Primers
-
We
use absolutely
the best
primer
on the
market
today.
-
Muralo’s
Ultimate
X-200 Exterior
Oil-Based
Primer-2200.
This primer
is specially
formulated
for extra
long term
durability.
It is highly
recommended
for multi-story
structures
where surface
conditions
and preparations
may vary
which applies
to most
historical
homes in
Elgin.
This primer
is also
super on
old wood
and trim
as part of
a tannin
blocking
system.
It has
a high
percentage
of linseed
oil which
allows
for a longer
drying
time than
your average
primer,
this gives
the primer
more time
to soak
into the
fibers
of the
wood grain.
This in
turn gives
both the
primer
and the
paint applied
to the
primer
better
bonding
properties
which will
provide
longer
lasting
durability.
This is
one of
the many
reasons
why our
paint jobs
last so
much longer
than our
competitors.
The moisture
protection
of linseed oil
is well
known in
the world
of woodworking,
and the
2200 has
the highest
amount
of linseed
oil of
any primer
on the
market
today.
Why
don’t
other painter’s
use this primer,
you ask? Four
reasons: It’s
super expensive,
it’s hard
to get, it is
hard to apply,
and it takes
days to dry.
Paints
The
Importance of
Paint Quality
The
Thick and Thin
of paint Spread
Rates
The premium
line from any
manufacturer
will almost certainly
cover better
and last longer
than its less-expensive
versions. Because
the expense of
painting is mostly
in the labor,
it makes sense
to buy premium
paint.
- Proper
pigments.
Quality
pigments
allow
a good
paint
to
cover
fully
and
provide
a depth
of
color
that
the
lesser
pigments
just
cannot
compare
with.
The
best
pigment
is
titanium dioxide.
- High
percentage
of
solids.
The
solids
are
what's
left
on
the
wall
after
the
paint
has
dried.
Anything
over
45
percent
is
considered
good;
the
higher
the
level
of
solids
the
better,
because
you'll
wind
up
with
a denser,
more
durable
coating.
However,
be
aware
that
some
companies
add
cheap
fillers
to
beef
up
the
percentage
of
solids.
That
makes
it
wise
to
stay
away
from
inexpensive
paints
with
a high
level
of
solids.
The
paints we use in
order of highest
percentages discussed
above to lowest:
1. Pittsburg Timeless
2. Muralo
3. Cabot’s
The Finish
4. Duron Premium
5. Benjamin Moore Premium
How We Paint
- We
never use
a sprayer
on any of
our houses,
and we never
use rollers
either. Generally
if you are
painting
exterior
wood, a good,
old-fashioned
brush is
best. Using
a brush allows
you to work
the paint
into the
wood grain
rather than
just lay
the paint
on top of
the grain.
With a brush
you can force
the paint
into every
crack and
crevice,
not missing
any. If you
are rolling,
you are leaving
a lot of
tiny little
pinpricks
of unpainted
wood. You
absolutely,
must back
brush immediately
in order
to cover
all those
pinpricks.
Very rarely,
does the
inexpensive
painter take
the time to
back brush,
and if he
does, he
most certainly
does not
get every
inch of the
rolled surface,
and still
leaves whole
areas of
unpainted
pinpricks
where moisture
can get in
and ruin
your paint
job in a
few years.
- We
are very
careful never
to paint
in the full
sun. The
sun bakes
the paint
before it
has a chance
to dry in
its own time,
which in
turn ruins
the elasticity
the manufacturer
builds into
the product.
This elasticity
is what allows
for the expansion
of the wood
during our
four seasons,
which in
turn allows
for a longer
paint job.
- We
are also
careful to
avoid “flashing”.
This is what
happens when
you paint
half a board,
let it partially
dry, then
go back and
paint the
rest. When
it completely
dries and
you are looking
at it from
the street,
a passerby
can see exactly
where you
overlapped
the dry paint
and wet paint
on that board,
even if that
board is
only one
board out
of fifty
on a wall.
It looks
absolutely
terrible
and we see
it all over
Elgin. We
will re-paint
an entire
wall of a
house before
we will try
to get away
with any “flashing” period.
- We
also don’t
work if there
is rain in
the forecast
or if it
has rained
in the last
24 hours.
Wet wood
does not
tolerate
scraping
or sanding
well, TSP
needs to
sit on the
wood for
a bit to
do its job.
If it is
washed off
by the rain
too soon
it is useless,
and if the
paint you
just put
on the house
is not completely
dry before
the rain
hits it….well
guess who
is screwed.
You can bet
the painting
contractor
isn’t
going to
repaint if
he can get
away with
it.
- What
about the
cold? We
always allow
the paint
no less than
4 hours to
dry before
the temperatures
drops to
35 degrees,
and we allow
the air temp
to warm for
1 hour after
the satellites
say the air
temp has
already hit
35 degrees.
Benjamin
Moore Premium:
titanium dioxide
averages 26%,
percent solids
averages 40%
Pittsburgh
Paint Premium:
titanium dioxide
averages 16%,
percent solids
averages 53%
Cabot’s
Stain Premium:
titanium dioxide
averages 20%,
percent solids
averages 50%
Cabot’s
Paint Premium:
titanium dioxide
averages 21%,percent
solids averages
51%
Duron
Premium: titanium
dioxide averages
32%, percent
solid averages
55%
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