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just in case you want to know, here is the cost to paint a room in yourhome!

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IF you are looking into painting your own cabinets, the process can be a bit overwhelming. Between what products to use, colors to select, how to get them ready, how long it will take, how will it look- these are all great questions and all issues we can help with. The biggest question is How to save money when painting your kitchen cabinets?

There are two ways you can save money, the 1st is doing it yourself, which we will will give you a brief rundown here. The 2nd is kind of a sweat equity, we do the hard stuff- spraying doors, you paint the boxes! the 2nd way can save you about 30%-40% of the cost of the total job. You could also hire us and “coach you” on how to do it!

Let us help you paint your cabinets

This is kind of a sweat equity shared co op experince. Most everyone wants a sprayed cabinet finish. It is the ultimate look and feel for wood work. But the cost is higher than using a brush and roller. So we have found a way to help you get this look and save you money in the process.

The last few customers for cabinets have had us Paint the doors and drawers and the customer painted the boxes, faces etc. So if you can use a brush and roller, it is a great way to save money, over 30% of the total job! Why you may be asking.. well we dont have to clean those areas, we dont have to mask anything, and we dont have to prep and clean up when we finish.

Here is how it works..

• We show up, show you how we label each item so you know how to put it back together where it came from.
• we show you how to prep the surface
• the doors and drawer fronts will be taken back to our shop where we work on them while you get to work painting all the items in your home
• then we bring them back to you in protective sleeves, nice neatly, so they don’t get damaged.
• now you get can put everything back together -enjoy your new kitchen!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjhzbt1AZgc

We can show you how to paint your cabients

So here is a unique way we can help that we borrowed from our Friend Nick May, in Denver, with Walls by Design. He will show you how to do it and rent you tools to paint! So can do this with cabinets. You will have a personal instructor with you to show you how to do everything and how to use the tools, that you rent from us. If it gets to a point you just want us to take over then we can just help you by taking it from where you left off! Still saving you money, and giving you a great looking result.

Ways to Save Money by Painting kitchen cabinets yourself

So here are some step by step ways to paint cabinets. You know how to paint, you are handy you have an eye for color and you love DIY projects. So your going to paint your kitchen cabinets. The keys to a successful cabinet painting project is prep and materials.

The prep work of cabinet painting is relativley simple. If you can follow some simple steps we can help you have a Kitchen you will really enjoy!

1. prep! this is the biggest key to success. Every single surface inch must be cleaned. After many different versions, wet sanding with dawn dish soap, to scuff and clean the dirt and grease works the best. Wet the surface, then rub the 220 sandpaper over the surfaces, think of the same effort as cleaning a dirty cook pan. wipe off the dirty slime, spray again and wipe till clean with another spray of dish soap solution and clean rags
2. dry.. after cleaning allow everything to dry. once dry you will see the sheen difference, any shiney or sticky areas- then go back to step 1
3. Primer! Using a bonding primer is the next critical step. We use Stix. It is a power house and performs all the time- every time. Another product you may need is stain killer primer. If you have some stubborn oil stains, you may have to use a can of this stain type primer to prevent the old grime from bleeding through.

• 4. once you have applied the primer, with a brush or roller, you need to sand that coat of primer smooth, then most likely apply the 2nd coat of primer.
• 5. Top coat. The final paint determines how long the painted surface will last. I can go over a few here, and give what we use.
  • Big Box cabinet paint. I cannot speak with any authority on these products. You want to see how well they stand up to wear, stains, washing etc.
  • Paint Supply stores. Between Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams, each have several good types. Cabinet coat- i have never used but is supposed to be good. Another one is ILVA which is a water based polyurathane. We use dit and it works pretty good. Each store also has a Urathane product for cabients, that we use for door and trim paint, but personally woould never use for cabients. Then there are some modified oils, such as advance. I know many people use advance, but keep in mind it – it takes 16 hours before you can recoat it! (in the midwest at least) so you beter have someplace you can paint and leave it alone
  • We use hybrid laquers. These are approved coatings from the Kitchen testing labs. I love these things. ML CAMBELL and Chem AQUA are the ones we use. It is a product that is hard as a rock when dry, and just performs.

How can we help you with your cabinet painting?

Is there something we missed? Let us know. If you need somone to help you paint cabients, refinish kitchen cabinets, give us a calll, or send an email. We are here to help how you love the space you’re in by How to save money when Painting your kitchen cabinets .

If you are among the millions of people considering remodeling their kitchen, then I’m sure that you have seen a few YouTube videos or remodeling shows about kitchen remodeling. Choosing what is best for you, either replacing cabinets or painting them, may not have crossed your mind as an option. So, let’s see if we can help with what we have seen in homes we have worked at.

How do you decide between replacing cabinets and Painting cabinets? Let’s dig in to this one! I am just using the kitchen we just finished as an example.

How Much Will It Cost to Replace Cabinets?

What is will cost to replace your cabinets is a question that is a bit more complicated than just money, what does that mean?

• what is the cost of demolition?
• will there be wall damage?
• are you going to have to have electrical work done?
• does the flooring have to be redone?
• do new cabinets fit in the same space? ie soffits
• will your countertop have to be replaced?
• can you use your existing sinks?
• new lighting?
• time without a sink, kitchen appliances, etc.

That is a long list, so what does that mean? Well, the cabinets coming out, floors being worked in, repairs, items ordered, and installed all mean that you could be two weeks to 4 months with a construction zone in your home. We have seen it!

So all of the above is not a dollar cost but a cost for your time, stress, and aggravation. The money part on a low-end kitchen can start at $15,000- and we have witnessed up to $75,000! It all depends on what you want. In our house, a decent vanity alone was 1100! So if you have 16 cabinet boxes, that is over $16,000 just for the cabinets.

So, What is the Cost to Paint Kitchen Cabinets?

In the video above, we painted the oak cabinets. What we did (the shortlist)

• cleaned the cabinets
• masked the floor
• covered the tile and counters
• removed and painted closet door
• filled in 1 layer of grain
• sanded primer smooth
• sprayed the 2nd coat primer
• sprayed the top coat

This kitchen was about $3700, and the customers lost access to their kitchen for one night. There is a HUGE difference from the carnage of demotion. Here is another link to a blog we did on cost to paint cabinets.

How to decide…

That is a tough decision to make, and I feel for you. We have had similar choices to make, so the choice of Replacing Cabinets vs Painting Cabinets can be challenging, but it just depends on what options you have; if your cabinets are in good shape- then just paint them!

Once you start getting estimates, you will get a better understanding on which way you will decide to go.

If and when you have questions, feel free to reach out; we are here to help.

Are you a homeowner with wallpaper in your home? If so, you’re not alone! But, do you love it? At D’Franco Wallpaper, we love installing wallpaper. However, if you’re not fond of the wallpaper in your home, you may be wondering how much it will cost to have it removed. While the cost of wallpaper removal can vary, this guide will give you an idea of the approximate cost to remove wallpaper in your home.

Should I remove wallpaper or just paint over it?

This is a common question among homeowners. At D’Franco, we typically recommend removing the wallpaper before painting.

Why? Because wallpaper is porous, meaning that moisture from the paint can cause the wallpaper adhesive to re-wet and loosen from the wall. This can result in the wallpaper falling off the wall, leaving you with a wet paint and wet wallpaper mess. Trust us, we’ve seen it happen! To avoid this issue and ensure a professional looking paint job, it’s best to remove the wallpaper before painting.

When can you paint over wallpaper?

At D’Franco, we prioritize  a smooth and seamless finish. Our experienced team offers wallpaper removal services, with an estimate based on square footage and our knowledge of similar wallpapers. However, in cases where the wallpaper is not coming off easily, we may recommend an alternative solution.This may happen if:

• Wallpaper was installed directly over drywall
• Incorrect adhesive was used
• Wallpaper is from the 1980s and has a vinyl film

Our recommended solution in these cases is for us to:

• Prime the wallpaper using Guardz or Shellac primer (which will cause any loose areas to bubble up)
• Cut out these bubbled areas
• Skim coat any seams or cutaway areas
• Re-prime for a solid surface 
• Apply your desired paint color for a polished finish

While this may not be the ideal path, we’ve had success with this method in our own homes as well as other customers’ homes. You can trust our team to achieve the look you desire.

What can I expect the cost of removing wallpaper to be?

The cost of wallpaper removal can vary greatly, with prices ranging from $1.00 to $4.00 per square foot. Factors that can affect the cost include 

• Ease of removing the wallpaper
• Any necessary repairs to the walls after removal
• Height of the walls
• Type and amount of wallpaper being removed
• Also, if the project generates a lot of trash, a dumpster rental might be necessary adding to the cost.

We understand that every home and project is unique and will provide you with a detailed, personalized estimate based on your specific needs. Our experienced team can efficiently and effectively remove your wallpaper while providing transparent and fair pricing.

What tools are needed to strip wallpaper?

Removing wallpaper can be a daunting task, but with the right tools, the job becomes much simpler. We have years of experience in wallpaper removal and have refined our methods to make the process as efficient and effective as possible. When tackling the project yourself, the following tools are essential:

1. A spray bottle filled with a diluted wallpaper stripping solution
2. A bucket of hot water and a sponge
3. A wallpaper steamer
4. A drywall scraper (or putty knife)

These tools are all you need to get the job done. First, spray the solution onto the wallpaper and let it sit for a few minutes. Then use the sponge and hot water to remove the top layer of the wallpaper. If needed, use the steamer to soften the remaining adhesive and use the scraper to remove any stubborn pieces. In many cases, you can simply use your fingers to remove the wet wallpaper backing. Once the wallpaper is removed, clean the walls thoroughly with water.

So if you’re looking to strip your wallpaper, these are the tools you’ll want to have on hand.

Ready for your wallpaper to be removed?

We can help! Let us know if you need advice or help with a project. You can call us at (847) 349-4112, text us at (847) 349-4112  or email us by visiting our email form on our contact page. We would love to see how we can help you love the space in your home, with fresh paint, wallpaper, or painted cabinets.

We are a cabinet painting company as part of our overall services of the paint industry. Our favorite part of what we do is cabinet painting. With cabinet painting, one of the top questions we are asked is- What colors can I paint my cabinets? So let’s answer that question for you.

Where should I go to get colors for my cabinets?

if you are buying cabinets, especially from a big box store, you will have several options;

• Stock colors
• stock stains
• custom stains
• customer colors

Once you decide to get custom colors, you limit who can do the work, where you can get the cabinets from, how long it will take to get the cabinets, and if you can even get touch up paints for your cabinets.

However when your painting your cabinets we tell our customers that you can go to any big box store, or paint store and select the colors you want. If you found a custom color from someone, as long as we have sample – we can get it matched.- So with us, you can select the color you want to have your cabinets painted.

Are there any colors I cant use when painting cabinets?

We typically say, that you can have your cabinets painted any color you want. Well here is the but.. the very select few colors we cannot use, are the bright whites from Home Depot. I m not sure why, exactly, but it has something to do with the base paint formulas and the type and color or tints being used by Home depot. There bright white colors are like trying to watch someone with a tan, talk with ulta bright venners on their teeth. (thing George Hamilton)- yikes!! You can see some of the most popular colors here..

• Sherwin Williams colors
• Benjamin Moore paint colors

That really is the restriction of selecting paint colors.

Is it true I can’t wash painted black or dark cabinets?

I don’t know where this question is coming from, and i don’t quite understand it either. Cleaning dark cabinets is not different than cleaning lighter colored ones. Cleaninf darker colors is trickier, as residue will leave behind white marks. I also have to say, Washing is a vague term. If you are asking to power wash your cabients- then the answer is no. If you are wanting to get a sponge with hot soapy water to wash down your cabinets then again the answer it no. Can you clean them with something else? Well- Yeah! Washing wood or painted cabinets is just like taking care of a wood floor, too mush water or chemicals will damage the finish.

We tell people to use either Boma or a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water. Both are safe for the surfaces, wont void a warranty- (read the labels – some cleaners are listed by the paint/finshes makers are items that void the warranty of their product).

Other questions about painted cabinets?

Short and sweet blog post, to the point, as You see, the above video is about top 3 questions regarding painted cabinets. If you have other questions you would like us it answer for you- let us know how we can help!

The number 1 question we receive is, “How much does it cost to paint my house?” You can also add that same question to all the rest of our services.

We are putting as much information as possible here so you have an idea of our costs, fees, pricing, etc, so when it is time to call us for an estimate, you are as well informed as possible. You will see videos from our YouTube Channel as well as links to past articles that will go into more depth as far as estimates or pricing for our painting, wallpaper, and cabinet Finishes. So Here we go!

How much …

Fill in the blank. We can help you with almost all of your painting needs, such as:

• painting walls
• repainting ceilings
• having your existing painted trim re-painted
• Getting a new coat of paint on the interior doors
• Having 1 room in your house painted
• Re-painting your entire home
• (Cabinet painting – keep scrolling down the page)
• New construction painting
• Painting wood stained trim white

Within each of these types of painting services, we need several things from you to get an accurate estimate. For example, painting one wall vs a whole house, painting a white wall that used to be black. Read on so we can help you with your question in the best way possible.

How do I get an estimate to paint my house?

So, as you just read, that is quite a list of painting services we can offer you, and that list does not even cover everything. So we need to clearly understand what services you are looking for. When we are painting a home, we have several ways we can get an estimate to you:

• On-site consultation
• Estimate from prints or online listings such as Red Fin
• texts or emails with room size and dimensions

What we need from you to give you a painting estimate

When you call us to get an estimate for painting your home, we will get some basic information;

• Your contact information: We use this so we know who you are, so we can call you, and so we can send email confirmations of appointments and the estimate itself.
• How you found us: if you came from a referral, we want to thank that person for referring us!
• What are you looking to have painted? One room vs. a whole house is quite a difference in our prep work and on-site time to prepare that cost for you.
• If you have special paint requests, such as no VOC.
• Are there drywall repairs that need to be made?
• Wallpaper removal?
• When are you looking to have the work done?

What can I expect to pay for painting

Painting walls can cost from $1.10 per square foot to $5.00 per square foot (or more). If we are painting walls the same color where we can just apply one coat of paint, it will be the lower cost, whereas if we are painting ceilings, crown molding, window trim, windows, door frames, doors, repairing holes, caulking trim, filling nail holes, taking wood stained trim to white will be much higher.

An average 10×10 bedroom is about $589 with a gallon of paint for walls. This would include the following:

• pole sanding walls
• masking trim
• covering floors and furniture
• minor wall repairs
• removing outlet and switch covers
• 1 gallon of paint
• Two coats of paint

With all of the variables…

It can be hard to just write up a blog to get you a number, I hope some of this help get you prepared to call your paint contractor to get a estimate, so you will have an idea of what to expect when you want to know How much will it cost to paint my house.

If you are considering painting your home, It can be overwhelming, What to paint, what not to paint, what kind of paint. MY favorite thing to add to a home is a metallic painted ceiling. But I am getting ahead of myself. There are other things to consider before you start getting estimates to paint your home:

• are you painting your ceilings?
• do you you need to paint trim
• will you need drywall repairs made
• what walls are yougoing to paint
• which rooms should you paint
• who should I call

We are here to day to focus on one of these items- ways to paint your ceilings

What are ways to paint or decorate my ceilings

Excellent question! Most homes have flat white painted ceilings. Most ceilings are painted white as well. We are here to say you have options!! Some ways to spruce up your ceilings are:

• accent colors
• wallpaper
• murals
• metallic painted ceiling
• lighting

Painting ceilings with Accent colors

This option is pretty self explanatory, as basically you select a color that is close in hue/tone to what your painting on the walls, lighten it, then paint the ceiling that color. Mot people use flat paint for ceilings because it hides imperfections in the drywall and wall it self from previous paint jobs

Metallic painted ceiling!

Here is the bulk of this post- as we get calls here and there and I never did a post just on this application.There are several methods, the two most common are just using metallic paint or having a faux metallic finish to the ceiling.

Metallic washed faux glaxed ceilings are my favorite thing to do for ceilings. But .. you do need to have the right space to do it. Inset ceilings and tray ceilings look the best for sure!

Large tray metallic ceiling

Foyer accent ceiling

Dining Room metallic faux finish

A barrel ceiling metallic ceiling

Accent Ceilings

Tray Ceilings in multiple rooms

How can we help you with your home and painting projects?

These are some ceiling ideas that we have done, they are ideas. Ideas are plentiful, they are open to your imagination and your want to do something different and you may not have seen before. We would love to see how we can help you love the space you’re in!

So, you want wallpaper but…

• Do you want Commercial 54 in vinyl?
• Maybe you can use a digital mural!
• Then again, traditional wallpaper looks pretty nice

After weighing your options of different types of wallpaper, you decide commercial wallpaper is the route you want to go. But you’re not sure so you ask “how much commercial wallpaper do I need?”

How do I measure my walls for commercial wallpaper?

We are going to assume that you are looking at 54 inch commercial type II wallpaper. That is the easy part.

Measure each wall that is going to get covered. You need to have the height, width of each wall. That measurement will get you the square footage of the surface that will be getting covered with wallpaper.

Once you have the total square footage, you will need the total yardage needed. In order to get that figure divide the total square footage by 12.5, this gives you the yardage.

Just in case you have some tricky areas like stairs, here is a video on how to figure out how much wallpaper you need for a stairwell.

Other considerations for commercial wallpaper

Once you have decided where the wallpaper will go, there are other things to consider:

• How high are the walls?
• Is there a pattern?
• Is this a straight run or reverse install?
• Are there obstructions, such as pipes, HVAC vents
• Will you be wrapping outside corners, or using corner guards?
• Do you need scaffolding?

How can we help you with your wallpaper installation?

Although a quick post for you, the measuring and dividing is the hardest part. Looking for the above considerations will help to make sure that you get the right amount of commercial wallpaper for your home or business. If you need help or aren’t ready to install wallpaper yourself, contact us!

Do you have wood trim in your house?

Well- duh! yeah! While that may seem like a no brainer question, there are some homes with plastic or foam-based trim in their homes. I would say 95% of all homes have wood trim. I would go further to say most homes have wood trim that has been stained. Most trim that is stained is either Oak or Pine. If you are tired of stained wood then painting your trim white is a great way to give your home an update!

Can I paint stained wood trim white?

Without a doubt yes! If it is wood it can be painted. There are a few questions we have to ask and you have to consider if you’re going to tackle this job yourself or have us paint it for you.

• How old is the wood or stain?
• Is the trim oak or pine?
• What color is the trim you have now?

So, why the questions? It helps us and you prepare for what we need to do to get your trim painted properly. The age of the stain will determine a few things: the older the stain the more likely it is oil and is peeling in areas exposed to heat/cold or water. If you have oak, that means you will have heavy grain in in the wood that will have to be filled or accept the fact you will see wood grain after it is painted. However, with wood that is pine, the new paint will lay flat and smooth. Then, the color of stain you have now, if it is dark it may mean 2 coats of primer with the two coats of paint.

What primer to use for painting trim

There are several really good primers that we use and are readily available. (Of course there are material shortages as of this article which could affect which primer you can find.) We have two favorites: Stix and Odorless oil primers.

What is the difference? Quick and easy. The green can is oil so it will block out any tannins, or stains, etc. from bleeding through the paint. The blue can is meant to bond to almost any surface.

What is the process for painting wood trim white

We could get into deatils of this but i will try and keep this simple.

• You will need to remove all window treatments and brackets mounted to the windows.
• All the painted surfaces need to be cleaned. We wipe/vac/and then use a cleaner.
• We mask the walls around the windows to make sure no paint or primer gets on the walls.
• Next is primer! Roll or brush it on the trim.
• Once the primer is applied and dried, you must fill in nail holes and caulk all the gaps you see that will look like black lines.
• We then do a quick sand to smooth out the surface.
• Finally!! We paint.

This a a quick checklist and we could get into details but with Youtube, you can see the details like the types of brushes and rollers to use, what kind of paint to use, or tape to use.

Should you paint walls before painting trim?

Easy question and easy answer in my opinion- NO! If you paint the walls first then you have to wait for the paint to cure and you will then have to mask the walls. One of the issues we have is when the walls are masked is you don’t know what you will have to work with. Did the walls get primed? Were the walls dirty the last time they were painted? These are just two reasons that even with a delicate tape there are high chances that the tape will pull the paint off the wall in places.

How can we help you with your painting questions

So, do you have any questions? Let us know how we can help!

We are here to help you love the space you’re in!!

Yep, you read it right! You are going to see us on HGTV!

Last year right before covid hit we received a call from a long time general contractor, Jason Silver of Silver Bullet Remodeling, to help in a new HGTV show called $50K Three Ways!! After thinking about what he said and asking if I heard him correctly, it was a Tommy Breadlove “Hell Yes”!! So after a few minutes, we find out we will be installing wallpaper for HGTV, 6 episodes, of this new show with host Tiffany Brooks.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Tiffany Brooks HGTV’d (@tiffanybrooksinteriors)

What is $50K Three Ways?

This is a new show on HGTV, which features the above host, Tiffany, presenting 3 ways to remodel or improve a home with a budget of $50,000.00.  Kind of cool!  All of these shows are filmed at homes in the Chicagoland area.

Daniel and I with Tiffany Brooks

Installing wallpaper on camera

This was very fun and cool to do, covid protocols made it interesting, testing testing testing.  Each job we did included us with a mic and a camera man taping everything we did. We have one episode where we get to speak and interact with Tiffany, fun, she has some energy for sure!!

I know I was more nervous about the humming or occasional whistling that I do, or a not so nice word if I made a mistake, but it was worry for nothing. They were a great and professional crew to work for and with.

Where and when can you see us on HGTV?

The shows are airing on Mondays at 6:30 and 7:30 CST. But!! They are also running during the week, hoping we get to do season 2!