Ryan is an award winner for his outstanding painting and marketing work, You can find his contributions to the painting community across numerous blog sites and on his YouTube channel.
His company has won Best Painting Company four years in a row by Lehigh Valley Style and Best Painting Company twice by What's Happening. Also being named Emerging Business of the year 2015 and also 2017
Ryan Amato Painting
306 S. New St
Bethlehem, Pa 18015
484-821-7112
Did you know you can re do your countertop’s using epoxy?
Using special materials we are able to totally transform your kitchen counters making them even more durable, scratch and heat resistant.
Epoxy can be put on concrete, formica, wood, quartz, granite and more to create the dream kitchen you have always wanted.
When done right epoxy countertops provide a long-lasting and durable surface. They are resistant to moisture and heat.
You will still need to use common sense, you should not place a hot pan directly on any counter no matter if it is epoxy or something else.
Using the best materials and having someone do this installation for you who has done many before can certainly help make sure it comes out the way you expect.
A mix of factors, from an unusual freeze in Texas to ongoing supply chain issues with raw materials like resin, have resulted in a paint shortage. Sherwin Williams CEO John G. Morikis even told investors that “the persistent and industry-wide raw material availability constraints and pricing inflation we have previously reported have worsened, and we do not expect to see improved supply or lower raw material pricing in our fourth quarter as anticipated.”
“Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal spoke with business owner Ryan Amato of Ryan Amato Painting in Easton, Pennsylvania, to talk about how his business has been weathering the shortages. The following is an edited transcript of their conversation.
Kai Ryssdal: Paint shortages, really?
Ryan Amato: Well, we’ve been hearing about it for well over a year, and then the pandemic hit, so that was an issue. There’s been, obviously, a labor shortage so the truck drivers delivering the paint, that’s been an issue. There was the freeze down in Texas, and they supply a good amount of the resins, which is an ingredient for all the paints that we use.
Ryssdal: Yes, it’s a chemicals-heavy process, right?
Amato: Absolutely. It’s an ingredient. Just like you bake a cake, it’s one of our main ingredients in the paint, and we’ve had a major shortage of it.
Ryssdal: So what are you doing?
Amato: Well, I like to think that we’re well prepared at my company. So, we have great suppliers and vendors. Unfortunately, if you came to our shop, I’m looking at about 500 gallons of untinted paint sitting on pallets; just so we’re prepared for our customers, we’re ordering in very large quantities of paint.
Ryssdal: The catch, of course, is that untinted paint is no good if I need to paint my house blue, right?
Amato: Absolutely, yeah. And there are so many different bases of paint, so if you need a dark blue it’s a different base than white, so we just we’re trying to do the best we can to stay prepared for you, for the customer.
Ryssdal: Alright, so let’s make it about me. I do, in point of fact, actually need to have my house painted. How much of a lead time do I need to give you before you can say, “Yep, I’ll be there on Thursday.”?
Amato: That’s a great question, and it’s been a struggle. Historically, in our business, when we win a job, your job, we send you over a color sheet that you have to fill out. Normally not a big deal, give it to us a week or two before the project starts, and that’s typically in between four and six weeks. Now, we’re really twisting your arm behind your back; we need that color sheet a day or two, after your job is accepted. So we need about two or three weeks to make sure that we have the proper materials for your project.
Ryssdal: And I imagine, Mr. Amato, it’s going to cost me more, too, right?
Amato: It’s certainly going to cost you more. We’ve seen it’s been about 20% since really only about four or five months ago, and [a] 40% increase in our epoxy floors, which is pretty significant.
Ryssdal: I imagine you’ve got to go to your supplier, right? But is this one of those where you could find another source, and try to do it that way? I’m sure you thought of that.
Amato: And that’s what we’ve been doing. The only problem with that is — there’s many different suppliers and we all know them — paint is not all the same; you can’t just grab one gallon of paint and go to another vendor and grab another gallon of paint and it performs the same way. So not only are we seeing issues with paints we haven’t used before. It has also slowed down our production, our labor, because they’re using new paints. It requires different paintbrushes. They all perform differently. It’s been been a learning curve all around, not even to mention just the shortage of materials.
Ryssdal: That’s kind of wild that paint is not paint is not paint. It’s all different.
Amato: Absolutely.
Ryssdal: How long you’ve been in the painting business, Mr. Amato?
Amato: I’ve been in the painting business 30 years. I hate to say that. I feel like I’m getting older.
Ryssdal: Tell me, you ever seen anything like this?
Amato: No, never. The only other issue we had was … it’s always been labor. You know, we had some issues after 9/11 with labor and the amount of jobs. This has been very difficult.
What to expect when having your kitchen cabinets painted
Having your kitchen cabinets painted whether you choose to do them yourself or have them professionally painted can be a big leap of faith.
But one thing that will help make that choice is to price new cabinets installed.
We are referring to quality cabinets installed, not the low end mass produced cabinets of today
Most likely you have quality cabinets already installed and for less than half the cost you can have them professionally refinished in most cases.
Your first decision will be who is going to do them?
Having a company who does this day in and day out is a great choice as opposed to a painting company who also "does" cabinet painting
It is a better choice to have someone who does cabinet refinishing every day touch your kitchen cabinets
They will be more experienced with the preparation needed and if anything goes wrong during the process, easily being able to adjust
Preparation is key to any kitchen cabinet painting project, preparing your existing cabinets for a new coating is most important
This can be done many ways, whether chemically with solvents and cleaners or mechanically with sanders or sanding by hand.
We like a combination of both of those methods
After preparing your cabinets you have a few choices here.
A standard paint job using readily available products. This will give a you a very nice job although one that will need slight maintenance down the road in the form of touch ups. We would expect a good 5 years before possible having to fully recoat and yearly touch ups possible after they are painted
This is due to simply the use they will be under, from water, soap, hands, and more. Anyone who promises you more than this is not being honest with today's traditional paints from any manufacturer
Your second option is to move into a high end two part product. This is not one anyone used here locally except for us, this is a more costly option but over the long run it will simply last longer.
Specialized equipment is needed to apply a coasting to get a beautiful finish, usually a combination of special sprayers and in some cases brush and rolling with very smooth rollers.
In the case of brushing and rolling the applicator is most important, they can make or break your project.
There is nothing worse than seeing heavy brush marks or roller marks on a cabinet project. This can significantly be diminished with the proper application.
Here are a few things that could go wrong
Improper pre from an inexperienced painter or crrew
Bad prep can be disastrous for a project, the entire job is only as good as it's base. This is the reason it is hard to come fix someone else's work
The wrong materials were used, without using the proper primers and top coats your project is doomed again.
Not explaining the true expectations of a cabinet refinishing project. The cabinets will not be bulletproof. No coating is, just like your car or existing cabinets they can be scratched, dinged and dented.
How to have a great project
Let the painters paint, they have been trained for this
Know the expectations of the project and what products are being used
How do you touch them up? Does the painter offer a maintenance program such as our three year or lifetime touch ups?
Enjoy the process, talk to the painters, enjoy the amazing before and after
Repainting your old oak-grained cabinets can help you save a great deal while creating a completely new space in the process. Everyone loves a new space, the feeling of walking into a neatly tucked and well-designed space is hard to match. However, everyone cannot afford to get the entire space redone. Just the cost of replacing your cabinets can cost you a small fortune.
Rather than spending time and money ripping out the old and getting in the new, it's time to pause and assess the situation. If the cabinets are in good condition, it's best to go for a re-painting rather than replacement. Think about it for a moment, why throw away perfectly good cabinets when you can save a great deal of money while ensuring you are making the most out of your space!
HOWEVER
It is very costly and time consuming to completely remove the grain from oak grained kitchen cabinets. I would not expect a painter to be able to promise this. Remember oak grained cabinets are typically stain grade, hence why the grain is showing, painting a stain grade cabinet can be done but you will see the grain.
There are a few products, grain fillers and such but this process can be very costly and still not remove all the grain. So below is with the expectation your aware you may and will still see the grain.
Your cabinets can still look amazing even with the grain showing.
How to Paint Oak Grained Cabinets
Painting over an oak-grained cabinet is not a small undertaking, but one that can be done perfectly when following the steps listed below.
The Preparation
There is a great deal to get done before you start priming and painting your oak-grained cabinets. While the process might seem long, it is all worth it in the end. Here is how to get started:
Emptying - Start by Emptying the cabinets and drawers in storage containers. Make sure you set a different space for each one, as you will be required to put it all back. Setting up a system, in the beginning, can help you save time.
Remove - The second step you need to do is to remove the drawers and cabinet doors. It's best to number the cabinets and doors to make sure they go back in place. Secondly, you must tape down all the hardware to keep them paint-free.
Tape & Cloth - Using painter's tape, tape down all the spaces next to the cabinets. Making sure nothing goes overboard during the painting process. Cover all floors and countertops using drop cloths. This will help eliminate a tough cleaning process.
Cleaning - Using TSP liquid substitute cleaner wipe down all the cabinet boxes, drawers, and doors. It's best to follow the directions on the bottle and ensure you rinse using a clean water towel, and dry it off using a dry cloth.
Sanding - Using a 180-220 grit sandpaper or sanding block make sure you cover every inch of your cabinet boxes, doors, and drawers. Moreover, if you have lamination make sure you don't chip off the sheet. Once done, wipe the dust Using a tack cloth.
Finally, it's best to wear a respirator or dust mask and gloves during the entire process.
Priming Process
The process requires a good stain blocking oil primer to ensure the old stain does not show in the new finish. Keep in mind if your cabinets have laminated sides you will need a special primer to ensure the laminated surface is well covered.
Layer - Start by laying the drawers and doors on top of an edge that can help you cover a good chunk without getting any marks on the piece. Moreover, keep in mind that the drawers and doors have to dry before you can handle them.
Oil Based or Water Based Primers - Using a polyester or nylon brush or sprayer you can cover the back of the doors and drawers at first. Once they are dry, flip them over and cover the other side. A pro tip is to paint in the same direction of the wood grain.
Sand - Read the direction on your primer can and follow the suggestions lightly sanding your cabinet boxes, drawers, and doors using 220 grit sandpaper.
Caulk - Check all the pieces carefully and caulk any gaps in the boxes, or cabinet doors using paintable caulk. It will take about 20 to 30 minutes for the caulk to dry, please let it set before you move forward. We do not recommend caulking moving panels, they are designed like this for a reason however we do understand the cosmetic reason.
Painting Process
Finally, the step you have been waiting for - it is time to start painting your oak-grained cabinets. Start by picking out a color, and test a small patch on the back of a door or drawer. Allow it time to dry to ensure you know what the end product is going to look like. Once you are sure of the color and its impact, it's time to get started!
Hard to Reach - Place some paint on a small roller tray, using a small paintbrush to cover all the cabinet boxes, drawers, and door areas that will be hard to paint using a roller. While you may think you will be able to cover it all, but in reality, it's best to leave large open spaces for rollers and cover the edges and hard-to-reach areas using a smaller brush.
Roller - Using a roller or sprayer starts with the back of the doors and drawers. Once they are covered on both sides it's time to move onto the boxes. Once done, let the pieces dry before you start handing them or moving them around. Letting them sit in place ensures the paint comes with a perfect finish.
Second & Third - After at least 2 to 3 hours it's time to apply the second coat. Repeat all the steps a third and last time for a final finish. After the third painting session let the drawers, doors, and boxes dry for at least a day. Not all jobs require or include three coats of paint
Re-Hang - Once the day has passed it's time to re-hand the doors, set up the drawers, pull the tape off, and get it all in place. Once everything is in place take one last look and make sure it looks smooth, and you are done!
There is a shortage of both paint and workers and the shortage of quality labor has hit small businesses in particular.
From a freeze in Texas to a fire in China , add in a pandemic and a labor shortage of plant workers and drivers we are seeing a huge paint shortage which is effecting our painting industry in many ways.
The paint shortage was exacerbated by this year's major winter storm.
Paint supply chain Sherwin-Williams was already suffering as a result of the COVID pandemic. However, the February winter storm that hit Texas added further constraints to the supply chain. "In an already-challenged supply chain due to COVID-19, the February natural disaster in Texas further impacted the complex petrochemical network causing significant disruptions,"
Texas leads the nation in petroleum refining production, which is necessary in manufacturing paint, according to Business Insider. The winter storm reduced the state's capacity to refine petroleum, which created a ripple effect for a reduced ability to manufacture nearly all paints.
With an abundance of work and a shortage of paint, this has lead to increased lead times of projects, having to juggle what products are used on projects and frequently changing the types and brands of paints being used.
"If you asked me what paint we will use on your project today for a job a month from now I would have no idea" says Ryan Amato of Amato Painting in Easton, Pa
Many people also understand how important painting can be for their peace of mind and for their homes. Join us as we explore what this means for your home-improvements company or business.
Small businesses are feeling the effects of a paint shortage
and labor shortage .
People are not working, where we would typically have an abundance of summer help , we are just not seeing it and as we talk with contractors across the country they are all in the same boat.
Paint companies are expecting their lead times to increase from six weeks to more than three months. At a time when many custom home builders need paint in five weeks, this means that the small home improvement and construction companies that serve them will be unable to make up the delay in supplies. [Source: The Wall Street Journal Online]
Small businesses will be negatively affected as a result of increased costs and extended delivery delays for products they need for their businesses.
As more small businesses look to services from large painting companies or call in their own contractors to do interior painting, these companies will be forced to change their schedules and prices, pass on the costs to consumers, raise prices for new customers or all three.
Source: The Wall Street Journal Online]
According to Wayne Phillips of the National Small Business Association, "It could lead businesses that specialize in these kinds of products into a death spiral that could quickly remove them from the marketplace.
"We are planning ahead as best as we can, however we would never order materials months ahead for projects, it just isn't financially feasible or smart to have a stockpile of paint, especially with clients whose schedules change or changes in scopes of work" . Ryan Amato
Some of the most commonly used paints are out of stock, many primers are no where to be found.
The paint shortages are being felt keenly because demand for the product is increasing as the weather improves, experts say. It will likely get worse too, because with summer approaching we’re entering into “painting season”. The summer weather is ideal for painting outdoors, and lots of people have projects planned for the warmer months, so demand for paint is expected to increase.
“We likely will need to take further pricing actions if raw material costs remain at these elevated levels,” said Sherwin-Williams CEO John Morikis during a company earnings call in late April.
Our advice is when you find a painting contractor you connect with, don't wait long to contract with them. Sign up, get your project on the "schedule" so they can start planning and allocating materials especially if it is a large project
What to expect when staining a wooden deck can resolve many issues before that first complaint calls comes in.
Every contractor wants to offer a lifelong job but that expectation for the contractor and the customer is not possible especially for surfaces such as decks where moisture, weather, ice and daily abuse take a toll on the surface.
We at Ryan Amato Painting like to be upfront with every customer and let them know like almost anything on your home a deck will require the utmost care and yearly maintenance.
If you use a solid acrylic stain you can rest assured most likely you will be re coating the floorboards and the rails every year.
Ryan Amato Owner
Decks in harsh Climates such as ours in the Northeast require constant on-going maintenance and will often have to be re-done on a yearly or bi-yearly basis depending on elevation, exposure, previous condition, prep and type of Coating applied.
Let’s examine the challenges facing all contractors when looking to Re-furbish or Re-coat a Deck.
The biggest challenge of all is trying to meet elevated expectations that homeowners often have as to final finish appearance and ongoing durability of their newly coated deck.
Very often, the larger task of painting the actual home itself will be overridden by scrutiny to an attached deck project.
1) What type of Coating is on the Deck now?
If you have a Semi-trans Oil Toner Base product on a Deck now where you have a basic wood tone type color, like redwood to cedar, stick with it.
When staining a wooden deck expectations are very important
If you have a Solid color or Semi-Solid Oil Stain on the Deck where the Color is more solid in nature but grain of the wood still is quite prevalent, stick with that as well.
Oil Products will more so fade and chalk and will just require less maintenance in regards to peeling.
They just naturally wear better in my opinion and keep wood “oiled”, preserving it better in this dry climate.
Ryan Amato
If you have a Solid Color Acrylic Stain on a Deck, you will need to re-coat the Deck with the same , as sanding this coating out of the grain of the Wood is effectively really difficult in order to convert it to the Semi-trans.
You could also have issues with proper penetration and compatibility of Coating as you attempt to apply the Oil over any measure of residual acrylic coating that may still exist.
If the existing Deck has a had a oil product on it previously & has turned black due to years of neglect and effectively sanding the horizontals and the pickets would be difficult to do consistently, the Acrylic Stain option may be viable to achieve a better cosmetic final product.
Once the oil has evaporated out of the wood thru the years you will not have a compatibility issue here in that regard.
If acrylic paint has been applied to the deck it will need to be scraped and sanded off as paint is not designed for decks and lacks proper penetration and will most often peel off in sheets and be an ongoing nightmare to deal with.
NEVER apply Paint to a Deck especially to the bottom Support Structure. Paint is intended and designed to adhere to a primed and sealed surface.
It is NOT DESIGNED TO BE A PENETRATOR like an acrylic or oil stain! This is less critical with Hand Rails as they are principally vertical in nature but make sure primer is applied first under the Paint.
Regardless, top horizontal hand rail surfaces will peel and require regular maintenance whether paint is applied or acrylic stain. They cannot and will not withstand harsh weather conditions.
2) Pre-existing Condition of the Deck-
How old is the Deck? When was it last Coated? What Elevation does it face?
What are your expectations when staining your wooden deck
South and West Exposures are brutal on Deck Life. They are super hot & lend themselves to more fractured and cracked horizontal surfaces.
They allow more natural penetration of moisture which makes these cracks larger providing for constant expansion and contraction and ongoing peeling as moisture/vapor moves out of the wood into the atmosphere.
The older the deck, the more you will have to simply maintain it. Typically, areas of the deck, especially hi traffic areas, will need to be re-rolled or brushed every spring for sure.
Staining a wooden deck doesn’t have to be hard
This goes for either a Semi-trans oil product or a solid color acrylic product. Areas of Dry Rot where a Fungus has set in and is eroding the surface of the Wood or to some depth of the Wood need to be removed.
Not doing so would only make these areas worse and coatings do not adhere or penetrate into dry rot appropriately.
3) Shiners-
Let’s talk about what to expect when staining your wooden deck, especially a wood toner oil based semi-trans type product.
Wood, especially weathered wood, has different grains, existing cracking/fissures and absorption rates.
No particular area on a horizontal deck or a vertical hand rail corner to corner will absorb a coating exactly the same.
Staining a wooden deck doesn’t have to be hard
Amato Painting
This is just the nature of wood, period. In climates like Pennsylvania most often a 2 coat application of a Semi-trans. or a Solid Color Stain will be needed to properly protect the Deck.
The 1st Coat will seal the porosity and left alone will not typically be cosmetically pleasing to the eye and will not weather well.
Staining a wooden deck
The 2nd Coat will effectively seal the deck; provide better water resistance and longer life.
The second coat is typically back brushed or rolled out to areas that will pool up due to these different absorption rates of wood mentioned above.
The end result typically will be what can best be described as areas of variable look or sheen or better described as “Shiners.
This is just the consequences of sealing most any deck with most any coating.
Amato Painting
To expect a uniform look corner to corner is going to be unrealistic and unfair to your Contractor as is expecting these same horizontal surfaces not to have some sort of failure or maintenance even within the 1st year.
Intense moisture in the form of ice, snow, sleet, hail & rain along with 80-100 degree Sun, heat and UV is simply not going to allow a protective liquid to not have issues sooner than later.
However, these “Shiners” will settle down as the UV and sun starts the natural weathering process.
4) Sand or not to Sand?
For acrylic coated decks scraping and power washing loose coating is usually sufficient.
If the Deck has been painted inappropriately, then it will need to be sanded off as much as is possible followed behind with a quality penetrating acrylic stain
Once you have an acrylic stain product on your deck, you are pretty committed to it.
Again, really tough and expensive to convert to oil and you will experience varied results for sure.
What To Expect
In the end a deck takes a ton of abuse just from every day life, from walking on it, shoveling it in winter, dogs nails.
You cannot expect a coating to survive this type of abuse, wood is always contracting and expanding as well as the coating. Guess what will give first? Yes the coating, the stain
Have legitimate expectations you may be coating it every year , anyone who says otherwise is not being honest
