A Quick & Cost-Effective Alternative: Practical Differences Between Staining & Painting Reply	
by mwuc14 • Chemistry Corner • Tags: concrete stain, stains, wood stain	
My wife and I chose a concrete patio for the backyard instead of a wood deck. I figured that the wood would need replacing sooner than the concrete and with plans to have children one day, a place where they could ride bikes and draw chalk art seemed like the right decision. The contractor we chose worked all day to finish the job. They prepped the site, framed the patio, added fill-dirt, and poured the concrete. Long after the sun set, JR was smoothing out the concrete while one colleague held a flashlight and the other gathered up the mess from the day. JR’s team prodded amazing service from start to finish and the resulting concrete patio looks great to this day.
As JR was leaving that night, I asked if he had any suggestions as to how I should paint the patio. I told him we wanted a color that fit well with the brick and stone on the house. He quickly said, “Have you considered staining the patio? It won’t cost as much and the texture and tone of the concrete should come through. I think that would look a lot better than covering it with paint.” I took his advice and a week later I stained our new patio, and JR was right – it looked great. More…
Protect Yourself and Your Workers – 3 Major Health Concerns for Commercial Painters 1	
by mwuc14 • Tips and Tools • Tags: Asbestos, Health risks, Lead-based paint, VOC, VOCs	
Every business owner has stresses to deal with and commercial painting bosses are no exception. You are responsible for selling your services, ordering supplies, scheduling employees, paying them and, most importantly, keeping you and your employees safe on the job. This goes beyond making sure your equipment is sturdy and well-maintained and that your painters have the right tools to do their job safely. One of your most critical roles is to be aware of the health risks you may expose workers to and to protect them as much as possible. Today we’ll look at three major health concerns (beyond falls and accidents) that put commercial painters at risk.
Right of Way: Traffic Paint Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Application Reply	
by mwuc14 • Chemistry Corner • Tags: acrylic-based paint, methyl methacrylate, parking lot paint, traffic paint	
The traffic jam seemed unending. Kate and Ed were traveling home from an early dinner and the road leading to their home was so congested with other cars that they barely seemed to move at all. Eventually, Kate spotted the problem up ahead – the left lane was closed for roadwork, meaning all cars had to shift into one lane. When the pair finally passed the delay, Ed observed that the workers were repainting the yellow and white lines on the road. “That’s great…” Ed said in a sarcastic tone. “There was nothing wrong with the old lines. Why couldn’t they paint the new lines in the middle of the night when fewer people are using the road?”
5 Exterior Paint Trends for 2014, from Front Doors to Shutters 1	
by mwuc14 • Tips and Tools • Tags: 2014, Exterior paint, paint colors, Paint trends, Residential paint	
Commercial clients often opt for exterior colors that reflect their logo, usually limited to a roster of colors approved by a property manager, or they stick with standard industrial hues. But your residential clients will present more of a challenge and may want your input on their exterior color choices. In fact, if you see a client making what could be an epic color mis-step and don’t offer some well-meaning advice, you’re doing them a disservice. Here are some of the exterior paint trends you can expect for 2014 so you can give your clients relevant tips.
Tools of the Trade: Paint Sprayer Variations in Professional Painting Reply	
by mwuc14 • Additives & Instruments, Tips and Tools • Tags: paint sprayers, sprayer guns, sprayer pumps, sprayer tips	
Paint sprayers have revolutionized how professional painters work. Sprayers are considered as much as ten times faster than using a brush. Think about that: a traditional paint job can be accomplished in a fraction of the time needed to use a brush on the same job. The downside, however, is that to achieve these results the painter must be using the right paint sprayer. Considering the number of parts and pieces working together in a paint sprayer setup, it can be very difficult for even the most seasoned and experienced paint professional to know what the right setup is for the work they are doing.
It should come as no surprise that paint sprayers come in a variety of different sizes and styles. It should also come as no surprise that different sprayers carry different costs, not just for upfront purchase, but also ongoing maintenance and use. The correct sprayer can pay for itself quickly, but have you ever stopped to research the sprayer you are using as a professional painter to confirm that it is indeed the best option for you? It is possible – even likely – that the paint sprayer you are using is not optimized for the work you do.
Big Job, Big Payoff? 5 Steps to Better Planning for Large Paint Jobs Reply	
by mwuc14 • Tips and Tools • Tags: cost estimates for paint jobs, job planning for professional painters, large-scale paint jobs	
Frank turned the job down. Flat out didn’t want it. No bid, no thanks. His office manager wondered why and Frank was quick with a response: “More money doesn’t mean more money.” The office manager didn’t understand, so Frank explained, “Just because a job pays more money doesn’t meant it’s right for us. I’d run circles around myself planning for that job and it still wouldn’t be very profitable. Just too many details to manage and I’m not interested. I’d rather go with what I know.”
And that was the end of the conversation about why Frank’s paint company turned down a big paint job just outside of town. But his office manager still wondered why the company wouldn’t be interested in such a big project. What she didn’t know was that Frank had been through this before long ago and had since decided that planning for large paint jobs simply wasn’t his forte.