Painting Hints from a Pro
- , by Trudy Chuoke Trudy Chuoke
Many of you know I do a live radio show each week on WOAI 1200 at 3pm each Saturday. It’s something we have done for so many years. I remember my Dad talking about the opportunity of a lifetime when WOAI called him to ask if he would do a radio show on home maintenance. They said they had called several hardware and home improvement stores in San Antonio, and they all said that they didn’t have time. Well Dad made time, and he became “The Happy Handyman” and his show was so popular. And I get to continue this tradition, and I know how lucky I am. This month on the show we are doing something different. I am calling it, “talk to the pros” and yesterday I had a long-time painter sharing such great information. If you get a chance, go to our Facebook page and check out the show we posted.
Herb Whitehouse has been a painter for over 45 years. His family owned one of the largest painting businesses in the country. Herb has been written up in magazines and he has been involved in projects all over the United States. But a few years ago, he settled in San Antonio right down from our store. He struck up a conversation in the store with my dad and they really bonded. And now when he can buy his paint from anyone, he buys all his paint from us. Whenever someone asks me for a painter, I always recommend Herb. I always tell my customers – he won’t be the cheapest, but he will be the best. So that’s why I wanted him on the show. So let me share some of the great tips he had about painting.
I ask Herb what a good DIY job for a homeowner would be. He said painting a bedroom would be easy and these are the steps he said to use when painting. And it starts with prep.
1. Remove the furniture from the room or gather it all in the center and cover it with plastic.
2. Clean all the woodwork. This is the molding, doors, and window trim.
Clean with either TSP or Paso. I don’t talk about Paso very much but it’s a cleaner that softens the surface of the paint which will ready it for paint. If you don’t clean the trim work and doors, you have to sand. Why? Because you trim work is usually a semi-gloss, and it has a sheen to it. Remember you can paint latex over oil or oil over latex; you just can’t paint over a shiny surface. If you decide to sand, once all the trim is sanded then you will need to wipe all the dust away with a damp cloth or a tack cloth. If you are just painting the walls, you can skip this step.
3. Tape off the trim work.
Prep work is tedious, use a good tape. One that doesn’t bleed through. Frog tape is great, but real expensive. And once you open up the canister it’s in, you need to use it. I like a tape that we have that is called Vibac. If you want it, call me and can ship it to you. But check your local Hardware Store- it’s not in any big box stores. Vibac is great because it works indoor and outdoor. Has a 60-day clean removal and it’s waterproof.
4. Now you can paint your walls.
Herb suggests using an eggshell formula. It gives you a surface you can clean without burnishing the surface. Plus, it doesn’t show imperfections in the walls.
Then I asked him, what should a homeowner leave to the pros. He suggested that cabinets, vanities, plantation shutters and front doors should be left to an experienced contractor. Cabinet doors must be sanded, cleaned, and primed. And you don’t want to take any shortcuts. You don’t change out the color of a cabinet or vanity like you might for an accent wall in the bedroom or dining room. So, you want to pay for the experience of a professional. Another thing, pick a good paint. I recommend Benjamin Moore. For cabinets, use Advance. For your walls, use Aura. It’s amazing. And it will allow you to touch up a wall, without painting the whole wall. And if you need a primer, use Styx by InsulX owned by Benjamin Moore. If you have any questions, call me at the store- or just tune into our Facebook page for a really wonderful interview with Herb and myself.