Tag: Painting

If you are buying a home, or moving into a new home, then nothing beats the look and feel of your home. Painitng your walls, gives you a clean, neat, and perfect Feeliing!

Moving to a new house? Most customers want new paint colors. And since you are moving you are asking about how Painting your house before moving in can happen.

Hi, I’m David With Dfranco Painting and Wallpaper in Huntley. We serve towns like Barrington, Elgin, Crystal Lake, Pingree Grove, St. Charles, and Bartlett. Today we are discussing a call we receive frequently – painting your house before moving in. We are here to see how we can help you love the space your in by helping with your interior house painting before moving

Scheduling your painting before moving in

One of the biggest obstacles that we hear from customers is can you get the painting done on a certain date. We would love to say yes to every single one. (Here is our link to schedule an estimate for you). It has been an extremely high success rate for us because of the amount of crews, people, and resources we have access to.

When are you closing? This is the biggest obstacle. Closing dates are not 100% for sure, so if there is a delay, it can wreak havoc on our schedule as well as yours. So the more notice you have the better.

Working around other contractors when we paint

The next biggest issue on paint jobs is working around other trades or contractors. Painting your home before you move in usually means we need to be quick cause you don’t have much time. So we are gonna ask you some questions that week absolutely do need to know before we start your interior painting;

• will you be doing any work to your cabinets?
• are you having new carpet or flooring installed or removed?
• is there going to be an electrician moving lights, outlets or switches?
• do we need to move furniture?
• do you want or take out any mirrors or vanities?

These questions affect when we can paint. If you are getting new floors, then we don’t want to paint until old floors are out. We have painted before new floors are installed- I just don’t recommend it – it can. lead to issues later (knick/dings in walls, scrapes on trim etc)

Are there holes for new lights, if so-you must fix those holes. It is better to paint after completing all other work so that you can make the mess, clean it up, and then paint.

Knowing your colors before you move in

I would say picking paint colors is the most difficult thing to figure out. What colors do you want to paint?

We have designers we use to help! Best of all these designers are free to you! It can be tricky if your bringing in items from another house, as they have a color or tone that has to be considered in their new location. We have done a few videos on popular colors, check them out!

Once you have colors selected it is easy for us to come in the house, cover the floors, and start painting.

Can you paint after moving in?

Yes of course you can! We can help with that as well. It may take a bit longer, as we have to cover everything or move items out of the way. Residential re-painting after you are in the home is the norm.

So if your moving in, moving out, repainting, or repairing- we can help with your house painting needs

Decorating your home is an exciting process that allows you to express your unique style and taste. However, this process also involves making important decisions, especially when it comes to selecting quality paint and wallpaper brands.

Understanding what to look for can be a game-changer, significantly impacting the final look, durability, and longevity of your decor. This article serves as a guide to help you navigate your way to the best paint and wallpaper brands in the market.

Understanding Paint Quality

The quality of paint is determined by two key components: pigments and binders. High-quality paint typically contains more pigment and binders, providing better coverage and durability.

Pigments provide the paint with its color and opacity. The better the pigment quality, the better the color consistency, coverage, and durability.

Binders are what make the paint stick to the surface. Higher-quality binders adhere better and are more resistant to issues like peeling, chalking, or blistering.

Paint Brand Features to Look Out For

When choosing quality paint brands, consider the following features:

• One-Coat Coverage: Top-quality paints often require fewer coats to fully cover a surface, saving you time and money.
• Durability: High-quality paints stand up better to cleaning and don’t fade, ensuring your walls look great for years to come.
• Low VOCs: Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are harmful chemicals found in paints. Quality paint brands offer low or zero-VOC paints, making them safer for your home and the environment.

The Right Paint for the Right Room

Different rooms have different paint needs. For example, kitchen and bathroom paints need to withstand humidity and frequent cleaning. High-quality paint brands offer specific products tailored for different room requirements.

Understanding Wallpaper Quality

Similar to paint, not all wallpapers are created equal. The quality of wallpaper can be determined by its material, print quality, and durability.

Wallpaper Materials

The type of material used in the wallpaper largely determines its quality. Different materials are suitable for different conditions and uses:

• Vinyl wallpapers are durable and washable, making them suitable for high-traffic areas like kitchens and bathrooms where moisture and spills may be common.
• Non-woven wallpapers are breathable, helping to prevent issues with mold and mildew. They’re also tear-resistant and easy to remove, making them ideal for high-traffic areas or rooms that may require more frequent redecoration.
• Natural fiber wallpapers, made from materials like grasscloth or silk, offer a rich, textural aesthetic to a room. However, they require more care and are not as resistant to damage or staining as synthetic wallpapers, so they are best for low-traffic areas that remain relatively dry.

Print Quality

When we talk about print quality in wallpaper, we are referring to the precision of the printing process as it relates to design clarity, color definition, and pattern repetition. High print quality ensures that your wallpaper will have a professional, aesthetically pleasing appearance, and it often indicates a more durable and high-end product.

Let’s delve deeper into what print quality in wallpaper means:

• Clarity of Patterns: High-quality wallpaper will have distinct, crisp patterns that are well-executed, with sharp lines and clear details. This means that the design printed on the wallpaper won’t appear fuzzy, blurry, or indistinct. It requires high-resolution imagery and precision printing techniques to achieve this level of clarity, which is often a sign of a high-quality product.
• Well-Defined Colors: The colors of a high-quality wallpaper should be vibrant and well-defined, meaning there shouldn’t be any unintentional fading, discoloration, or blurring between colors. The color should be consistent throughout the pattern and should not bleed into adjacent areas of the design.
• Pattern Repeat: This refers to the distance between the start of one pattern and the start of the exact same pattern again. In high-quality wallpaper, the pattern repeat should align perfectly from one strip to the next during installation, creating a seamless look. If the pattern repeat does not match up, it can cause a jarring visual effect and disrupt the flow of the design. This match-up is crucial for intricate patterns or designs that need to flow seamlessly across the wall.

Durability

A quality wallpaper should be durable, easy to clean, and resistant to fading.

High-quality, durable wallpaper should not tear, scratch, or puncture easily, meaning it should be able to withstand everyday interactions without significant damage. Durable wallpaper is especially important in high-traffic areas like hallways, kitchens, or children’s rooms, where the wallpaper may be subjected to more physical contact. 

Quality wallpaper should also be able to withstand regular cleaning without the color fading or the material deteriorating. This is especially crucial in areas like the kitchen, where potential splashes from food or drink could stain the wallpaper, or in a child’s room, where the walls might get dirty more frequently.

Another aspect of durability is fade resistance. Colors should remain bright and the patterns clear even after prolonged exposure to sunlight. Fade-resistant wallpaper is especially important in rooms with a lot of natural light.

Environmental Impact

Many quality paint and wallpaper brands are taking steps to reduce their environmental impact. By offering products with lower or zero-VOC content, paint brands are reducing harmful emissions and promoting healthier indoor environments. Additionally, lower VOC paints help decrease ozone pollution, contributing to the broader fight against climate change.

Some wallpaper manufacturers are taking steps to use sustainably sourced materials in their products. They source raw materials from responsibly managed forests or using recycled or renewable materials where possible. Sustainable sourcing helps to reduce the environmental footprint of these products by ensuring the materials used do not contribute to deforestation or overexploitation of resources.

Many brands are making efforts to improve the energy efficiency of their manufacturing processes, reducing their carbon footprints. This usually involves implementing more efficient machinery, optimizing production processes, using renewable energy sources, or even recovering and reusing waste heat from the production process.

Get Started on Your Next Decorating Project with D’Franco Painting & Wallpaper

Choosing quality paint and wallpaper brands is a crucial step in any home renovation or decorating project. It’s worth investing time to research and select the best brands that offer high-quality, durable products that will enhance your home’s beauty and stand the test of time.

At D’Franco Painting & Wallpaper, we’re committed to helping you make informed decisions about your home decor. Our experienced team is always ready to guide you through the process, ensuring you choose products that are not only high in quality but also perfectly suited to your needs and style.
If you’re ready for your next decorating project and want to make sure that you’re investing in quality paint and wallpaper brands, contact us. We eagerly look forward to helping you bring your design and vision to life.

Call us today at (847) 349-4112 for a free estimate.

Picking colors can be a chore.  Sometimes bold is great sometimes you just need simple.  Let us help you pick the colors that go with you and your home.

We get a call once and a while on the exterior of a home looking chalky, pasty, or white streak marks down the siding. What is it, what is it from and how to fix it are great questions that I called out Sherwin Williams Representative Jason Leonard

David: Ok Jason, what is chaulking in a house?
Jason: Chaulking by definition is the Formation of fine powder on the surface of the paint film during weathering. It can cause color fading. Some degree of chalking is a normal, desirable way for a paint film to wear, but excessive film erosion can result in heavy chalking.

David: What will cause it?
Jason: there are several reasons and or causes
• the previous use of a low-grade, highly pigmented paint.
• Using an oil-based paint. (These tend to chalk more than latex formulations).
• Aluminum siding can develop an excessively thick chalk layer and will require power washing to ensure complete chalk removal.
• Use of an interior paint for an outdoor application.

David: So what is a good solution to get rid of it?
Jason: Remove chalk by washing siding with detergent and water or by having it professional power washed. If some chalk remains after first washing, then wash again for complete removal. Rinse well with clear water. Allow to dry thoroughly. For the best resistance to chalking, use a higher sheen such as satin or gloss. Brick areas that are stained by “chalk run-down” should be scrubbed with a stiff brush and detergent. Professional Cleaning may be required to remove this staining.

David: What would you use to paint over it once cleaned?
Jason: I would Recommend 2 Coats of a Premium grade Exterior Latex Paint such as our Duration paint line.

Thanks for the help Jason, if you have any questions about the full line of Sherwin Williams exterior stains or paints, Jason can be reached at 630-669-6523.

How do you go about finding a painter for your home?

Do you use the Yellow Pages? Do you use the internet? Maybe call a friend? How about the Chamber of Commerce? What about going through your Realtor?

How do you know if the company you’re looking at will do a good job? Can they provide references? Can they tell you who will be coming to your home ahead of time? Will you be able to talk with the crew in your home?

We will help you pick your colors, we will give you a cost for the entire job, we will show up when we say, with the crew, we introduce you too. Give Dfranco Decorative Finishes a call and gets the job done the right way the 1st time.