Tag: gilberts IL

So you’re thinking of what to do for your basement ceiling. Should you drywall, or maybe just hang a drop ceiling? Then someone told you; Paint your Ceiling Black! Now your thinking.. should I – could I- Would I dare- we say yes you should!

Hello Everyone- today’s question- Paint your Basement Ceiling Black is a hot topic for 2024 for us. We have done 4 of these projects now -and so far each time looks just as good as the last. The latest project comes from Gilberts, IL.

What you need before basement rafters black

You can see from the images here and the video above, the difference from wood to black is huge!

There area a few things to keep in mind..

• this is done by spraying- so there can be a mess to maek this happen
• if you have a basement full of stuff- your gonna need to move it out of the area being painted
• you will have to cover water pipes with insulation
• new HVAC vents will need to be cleaned before painting
• IF you have alot of loose wires, cables etc- the more that is cleaned up neatly the better things look when they are painted black

What kind of paint should I use too paint my ceiling black

There are two main type of black paint we have used to paint ceilings. The first is a commercial product, and it is called Black Dryfall. The 2nd is black aqualock primer.

Dryfall is typically used in commercial spaces. It is quite unique. You need to have some open spaces- 14 ft tall or higher for the product to really work its magic. At 14 feet, the product has enough air when falling that it dries out becoming dust! You then sweep it up!

Black Aqualock Primer, is stock black, not tinted- HUGE difference for coverage. When black is tinted it does not cover as well as a pre made black product.

Before and after Black painted ceiling

A picture is worth 1,000 words….

How can we help you paint your basement?

it doesn’t matter if what your painting in your home, we can help. Give us call and let us know what we can do to help you love the space your in with painting, wallpaper, cabinet refinishinng- and exterior painting as well!!

The top question we are asked every week is How much does it cost to paint cabinets?

Painting cabinets are the most cost effective ways to improve the look and feel of your kitchen. However, making sure that it is done the right way with the right products is the key to enjoying the look of amazing looking painted cabinets.

How do you determine the cost of painting kitchen cabinets?

There are several questions we ask when we price out cabinet painting. Here is the list of questions I ask:

• What type of cabinets do you have? (are the cabients solid wood as such as oak and maple, or do you have veneer plywood or MDF?)
• Have the cabinets been previously re-painted already?
• If your cabinets are stained?
• Are you removing or changing hardware?
• Is there any water damage to your cabinets?
• Do you want a solid color, two different colors or maybe you are looking to have them glazed?

Each of these questions affects the materials, time to complete the job and the price of the cabinet painting.

So, how much does it cost to paint cabinets? We start out at about $125.00 per door/box set. (this equates to about 1 hour and 40 minutes per box and door set of work needed to prep, sand, clean, prime and paint) A door/box set consists of both sides of the door and the frame on the cabinet. The cost of a drawer is about $55.00.  The cost can increase to about $150.00 per door/box set depending on the questions above, such as filling in oak grain.

What is the process you use to paint cabinets?

We recently posted a few small videos on YouTube about the painting process of cabinets. It is a good introduction to the process we use for cabinet painting.

• We start with cleaning. Cabinets gets cleaned with a de-greasing agent.
• Each cabinet is sanded to scuff the surface in preparation for the primer.
• Rubber gloves are used at all times when cleaning and painting- we don’t want finger prints back on what was already cleaned.
• The cabinets are wiped clean and allowed to dry before the primer is applied.
• Primer is sprayed on, allowed to dry, then we sand it to remove any uneven areas
• Finally, we paint!

What products do you use to paint cabinets?

One of our products of choice for priming is Stix bonding primer. It is a heavy bodied product and has some of the best adhesion properties available. When we are painting Oak doors, two coats of this primer will fill in quite a bit of the oak grain.  

Once we finish priming we will use Chem Aqua, or Sherwood paint, the color will determine which product due to the tinting Process.

This paint is a true cabinet grade paint hybrid lacquer. It dries ultra smooth and hard. It resists stains, it touches up well, and it is water clean up. There is some smell but what paint doesn’t?

What if I have Damaged Cabinet doors?

If any of your doors or drawers have water damage we have some extra work to do.

• MDF cabinets with water damage are difficult to repair. MDF swells once water is introduced. It swells like a sponge but does not go down again. The area must be sanded smooth to the existing door surface. We then use a shellac-based primer or problem surface sealer which will seal the damaged area from further damage.  If a filler is needed we use glazing putty to make it smooth. Then we are ready to prime and paint.
• Doors that are cracked, broken, or other wood damage are repaired using wood glues, putty or other fillers or repair materials.

Other ways to improve the look of your kitchen

Hardware!! Aside from new paint, new hardware is the last factor you need to consider. If there was no hardware previously, we need to drill holes to mount them. That adds about $7.00 per door.

A few other things you can do:

• Changing out your hinges to a soft close style…pretty cool!
• Change out your counter tops
• Add or update your backsplash
• New appliances
• New sink/plumbing fixtures

That, in a nutshell, is a basic course on how much it will cost to paint cabinets. It is a lot to take in and digest, so if you want a quick ballpark figure, text us some pics of your cabinets to 847-553-1726 and we can give you an idea of what to expect. If you have any other questions, give us a call!

When we make appointments with our customers to paint their kitchen cabinets, the number one question we are asked is what should I do first: carpet, cabinets, counters, window treatments, new trim? Kind of a loaded question, as I don’t know what you’re getting done. But if you’re wondering what to do first in a kitchen remodel, let’s tackle this from the most extreme first. 

I want new counter tops in my kitchen

So let’s start the kitchen remodel process as we see it from a painter’s perspective. People make the mistake of selecting a color based on paint chips they like. WRONG! The very first thing you need to figure out is what you are doing with your countertops.

If you are keeping your counter tops then move on to the next item. If you are changing them, then finding out if you want laminate, marble, quartz, or some other material is your first stop. This will be the most limited on availability and color. Everything else come from your counters, as it deals with color.

Should I get new floors during my kitchen remodel?

Now that you have the counter top selected, you need to figure out your floor. Are you keeping what you have? Can it be refinished? Do your cabinets have to be worked on to fix/refinish your floor? That is for a flooring guy to figure out but this is messy and time consuming. Get this done first!!

What about a backsplash?

Now that flooring is over, and you have a counter top. Take a sample of your counter to the tile store and select away. If you have a backsplash, coordinate this work with your counter person and tile person, as the wall may have to be cut out to change your tile.

Selecting colors to paint my kitchen cabinets

For us, the number one color for repainting kitchen cabinets is white. Grey is very common also, but second fiddle to white colors.

The color usually comes from the counter or the tile.

You can get large color samples from most paint stores now. Once you have a color, we can paint out a door sample to make sure it is what you want.

Other kitchen improvements to consider when painting your cabinets

Usually appliances are getting changed, but the items that are often overlooked is hardware. The hinges and the knobs or drawer pulls are something you should really consider having replaced. They can have a huge difference in the look, feel and function of your cabinets!

There is also plumbing; sinks or faucets. We have seen where existing cabinets have to be cut and fixed as the new sink must be altered to accommodate the sink.

I’m not sure if this short and sweet explanation helped or not, but knowing what to do first in a kitchen remodel can help getting the job done in a timely manner and avoid:

• mistakes with sequencing
• multiple trips to the various home improvement stores
• doing things over
• buying the wrong parts/items

If you have more questions let us know. We are more than happy to help you find ways to love the space you’re in!

One of my networking and professional groups has led me to Linda Topel. She has a great talent for Photoshop. I have seen her work, used her for some special projects and asked if she could share some information about how Photoshop can be used to place a faux finish in your home without ever opening a can of paint.

Take it away Linda…

Linda: My first memory of the Arts is when I was about 4 years old. I was painting with wet concrete all over my Dad’s car…it seemed like a proper support to me. He wasn’t too happy since he had to stop pouring the new patio and wash the car. Needless to say, I’ve tended to avoid concrete since then! But every other medium has been fair game. I found my way to online art forums after years of practicing alone and I discovered Faux. What a world of beauty it is, too!
While doing that, I found and fell in love with Photoshop. After a few years of experience, I look forward to doing what I love for more people: Helping your client see what you see for their home by Photoshopping a picture of your sample board into a picture of their room.

David: How is this done?

Linda: Pictures are e-mailed to me — photoshopbylinda@gmail.com — with your instructions. Hi-res images work best and they can also be sent to me via cellphone e-mail (not as a text). The better the picture, the better the end result. I then provide a quote, time frame, and payment instructions. Soon, the artist and/or designer will have images to show their clients!

David: Can you change the color?

Linda: Sometimes my clients love a finish but have a different color scheme going on.
I can change the color! For more accuracy, a swatch or another picture of the color to be used should be sent. I do advise that lighting and different monitors can affect the outcome.
I think it will definitely be very helpful in certain client situations! Even the reason for the decision Please do feel free to ask questions…either email or on my Facebook page…which is open to the public…

I Live Love and Laugh in Art.

David: How do you take payments?

Linda: Payments will be done thru Paypal. You simply set up an account with Paypal and send the money to my email address ….its easy and safe ….prices will be around 20.00 per finished photo…. Depending on complexity

Thanks Linda!!