Faux wood garage doors

     There's nothing like the look and feel of real wood with a deep warm stain, it's so elegant. The homeowner decided that the original off white  painted  doors needed to be changed.

     Do we change the doors to real wood which would cost a small fortune or faux them to match our front entry door. Well as you can see they went for the faux wood, great choice!

     Faux wood applied correctly can give the illusion of real wood and feel real to the touch, that's what faux is all about, fool the eye and everything follows. In the picture above I have the sequence of steps which I needed to take to build up the faux wood.

     The first door on the right I used base paint from Benjimen Moore Moreguard exterior latex # 1110. I applied only one coat and painted with a three inch brush going in the direction of the grain.
The doors were originally off white so I let a little of that come threw to add depth. I like to start the grain pattern right away if I can. Starting with a solid base is satisfactory.

     The middle door - I started to apply the first glaze B.M. Mooreguard Charleston Brown in the panels of the door. At this point my brush strokes were going in a horizontal pattern, side to side leaving some of the base showing threw. Each panel needs to have it's own personality so try not to repeat the same pattern.

     Door on the left shows the grain pattern running left to right. Normally the pattern would be horizontal with this door design and the grain would run up and down on the vertical frame pieces. I felt in this situation I would run the grain horizontally. These doors originally had smooth wood and were spray painted unlike the stamped metal doors that have grain running the same way threw out the entire door. I mentioned this because the grain comes out much better with a smooth base. The faux technique for metal doors is much different.

    Finally, the picture below shows a rich warm color and a nice sheen. I used B.M. Mooreguard #2107-10 in glaze. Take special care to apply the grain to each panel first and then the frames. Don't cover your work completely, let the under glazes show threw. Some areas I added straight paint # 2107-10 to create a more defined grain using an artist brush. Keep your grain random, try not to repeat the same pattern.

Click on to enlarge

    Protective finish - After the paint is fully dried I added a little ultramarine blue oil base artist color out of the tube to Exterior Spar varnish to reduce the orange color. To do this on your first coat mix 50/50 spar varnish and mineral spirits plus a dab of blue. Check on a sample board to see if your satisfied with the results. If your happy move forward apply this coat, let dry and then apply 100% exterior spar varnish.

   Now sit back in your driveway and admire your work!

Create an escape!

                              http://s1230.photobucket.com/albums/ee487/arrayofcolorinc/

                                                                Create an escape!

      Best seat in the house! Every day is a sunny day, no sunscreen needed, no books to read, just your imagination. We spend an average of a year and a half in our lifetime in bathrooms. Now that you know this, why not make this room a place you can really enjoy.

     In this bathroom there are painted blue skies, white clouds and clean sand all around. The palm trees swaying in the calm breeze and a small wooden fence we can follow down to the beach. This bathroom is a small room which needed to be opened up and appear larger. The blue sky automatically opens up the room. The white clouds and palm trees give the room a whimsical affect.

     Why not create a place to escape and enjoy the time there. Adding a light blue color to the walls in a small area gives you the illusion of space. Build on this scene by adding clouds. If you’re up for the task add palm trees and the beach. This is your creation; add all the things which bring happiness into your life.

     Use your imagination and don’t be afraid to paint some clouds or trees, its paint and it can be painted over. There are so many projects and techniques which will create a feeling of space and this is just one of them, one you will enjoy!

First Impressions

                             What was your first impression ? ....Exactly !

  
        Home for sale, not today! In the Real estate market today, you need to look over every single aspect of your home to gain an edge on the other guy. There is a  heated competition of homes for sale in your neighborhood. Sometimes the only thing needed is a fresh coat of paint.
 
       Take a look at your interior and exterior and try to be objective as possible, ask yourself, would I buy this home in it's current state. Ask a friend or relative to give there opinion or even your real estate agent, these people will be honest  and are trained to get your home to sell quickly.
  
       The first thing to look at is your curb appeal, does it look like it needs help? Pressure cleaning, painting the walls or maybe the trim is an easy job for the Do it Yourself-er! It may be in your best interest to hire a professional painter if the job is to big for you to handle.
 
       As your walking up to your front entry door what does it look like?  Make a good first impression with a fresh coat of paint on your front entry door. It will work wonders, it may be the only thing needed to sell your home!

Do's and Don'ts- Paint Rolling

                     

     I have rolled countless walls in the past 20 yrs. and would like to pass onto you some very good advice . Below is a list of do’s and don’ts for the DIY on how to apply paint with a roller to achieve professional results. Now remember I have many years experience and I’m still actively painting which keeps my craft sharp. If you’re a weekend warrior take your time, have patience and you will be very proud of your work.

    Do, purchase quality tools, lint free roller covers, heavy duty roller handle and

adjustable roller pole, heavy drop cloths. Keep the tools clean after use and you will have them a long time. It is worth the investment.  Don’t purchase cheep kits

    Now assuming the walls have been prepped and cut in you’re ready to roll….Oh! Wait a minute, if the paint your using is a flat finish the procedure is fairly easy. If you’re using a sheened paint there is more care involved. Shiny surfaces show all imperfections. I recommend painting one wall at a time.

    Tape off your base, door frames, window frames and chair rail. Bring your roller as close to these taped off areas as possible.This will help reduce marks left from the cut in and or roller when walls are dry.  Ok! You’re on your own, go for it!

    Do, choose a roller nap which goes with the type of wall texture. ½ inch for smooth surfaces and 3/4inch for slightly textured, 1 inch for heavy texture.

 I recommend purchasing a lint free roller cover.

    Do, roll vertically up and down the wall using slight pressure while moving to the left or right for your next pass.  Don’t roll an “N”or “M” at the start of each pass. Do not stop in the middle of the wall. Don’t roll in different directions.

    Do, use a tray to get the most paint if using a gallon. Use a five gallon bucket if using more than a gallon. Don’t waste paint and time.

    Do, start rolling three quarters of the way up the wall. Don’t start at the very top.

Since the roller is filled with paint there will be no room to spread out. There will be a big blotch of paint dripping down your walls.

    Do, apply an even amount of paint to the roller. The best way to do this is to tap the roller into the paint a little at a time while turning the roller to get an even distribution. Don’t submerge the roller into the paint.

    Do, keep your roller wet at all times. Don’t decide to have lunch and leave the roller out of the paint and expect it in good condition when break time is over.

Keep ceiling fans off so it does not dry the paint in the tray or form a skin.

    Do, keep an even pressure while rolling. Don’t push too hard, this will cause the paint to make thick lines on the wall, we call them ropes. Too little pressure will leave an uneven finish. Try not to stop in the middle of the wall.

    Do, apply paint to the roller after each pass to keep the finish uniform. This will also keep a wet edge on your work. After a couple of passes reroll over the area with only the weight of the roller and a dryer roller ( this is the only time a dryer roller is used ) Roll starting at the top and bring it down to the very bottom. This will smooth out any lines which may have been applied. Don’t let roller get dry while rolling on the paint. This is important when applying paint at each pass.

Do, let paint dry completely and most likely a second coat will have to be applied.

Follow all the above for the second coat.

Note – Some companies have a line of washable flat paints. These products have a low sheen to them which needs more finesse when applying. Follow these rules and you’ll have a better chance of success.

 

  

A Fall Night

Click to enlarge

I painted this picture in 1988. The inspiration to paint the picture came one night while I was in my car waiting for a friend.  I could not believe the brilliant colors of the leaves around the street light. The leaves were glowing in all the surrounding darkness. What a creepy but beautiful contrast. As the leaves fell from the trees, they were caught in the light only to disappear into the night. Without light there is no color. That scene remained in my mind until one night in the fall of 1988, I decided to put it on a canvas. It reminds me of the never ending cycle of the seasons and how the fall goes out in such glory.

How to - paint touch ups

Time for paint

 

     The holidays are right around the corner, family is coming over and you would like to make a good impression. There are a few areas on your home interior walls that need touching up but you cannot find the matching paint, what do you do? Don’t panic! The following techniques will help achieve professional results.

      Take a deep breath and relax, check to see if there is any of the original paint in your supply room. If you can not find the original paint try the next step. Next  take a small sample of the paint color from the wall to the paint center and have it matched. Take a razor knife and score the sheet rock making a square the size of 2 x 2 inch. After cutting into the wall peal the first layer away from the wall. I recommend picking an inconspicuous area, behind a door is a great place to start. If you have found the paint, mix it well and try a test spot on the wall to see if it blends in. If it bends in your ready to proceed.

Clean area

    Spackle the area where the sample was taken, when dry, sand and wipe clean. Now take your newly matched paint and apply it to the areas as needed for touch ups. I found a 4 inch mini roller with a standard ½ in. nap is great for this application. The mini rollers have become very popular and can be found in most paint supply centers. Also, pick up a roller tray and a small tarp to catch any drips. Pour a little amount of paint into the roller tray and then apply paint to the roller. Try not to add too much paint to the roller.

Spot prime

     If you have any spots that have crayons or magic marker I recommend using Cover Stain Primer in a spray can. Read the instructions first and then apply a small amount to the area. When your primer dries you are ready to paint. Clean the other areas as needed.

     I found the roller technique better than using a brush. The brush tends to make a band aid appearance which is very obvious; your walls will appear to have a bad rash. Using the roller tends to blend the paint in much better. Before starting test a spot of paint and use a blow dryer to see how it blends in. If the spot of paint disappears after it dries then you’re good to go.

Apply paint

     Roll over the area that needs the fresh paint and run the path of the roller a least 12 inches on all sides lightly feathering the outer areas. (In this demonstration I used a light color so you can see what I’m explaining better ) Move your roller vertically up and down the wall. This works great for all paints but sheen paints need a little more finesse.

   If you’re touching up an area which is perpendicular to a window using eggshell, satin, semi-gloss finish it will be very noticeable. By using this technique you will have a better chance of the paint blending in. Another tip: There are shadow areas in all rooms which are next to door frames, windows, hanging pictures and furniture; these are great areas to bring your paint towards to hide the new touch up.

Feather all edges

    When the touch up is very close to an adjoining wall move you’re roller towards the wall corner. We are trying to fool the eye and make the touch ups less obvious. It is very important that the paint match is as close as the original paint. The sheen and color needs to be the same for this to be successful.

Nice and clean

   When I find spots at eye level I roll the paint as high as my arm will go and also as low. By doing this the touch up will be hard to find.  Two coats may be required over a primer. Purchase good grade paint and the results will be very nice.

    Note: If you see spots coming threw your finish work reapply the spot primer and when dry touch up the area again. Enjoy your Holiday's!

Is that the color?

                                                              

      Many times while cutting in a room with a new paint color my customers would ask, is that the color? I kid around with them responding, no, this is your neighbors color and they asked me to try it out on your walls. They said, you would not mind. The look on their face is worth millions. No really, is that the color? They ask again. Yes, it is. What is happening here?

     Any time we are changing a color of a room for example, the walls were originally medium blue changing to yellow. The two colors are now together and the yellow has a greenish look to it. Don’t panic, this is basic color 101. Why is this happening?

     OK, I know most of us are not artist’s and don’t remember color theory, so, if you take a blue  and mix it with yellow you get green. The same goes for blue and red make purple, red and yellow make orange and so on.

    

     This happens when the paint we are applying is a sheen finish such as eggshell, satin, semi - gloss. The reflection picks up the main color in the room, hence changing the color. This affect is temporary; once the entire room is painted the color will look the same as the sample. There’s more….

      Lighting! Choosing colors from a swatch book or fan deck in a room at night the color will not look the same in the daylight. Also, I found that window tint comes in different colors which will greatly change the colors in a room. It is wise to choose a color in the rooms that you would like to have painted in both day and night lighting.

    

     We also suggest large color samples to view in each room which will make your decisions easier. Purchase pints or quarts of paint and paint on construction board. I use a blow dryer to speed up the process and then add another coat of paint. Hang the big samples around your home for a few days and your color choices will narrow down to the best ones.

     Using these large samples enables us to see how color will react in different lighting. We also get the chance to see how it works with the various fabrics in a room.

Remember that a sheen paint finish will pick up colors that are around them. A flat finish would be a better choice if you’re concerned about other colors encroaching.

     Today there are washable flat paints which are not flat; these products have a low sheen to them. Make your samples and see how they will react in your interior, this way there is no surprises. It is worth the extra time to exercise this method.