Paint sheens and how to choose

Paint sheen and how to choose

Choosing paint sheen can be confusing but it doesn't have to be

So your ready to paint your home and you picked out the best color and know what brand your getting and than they ask you what sheen would you like to use and you look like a deer in the headlights. No one ever explained them and who cares what sheen we use, the color is what we want.

Wrong

This is the most important decision you can make, the  sheen is what makes it sometimes washable or not, easy to touch up or not and will show imperfections or not.

We made this list to help you choose the perfect sheen depending on the situation, lighting, application difficulty and use of space will all effect the choice. Your estimator or office staff can certainly help assist in this decision.

Hello!

We would like to thank you for the opportunity of earning your business.  Amato Painting, LLC would like to help you pick the correct sheen for your project. Please review our suggestions below:

1.    Flat:

a.    Look:  Non-reflective

b.    Qualities:  Hides imperfections, absorbs light, hard to clean, easy touch up

c.    Best Use:  Low traffic areas, interior walls and ceilings

2.    Matte:

a.    Look:  low luster but with an angular sheen

b.    Qualities:  Hides minor imperfections, absorbs light, low stain resistance, easier to clean

c.    Best Use:  Medium traffic areas (bedrooms), interior walls

3.    Eggshell:

a.       Look:  Flat finish with little luster. Soft velvet like appearance

b.      Qualities:  cover wall imperfections, resists some dirt and grime , may not touch  up as easy as other sheens

c.       Best Use:  Moderate traffic areas (Living room, dining room)

4.    Satin:

a.      Look:  pearl like look

b.      Qualities:  easy to clean, can be used inside and outside, resists mildew, dirt and stains. Will show any imperfections on your walls

c.       Best Use: high traffic areas, and areas that exposure to some moisture (kitchen)

5.    Semi-Gloss:

a.      Look: radiant sheen, reflects light

b.      Qualities: easy to clean, resists mildew, moisture and wear, can be used inside and outside. Hard to touch up

c.       Best Use: high traffic and moisture prone areas (bathrooms, kitchens)

6.    Gloss:

a.      Look: Smooth, high shine finish, glass like finish

b.      Qualities:  very easy to clean, no touch up and shows every imperfection

c.       Best Use: surfaces that are frequently cleaned, window trim, cabinets, doors

Please contact us with any questions or concerns.

Warm Regards, Amato Painting - 484-821-7112

Resurfacing your acoustic ceiling tiles

Save money and resurface your ceiling tiles

Why replace them when you can make them better?

Everyone has seen them whether in a residential setting or a commercial ones, the dirty water stained ceiling tiles, they are put in place to have access above the ceiling to pipes wires and more.

But once they stain or get dirty they are horrendous looking.

Usually you would just replace the bad ones with new, what usually happens is you don't have enough and you end up having many different types of tiles in the ceiling.

What if I told you you can resurface them (apply a coating) at generally a third of the replacement cost while not effecting the acoustics benefits of them, or bridging them (gluing track to tile)

and giving it a fire rating? 

Yes this service we now offer and very little down time to your business if any at all.

all work can be done off hours and with a quick return to service. All speakers, vents can also be coated at the same time.

Here is a recent project we just completed in one day.

 This project was done on short notice in a school with a one day time frame, it took about 10 gallons of product and one painter to accomplish this.
If you would like more information check out our ceiling restoration page  or contact us for a free consultation at 484-821-7112 or email us.

The HGTV customer

The HGTV customer

How tv has made estimates and work difficult.

Everyone seems to watch all the how to and fix it shows flip this flip that.  They portray these easy and quick rehabs and renovations that make it seem like it can be done in a day with no disruption to your home.

What they fail to show is the difficulties throughout the projects, the mistakes, the long days.

What these idealistic shows have done is make a real renovation or repainting project difficult by giving homeowners a false sense of knowledge on their end and expectations that can not possibly be met with a normal budget.

We go through this all the time on estimates, with the homeowner that wants consultation work for free on the 15 different ideas they have from trim to specialty finishes they would never be able to afford under normal circumstances to how long a project will take or how it should be done.

Here is a video I just produced this weekend that can explain this a bit more.

When you realize these are ideal situations, produced and overly managed under budgets that the normal person cannot afford you will understand it is a show, yes some great ideas but I watch shows about $150,000 cars too, it doesn't mean I am going out to buy one.

When you need a real, truthful consultation give me a call I Would be glad to come out and take a look.

www.ryanamatopainting .com

Recently completed exterior painting in Easton,PA

Completion of an exterior in Easton, Pa

We recently completed this exterior in Easton, Pa working on this project for a great family who was simply easy and awesome to work for every step of the way.
When we first looked at this one at the initial estimate we noticed it really needed a color change to set it apart from the other homes on the street. Once we determined our plan to do revitalize this home, we put everything together and along with the homeowner helping to choose colors.
We began by pressure washing the surfaces to clean and remove and mildew or dirt, now we use a soft wash technique, not usually blasting at any surface to avoid possible damage, sometimes customers see this and wonder if we're really cleaning at all but trust me if someone is washing your home any other way they are not up to date on the new techniques and your taking a chance.

After washing we began scraping any remaining loose peeling paint, oil priming the bare surfaces using Cover Stain by Zinnser and caulking every gap seen around windows, doors, and penetrations. This very important step is one that takes a professional eye.
Once all the prep was done we began using Sherwin Williams Resilience every painted surface receives a full two coats of paint.

There were some interesting angles and access issues on this home but our skilled group of painters is used to this and did a wonderful job safely accessing the top levels and completing the job in a safe productive and profitable manner.

The customer was thrilled with the results and left us a great Google review and sent in a wonderful report card, "it was an easy process every step of the way"

If you need your exterior done there is still some time left but you could also be one of the first up for 2018, give us a call at 484-821-7112 or email us

Painter for a day is a great deal

Sometimes small projects get pushed away from other painting contractors as they are sometimes more work than it is worth, we saw this issue and created a "painter for a day"
What this means is you don't have to take time meeting 3 or 4 contractors giving estimates and many of them won't show, so you took off of work and lost even more money.
We offer one fee of $500 for one experienced painter for one day.
We are offering a painter for a day:

Our Painter For A Day program includes all of the following for the low cost of $500.00. Job Specific Materials & Equipment are billed at our cost plus 25%. Job specific materials are paint, tape, roller covers for example:

• One experienced painter during normal working hours
• All necessary tools such as ladders, drop cloths
• 8 hours of quality painting service

Painter For A Day services can include:

• Painting your Office, Hallways, or Lobby
• Painting your Common Areas or Stairwells
• Touch-Up Interior or Exterior Trim
• Paint your Doors and Door Frames to make them look new
• Work on both interior and exterior surfaces
• And Much More!
• This would be great for a smaller job such as that one wall that needs to be painted, or a few doors and trim that you need to be spruced up before the family comes over.
• This is not for large exterior work, anything needing an extension ladder or more detailed projects, for those you would want to get a proper estimate. This is for residential projects only but doesn't fret our commercial friends we also do offer painters for daily projects.
• For you,  it saves time, no need for an estimate and knowing you will get your small project done in an efficient way.
• For our end, it reduces costs as we do not have to come out for an estimate as those costs are built into the jobs, for a painter for a day you get a drastically reduced price and an expedited service saving weeks when normally placed on the schedule.
• If you would like more information please visit our website at www.ryanamatopainting.com or email bidrequests@ryanamatopaintingllc.com

Your ready to paint your home now what?

You're ready to paint your home and now what?

Tips and pointers on how to get a great paint job and what to expect

You're sitting around your home and realize you haven't painted in ten years or you have a party or family gathering coming up soon and want to impress your friends so you decide it is time to paint but you have no time to do it yourself and it's so much easier hiring someone else to do it but you have never hired anyone before.

To some, this can be a scary proposition and once you start calling around it may get even more confusing sifting through the maze of qualified contractors. 

Here are some pointers.

• If you call someone and they do not get back to you in a timely manner pass on them if they are not responsive now what's to think that will change when the job starts or if something needs to be fixed?
• Look at their pictures and past work,  there should be similar projects they have done and most will have references. You should check references as everyone can have a fancy website filled with great pictures but are they real?
• Take the time to meet them in person and ask who will be doing the work, one trick of contractors is to sub contract your work to a totally different company and one who is much cheaper in price and may not be insured or have workman's compensation
• Ask what the process may be once you accept the project and when the project may be scheduled
• Will they help with color selections

Ok so you have called a few painters and most likely you called five maybe three called back and two will show up for the actual estimate, I had this same problem while looking for other contractors for my own home and on almost each estimate I go on they tell me of the other contractors who never call back or show up.

When the estimate day is here, make sure to be clear on what you want to be done and how you expect it to look when complete, this is the time to let out all those expectations to avoid issues once the project starts.

We will typically give a price on the spot or sometimes email the proposal, it is a great idea once you receive it to review it with the estimator to make sure it has everything you want in it or to make adjustments at this time.

Remember your not looking for the lowest price as the only option, you want to pick a known commodity and one that can deliver your expectations within your budget, that most likely is not the lowest and sometimes may not be the highest price either, I always choose the contractors I am comfortable with when meeting them, there is a reason the successful contractors are busy and in business, they can deliver the jobs as requested and if something should happen they take care of it right away, that lowest price may not be around in a few months to honor that warranty.

Sometimes the truth is not so popular

Sometimes the truth is not what people want to hear

When I go out to estimates or interact with clients, employees or vendors everyone generally has an idea of what they want to hear from me, for instance when I go on an estimate and we go over their project and the client will tell me how we should be doing it, what products to use and how to apply them.

So I have spent 25 plus years in the painting and coatings industry and have training constantly and train other employees and companies but for some reason, a client overlooks this entirely and speaks to me in a way that they should probably do their own work. I know this happens in any business and most small business owners will have this issue at one time or another.

Another example is product use, when I recommend a product is from past experiences with it, we have used it before and feel comfortable with the application, performance, and longevity of it but still customer insist on supplying their own products, this to me is a bit crazy, you're voiding your warranty, forcing the painters to use products they may have not used before, trust us one can of paint is not the same as the next and application, drying times all change.

When we say something can not be done sometimes the client is so dead set on another idea whether it is right or wrong they are going to use anyone who agrees with them, sometimes you need to get over yourself and put your trust in the professionals, not every job is a cookie cutter approach, when you find a customer like this you can try to give them your knowledge but most of the time it is wasted time and your better off passing, this can all generally be resolved when you make your pre qualification call.

Stand strong in your beliefs, you have spent years learning how to do your trade, don't let someone undermine you or your passion for your business and trade.