Frequently Asked Questions

Faux finishing is a painting technique used to create the illusion of texture on the wall. We perform specialty finishes including sponging, ragging, color washing, etc.

It's appropriate on drywall, wood or plaster. It requires no more preparation than any other new paint job, just a clean, primed surface ready for finishing.

The correct exterior color can keep a small house from looking smaller, split-levels from looking top-heavy and colonials from seeming awkwardly tall. Here are some tips when considering colors:

• Look at the style of your home. Choose light colors for smaller homes to lessen the disparity between the body and the trim. Contrast is beneficial with the home styles (Victorian, for example), to accentuate architectural features. Slightly darker colors on larger homes can look dynamic.
• Notice the "fixed" colors of your home. Brick, stone, unpainted masonry or roof shingles should be compatible with the the exterior paint you are considering.
• Find out about local restictions. Many historic areas and newer subdivisions provide a list of "recommended colors". • Don't overlook your neighbors' homes. While you want your home to be distinctive from your neighbors, the color you select should coordinate with their home also.
• Take a cue from nature. Pick a color that agrees with the environment surrounding your home.

Although cost is a factor, other criteria should be considered:

1. Does the contractor have a current state license?
2. Is the contractor properly insured?

These are a few items to consider when selecting a contractor (view the complete list of tips from the California Contractor's State License Board).

MOISTURE:

This is the #1 cause of paint failure. Common on walls that aren't protected by overhangs, caps, sound roofing, or clogged raingutters, plus entrapped moisture within walls, and also 'telegraphing' from the ground into structures. Blistering, peeling and staining are the most common results and will re-occur unless the cause is corrected.

BLISTERING:

Caused by moisture or a lack of adhesion (incompatible coatings). When you break the blister and find a raw surface underneath, it's a moisture problem. The reason is that the moisture absorbed during cooler temperatures expands as it warms, popping the paint films off. If another layer of paint is underneath, it's a lack of adhesion.

PEELING:

Moisture being the first suspect, there are also many other reasons ranging from improper preparation, thick and old paint films that have lost their elasticity, and a surface containing any variety of contaminates. Interestingly, a high-quality paint applied to a previous job of lessor quality that has nonetheless lasted years will suddenly cause that old film to suddenly peel. This is not the fault of the present painter or product, but the fault of previous applications over the life of the structures. The reason for this is that premium paints subject the surface to greater tension as it cures.

CHECKING:

This is the term used for old coats of paint that begin to split and break. As they weather and age they lose elasticity as the substrate expands and contracts.

ALLIGATORING:

This appears as patterned checking resembling the scales of an alligator. These cracks don't reach the substrate and may affect just a single layer of paint. Often caused by an inability of the top coat to bond smoothly with the coat underneath, or applying a hard coat like an enamel over a more flexible latex.

CHALKING:

This is a formation of a fine powder on a paint film, caused by the binders in the paint being compromised by moisture and ultraviolet rays. Very mild chalking is sometimes desirable with light colors as rain then 'cleans' the surface. Heavy chalking indicates a very porous surface that must be thoroughly cleaned so that a top-coat will adhere, specially when using a latex acrylic which doesn't penetrate as well as oil-base paints.

FADING:

A downside to our bright, sunny days is that the sun's ultraviolet rays can break down a paint's binder which exposes the pigments. Some colors are more resistant than the others against fading. Earth hues are the most resistant.

YELLOWING OF ALKYD ENAMELS:

All paints yellow to a degree, although much less with water-base paints. It's more noticeable with oil-base paints because the resins in the formulation tend to 'amber", especially in the absence of UV (ultraviolet) rays. Additionally, the vapors from some common household cleaning solutions such as ammonia can accelerate this. It is more noticeable with pastel colors than dark, and is considered an industry problem, amplified by regulations concerning paint-solvent content.

EFFLORESCENCE:

This is the white deposit often found on cementious surfaces such as brick, block, stucco, and mortar with is caused by soluble salts (such as lime) carried to the surface by moisture. Besides being a cosmetic problem, this can also cause adhesion problems. The surface must be washed with a 5% solution of phosphoric acid or muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid) to remove and neutralize these deposits prior to re-painting.

WEEPING (SURFACTANT LEACHING):

This is an industry wide problem that occurs during cold, damp winter months when drying conditions are marginal, and only affects latex (water-base) paints. The dispersants, surfactants, thickeners and glycols can be brought to the paint film surface during these conditions before the paint can form a dry enough film to inhibit this from happening. This is not a job performance problem.

BROWN STAINING OF PAINT:

Many wood type surfaces, particularly 'green' woods, cedar, redwood, and fir contain tannins which are water soluable and can telegraph through a layer of paint as a yellowish-brown stain. This can also occur if the wood is subject to back moisture. The intrusion of moisture in this case must be dealt with. Removal of the stains is accomplished with any oxalic acid product, and then a stain-blocking primer, preferable oil-base, must be applied prior to the finish.

MILDEW:

This is a fungus, or mold that grows on many surfaces. It resembles dirt, but when dabbed with bleach, it will turn white. There is no way to absolutely prevent the growth of mildew, but it can be controlled. Before re-painting it must be completely removed with a water-bleach formula or it will grow through the new coat of paint.

LOUSY JOB PERFORMANCE:

The result of this (entirely the fault of the painter) can cause a premature failure of the paint job, as well as aesthetic liabilities such as paint slopped on doorknobs, windows, cabinetry, the customer's dog and even vehicles during careless spray applications. Other eyesores from this are lack of coverage, lap marks, cat eyes, 'holidays' (a term for missed spots), and vacations (a really big spot overlooked). A note about splatters; a glob of house painting designed for vertical surfaces can land on horizontal concrete - which requires a specialized coating for durability...and if not cleaned up immediately, that glob of incompatible paint will outlast the surface life of the house by a factor of three. This phenomenon still baffles the chemists in the paint industry.