Easy House Painting Tips - Newsletter November, 2008

Check References Before Hiring a Painter

Testing Latex vs. Alkyd (Oil)

It’s a good idea to do some checking and ask questions on the people that come by with an offer to paint your house.

They could be legitimate, but as with other types of home-improvement contractors in some areas, there may be no certification or license is required. Anyone can call himself a painting contractor, and the onus is on the homeowner to check him or her out.

At a minimum, you should ask for references and check them. Were previous customers satisfied with the job? Would they hire this person again? Ask for the addresses of other homes in the area where the painter has done work, and check out the final product for yourself.

Plan ahead. Get estimates from at least three painters. These should all be people who live and work in the area.

If you do it yourself, there are pitfalls to avoid. The biggest problems are customers who don’t buy the right paint or don’t properly prepare surfaces. Talk to professionals at a paint store or in the paint department of a home-improvement store for advice, or consult Web sites.

A contractor who asks for part of the payment up front to cover materials is making a legitimate request. But you should avoid a contractor who seems to want too much or all of the money before doing any work.

Things to Know When Hiring a Painter:

• Apples to apples: Have each painting contractor give you an estimate for the same services, including size of area to be painted, type of paint, number of coats and preparation details, so it will be easier to compare and choose. Make sure they will use the right paint for the situation.
• Prepare, prepare, prepare: Preparation is just as important as the actual painting. Ask each painting contractor about his or her preparation process. If your walls have cracks, holes, missing plaster, bubbling or other flaws, make sure the painting contractor plans to scrape, patch, sand, caulk and prime.
• Warranty warning: Establish the details of the warranty before hiring someone and make sure it is in writing. Some warranties cover labor and materials while some only cover materials. Make sure the contractor is fully insured.
• Telltale signs: If it takes the contractor four days to call back about an estimate, take this as an omen. And, finally, don’t pay a contractor until he is finished and you are happy with the final product.

Acrylic latex paints have made great improvements in recent years, but putting latex over oil is still a challenge. It can be done, but remember that proper preparation work is paramount in order to allow the latex paint to adhere properly. All glossy surfaces must first be de-glossed either with sanding or with a de-glosser chemical. Of course, you can also apply a coat of acrylic bonding primer over the oil paint before applying the latex coat.

I still prefer to apply latex over latex and oil over oil whenever I am able to.

To test if the existing painted surface is either latex or oil-based, you can rub the surface with denatured alcohol (or nail polish remover). If the paint softens or rubs off, then it is latex. Oil-based paint is not usually affected by alcohol.

Another method, if a paint chip is found from the surface, is to bend the chip. If you find that the chip is flexible and bends easily, it is probably latex. If it is hard, brittle and breaks instead of bending, it is most likely oil-based paint.