Some great tips and solid advice from Cheryll Gillespie, a home and lifestyle columnist who also builds luxury homes with her husband in Kelowna, British Columbia. Her website is www.cheryllgillespie.com.
The Toronto Star
January 7, 2006 Saturday
Upgrading Paint is a Smart Move for any Buyer
Your builder will ask you for your selection of paint colours, but there's more to specifying paint than simply choosing the colours.
If you have made it this far in the construction process of your new home, you will have already made many choices related to the budget and finishing specifications of your new home. However, choosing the paint colours will be one of the final, yet most rewarding and undoubtedly exciting decisions. Yes, this colourful step signifies that sooner, rather than later, you will be moving into your new home.
Think back to your pre-construction days of touring show homes and dreaming of your new home. One of the most memorable elements of the display homes was the colour palettes used in these homes. A great palette and quality paint job can make or break the success of a building project.
I believe that painters are among the most undervalued stars of the construction world, for a good paint job can completely change our response to a room and a structure. A well-selected colour scheme and a top-notch paint job becomes the finished project that all will see.
Be aware that a great paint job can camouflage inferior workmanship in the structure. Conversely, a poor paint job can quickly tarnish a superior build.
Many folks fancy themselves painters. We think that anyone can don a roller and a pair of white coveralls and magically wave a brush to colour a space, but I strongly disagree. A good painter is worth his or her weight in gold.
Unfortunately, the painting process happens to be one of the last phases in the construction process, the stage when we start to run low on funds and the budget runneth over!
Cutting price, by choosing a lower quality of paint, or an inferior painter, is not a good idea. Your painted surfaces are the final product that you will look at every day. Don't settle for low quality workmanship or products.
When inspecting a paint job, look for uniform coverage there should be no dimpling, roller marks or watery, runny effects on your painted surfaces. When two different colours meet, the line should be sharp and crisp not wavy. Similarly, your window frames should have sharp crisp lines where the frame meets the drywall and where the glass meets the frame. On the outside of the home, look for overspray on stone and brick work, soffit, roofing material and downspouts - there should be none.
The proper sheen of paint will also make a visual difference in the finished appearance of your walls and ceilings. The choice of sheen will impact the visual, as well as the function, of your painted surfaces. By specifying top quality paint product (all paint suppliers have their designer or superior lines and lower quality or builder grade lines, so do your homework) and the right sheen level for the application, you will ensure a quality finished product and extend the life of your paint job.
Almost all paint manufacturers offer at least four sheen levels: gloss, semi-gloss, eggshell, satin and flat paints. All sheens are also available in latex and oil base products. Gloss paints are best used on wood products such as mouldings and window frames. They are especially appropriate for high-impact areas, for example where the vacuum cleaner will be hitting the baseboards.
Semi-gloss paints are slightly less light reflective than gloss paints. A semi-gloss finish offers high washability, making this sheen level an excellent choice for kitchen surfaces and high traffic areas, such as mud rooms or entryways.
Eggshell and satin paints work best in rooms where we will be spending long periods of time, such as family rooms and living rooms. This lower-sheen level will bring a sense of warmth to the space due to its minimal light reflective qualities. Flat paints are the least durable and hardest to live with, as the finishes offer minimal washability and their porous finish tends to trap dirt and make cleaning difficult.
However, flat sheen levels are most often recommended by the builder as they reflect the least amount of light, thereby hiding flaws and imperfections in the drywall. Flat paints are the best option for ceilings as it is on this horizontal surface that we do not desire a lot of reflective qualities. An interior primer should be specified for all previously unpainted surfaces.
A primer will improve the durability and lengthen the life expectancy of your new paint job, as well as improve the visual appearances of the finished product.
In most cases, latex paints are every bit as good and as durable as oil-based products. You may also want to consider a non-toxic and environmentally friendly option. Ask the paint supplier for recommendations and information on their full product lines.
Proper product application and the use of high-quality colour products will ensure a good finish. Many builders will supply a "builder grade" of paint, unless you request an upgrade.
Upgrading your paint is a smart option, as low-grade, budget paints are unlikely to give you the finish your new home deserves.
Copyright 2006 Toronto Star Newspapers, Ltd.
Images courtesy of The Rohm and Hass Paint Quality Institute.
