Wallpaper And Paint, Together At Last

Inspiration For Combining Both Options For Beautiful Designs

Wallpaper isn’t too common these days, stuck with an outdated reputation as tacky or stuffy. That’s not even mentioning how hard it used to be to apply and remove. Recently, though, wallpaper is making a grand comeback with modern style and, more importantly, easier application and removal.

You might think that a room fully coated in wallpaper would look too cramped and busy, while onn the other hand, a room that has paint alone may look flat and boring. It may surprise you to learn that combining the two has opened the door to creating eclectic and modern looks.

There are many ways to successfully pair wallpaper and paint, many of which can be provided by interior painting services. Here are a few ideas to get your interior design ball rolling.

Half and Half

This option is more popular for smaller bathrooms, but can be pulled off in larger rooms as well. By installing trim at the midpoint along all four walls, you can have paint on the top half of the room and wallpaper on the bottom – or vice versa. It’s a simple yet aesthetically pleasing way to add a fun or intricate print without leaving the room feeling small and closed in. It’s a lot easier on the eyes, too!

Block It Off

This option also uses trim, but in a much more creative way. There are many options on how to place and style the trim, but the base of this look is to create borders around pieces of wallpaper almost as if you were hanging a large art piece. You can choose to make the trim a separate colour from the wall, but matching the trim with the walls gives this design a seamless, textured look that adds a little artistry to any room in your home.

Accent Walls

Using wallpaper to create an accent wall inside a room is the most common wallpaper and paint combination. It is the easiest to do, and the most fun to colour coordinate. It’s a great and cost-effective way to get the best of both worlds while keeping things simple. The one fully wallpapered wall turns into a statement piece all on its own, and can bring out a little quirkiness and style in an otherwise plain room.

Interior painting services in Ottawa are willing and able to bring your interior design dreams to life. The key to achieving any one of these looks is clean, proper application. Combining wallpaper and paint is a great way to break up a flat-looking room, without making it look dated or too busy.

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Do you need help finding quality painters?

Our mission is a big undertaking

To give every Paint Contractor in North America instant access to quality Painters in their local area.

If you are a Painting Contractor or a company in need of hiring painters, you can register for free at Painter Job Hub Within minutes you can connect with available Painters in your geographic area. Painter membership on Painter Job Hub is always growing and developing nationally, thanks to the word of mouth of satisfied contractors and painters.

Painters on the site complete a “Painter Profile” and it includes everything from photos of their work, tools they own, vehicle they drive, tools, skills, training, references and even if they have  RRP lead certification and Insurance. As a Contractor, you are able to view available candidates in your geographic area.

As more new hires are available we send  you “Your Weekly Painter Update” which includes the latest member in your area. Double check your email setting so new candidates that are featured and updates don’t go to your junk box. Checking your account from time to time for the latest Painters has been key for the Contractors that have made successful hires through the site.

The site is currently free  as we develop nationally. We are going to be offering fee based membership tiers and custom packages where we work directly with you on your hiring needs. This will be rolled out by August, please contact us with any questions on your hiring needs and create your free account today.

If you are a painter looking for employment

Sign up at Painter Job Hub and let contractors find you.

Put your best foot forward when completing your “Painter Profile”. With the hires that have been made on the site we have seen a pattern: Those who upload an image, or even build their own online “Portfolio” on the site and fully complete their Profile get more reviews and more contractors reaching out to them. We have 1000’s of Painting Contractors ready to hire so portray your experience in the best and most accurate way possible. This is free for painters.

 

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“We used Painters Job Hub to find one of our Lead Painters. It is a great resource in the painting community. I would recommend it to anyone looking to find qualified candidates. I wish more people used it.” Jeff Dupont, Sound Painting Solutions in Seattle

Thank you for supporting PainterJobHub.com

If you are not currently hiring or meet a quality Painter that you cannot help, kindly direct them to PainterJobHub.com, it helps us to effectively serve the industry by connecting professionals.

Please use the “Contact Us” button in the upper right hand corner of the main page if you have any questions or need assistance.

Click here to sign up at Painter Job Hub now!

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What if you actually love what you do?

Craftsman vs. Entrepreneur

I approached the PDCA expo in New Orleans with a naïve attitude.

This became clear to me as I presented both my educational topic and my argument in the ‘throw down’ debate. I tailored these presentations to people like me: someone who has strong business acumen and someone who leads their crew in the field each day. The discussions I had and the people I met created in me a crisis of faith, at least in terms of where I stand in the painting industry. Should I be hiring more people? More trucks? Am I a sucker for advertising in a newspaper? Am I doing too much, or too little for my business? What about technology?

Understand this: not only do I not cast dispersions on those who do not actively pick up a paint brush, I in fact, admire their position and what it takes to run a business with that structure. But I met many people who reacted to my daily schedule with curiosity and pity. Judging from people’s responses, I believe their opinion to be ‘I just haven’t figured it out yet.’

I keep normal hours during the day to practice my craft with my apprentices all the while maintaining my necessary business obligations. I answer the phone; conduct all estimates as well as consulting with my customers on color and design. I do my own financials and I create my own content for social media. At the expo, I was surprised to find that I was a minority in this regard.

So what is a person like me to do in this situation? Should I reconsider my role in my own company? Am I needlessly toiling? Am I lowering myself to the status of common laborer instead of devoting my time to running my business?

Any college business program would applaud the business owners that I met at the expo. They have outsourced, silo-ed, delegated and optimized. But there were common concerns with all of these businesses: the need to generate more leads and the ambition to eventually not paint or to not be doing what they’re doing so they can actually do something they love– both things that I have no problems with. Is one of us right?

To all of these people, I ask,

“ what if you actually love what you do?”

What if preparing an income statement, doing payroll and creating your own marketing excites you? What if you take pride in experimenting with finishes to further your expertise? What if you love to restore antique furniture and spray industrial epoxy? What if your company’s best asset is the trustworthiness of its leader? What if both painting and entrepreneurship happen to be your passion?

My time at the expo made me take a second look at my business. I was inspired by young entrepreneurs at the helm of nationally-recognized painting companies, by a painter who created his own App to assist other painting contractors and by another young business owner who built a company like mine into a 50 person entity known for their quality and morale among employees. What I’ve realized is that the choice between tradition and progression does not have to be a choice at all. You can embrace both.

I could argue that my life is happy. And with that realization I shook that crisis of faith, at least as it pertains to my business, and have now stopped looking down on what I’ve created because it doesn’t resemble other painting companies. I don’t see myself as a lesser businessman because I still paint with my crew. It seems that people have taken sides: Painter vs. Entrepreneur. I consider choosing one or the other as an excuse for not having the fortitude or patience to see to both sides of your business. I argue that you can generate substantial revenue, maintain high margins and look your customers in the face and say “I, and my apprentices, are the best painters.”

So I have a proposition for our industry

Instead of judging your success by price per lead and market capitalization, judge your company by these 3 questions:

1. Can your customers find another contractor who creates a finer finish than you?
2. Do you have the happiest customers?
3. Can you call your life happy?

I consider these non-negotiable fundamentals.

All else will follow.

 

Proprietor of the Nick Slavik Painting & Restoration Co.

Host: Ask A Painter! on Facebook Live every Saturday Morning

Craftsman for over 20 years

Army Veteran (Afghanistan & Iraq)

Website    Facebook      Instagram

 

 

 

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Editor at Blogging Painters at Partners in Sites

Chris Haught is the editor of Blogging Painters, the leading resource for paint contractors. Chris also works with contractors to improve their website and social media presence. When not blogging about the painting industry, she works in the educational sector as a media and technology mentor.

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Trimaco Floor Guards

TRIMACO E-Z Floor Guards™ work by easily placing a sheet of adhesive plastic film on the bottom of your shoe or boot to avoid tracking dirt and debris into a home or jobsite. Simply STEP, PULL and TEAR. No need to bend over and struggle to apply like traditional shoe covers. Going back outside? Don’t bother removing the film, just reapply a new layer as you re-enter the jobsite. Keep your home or jobsite clean with the easy to use and economical E-Z Floor Guards.

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4 Tips For Better Work Agreements

The work is the most important part of any contracting job, but your work agreement comes in hot as second. A contract is obviously important when it comes to avoiding costly lawsuits, but it’s more than just avoiding legal fees. A well-written work agreement will save you misunderstandings and the time, money, and frustrations attached to them. When it comes time to write your work agreement, there are four areas to keep in mind.

Services (aka The Work)

This part is basically an outline of the customer’s expectations and what you will be doing to meet them. Here you will lay out the details of the contracted work that lay out the “what,” “where,” and “how.” You also want to include the details on all the possible what-if’s that may come up during the work project. And should changes come up during the job, you’ll want to include cause for provisions so that you can write up an amendment to attach to your original agreement.   

Consider probable scenarios and clearly lay out the terms of how they will be addressed so that all risks and obligations are in writing. Should hiccups come along (ie. a color change halfway through the project, or a paint spill on pricey rugs due to the customer’s child), you’ll want to make sure that liability and accountability fall on the right party and you’re getting paid for the work you do.

There are many questions to consider in this section. Will you be providing all of the materials? Will other contractors be involved in the client’s overall project? What will constitute “agreed upon” work between you and the property owner? The clearer you are and the more specific ground you can cover, the lesser the chance of mishap. But remember to consider your clients needs as well as your own. They’ll likely push for things like an agreement with a satisfaction guarantee so that they’re not stuck suffering with any mistakes. Keep things fair by appointing liability and responsibility where it’s due.

Term & Termination (The Timeframe & Deadlines)

This part is pretty simple as it’s all about the time from start to completion, but be sure to give careful thought to your deadlines or time spans. Surprise damages and “acts of God” like weather can have a big impact on total project time, so address how probable factors will work into projected timelines and draft up any special amendment guidelines the project may need. Special attention is especially due to the causes for contract termination that may come up for either you or the property owner and the consequences of failing to meet your agreed times and terms. Such situations can get costly, so this could be a good place to address dispute resolution via mediation or arbitration rather than the courtroom.

Payment and Terms (How Much Money And When)

Estimating Software

This section is pretty self-explanatory, but because of the problems that arise with money, it requires thorough thought and care. Be clear on who pays whom, how much they pay, when they pay, and how they pay. Special situations like installment payments or payment upon client satisfaction need to lay out dates, times, and how satisfaction is determined. Aim to be as clear and detailed as possible — what county any disputes would be settled in, the amount and date of each installment, mediator of choice, penalties for late payments, and so on — so there aren’t any disastrous loopholes or areas for misunderstanding.   

Special Considerations (All The Extra Stuff)

Keep in mind that your work agreement will help you and your clients avoid potential problems, but it’s no substitute for regular communication. Determine the best way for you and your customers to discuss progress, mishaps, or the present agenda. This gives them the opportunity to raise any questions or concerns which will help shave down misunderstandings and surprise project remorse.

The same benefits of communication will extend to you and your team by joining at the start of each day with a simple, to-the-point work huddle. When it comes down to doing a job right, clear communication is always the way to go. Don’t make any assumptions. Instead, ask questions and make sure everyone is feeling good about the work that’s taking place. You may need to invest time and creativity in the beginning, but it will save you, your team, and your customers plenty in time, money, and energy later on.

 

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Top Interior Painting Mistakes

Common Mistakes Made on Interior Paint Jobs, and How to Fix Them

Many people rush their interior painting job – maybe it’s the inconvenience of putting the use of a room on hold, or having to take off work to get it done – and rushing leads to mistakes. Although hiring painting contractors is almost always the best choice for getting your paint job right the first time, our professionals have gathered a few  quick fixes for correcting common mistakes made on a rush job:

Paint drips

At some point during an interior painting job, it’s likely you have put too much paint on the roller or inconsistently spread paint on the wall. The drips caused by these mistakes may not be noticeable until the paint has dried, and at that point it may seem too late to fix the error. Luckily there is an easy solution: use a fine-grade sandpaper to remove the drips and then clean the area thoroughly. You can then go over the drip-free area with paint and primer. No one will ever know!

Wall stains

Typically indicative of improper priming, you fortunately don’t need to sand any paint off to fix a stain. Simply brush some stain-blocker over the affected areas and paint over it once it has dried. You may want to bring in painting contractors if you notice your walls are easily stained. The professionals should be able to identify the cause of your stains and recommend a course of action if there’s a larger issue at hand (like mildew).

Tape tears

If you started removing your painter’s tape and tear off some of the new paint in the process, have no fear! Maybe you waited too long to take the tape off, or maybe the room was too warm and the tape fused to the paint. Either way, the solution is simple for this interior painting mistake: just use a sharp blade to cut the tape away from the lifting paint, then sand, clean, prime and paint until the area is covered.

Carpet spills

Maybe you forgot to put down a drop cloth, or maybe it just shifted throughout the day and exposed some of your carpet. Either way, if your carpet is exposed to a paint spill you need to soak up as much of the paint as possible before it dries. A clean, dry sponge will collect much of the paint and a scraper can do the rest. Gentle dish detergent can be used to clean out any remaining spots on the material. Preserving your flooring is a great reason to hire painting contractors, as they have the equipment and expertise to prevent accidents.

Painting your home might seem like an easy job, but there are several common errors that can be easily avoided if you hire painting contractors. However, if professionals aren’t in your budget, these quick fixes should help you in the event of a mishap, so you can still enjoy your paint job without always seeing that drip or spill you made when rushing to get your kids to soccer practice. If you’re set on doing the job yourself, it always helps to be prepared!

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6 Summer Exterior Painting Tips

Beautify Your Home This Summer with Help from the Exterior Painting Experts

As the spring rains reach their end and you’ve finally shaken off those winter blues, you may notice your home’s exterior could use a little love. The harsh conditions of winter can wreak havoc on your exterior paint job, leaving your home in need of a colour touch-up or even a complete overhaul. A fresh coat of paint on your home can make you the envy of the neighbourhood, boost your curb appeal (particularly if you are looking to sell), and just generally make you feel proud of the house you live in. If you choose the right day, the summer is the perfect time to get some exterior painting done—here are some tips to help you along:

Mind the Weather

For obvious reasons, you shouldn’t paint your exterior on a rainy day. But there’s more for you to consider weather-wise than just the rain—heat and humidity can play a huge role in the success of your paint job as well. Ideally, you should paint on a day with low humidity and a temperature in the mid-twenties. In fact, a cloudy or overcast day is considered the best day to paint your home’s exterior. These conditions help ensure that your paint dries properly without blistering.

Mix Your Cans

If you need multiple cans of paint to get the job done, then there’s a possibility of slight colour or texture variations from can to can, even with the same colour of paint! This can lead to an uneven finish on your exterior painting job. Instead of using up one can of paint before moving on to the next, use a large, clean drum or bucket to mix the cans together and create an even,  consistent colour using the paint from all your cans.

Get Off to a Clean Start

Remove peeling paint from your home’s exterior, wash all the surfaces you plan on painting, and sand down any surface that’s not smooth. Exterior house paint adheres best to a clean, smooth surface; and since a paint job can’t hide any surface imperfections found on the area you plan to cover with paint, it’s important to give your walls a little love before you get started.

Start from the Top

Unlike with many other things, you should never start a paint job from the bottom. Because paint can run, as you move up the exterior walls you can produce streaks and dribbles over the already-painted sections. By starting from the top of your surface instead, you’ll cover up these streaks more easily as you move downwards, ensuring a smooth finished texture to your paint job.

Follow the Shade

Direct sunlight is bad for drying paint as it can cause the paint to blister from becoming too warm. If you’re planning your day around painting, then think about how the sun rotates around your home and paint each section as it’s in the shade as much as possible.

Contract Professionals

Whether because you are busy or just overwhelmed, or even if you simply don’t like paint jobs, you can always call an exterior painting professional for help with painting your home this summer. These professionals have the skills and experience to give your home the treatment it deserves!

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