stainless stell, galvanized steel, or aluminum ones, but this may not be practical.  Rustinhibitive primers are usually effective enough.

Rick Anderson Vancouver’s Best Painters visit us on the web at www.vancouversbestpainers.com or www.604painters.com or www.vancouverindustrialpainting.com or www.canadasbestpainters.com or you can call us locally at 604-PAINTER or toll free at 1-800-PRO-PAINTER.

www.vancouversbestpainters.com www.604painters.com www.vancouverindustrialpainting.com and www.canadasbestpainters.com all state that stains mae with aniline are generally prevalent in older homes and were used primariliy over woodwork and some furniture.  When a light-colored coating is applied to woodwork previously painted with this type of stain, it will produce a pinkish tint.

Solutions For Aniline Stains

The best solution is to seal the stain.  This can be done in one of two ways.  First, test a patch using multiple coats of pigmented shellac.  After applying the pigmented shellac, use a topcoat to determine the effectiveness of using shellac as a sealer.  If the topcoat still has a pink tinge, try sealing with aluminum paint.  Edges may have to be resealed.  This will be effective because of the aluminum paints laminar pigmentation, but it is generally used as a last resort because of difficulties with topcoat adhesion of subsequent coats over the aluminum primer.

Rick Anderson www.vancouversbestpainters.com local: 604-PAINTER or Toll Free: 1-800-PRO-PAINTER

Mildew is not cuased by paint.  It is a fungus that grows on almost any organic surface including painted ones.  Mildew discoloration, which resembles dirt, is actually caused by fungi feeding on oil contained in paints or on thickeners in latex coatings.  Fungi also feed on nutrients in the substrate material, underneath the paint film.  Mold and mildew spores are microscopic and are found universally in the aire, transported by the wind and atmosphere.  These mold and mildew spores can remain dormant indefinitely until conditions are favorable for their growth.  Lengthy perods of warm, moist conditions can activat these spores on what appears to be a perfectly clean surface.  Mildew contaminated homes contaminate ohter homes in the area.

www.vancouversbestpainters.com and www.vancouverindustrialpainting.com says that moisture and warm conditions are the two most important factors in the growth of mildew.  For this reason, mildew generally grows in warm, humid areas with poor air circulation.  Thick shrubbery planted in front of a painted surface can hinder air circulation and block out sunlight, making a perfect environment for mildew to grow.  To determine if mildew is present, drop a small amount of household bleach on the discolored surface.  If mildew is present, bleach will destroy the fungus and whiten the surface.  If the discoloration is simply dirt, the bleach will have no effect.

Vancouver’s Best Painters and www.vancouverindustrialpainting.com both of who can be reaches at 604-PAINTER or toll free; 1-800-pro-painter both know the solution for mildew stains.  Solution:

The mildew must be removed before the painting process begins.  Painting over a mildew laden surface guarantees the return of mildew.  Mildew will grow through any paint film very rapidly; correction may then require complete removal of the coatings.  In extreme cases, you may have to remove the substrate.  Follow the manufactureres instrucations for washing, or use a solution of three parts water and one part bleach.  Commercial mixtures for washing the surface are also available from local suppliers.

After the bleach solution has been applied to the mildewed surface, the surface should be scrubbed to loosen the attached spores.  The bleach solution will quickly change the colour of the mildew when it contacts the spores:  therefore, you must keep a wet bleach solution on the surface long enough to the kll the mildew.  Rinse the affected surface with potable water to remove any residue. 

Repaint with a mildew-resistant paint as soon as the surface is dry.  The addition of more mildewcide to the finish coat may be advisable.  Always paint in dry conditions.  Do not use alkyds or oil based products in these situations.

Rick Anderson www.vancouversbestpainters.com www.604painters.com www.vancouverindustrialpainting.com call: 604-PAINTER or toll free: 1-800-PRO-PAINTER

All colour pigments will fade after prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light, but certain conditions speed up the process. Using a colorant designed for interior use on an exterior surface causes more rapid fading.  The use of a tinting base made with chalking type pigments to make an exterior colour also encourages the problem.  Applying only one coat in a two coat situation is another cause.  Moisture behind the paint film can eventually leach pigment from the film.  Alkali burns on masonry surfaces can contribute to fading.

Solutions For Fading

Once colour has faded, the only solution is to repaint.  Latex finishes are generally better than oil or alkyds for colour retention.  Use colorants formulated for exterior use only, which local suppliers can recommend.  Correct any possible sources of moisture such as cracked caulking or clogged gutters and downspouts. New construction usually requires a primer and a finish coat.

On unpainted masonry, use an alkali-resistant primer appropriate for the intended finish coat.  On burnt surfaces, scrape away as mch of the paint as possible and spot prime the bare spots with an alkali resistant latex primer.  Apply a full coat of primer after this and finish with a latex masonry paint finish coat.  Acrylic paints have proven to be excellent products for color and gloss retention.

Rick Anderson www.vancouversbestpainters.com www.vancouverindustrialpainting.com www.604painters.com

www.vancouversbestpainters.com teaches us that stains on cedar and redwood are due mainly to moisture and insufficient or improper priming.  The resins in certain types of cedar, redwood, and mahogany bleed through paint.  Moisture carries water-soluble colour extractives (tannic acid) contained in the wood through the film.  Staining is more visible when light or medium colours are used.

Two patterns of tannin bleed can occur;  their appearances indicate the source of the moisture.  Rain, dew, humidity, or faulty roof drainage cuase water to penetrate the paint film from the front of siding, crating diffused discoloration.  Water-based house paints also can leach out tannic acid and cause diffused discoloration.  Rundown or streaky discoloration occurs when water finds its way behind the siding.

Solution For Cedar Stain

First, the source of moisture should be located and corrected.  Remove loose or cracked caulking and repair with a quality product.  Avoid caulks that can crack, shrink, or lose adhesion.  Clean out nearby gutters and downspouts.  Wash the stained surface with a commercial-grade bleach solution , rinse with a pressure washer, and allow the surface to dry thoroughly for at least 48 hours.

Prime the dry wood.  Special water-thinned primers formulated to seal in stains are available; alkyd oil based primers are recommended by some manufacturers, as are some acrylic latex stain-blocking primers.  In cases of sever staining, use two coats of primer before topcoating.  A waiting period of at least 48 hours after application is recommended before applying the second coat and or the finish coat.

Most tannic acid stains will penetrate the first coat of primer in seven days, leaving a brownish spot or ring.  If tstains do appear, re-prime the stained spot, allow it to dry thoroughly, and apply the finish coat.  It is a good idea to prime board or siding shingle edges and ends.  If possible, backprime prior to installation.  These procedures will forestall moisture from entering the wood.  If staining occurs during application, sand lighly and re-prime before applying the final finish.

Rick Anderson  www.vancouversbestpainters.com www.604painters.com www.vancouverindustrialpainting.com

There are a number of conditions that can cause paints or staind to become discolored.  The material I will be discussing will show how to recognize and correct problems that cuase discoloration.

Algae

Algae is a growth that occurs where water is readily available to the painted surface.  Usually, algae forms on the lower portions of the norht exterior walls, often around faucets.  Growth requires some indirect sunlifht and is difficult to prevent.  Many paints do not contain an algaecide; also, paint that warranties against mildew may  not contain an algaecide.

Solutions For Algai Discoloration

Clean the affected area with bleach solution as recommended for cleaning mildew.  Power wash after the application of bleach to remove all algae and biomaterial.  Allow the surface to dry completely, then apply a latex paint which contains both an algaecide and a mildewcide.  Check with a local independent decoration products retailer as to the algae-resistant nature of the paint.  Try to identify and eliminate the moisture source.

Rick Anderson www.vancouversbestpainters.com www.604painters.com www.vancouverindustrialpainting.com

A rough, crinkled surface usually occurs when there is interference with the normal drying time of the paint.  If the surface film dries before the bottom layer, the dry film will move and wrinkles will form.  Possible causes of wrinkling include the application of a second coat before the first one is thoroughly dry:  application of a hard finish over a softer coat without priming; painting in the hot sun or over too cold a surface; applying too much paint;  application over a glossy finish; or mismatching materials (eg epoxy on top of an alkyd)

Solutions for Wrinkling Paint suggested by Rick Anderson and Vancouver’s Best Painters.

First, the wrinkled layers must be removed.  If the underneath layers are still soft, they can be removed by scraping alone; but if they are aged, chemical paint removers or other removal methods may be needed.  Areas stripped to the bare wood should be primed and allowed to dry completely before the topcoat is applied.  To avoid wrinkling, bursh out each coat thoroughly and allow it to dry completely.  Deep tones may require more drying time.  Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.  Do not paint in direct hot sunlight or when the temperature is below 40 degrees F or 5 C.

Rick Anderson www.vancouversbestpainters.com www.604painters.com www.vancouverindustrialpainting.com

If the surface is extremely porous, a prime coat is necessary: otherwise, another finish coat, spread uniformly, might correct the problem.  Some unevenness can be expected on rough surfaces, but additional coats will give better uniformity. 

If moisture contact has caused flattening or if temperature variation has occurred, apply another coat of paint when moisture is not present or when changes in temperature are less likely.  If the undercoat was not dry, allow the flattened paint to dry hard and apply anothe finish coat.

Best Regards

Rick Anderson

www.vancouversbestpainters.com www.604painters.com www.vancouverindustrialpainting.com