Frequently Asked Questions about Interior and Exterior Painting
How long has Apex Painters been in business?
Craig McCarthy has been a painting contractor since 1985.
Does Apex Painters have references?
Yes, our references are available upon request.
Does Apex Painters charge for estimates?
All our estimates are free of charge.
How are Apex Painters' prices determined?
Many factors are considered when establishing a price quote: type and size of areas to be painted, type of windows and other trim work, number and intensity of paint colors used, amount of protection needed for plants and furniture, quality of paint used and the extent of paint surface preparation. All of these will be considered in order to provide you with an accurate cost estimate.
Why do paint contractor bids seem so varied in price?
The cost of a job is in large part determined by the degree of care and thoroughness, attention to detail, and quality desired. It's more time-consuming and therefore costs more to properly prepare a surface for painting than to just pressure clean and scrape away the loosest paint chips. Surface preparation is the major expense in repainting houses and other structures as well as the labor involved in the application of the paint and not the actual cost of the paint itself. As is usually the case, you get what you pay for.
How long will it take to paint my house?
The process can take as little as 4-5 days from the time we first meet to offer our estimate. However, it can take longer depending on the condition of your surfaces, the type of work required, and weather conditions if the project involves exterior work as well as other projects we are working on. Naturally, because of our weather in Central New York, our busiest season for exterior work is from Spring to early Fall.
When we meet to discuss your project, we will evaluate your situation and give an estimate of the time it should take to complete your painting project.
For interior painting, do I need to empty rooms of all furniture?
Just move the small items and breakables. Apex Painters will protect all larger furniture and lighting fixtures.
How do you protect property from paint damage?
For interior painting, once you have removed your personal items (excluding large furniture), we use clean drop cloths or plastic sheeting to cover remaining furniture and floor surfaces. For exterior painting projects, we will cover shrubs and trees so that no evidence of paint or paint peelings remains.
How long should an exterior paint job last?
Exterior painting jobs will need to be redone every 5-10 years. Stucco will last longer, while wood, which expands and contracts more with warming and cooling temperatures, can loosen the paint sooner.
It is best not to put off your exterior painting until the house is badly peeling. Exposed wood is much more suceptible to damage from the elements which can lead to higher costs to properly prepare surfaces to be repainted.
If your property is in bad condition, don't skimp on thorough preparation before repainting as this will likely lead to the next paint job failing prematurely.
Should I use Oil or Latex paint?
The quality of latex paints has improved substantially in the last 20 years and they are more environmentally friendly than oil based paints. Oil based paints release paint fumes that make it less than ideal for interior painting jobs. Likewise, with oil based paints, clean up is done with paint thinner rather than water which requires special handling and disposal.
Latex primers and paints have become increasingly more and more durable in recent years (something which helps overcome one of its past weaknessness in relation to oil based paints years ago). In fact, an exterior latex paint has an elastic quality that actually helps it expand and contract along with the surfaces it is painted on as the weather warms and cools. Oil-based paint is harder and more durable but can become more brittle and may crack sooner than a latex paint.
One potenial advantage of oil-based paints is that they will give a slightly smoother result and so not show brush marks as much as latex. Also, as was already mentioned, oil dries hard so it tends to be more washable than latex.
How to know whether we have latex or oil paint currently?
First, scrub a small area with a solution of household detergent and warm water. Rinse well and towel dry. Then soak a cotton ball, Q-tip or soft rag in alcohol and rub it back and forth over the cleaned area. If paint comes off, it's latex. If not, it's oil based. In either case, proper preparation is essential before repainting.
What type of paint do you recommend?
We use only professional quality paints from top brands like Sherwin Williams, Devoe, Benjamin Moore and Pittsburgh Paints unless the customer requests a different brand--although we always recommend using top quality brands to insure your paint job will not prematurely fail.
Advantages of flat or low gloss paints?
They provide even light reflection and give the surface a softer, more uniform look.
These paint sheens can help mask surface imperfections, so they usually don't require as much surface preparation (like patching, texturing or sanding) prior to painting.
They are much less likely to show lap marks, so they are generally easier to apply and touch up than higher sheen paints. (When one painted section dries before the next section is painted, the two sections won't flow together into a uniform film, resulting in a lap mark.)
They don't need to be sanded or de-glossed before repainting, unlike higher sheen paints.
Disadvantages of flat or low gloss paints?
They are less stain- and scuff-resistant than higher sheen paints, so they should not be used on surfaces that will be handled, washed or scrubbed frequently.
They are less moisture-resistant than higher sheen finishes, so they are not the best choice for areas that are exposed to high humidity levels, like in bathrooms, or on any surfaces that will be washed frequently.
Advantages of high gloss paints?
They have better stain resistance, so they resist dirt pick up and stay cleaner longer.
They have better scuff- and wear-resistance, so they're good for high traffic areas and on surfaces that are handled, washed or scrubbed frequently.
They have better moisture-resistance, which makes them ideal for surfaces and areas that are frequently exposed to high humidity levels.
Disadvantages of high gloss paints?
They tend to highlight any surface imperfections.
They are harder to touch up than lower sheen paints, because the higher sheen tends to highlight the slightly raised surface of the film where the touch up was done.
They usually need to be sanded, de-glossed or primed prior to repainting, to ensure good adhesion of the new paint.
What are the diferent levels of flatness to glossiness in paints?
Paint is manufactured to have different levels of shininess or sheen. There are varying degrees of sheen, from no sheen to high gloss. Paint manufacturers may refer to their paint sheens by different names. From lowest to highest, sheens correspond to these reflective degrees:
- Flat finish
- Eggshell finish
- Satin finish
- Semi gloss finish
- High gloss finish
How long before paint dries?
Acrylic (latex) paint dries much faster than Alkyd (oil). Usually a couple of hours is plenty of time for latex paint. Oil paint, however, should dry overnight. Flat paint may dry faster than semi gloss.
How to keep interior paint looking good?
Interior paint jobs degrade fastest in the areas where we come into contact most with the paint: around switches, knobs, doorways, door frames. Repeated contact with water around kitchen and bathroom sinks can also lead to marks on the paint surface. Staying on top of these marks and cleaning them soon after they appear reduces the chances they'll become permanently embedded in the paint surface.
Check for dirt periodically and assume it will be present in and near cooking areas (airborne cooking oil) and at all places at hand height. Always initially clean the surface with a mild detergent using a sponge or a soft cloth. Resort to harsher cleaners only when necessary, as alkaline cleaners can dull the the surface of high-sheen paints. Abrasive cleaners will burnish nearly any paint and will dull the gloss of satin, semigloss and gloss products. Washed surfaces should be rinsed thoroughly because residual cleaner can interfere with adhesion of paint applied later.
What color should I choose?
Color choices can be very personal. There are various tactics for selecting colors. One nice way to work with color is to stay with just one or two colors and to use different tones of the same basic color. Basically, this means adding more or less white or black to the paint to lighten and darken from the selected color. Another useful tactic is simply to look at other houses that you find appealing and to take note of the color combinations they use.
Looking at the paint chip samples can give a good idea of the interaction of colors but some clients opt to have us purchase small sample cans of the different colors so we can paint out larger sections to help better visualize the colors on site before purchasing a large order of paint to complete the job.
How do I know if I have lead paint?
If your house was built prior to 1978, chances are it has lead paint on it. A lab test can be done or a simple inexpensive tester can be purchased at a local hardware store if you want to make sure.
How is lead paint removed?
The Lead Paint Ordinance has set up procedures for how work involving lead paint is to be done. We follow all the designated procedures and recommendations; all our workers are trained on the necessary steps to take. We use containment barriers to prevent paint chips from entering your home or falling into bushes, yards, etc. We clean up all materials on a daily basis and discard them in an eco-friendly manner.
Call 1-800-424-LEAD for information on lead paint handling procedures.
Do Green paints offer high quality results?
Green painting is a painting specialty that uses eco-friendly paints designed to have very little negative impact on our environment. Green Painting refers to paint that contains little or no harmful chemicals that are found in all conventional paints, stains, and wood finishing coats like enamels and varnishes. Apex Painters is dedicated to continually studying new products and techniques to help us deliver our services in safest way for the environment and your family.
There are many benefits to using eco-friendly paints and stains such as: coating flexibility, better gloss retention, better surface resistance, reduced health risks, little to no VOC’s, less pollution, low odor, easier clean-up, safer environment, reduced waste, and improved durability.
What is Elastomeric?
Elastomeric Waterproofing System is normally used on exterior stucco and often when the surface has numerous small cracks. Elastomerics are designed to be applied in thick coats. Elastometrics have a high elasticity, which enables them to cover and enclose hairline cracks permanently. This elasticity allows the material to expand and contract with the stucco beneath without cracking. This then keeps water out and protects your home from damage. Elastomeric resembles ordinary paint and can be tinted just as paints can to match specific colors.
What are VOCs?
VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) are harmful gases that are emitted by paint as it dries. When you apply wet paint to a wall or any other surface, that paint usually dries within a few hours. As the paint dries like glue to the wall it releases gases from its liquid form, and continues for years thereafter. In unventilated areas, those gases over time can be harmful to human lungs. Most higher quality level paints now dry with very low gases that enter the air. So, using “green” paint, you can be assured that the air you breathe before and after applying paint is safe. Paints with low or no VOCs also allow families to quickly enjoy their freshly painted homes without having to wait for strong odors to fade away.
What is surfactant leaching?
The term surfactant leaching is used to describe spots or streaks of sticky brown or colorless material that appears on the surface of freshly applied latex paint. Surfactant leaching is a common paint problem that may occur with any brand of latex paint. The spots or streaks caused by surfactant leaching, while unsightly, are not harmful and do not affect the performance of the paint.
Surfactants are ingredients in paint that are critical to the performance properties of the paint such as its color, stability, flow, and leveling. These materials usually evaporate in good drying conditions, or they are locked into the paint film. The staining occurs when drying conditions cause the paint to dry too slowly, allowing the surfactants to rise to the surface of the paint. The spotting and streaking occur when moisture condenses on the fresh paint and draws the surfactants rapidly out of the paint film. Heavy condensation will cause streaking from the run down of surfactant-rich water.
Surfactant leaching usually occurs during the spring and fall when the daytime temperatures drop below the dew point rapidly, or when temperatures are low and humidity remains high.