http://www.abpainting.com/blog/ en josh@aallbright.com Copyright 2012 2012-01-31T16:04:36+00:00 http://www.abpainting.com/blog/pay_it_forward_with_a.allbrights_paint_it_forward_2012 http://www.abpainting.com/blog/pay_it_forward_with_a.allbrights_paint_it_forward_2012#When:16:04:36Z Today, we opened the voting to the public, to take part in giving someone $7500 worth of painting services for FREE.  Please take a moment to read the stories of these real people with real struggles and choose who you want to give it to.  It's so easy to pay it forward with our Paint-It-Forward charity give away.  Just go to our Paint It Forward page.   In an uncertain world, where tragedy and hardship can change lives in an instant, community can make a huge difference. When everyone gives and serves in the ways they are able, we can brighten lives and ease suffering.   Here at A. Allbright Painting, we believe in community, and we are committed to using our own talents and resources for the betterment of our community and our world. That was our inspiration for Paint-It-Forward, our largest annual charity event.  Each year we select a family in need, and we donate up to $7,500 in labor and materials to complete a painting project on their home. At our annual company Christmas party, we vote to select a family, and in the early spring we complete the charity project.  It is always an exciting and emotional event when our vans pull up and we start working to give a deserving family a top-of-the-line paint job and an unforgettable experience.  As a professional painting contractor, we work to brighten the lives of those in need. While a new paint job cannot solve their problems, it can bring some joy and relief.  News, 2012-01-31T16:04:36+00:00 http://www.abpainting.com/blog/do_i_need_to_prime_my_walls_before_i_paint http://www.abpainting.com/blog/do_i_need_to_prime_my_walls_before_i_paint#When:21:20:18Z When saving money is the goal of a do-it-yourself painting project, each purchase for the job needs to be an intelligent decision, so homeowners often wonder, "Do I need to prime this wall before I paint it?" Primer is not always necessary, so you can often save money by omitting it. In many cases, however, primer will actually save you money because it reduces the number of more expensive topcoats you will need to get excellent results. A. Allbright has many years of experience as a painting contactor in the Los Angeles area. We suggest using primers before painting in the following circumstances: New Drywall & Skim Coating: The process of drywall installation and/or skim coating leaves a great deal of highly absorbant space to paint, and it may require many coats of high quality paint to give adequate coverage. Use a coat or two of quality primer first, however, and the pores will be sealed and your new topcoat will cover nicely in one or two coats. Patched or Repaired Drywall: If you have repaired a wall before painting, you will likely have patches of spackle or joint compound on the surface. If these repairs are small, you do not need to buy a separate primer; simply use a small amount of your regular paint and brush it lightly on those areas to "spot-prime" the wall. Then, when these spots are dry, you can paint the wall normally and those spots will not show through. Major Change in Wall Color: Painting contractors generally assume that a dark color will cover over a light color very effectively with one or two coats. Light paints, however, will rarely cover dark colors even with many coats. In order to save money and time, professional painters recommend using a good primer with strong "hide" qualities. Painting over Oil-based or Glossy Paints: In order for the new paint to perform well, the new paint must have a surface it can adhere to. When the current layer is oil-based or has a sheen, this surface can be acheived in two ways. You can use sandpaper or TSP to scuff up the surface, or you can apply a bonding primer which will stick straight to the underlayer and provide a good backing for the new paint. If you need to prime anyways because of color change, then use this method and skip the sanding. If you don't need to prime anyways, however, it will probably be cheaper and faster just to do the scrubbing. Stain or Odor Coverage: Some stains, such as greasy spots or crayon scribbles, will show through new paint. Also, cigarette smoke and other strong odors can still be detected after repainting. In order to truly block out the ghosts of these issues, painting contractors use a serious primer like Kilz or Zinsser. Note: do not use a primer to hide mold or mildew in your walls. It will only grow. Instead, first deal with the cause of the mold (usually water entry), and remove the mold. Then, you are free to prime and paint. Many professional painters use a tinted primer before painting. This is an inexpensive way to bring your walls close to their final intended color before adding the more pricey topcoat. Ask about this at your paint store if you are painting a bold or dark color. A. Allbright Painting offers excellent residential painting services to the Santa Clarita Valley, San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, Simi Valley, Pasadena, La Crescenta, Burbank and Glendale. Painting Tips and Tricks, 2012-01-25T21:20:18+00:00 http://www.abpainting.com/blog/josh_abramson_guest_speaker_for_dunn_edwards_paint http://www.abpainting.com/blog/josh_abramson_guest_speaker_for_dunn_edwards_paint#When:18:24:44Z Joshua Abramson has been invited to be Dunn Edwards Paint Company's featured guest speaker for their Dunn-Hub Contractor classes. He has been scheduled to speak as a 4-part series to help local painting contractors with their businesses.   Josh will be speaking on business planning, job costing and estimating software.  A.Allbright Painting and Dunn Edwards Paint have always approached their relationship as a partnership to success, that is why Joshua Abramson is glad to give of his time to help others.   Come join us this Wednesday at Dunn Edwards Paint in Pasadena for 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM and lunch will be provided if you RSVP.   So far 60 painting contractors have signed up.   RSVP by calling 626-577-0880  News, 2012-01-23T18:24:44+00:00 http://www.abpainting.com/blog/exterior_faux_finish_in_the_exclusive_beverly_park_community http://www.abpainting.com/blog/exterior_faux_finish_in_the_exclusive_beverly_park_community#When:22:16:43Z This project came to us while we were working on another 20,000 square foot property within this ultra exclusive community.   We have found over and over again that the homeowners here really appreciate the level of craftsmenship and professionalism that is evident in the work being done in this neighborhood.  We love getting calls from interested homeowners because they see our vans in the area.  That's what happened here.  While we were working on the one property, we got a call from our office manager that a neighbor wanted us to come by and take a look at their home when we had a chance.  Within a few hours, we were shaking hands on a deal to get started the next week to meet the clients' schedule demands.  This luxury home reminds me of the beautiful villas one would see overlooking the Italian coast of Capi with their tuscan style rotundras and cement columns.  Here we added several areas of a rustic tuscan glaze to the plaster insets that really accentuate the arcitectural details.   All-in-all it was great to have two custom projects going on simultaneously in this beautiful neighborhood.       Painting Projects, 2012-01-21T22:16:43+00:00 http://www.abpainting.com/blog/how_do_i_paint_a_room_painting_tips http://www.abpainting.com/blog/how_do_i_paint_a_room_painting_tips#When:21:33:58Z Many people, thinking to themselves, "how hard could it be?", take up a roller and brush and soon end up wondering instead, "how do I paint a room?" Painting is both an art and a science, requiring certain techniques and skills. With long experience in high-end residential painting, A. Allbright is happy to share some tips and ideas to help you acheive better results. One of the most important steps, though definitely not the most fun, is to protect your room and prepare your walls (click to see previous posts). Next, apply tape to all of the edges of your painting surface. Now, give your paint cans a quick shake and a good stir, dip your brush and you're ready to begin! Using your brush, paint a frame around each surface you are painting, along the ceiling, floor and walls. Also paint a frame around the outside of the windows and doors. This frame should be 4-5 inches wide, with smooth, thorough coverage. This process is called cutting in, and it allows you to roll the rest of the wall and not have to roll too near adjescent surfaces. For best results, make sure there is not a ridge or bead of paint at the edge of your brushstroke. Now it is time to use the roller on the large, open surfaces. Load the roller with paint, but not so much that it drips. Begin in a top corner and roll your way carefully downwards. Rolling too quickly will cause splatters. Work your way from top to bottom and from one end towards the other, always maintaining a wet edge. This means that the most recently painted spot is nearest the unpainted area, and each new stroke of the roller overlaps wet paint, not dry. This helps you to avoid lap marks. Keep an eye out for drips and splatters, and use the roller to blend them back in while the paint is quite wet. Step back and admire your work! If you see any trouble spots, try to deal with them quickly. Don't judge the results until the paint is fully dried and you see it in a variety of lightings. Remember to remove the tape while the paint is still wet, and don't put tape on the painted surfaces until the paint is completely dry, then you can tape off and paint your trim or other surfaces. Painting can be a very fun and exciting process, but it can also be a challenge to get results you will be happy with. Sometimes, for newlyweds or new home buyers, family and friends will volunteer to help. This can be a dilemma: you want the help, but you want to make sure the quality is excellent. If this is the case, an A. Allbright painting party is exactly the answer. We provide all paints, tools and dropcloths, and one of our expert painters will spend the day giving tips and supervising the work for excellent results. In fact, we'll even bring pizza for lunch! A. Allbright is a licensed and reputable painting contractor, serving the San Clarita Valley and all of the Los Angeles region. Painting Tips and Tricks, 2012-01-10T21:33:58+00:00 http://www.abpainting.com/blog/how_to_tape_walls_for_painting http://www.abpainting.com/blog/how_to_tape_walls_for_painting#When:21:31:05Z While taping walls before painting might not appear to be a difficult skill to master, properly applied painter's tape makes all the difference in producing a professional looking result. Even expert painting contractors take great care in placing (and removing) painter's tape. First, supply yourself with several rolls of painters tape. 3M's blue tape is the best kind for most jobs, and it is most helpful to have a couple of different widths at hand.  Tip: never apply tape to paint that is not entirely cured. Wait 1-2 days after painting before applying tape to the painted surface. If you are taping a line where two colors will meet on a flat surface, use a level to draw a light pencil line. If you are taping an edge or corner, use the edge as your gude. Instead of trying to place a long piece of tape all at once, use a number of shorter pieces (2-3 feet). This helps you to avoid creases and bends. Line up one end of your piece at one edge, and pull the other end taught (but not stretched tight). Use one finger to lightly press the tape into place, running from the stuck end towards the free one. Once the tape is correctly in place, run a finger along the tape again, firmly sealing the edge where the paint will meet it. Leave the non-painted edge loose. It is important to apply painter's tape carefully and methodically throughout your work area. Place it in any location where two colors will meet, such as corners, door and window trim, baseboards and moldings. Also use it to protect surfaces that will not be painted: door hinges, window glass, and similar items. Now comes the fun part; you are ready to paint! Make sure that you remove your tape before the paint is thoroughly dried, or it will tear and ruin your work. Wait at least 30 minutes, but no longer than 6 hours. If you are doing multiple coats, your safest plan is to apply new tape for each coat. A. Allbright enjoys serving the San Clarita Valley and the greater Los Angeles area as a residential painting contractor. If you choose to paint your home on your own, we are happy to provide advice, and we wish you well! But if you get stuck, or decide to get the help of a professional painter, give us a call. Painting Tips and Tricks, 2011-12-22T21:31:05+00:00 http://www.abpainting.com/blog/how_do_i_paint_a_room_wall_preparation http://www.abpainting.com/blog/how_do_i_paint_a_room_wall_preparation#When:17:56:32Z Many homeowners desire to paint their home interior, but are unsure of the steps and techniques needed to paint a room. A. Allbright Painting, as an experienced painting contractor, is happy to offer some friendly pointers for achieving pleasing results. The first step, protecting floors and furniture, is covered in this previous blog post. The next thing to do is to prepare the walls themselves. This stage of preparation is often overlooked by hasty homeowners and budget painting contractors, but a truly professional painter will tell you that surface preparation is one of the most important keys to lasting, beautiful results. If your current paint has any glossiness to it, the sheen will have to be removed for the new paint to adhere to it effectively. This can be done with a light grade of sandpaper. Walls should also be washed prior to painting to remove any surface contaminants that might show through or interfere with paint bonding. A more efficient option might be to scrub the walls with a mild mixture of TSP and water. This will remove the sheen and clean the surface effectively. The next step is to restore a smooth surface. Look closely from a side-angle to see if there are any spots that stick up. Old tape is a common culprit, as well as spatters of paint or "popcorn" from the ceiling installation. Use sandpaper or a putty knife to level off or remove any protrusions. After that, examine the wall for dents, cracks, nail holes and gouges. Use the putty knife to fill the holes with a light-weight spackle. Don't overfill the dents, but use a smooth stroke to make a flat surface straight across. Allow it to dry. Once it is dry, use fine sandpaper to smooth the spot. If the spackle has shrunk or cracked, repeat the process to get a smooth surface. The final step is to tape off the edges where you will have different colors, or where you are not painting: around door and window frames, baseboards, ceilings or crown moldings. See this post for more instructions on taping prior to painting. Use a brush or roller to put a smooth little dab of paint on each spot where you used spackle. This will act as a primer so that the porous spackle does not soak in too much paint and show through. Now you are ready to begin painting! Give the cans a good stir and watch your walls come alive! A. Allbright Painting serves the Los Angeles region as a premium painting contractor. If you are normally a do-it-yourselfer, but you have a specific project that you want to turn out truly spectacular, contact us for a free project consultation and estimate. Painting Tips and Tricks, 2011-12-17T17:56:32+00:00 http://www.abpainting.com/blog/2011_painting_contractor_speaking_tour http://www.abpainting.com/blog/2011_painting_contractor_speaking_tour#When:02:34:43Z I really enjoy the opportunity I've been givien this year to speak to other painting contractors around the country on "how to" grow their business through business planning, estimating accurately and job costing.  It's been very rewarding to see them get inspired to be the best they can be.   Thank you to all the paint manufacturers that made it possible, for inviting their cleints to come and learn.   I remember when I was just starting out in business and feeling like there was so much i needed to learn.  I would soak up any advice, if someone in the industry was willing to share with me.   I know that I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for a few strong leaders who were willing to give back and teach another.  Thank you! Thank you to Sherwin Williams Paint Glidden Professional Paints PDCA   Looking forward to doing it again next year. News, 2011-12-05T02:34:43+00:00 http://www.abpainting.com/blog/how_do_you_prepare_a_room_for_painting http://www.abpainting.com/blog/how_do_you_prepare_a_room_for_painting#When:18:49:16Z In order to achieve excellent painting results and protect your home from accidental damage, it is important to know how to prepare a room for painting. As a professional painting contractor working in high-end homes, A. Allbright is well-experienced in room preparation, so we can share a few handy tips with you. First, remove any large furniture items that you can to keep them completely safe and out of the way. If there is anything too large or heavy to move out of the room, you can reposition it in the center of the room and cover it with an old sheet or dropcloth. Next, remove all pictures, mirrors and decorations from the walls. Pull out any nails or hooks that they are hanging on, and store the items carefully in a place where they will not get in your way. If you have any wall-mounted light fixtures and you are able to remove them safely, this is preferable. If not, carefully use painters (masking) tape to cover the parts nearest the wall, and tape plastic over the rest of the fixture to protect it from drips. One easy but commonly overlooked step is to use a screwdriver to remove the wall plates surrounding light switches and outlet covers, and then use tape to cover the switches and outlets. Also remove or tape doorknobs and hardware. Finally, protect your floor. Spread dropcloths or tarps to cover the whole floor, and not just the section nearest the wall. This way you are protected against all unexpected drips, splashes and spills. If you have carpets, use a wide strip of tape to cover the carpet along the edge of the baseboard, and use a putty knife to tuck the taped carpet under the baseboard. Now you are ready to prepare your walls and paint! Oh, and by the way, you might want to lock up your pets! Painting contractors generally spend more time preparing a job than actually painting, between protecting non-painted surfaces, filling, sanding and priming. The key to a professional looking paint job is to be meticulous with the preparations. Here at A. Allbright Painting, we pride ourselves in our painstaking preparations that create a truly spectacular look when finished. If you are ever in need of a professional painting service, call A. Allbright for excellent service and inspiring results. A. Allbright: professional painting services for the Santa Clarita Valley and the whole Los Angeles region. Painting Tips and Tricks, 2011-11-30T18:49:16+00:00 http://www.abpainting.com/blog/how_long_does_exterior_paint_last_in_the_los_angeles_region http://www.abpainting.com/blog/how_long_does_exterior_paint_last_in_the_los_angeles_region#When:07:54:50Z As a painting contractor, one of the questions we are most often asked by clients is, "How long will an exterior paint job last here around Los Angeles?" The question is a perfectly natural one; when investing money and care in new exterior paint, we want to know how long it will last. There are many factors that influence this answer, including the type of surface being painted, the quality of the paint and the skill of the painting contractor or homeowner. Here in SoCal, the greatest threat to an exterior paint job is ultraviolet rays from the sun. This UV radiation breaks down the paint on homes here in Los Angeles, causing it to eventually wear, chalk, fade and crack. On a stucco surface, homeowners can expect a good coat of exterior paint to last 7 years. Wood surfaces deteriorate more quickly, yielding an expected lifespan of 3 to 5 years. For homes on the coast, where extra wind and salty air pose extra threats, homeowners will see paint aging more quickly, and may find that a yearly exterior paint-maintenance plan saves money overall compared to complete repainting every few years. In order to maximize the life of your paint, quality is a vital consideration. First, the caliber of the materials in your paint will ensure a longer-lasting beauty and protection for your home exterior. Budget paints and primers have fewer of the elements that cause paint to bind solidly and hold color excellently. Secondly, the excellence of your professional house painter will have a significant impact on the lifespan of the job. If a painting contractor takes adequate time and care to scrape, sand, fill, repair and prime where necessary, the exterior paint job will last much longer. Also, an honest painting company will be able to tell you when your home needs a second coat of paint, or if only one will do. Generally, two coats will provide longer-lasting results. Whenever we are faced with a large bill, our immediate reaction is often to look for ways to cut the cost. Experience often shows us, however, that investing in a quality purchase at the beginning will save money in the long-term. This is true of exterior painting contractors. Spending the extra cash to get the job done well will ensure a more enduring paint job and fewer repainting cycles during the life of your home. A. Allbright Painting is a highly regarded painting contractor, respected throughout the Los Angeles region for outstanding dependability and surpassing quality. Based in the San Clarita Valley, we provide residential painting services to the whole Los Angeles area. Painting Tips and Tricks, 2011-11-17T07:54:50+00:00