Strange way of getting work

                                                      Strange way of getting work

I have seen many strange things happen in my painting profession over the years, but this story I have to share. It is one of the craziest to date.

My customers sat down to a great fish dinner at home and decided to go to the movies when they were finished eating. Meanwhile, the smell from this delicious meal was going much further than the kitchen. While they were out a raccoon entered their guest bedroom window by tearing away the screen and jumping on the furniture. Their dog was startled from the noise and ran into the room to see who or what was there. As soon as they met, all hell broke loose.

The raccoon ran across the house and into the den trying to get away from the dog, who at this point,     was foaming from the mouth. The raccoon tore the window treatments from the wall and tossed the furniture while trying to escape. Finally the raccoon jumped through the window screen and disappeared.

The dog was not harmed and I think he did a great job protecting his home. The homeowners could not believe that the break in was not from a burglar.  It did not take long to see that it was a raccoon with its claw marks left across the walls and pieces of fur on the floor. I guess I have to thank my customers, and the raccoon, for the job. Are raccoons part of the economic stimulus package?

If you have any strange stories how you received a project in your profession, please add it in the comment box. Thanks!

How to - Rag technique

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How to - Rag technique

     This is one of many ways to use a rag for faux techniques and one that is easy and looks great! For this project you will need a quart of glaze ( water base ) and a quart of Sherwin Williams #6773 latex eggshell finish. The faux walls were base coated with a Sherwin Williams HGTV # 6478 eggshell finish and ragged with SW 6773 also eggshell finish. Tape off all areas not to be painted. If you have a steady hand there is no need for taping the ceiling.

       Mix one part glaze with one part paint. Apply mixture to a damp rag just enough to lightly coat. Apply mixed glaze onto the wall with a brush in a triangular pattern and move the glaze around with your rag. Leave some areas open.
     
       A clean damp rag was used to remove some of the glaze to create open areas and a random pattern.The folds in the rag will leave interesting marks by moving your hand at various levels of a clock. 

     Work the glaze as if you were building a puzzle. No straight lines. When your close to the corners move your glazed rag into the corners sparingly ( Don't fill the corners with excess glaze) Skip spots in corners to keep a random look.

     Note: Apply glaze to your rag at the beginning. Rinse the rag slightly when it gets loaded with glaze. The second rag should be damp and kept clean so you can remove excess glaze and apply pattern. Turn your hand randomly to keep from applying the same pattern.
      
     If this is your first attempt with this technique it would be best if you practiced on a piece of construction board. Enjoy your finished faux walls.
      
    

Pieces of time

Let's face it, without realizing why we do the things we do,
we tend to surround ourselves with great memories, pieces of time that bring us back instantly over and over. Some of us are able to take our possessions to create these moments.


 Leslie R. is very creative and has a great outlook on life, it shows in her decor. The guest bath has a faux rag technique with blue green glazes which mimics sea water. The towel rack has starfish hung on sisal string against the hand towels. The ceramic fish tissue holder adds to the fun. Key West here I come.

We all need a place to escape, relax and have peace. Leslie loves the beach and this room shows it with all the accent pieces. This room has a lot of light, it is airy, colorful and fun. This is for the guests and Leslie wants them to enjoy being there. 

The faux walls were base coated with a Sherwin Williams HGTV # 6478 eggshell finish and ragged with SW 6773 also eggshell finish. I applied the glaze in a triangular pattern and moved the glaze around with a damp rag leaving some base areas open. A clean damp rag was used to remove some of the glaze to create open areas and a random pattern.The folds in the rag will leave interesting marks by moving your hand at various levels of a clock. Work the glaze as if you were building a puzzle. No straight lines.

Note: Apply glaze to your rag at the beginning. Rinse the rag slightly when it gets loaded with glaze.

The second rag should be kept clean so you can remove excess glaze and apply a pattern. Turn your hand randomly to keep from applying the same pattern.

If you would like to create your own escape contact us at arrayofcolorinc@yahoo.com

LOOK UP!!!

      LOOK UP!! What do you see in your own home? Probably a white ceiling, we       call it the forgotten wall. If you would like to add a WOW factor into your living area, try adding       some  color to your ceilings. Step out of the box and try something new. If you have difficulty             deciding on a color, you could use the same color that is on your walls. More and more, clients are      adding color on their ceilings, especially when I offer to repaint them at no charge. Sometimes            they need a little push, it usually takes a week to live with and become comfortable with, but the         results are an overwhelming  success.                                                                                                      

In deep water

                                                        

There have been many occasions when I was asked to redo a paint project. It was not due to poor work or failing products, it was from WATER, a lot of WATER.

 I completed an interior paint project for a retired couple’s vacation home. They were very excited and anxious to head back to their home up north for the holidays and show the picture’s of their new interior.

While my clients were up north, a neighbor walking their dog noticed water coming from under their front door. The neighbor called my client, who then gave him direction to get into the home. As soon as the front door was opened, a rush of water pushed its way out onto the front lawn.  Once inside they could not believe their eyes. Since the water was in the house for an extended period of time, it developed the greenest growth of mildew they had ever seen. It looked like there was grass growing on the walls. The water was finally shut off and they found a crack in the toilet tank which caused water to continuously escape. The neighbor called in a local company to begin the clean up and restoration process.

About four weeks later, I received a call asking me to come back to their home to repaint the interior.  In total confusion, I asked “why?”  They told me there was major water damage in the home and almost everything had been ruined.

When everything was replaced, I returned to paint the interior again. Once again, they were very happy with the painting and relieved the whole ordeal was over. This time they made sure the main water valve was shut off and the toilets tanks were empty before their trip back north.

Regardless of whether your trip is long or short, I strongly suggest shutting off the main water valve into your house before you leave.

Welcome Back!

Mary H. was very excited to return to Florida for the summer season. Relaxing and taking walks on the beach was top on her list. Mary arrived in her new condo and noticed an enormous amount of water had entered the house. The neighbor above  had a water leak and it made it's way into her unit.

Mary contacted my painting company and we made arrangements to meet. Upon inspection there were two bathrooms and a closet which had large water stains on the ceilings and some near the base boards. The linen closet had stains on the ceiling and down the wall. The base in the master bath was completely removed and there was a nice size hole in the drywall.

Mary was very upset. In my profession, I had seen much worse and thought that it was an inexpensive project. There were a couple of other people who gave an estimate for this project and Mary was hoping that my estimate would be more realistic. This would not take us long to complete, so it only took a minute to give her a price. Mary was so happy with the estimate she asked for another to paint the entire condo interior. Well, Mary made my day! We set up a start date to do all the repairs and interior painting. The project was completed in the time we originally stated and Mary’s home looks great!

Well, occasionally BIG things do come in small packages. It was a 40 mile trip to her house and it was worth the time and the gas. It gets better! Every day on the job Mary had food and drink, donuts in the morning with hot coffee and big lunches. I thought we were in paint heaven. Once we had completed the paint project we were hanging new curtain rods, and showing our gratitude for all the hospitality. Mary was just so happy to have her home looking better than ever. If you’re happy we are happy!

Life on a Ladder

Welcome to Life on a Ladder. This is an introduction of my twenty plus years working as a painter and business owner. You will find photos of my work, tips, and my clients will share some of their experiences.There will be amble supply of information on how to do the vast amount of painting projects to decorate your home or business.

I have spent over twenty years up and down ladders; most people are probably thinking “so what!”  Well, first the ladder is an essential tool for my occupation. My projects could not be completed without it. As a painter, I have come to recognize that the ladder also represents the never ending experiences of the socio - economic environments.

My ladder has given me a different perspective on life and my customer’s lives. At the top of the ladder I have seen majestic sail boats cruising across the calm sea and the tops of palm trees swaying with the wind; in addition, watching jet skiers fly in the air after hitting a wave, while I have both hands on the ladder holding firm standing about three stories high. Subsequently, there is the low end of the ladder, where we have worked in numerous foreclosed homes and short sales. Unfortunately, many of these homes were abandoned so quickly that personal items and kid’s toys were left behind, only to be thrown away to make way for a new family or investor. This has been very difficult for many of my fellow painters and me, we realize that this could be us. I can only hope that these people can find a remedy for their dilemma.This is just a glance at the diverse situations that we face every day.

As you can see my occupation is much deeper than just painting.

I have made lasting friendships throughout the years which has helped me threw some hard times. I hope I can inspire you to improve your life and your space.

Repair Tips - Torn Drywall

 Repair tip no. 1 - Repair torn drywall
As you can see there is a very long tear running across the base of the wall. This happens when the base boards are removed without scoring the tops of the base were it meets the wall. You can save yourself a lot of work by running a razor blade along the  top of the base lightly cutting into the paint and caulk. When you remove the base you will have minimal damage. Supplies needed for repair: Razor knife, 6" metal compound blade, 150 grit sandpaper or block, drywall compound, oil primer, latex primer, Paint brushes, rags, paint and don't forget patience.

Before you apply the oil base primer cut the loose pieces of  drywall with your razor knife.
The brown paper will need to be primed to keep it from bubbling once the compound is applied.
Let the oil base primer dry. Now lightly sand  the raised areas using the 150 grit paper or block and cut away any paper which my be sticking out.  

Apply compound with a 6" blade ( 4" if the area is smaller ) Do not try to cover the area in one shot. Let the first coat dry and lightly sand as needed with 150 grit paper or block. Take a damp cloth to wipe off any dust on the repair area. You can use your blade to knock off and particles that are raised on the  repair area. Apply the next coat of compound after the first is thoroughly dried. Do not apply too much compound to the wall.Bring your blade slightly higher than the tare line.





Once the second coat is dry its time to sand the
area with 150 grit paper or block. I start at the top or outer section and work my way into the center. Be careful not to sand so deep into your work. The repair is  very thin and will not need excessive sanding. Wipe off the dust with your damp rag and take a look to see if you need another coat of compound. You may need just a touch up or two. If you are pleased, apply your water based primer. Once dry apply your finish coats. If you see anything that you don't like after you paint, you can apply compound to the  spots and repeat  the above. Good luck and have Fun !

NOTE :  Please follow label instructions for all products used and how to discard any waste.

It's amazing !

It's amazing what you can do with paint ! Today you can easily find a multitude of  information, products, and "how to" instructions on various paint techniques. More and more people are turning on their own creativity. They are heading out to there local stores to purchase all the needed supplies. You run home excited to begin your project and share the results with friends and family only to realize the task ahead. You need to move the furniture, put the dining room chairs in another room, take the pictures off the wall, take down the curtains and rods, cover all the floors, and remove the valuables from the curio cabinet. It takes time to create your Picasso.  From my experience, many customers take on this task and become discouraged.  Many of my clients have put themselves in this situation and we finish the projects for them. Don't get discouraged, plan your project, ask for help if you need it, and most of all have FUN.

If you would like professional help contact me by at - arrayofcolorinc@yahoo.com
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