Author: Trewin

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Tips on choosing the right colours

With a wide variety of colours to choose from, selecting the right paint colour for your home or business premise can be a daunting task. Luckily enough, the process of learning how to choose the right paint colour that will enhance your room can be easy with the primary colour selection rules. In this guide, we will be teaching you some of the essential tips you have to consider when choosing paint colours.

Think of how you will be using the space

One of the first things you have to consider when choosing a paint colour for your home or business premise is your plan with space. Every room does have a completely different atmosphere. For example, the kitchen will have to be clean, fresh, and vibrant, while the bedroom will have to be more relaxed and calm.

Consider using art as an Inspiration Source

Painting a home that is already furnished with decorative items and furniture will be much easier since you can use the inspiration for choosing the right wall colours. One method is to consider using an art piece that you have hung in the room. Check the colours available in the artwork and go for paint matching any of the colours in the artwork piece. It will help make the space look complete and themed.

Get Swatches

Since you now have a better understanding of the colours you want, you can consider going to a paint supplier and get some sample swatches for free. Ensure you include the surrounding shades samples, whether they are dark or light or warm. Consider adding the swatches to a mood board.

For example, when you have fan decks of white, they will always vary depending on their undertone from blue to grey to cream and green. It will work best depending on the other colours you will be used together with the type of lighting used in the room. Ensure that you always place the samples together whenever you are paring the white trims with other colours.

Work the Room

Ensure you tape the swatch colours against the room walls. In the space light, you should be able to quickly do away with those colours that don’t work in the room and narrow your selection down to five.

Sample Pots

Use the sample pots to help you paint each of the colours on the white A4 card sheet. However, you will need a couple of coats depending on your new colour choice. Ensure the swatches are well taped around the room and leave them for one week. You should be in a position of seeing the sunlight and artificial light effect on the colours. It will help you narrow down one shade that will compliment your space’s light.

With the above tips, you will get the right paint colours for your home or business premise.

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Best paints for exterior painting

Choosing the best paint colours for your property’s exterior is a process that entails more than getting the right colours since not all the exterior paints are well suited for the different surfaces.

Below are the top best paints for exterior painting.

Dulux Exterior Paint

It is a robust exterior paint that can be applied to different outdoor surfaces. Dulux is a premium paint brand yet still affordable. Dulux premium exterior paint can last for over a decade or much longer, even in the worst weather conditions. This particular paint brand is loved for its high durability. It is also very versatile and can easily be applied to vinyl, wood, trim, doors, and even outdoor furniture. It is a perfect choice for damaged, worn out or older surfaces and can be applied directly over worn-out woods or rusted metals with the right prep beforehand.

Haymes Exterior Paint

Haymes Ultra-premium solar shield exterior paint has superior UV protection and durability. Plus it comes with a 20-year guarantee. UV protection in paint is a must for Victorian homes and Warrnambool summers. This will protect your home with an outside layer shielding the home from the elements.

Taubmans Easycoat Prep

It is capable of resisting bacteria, mould and fungus, thereby protecting the wood against rot, even during humid and wet conditions. Although any paint is capable of preventing rust to a certain degree, the Rust-Oleum Zinsser goes beyond that point as it features a mildewcide that helps prevent the growth of mould on the paint. With this, it helps in reducing the mildew chance or spread of mildews deeper below the surfaces. It is a perfect paint for things like railing, doors, wooden siding and trims.

Latex-based Exterior Paints

They are the best paint choice for projects like home walls and trim. It can dry within a short period while the imperfections caught while painting are easy to clean. The latex contracts and expands well with the seasonal temperature changes. However, there are times when it can peel and bubble when applied over the existing oil-based paint. This is why it’s always best to use a professional painter as we will make sure the paint is applied correctly.

Finish Exterior Paints

It is a matter of aesthetic choice, although there are a few things you need to note. The gloss paints are mainly resistant to damage, and cleaning it is quite easy. Gloss finish can show looks and imperfections out of place when it is used on a large scale.

The gloss or semi-gloss paints are perfect for the door frames and window trim while the semi-gloss is preferred for exterior outdoors, provided the window to be painted in an excellent condition.

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What painting preparation can save me money

With the current economic times, almost everyone will be looking for ways to save on money whenever they are purchasing or carrying out any new project. Painting your house or business premise is no different. Not many people are aware of ways to help them save money when painting. In this article, we will be looking for some ways one can save while preparing to decorate their house or business premises.

Carry out Extensive Research

Before you head out and purchase paint, you must ensure you have done all your research well. Measure the room size to get an idea of how much paint you will require. To correctly estimate the paint amount needed for your room, you will have to add the lengths of all the walls and multiple that numbers by room height. You are now aware of the square footage that you will be painting.

However, since you will be using a different paint colour on the windows and doors, you will have to subtract those areas from the room total.

Know the Paint Finishes

When I first embarked on the painting project, the paint finishes were foreign to me. Paints are available in a wide variety of finishes, eggshells, high gloss, flat, satin, gloss, etc. Each one of them is suitable for different rooms or furniture pieces.

For instance, the flat paint is challenging to clean despite being delicate since it does not have to shine. Based on these features, you will never paint your kids’ bedroom using a flat paint as they will always be scuffing up the wall. Use satin or eggshell paint on your kids’ bedroom or places with high traffic.

Use the Free Paint Samples

Almost every store will have paint samples and chips that are all organized for you to take. You can always bring home all your favourite colours that you like and place them with pillows, furniture, curtains, bedding, and any other thing that will be present in the room you will be painting. It will help you get a feel of what it will look like and if the colours will match.

Consider Painting Sample Colours

After narrowing down your favourite colours from the paint samples, you can go back and get some small amount of sample tubes for those colours. Paint them on the wall next to each other in relatively large sections. Ensure that you look at the colours at different times during the day. There are chances they might look different depending on the lighting and the current sun position. Some colours might appear to look white when there is light in the room at night. However, when the sun rises in the morning, it will appear beige, which can easily change the room’s appearance.

Conclusion

With the above tips, you can always save money when painting your home or business – both interior and exterior. You can also consider consulting a painting professional to help you out when you find it challenging to reduce the overall painting cost. Using a professional will cost more than DIY painting but it can save you in making mistakes and also the paint job will last for much longer – therefore saving in the long run.

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How do I know I can trust my painters in my home

The decision to hire a professional painter is always a great idea, especially as renovations are best done by professionals. However, choosing a painter, you can trust in your home can be quite tricky as your home is your most important asset. In this article, we will be looking at ways to narrow down your choices to painters you can trust.

Go For a Painter with an Excellent Reputation in the Area

A painter that is highly recommended and recognised in your area is one that you can always trust to do a perfect job for you. You can always ask your neighbours, friends, or relatives to recommend a painter who they have previously worked with and had a great relationship with before. Always go for a painter based within the local area since there are high chances their service level is well known in the area.

Hire Painters Who Are Polite On Phone

One sign that you can trust a painter is from the first point you make contact with him or her. If the painter is polite and professional when you call them, high chances, they are trustworthy. However, when you contact a painter and he or she finds it difficult to talk on the phone, high chances that you will be hiring a rogue or untrustworthy painter.

Transparent On the Services They Offer

Any trustworthy painter will always be precise on the type of painting services they offer. They can provide you with details of the services they provide on the first contact you make, or you can always see a list of the services from their website or other online sources like Google My business.

Have Previous Samples of Their Work

Whenever you are looking for a painter to hire, it is always advisable that you ask for some of their previous work. Any trustworthy painter will still avail their samples to you when you first ask them. However, when a painter does not have any examples of their work or is hesitant to provide you with them, it won’t be easy to trust them with the painting project. Their samples will help show their quality of work.

Display Their Details Online

Any trustworthy painter will always be transparent with their business details. They will still understand that potential customers want to know more about them before they are hired and will always make it easy for them to learn about them or their business.

Hiring a trustworthy painter is essential when dealing with your home. It helps to have a painter, you can easily trust and one that you can always be confident with when working from your house.

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I am a renter: Can I paint my home?

Victorian rental laws do not have a specific rule on whether you can paint your rental home. However, it’s simply a matter of asking your landlord’s permission. Though if the rental home has paint issues like peeling paint or large stains then the landlord does have to maintain the property to keep it in good repair. This would mean a professional paint job. New laws coming out in January 2021 regarding the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2018 will address what modifications can be made without the rental provider’s consent.

Asking the Landlord if you can Paint your Rental

The best advice is to speak to your landlord whether its new paint for maintenance and upkeep or that you would like to paint the property in colours to your style. If they are consulted on colour choices and the painting is done professionally you will have a better chance.
So before you even embark on looking at paint, you will have to determine if your rental agency or landlord allows you to paint it or not. One of the first things you will have to go through is the lease as it may state what you are allowed and not allowed to do for your walls. Often landlords are very happy for renters to maintain the home and paint as it is adding value in a lot of cases. But also means the tenants are looking at staying on for the long

How Long Will You Be Staying in The Rental?

Painting can be a lot of work, and you need to ensure that your financial investments and time are worth it. If you are staying in the rental for a long time, then it will be appropriate for you to consider painting it. Again if the rental home in Victoria is in disrepair and needs a new coat of paint then the landlord is obliged to provide this at their cost.
Victoria has a 5-year lease option for tenants and if you are on a 5-year lease then painting the home makes sense,

Does the Landlord or Tenant Pay to Paint a Rental in Victoria?

Ask your landlord or rental agency if they agree to a new professional paint job. It may be that the existing paintwork in the home is old and out of date, if this is the case then you can obtain a quote and colour choices to provide the landlord to make it easier for them. If all they have to do is say yes and pay without any extra effort of calling for quotes or working out colour schemes then it helps.

In the home improvement grand scheme, painting is quite easy and of low cost. Renovating a rental with paint is a cost-effective renovation compared to a new kitchen etc. So it can be an easier decision for a landlord to make and approve.

If you want to paint your rental to your own taste, for example, a kids room or feature wall then the cost may be borne by you, But at this stage, you still need to ask permission of the landlord.
You need to consider if spending some hundred dollars on paint and supplies is worth the overall effect of having a different colour on your rental home. A lot of the time the answer is yes, especially if you are planning on renting the home for at least a year or a 5-year lease. It’s your home so make it yours!

Will I Have to Paint it Back at the end of the Lease?

Check with your rental agency or landlord on these rules. But generally speaking, paint renovations add value to the home so the landlord will be happy to keep it. This is why you need to seek approval before painting as the landlord needs to agree to colours. If you really want the paint but the landlord does not agree with your colour choice then you could offer to return it to the original paint colour when you move out. But this will be extra costs for you, however, it’s also very rare that such occurrences happen in which the landlord has such an aversion to a colour that they ask for it to be painted back.