Many homeowners find themselves confused when hiring a painting contractor, unsure of what qualifications to look for. They also need more information on the quality of service they should expect from a painter because they cannot differentiate a mediocre paint job from an excellent one.
Many low standards have popped up in the industry, doing low-quality work that is cheap but lacks sustainability. At Express Quality Painting, we do not compromise the quality of our work. We give our clients value for their money. Here is a guideline to help you choose quality paint work for lasting results.
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How Quality Interior Painting Looks Like
Quality paintwork has clear cuts in areas where the walls connect to the ceiling; they should be sharp and straight. It also applies to where the walls meet the baseboards, window frames, and doors. It is a skill that requires a professional to have many years of mastery, and most painters need more patience to practice and improve on it. A good paint job is more than just a beautiful color.
No matter how beautiful the paint is, if the surfaces did not undergo proper preparation and the painter did the work poorly, then that is poor-quality interior painting. There should also be a consistent, smooth, and uniform finish without streaky brush marks, ridges, runs, lap marks, or sagging in the paint.
Paint Should Only be on the Intended Surfaces.
One of the poor painting techniques is having paint spilled over on the sides of the window. Sometimes, unprofessional painters leave wall paint up into the ceiling. With excellent painting, the cabinets, lights switch, floors, outlets, door hardware, and hinges should be free from paint.
Mediocre painters spill paint on the floor, personal belongings, and furniture due to carelessness. Professional painting demands that the painters protect the surfaces and items with drop sheets and plastic to avoid such occurrences and tape and mask items if necessary.
Full Paint Coverage and Number of Coats of Paint
You know it is an excellent paint job when the painted surface does not show areas of narrow range and shadowing of the paint that was there before. In mediocre painting, you will notice that cut-in areas have sparsely applied paint, and you will see the color of the previous paint shadowing and misses in the rolled regions of the wall.
No matter the quality of the paint, doing only one coat of paint is unacceptable. Painters can only apply two coats on the lower side to achieve adequate full-paint coverage. When there is an extreme color change, for instance, using a bright color on top of a dull color, painters can use more than two coats.
Sanding
A surface painted without sanding or without proper sanding is not appealing. Sanding is a critical process in painting that mediocre painters unfortunately ignore. It removes all anomalies and excess texture which may have resulted from coatings that were applied previously.
Lack of proper sanding can result from painting failure and make the surface look dreadful after many years. Painters who sand the walls and do trim work before they paint often have a smooth and uniform finish.
Patching and Caulking
Patching is essential, especially if the surface you want to paint is in poor condition.
An experienced painter should inspect the walls for scratches, nicks, and dings before they begin their job. They should fill and sand the flawed areas with all the unwanted nails and screw holes from artwork or pictures hanging previously.
Poor patching is worse than not patching at all; unskilled painters overapply the patching compound leaving uneven areas on the surface, which later requires a lot of sanding and re-patching to fix the mess.
Remove Hardware before Painting.
Painters should remove hardware that is easy to remove, like outlet covers, door knobs, and switch plates, so they do not accidentally apply paint on them. An experienced painter will paint around the items leaving no brush marks.
High-quality Painting Products
Professional painters ensure they use the correct products for your job. Using the right products means having high-quality paint and the appropriate type of painting material that suits your needs.
For instance, special primers or sealers can work for areas with high humidity, mold, and mildew. For an excellent outcome, there should be paint rollers, brushes, patching compound, and caulking.
A good painter will tell you that even though they are expensive, high-quality paints are the best, as they will never disappoint you, whether you are considering their hiding properties, durability, or adhesion.
