7 Things to Look for in a Quality House Paint Job
You often hear when you're told how to find the right painting contractor to ask about the quality of the contractor's work. The definition of quality can be somewhat subjective. Yet, there are definite parameters that define whether you received a quality house paint job or not. You should be familiar with these seven things before you hire a painting contractor.
Paint Quality Tip #1-Proper Protection from Paint
In most cases, a painting contractor isn't working with an empty house. If the painting contractor is going to be working inside your home, you want to be assured that your furniture and floors don't end up with paint all over them. You also don't want paint on light fixtures and doorknobs. You want paint to be where it belongs and nowhere else.
Paint Quality Tip #2-Proper Pre-Paint Preparation
A paint job will not last if proper pre-paint preparation techniques are not used. Things like silicone, wax, polish, grease and dirt will prevent the paint from adhering properly. Things might look okay for a short while, but when bad weather arrives, it becomes apparent that pre-paint preparation was sloppy. Before new paint can be applied, it's important that all dirt and grime, mold and mildew and chalking or peeling paint be removed. This is important whether the painting is in the interior of the home or on the exterior.
Paint Quality Tip #3-Caulking
You have the right to expect a painting contractor to caulk holes, window frames and other trim areas that typically require caulking. One of the goals of painting your home is to protect it from the environment. Caulking prevents water from seeping in behind trim and causing extensive damage. On the inside of the home, caulking eliminates the home many bugs would like to make behind your trim work or cabinets. Caulking is all part of doing a quality job both inside and out.
Paint Quality Tip #4-Clean Lines between Separate Paint Colors.
We've all seen painting jobs where the junction between the ceiling and the walls looks messy because color from the walls slopped up onto the ceiling. No professional should walk away from a paint job where the lines between ceiling and trim, or ceiling and wall aren't straight and clean.
Paint Quality Tip #5 - Neat Painting Around Windows, Doors and Trim.
A painter who does quality work spends time masking. You have the right to expect windows without paint on them. If you use a different color to frame the trim around your windows and doors, you have the right to expect that color to only appear on the trim. You should never have paint on doorknobs or hinges either. Only amateur painters fail to mask these typical door features. The same goes for light and electrical fixtures.
Paint Quality Tip #6 - No Drips
A professional never leaves a drip running down the wall. Any drips should be sanded down then retouched with another coat of paint.
Paint Quality Tip #7 - Even Coverage
The color of the paint should be consistent and even everywhere. You shouldn't see any evidence of a previous color showing through. If it takes three coats of paint in some areas to accomplish this goal, that's the responsibility of a professional painter. To ensure you're happy with the level of coverage, you want to inspect the paint job under bright light. Daylight is usually the best, but bright artificial lighting is also useful. If you can inspect the paint job under both conditions, it's a good idea before you pay that contractor.
Now that you know what to look for in a quality house paint job, you can use these tips as a checklist.....