If you are here, then hopefully you are a painter or wallcovering installer. We are actively looking for great people to work with us and our customers to help with house painting. This is our FAQ about being a painting subcontractor for Dfranco Painting and Wallpaper

Hello, I am David with Dfranco Painting and Wallpaper here in Huntley, IL. We are a growing Painting and Wallpaper company always looking for great people to partner with as independent or subcontractors.

How do you pay

By far the most asked and usually the first question. We pay full labor bulk rate of our project. We estimate the time t will take based on industry standards and measured times of employees and existing contractors. If we have not done it before or if I cannot do it in a given time, then I dont expect you to. do it either.

We are looking to make sure you are getting a good wage for work being done. We strive to charge a good rate per hour. We also have to compete with every other contractor looking to stay busy. We would love to have large jobs all day every day but some jobs are also small single day jobs.

Once a job is complete and marked inspected by the homeowner and project manager we arrange for direct deposit.

What kind of work do you do

As a painting subcontractor with Dfranco we are looking for people and crews that can;

• Paint interior of homes
• Exterior home painting
• Power washing
• Deck staining
• Wallpaper removal
• Wallpaper Installation
• Drywall repairs

Who buys Materials

Great Question! We have worked to get some great pricing on. materials with our vendors, mainly Sherwin Williams. With that, we buy all the materials for each painting or wallpaper project. We also try. and have them. delivered to the jobs sites so you can spend time painting, not at the store.

What type of Insurance do I need to be a subcontractor?

One of the most common FAQ’s about being a painting subcontractor for Dfranco Painting is if you are looking to be a subcontractor with us, then we will require you to have both workman compensation insurance and general Liability insurance. If you need a reference to get these policies please let us know.

How will I know my Schedule

Our Process ans sytems are always improvong. As of today, we have a software program that will show you the images of the project, materials, work order and payout of each project along with the tentative schedule we or the customer has requested. We do ask that upon the request of the projec tyou commit to the project so the customers know when your coming, and we can make sure materials are on hand as well.

Smile your on Camera!

We are always marketing our work. So we will get a picture of you for our web site so our customers know who is coming to their homes. We will also have pics of you to use for website about us page , you tube, and social media.

Shirts or hats while working as a subcontractor

we do our best to keep up with having shirts or hats etc to wear while on site. Do not wear other paint companies’ apparel while on Dfranco work sites.

Backround checks

We will do backround checks on all applicants wanting to work with us

Have you been watching home improvement TV shows or reading home magazines? If so, then you are seeing that wallpaper installation for your home is on the rise! If you are confused about wallpaper you are not alone. Lets talk about FAQ’s about wallpaper installation.

Hey Everyone- David with Dfranco PAinting and Wallpaper here in Huntley, IL. We help home owners and business with their Painting, Wallpaper and Cabinet painting projects.

We serve the Fox valley area including ALgonquin, Crystal Lake, Dundee, Elgin, South Elgin, St Charles, Pingree Grove and Hampshire! (dont see your city it is ok – we probably go there too)

Where Should I buy Wallpaper?

If you are lucky enough to be in the Chicagoland area, then we by far tell people to head over to JC licht stores. You can also buy from Sherwin Williams stores. We say JC licht because some of their stores have designers in them which can help you make the right decisions.

Buying wallpaper is like buying almost everything else. You get what you pay for. The cheaper the paper- the cheaper the paper and harder to instal for the most part. So know who or where you. are buying from.

With little regulations or standards in the wallpaper industry it is very hard for us to give recommendations. The materials used to print wallpaper are ever evolving. Which makes our job as installers very difficult. With changing paper and ink the installation process can change as well

How Much Wallpaper do I need?

Although it is the 2nd most asked question about wallpaper installation, it is by far the hardest to answer. How much wallpaper you need will depend on several factors such as:

• Size of the room
• how tall walls are
• If the paper has a repeat pattern
• How large are the rolls
• The width of the wallpaper

Each of these issues will determine the amount of wallpaper needed.

How much will it cost to install my wallpaper

Another loaded question. Here is a link to a blog article on this subject as well.

Cost is based on how long it will take to install. You can expect to pay 500-800 for a wallpaper installation

How long will it take to Install my wallpaper?

Time needed to install wallpaper will depend on where it is being installed. The time needed also depends on how big the room is. We also are affected on the size of the paper.

Walls or wallpaper that is large and needs two people can take longer to install as well

Should I buy Prepasted or Unpasted Wallpaper

We say Unpasted! with unppasted paper we know exactly the type of adhesive to use and what it will do. If we are given pre pasted wallpaper, we are working with alot of unkowns;

• is the paste safe for touch or animals
• are there harmful chemicals
• will it stick to paint
• does it need special primer
• does type of water affect activation
• does it need a activator

Can I use wallpaper in my Bathroom?

Oh yeah! As long as you have it installed properly, and the paper in good quality wallpaper will work in a bathroom.

I do say that with one thing- make sure you have ventilation! Steam is how paper is removed, how paint peels and how water damage happens. Use a fan!

Do you install Self Stick Wallpaper?

Yes. Agin get a good one. Products from 3m, York, Spoonflower work really well. BUT!! read the instrutions- some self stick papers need a paint to be used, primer to be used, walls that have cured 30 days etc.

Dont go cheap on Wallpaper!!

Have other wallpaper Questions?

Let us know- we are here to help! Do. you have something that should be added to the FAQ’s about wallpaper installation list- let us know!

Water is the biggest enemy of wood cabinetry. But there is some good news- repairing water damaged cabinets is possible!

Hi David Cook from D’franco Painting & Wallpaper, coming at you once more with a problem almost everyone has with the wood cabinets in their home: water damage.

Water damage does not mean a water pipe broke. Most of the time water damage to cabinets happens over a long period of time. This problem is also not just limited to painted cabinets but to stained cabinets as well. We will learn how to avoid that as well as show you our latest water damage repair.

How does water damage happen to cabinets?

More times than not, the water damaged cabinets take place over years of exposure to water. This happens in a variety of ways:

• slow leaking pipes
• leaving a wet rag on a wood cabinet
• using excessive water to clean cabinet
• allowing food to dry on cabinets
• leaving wet cloths on cabinets
• the use of harsh chemicals to clean cabinets
• dishwashers- they can release steam when on its drying cycle.
• open windows
• water bowls from pets

All of the above were reasons we have heard and seen the damage 1st hand.

How to prevent water damage to cabinets

Some of the reasons listed above that caused water damage are obvious in how to prevent them, but we will do a quick review.

• Leaking pipes. Aside from looking under your sinks, you can use water mats. They are under the sink containers that will hold up to 2 gallons of water if there is a slow leak- no problem!
• Wet rags and excessive water used to clean. Never leave a wet rag hanging on a wood cabinet! When cleaning cabinet doors use products from BOMA or a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water.
• Keep cabinets clean- wipe away food or excessive water from your cabinets.
• Dishwashers- look to see where they vent . If they vent against a cabinet find a different brand.
• Keep windows and doors closed when leaving the house.
• Water bowls from pets can be messy. Choose a location that is not next to your cabinets.

How a cabinet was made will affect the amount of damage from water. If there is MDF panels in the door- you will have damaged doors, it is just a matter of time. The method of how cabinets were painted will affect to durability as well.

So – How can water damaged cabinets be fixed.

For this post, we are working on a stained cabinet. (You can read here about a water damaged painted cabinet.)

Our cabinet crew was busy at work to first clean this cabinet. We used TSP to get rid of the dirt and cleaning products that were on this cabinet. After cleaning, the surfaces were sanded to remove all of the loose top coat and make a clean solid surface that we could use to re-stain the damaged areas.

For the stain color we had to wing it a bit. The doors were different wood that the main cabinet surface. There was no record of the stain color used when the house was built. what we originally used was stain from DuraSeal. Although initially it looked good, as it dried and we did our wipe off of the excessive stain, the stain did not (and would not) penetrate the wood. This happens with wood species such as maple. Our next solution was to use a gel stain. The gel stain we had to mix 3 colors to match the color variations in the wood.

Once the stain was dry , we were able to apply a clear polyurethane. Once the first coat was dry, we sanded the surface again and applied out 2nd clear coat.

What should you do if you have water damaged cabinets?

It’s easy! Call us! We will provide you with an estimate of how long to will take to fix, the method we use and the cost. We can’t wait to help you love the space you’re in!

Man that is a mouth full right? When we get a phone call or email about house painting we tend to get several questions that almost everyone asks about house painting. If your not sure about color, cost or prep needed to paint your home here is a starting place for you. So lets dive into the Most common questions about painting a house you should know. These are also common painting problems- so read on!

Hell Everyone, I am David Cook, owner of Dfranco Painting and Wallpaper in Huntley, IL. We help people painting the interior and exterior of their homes. We can also help with staining homes and decks as well. (dont forget our cabinet painting and wallpaper services).

Our painting services extend to most of the Chicago land Fox Valley Area including Algonquin, Crystal Lake, Carpentersville, Barrington, Bartlett and south Elgin.

How much will it cost to paint my house?

The number 1 question people want to know is the cost to paint. While we can give some general idea, we cannot say exact. We charge a minimun of $600 for our painters to go to a home.

It sounds expensive we know. When you add in liability insurance, workmans comp, unemployment insurance, materials, gas and paint, it adds up fast. We also want to make sure our painters are making a fair and good wage to provide for their families.

If you have a 2 story foyer you can expect to pay anywhere from $1200 and up. Final cost to paint your foyer will depend on the over all size.

Here is an article we wrote about whole house painting..

What kind of paint do you use?

We use Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore paints. These are easy to get, as there is a store of each right next to each other in Huntley. These are high quality paint.

Interior paint can vary in sheen form one brand to another. Paint colors are also unique to each paint manufacturer. So looking at different brands for your paint job is wise.

Does it matter what sheen I pick?

Paint Sheen is how shiney a paint is. Each sheen of paint can have a different price. Every Sheen has its own unique properties and value.

Flat paint is great for ceilings. Flat hides imperfections of the surfaces being painted. Flat paintis also easy to touch up. Some Interior Designers also like flat paint as it shows the color to its truest form.

Higher sheen like eggshell satin and semi gloss are more reflective. The reflection of the paint can look great. Keep in mind the more reflection paint has the more issues you can see. These issues may be nics, scrapes, dust, dirt, nail pops, or cracks in the wall.

For bathroom painting, there are specific paints to use. These paints vary in sheen as well, so the type of paint is more important than the sheen being used.

How long will it take to paint my house?

Each room of the house will vary in the time needed to paint. When it comes to the Most common questions about painting a house you should know this is the hardest question to answer. Your paint project may have Issues such as:

• Size of the room determines how long it will take to paint
• Painting walls only vs painting ceilings and trim affects the time needed
• How many rooms are we painting
• How much surface prep is needed?
• Do we need to repair interior walls before painting?
• How much furniture is there that we need to work around
• How many coats of paint we need to use
• The height of a wall affects how long we need for painting
• Humidity affects the dry time of paint surface for exterior painting and interior painting

What do I need to move before you paint?

We do move some furniture items. To make is easy we use furniture gliders. Some things we cannot move:

• TV’s from walls
• you need to completly remove fragile items
• valuables- high end paintings for example
• cabinets or furniture with knick knacks on them
• pianos
• Appliances**. (water line or gas line hook ups can break or leak)
•  

Will you fix nail holes from pictures?

This question is probalbly the number 2 question but it varies. If we see a hole we fill it, it there is a nail (unless you say other wise) we fill it.

Are you insured or bonded to paint?

Great Question!! This is one of the reasons we are typiclly more expesive painters. Work compensaton and liabilty can accout for 12-20% of the cost to paint your house.

It is important to know the painters in your home are proberly insured! If a painter is hurt in your home- what will happen?. If somethng is broke how will it be replaced? What happens if there is a paint failure – usually on a exterior- how will it get fixed.

We do not get into bonds- as that typically refers to government projects.

Last but not least is Employee or Subs

For many years we prided on having family members and full time employees as our work force. Family members went to other types of work. Covid changed our workforce.

We struggled with using Subcontracotor painters. It was to our detriment and yours we dis not hire independent or subcontracors sooner. We have found these paint contractors love what they do, are efficient and offer us more opportunity to serve you better.

Most of our subs have all of their owne tools and equiptment, and for exterior work that is a huge advantage. Not having to rent tall ladders to reach tall exterior surfaces saves you money!

As with any full time painter we hire, all of the subs we use also are back round checked. We want you to feel confident in the people that are coming to your home.

Do you have other questions about painting?

The Most common questions about painting a house you should know as we have them here are from our customers. Do you have other painting concern or questions- let us know! We are here to see how we can help you as best we can.

Hello Everyone- I am David Cook, with Dfranco Painting and Wallpaper, here in Huntley, IL. Buzz word this week is wallpaper ceiling. Adding ceiling wallpaper is a great way to make your room pop! But how much does it cost to wallpaper a ceiling?

Great question, and overall not too complicated of a question either. If you live in the St. Charles, Geneva, South Elgin, Barrington, Crystal Lake or Hampshire vicinity, this article is for you! So let’s get into what we need to know from you and what you can expect from us during this wallpaper installation process.

What kind of wallpaper can be installed on a ceiling

The hardest part of a wallpaper ceiling install is selecting the wallpaper. Almost any type of wallpaper can be installed on a ceiling. I say almost because I most likely would not use a peel-and-stick, self-stick type wallpaper on any ceiling. The adhesive on these materials is really meant to be temporary and peel away. We have found that these self-sticks don’t do well in tall or overhead applications. Another thought- You also want to find something that won’t attract dust such as grasscloth wallpaper.

Best wallpaper for ceilings

Most other wallcoverings will work well because we can prepare the ceiling with specialized primers and adhesives to get the best performance and long lasting performance. The style is as unique as the customers we install for. Murals, geometric, metallic, patterns, non patterns, some be afraid!! Types of Wallpapers that we have installed vary such as:

• commercial wallpaper
• vinyl
• murals
• paper
• digitally printed graphics

How to prepare a ceiling for wallpaper

Once you have selected a wallpaper for your ceiling, then the fun begins! We will have to measure the space that you are looking to have wallpaper installed on. We need to figure out:

• which direction the paper should go
• if the paper is long enough to span the space- otherwise you have seams in the ceiling
• do you have enough paper?
• what type of primer we need
• what type of adhesive we need
• can we paste the surface or do we need to paste the paper?
• will this need 1 or 2 people?

In order to get the ceiling ready for wallpaper, the basic wallpaper tool is pole sand the surface area to get rid of any burrs, or times that may have gotten in the paint from the previous paint job. Once we have that done, we are going to apply a primer. The primer will seal the surface for wallpaper making it adhere to the primer vs the drywall, and protect the drywall from any damage that may happen.

After we allow the primer to dry, we will apply a coat of adhesive to the surface and allow that to dry overnight. When we come back the next day and apply the wallpaper to the previously primed ceiling with adhesive, it will stick like Velcro!

So what is the cost to install wallpaper on the ceiling?

I have set the table to show you the prep needed, now it is a matter of how much time it will take. No matter what, most ceilings are a 8 hour event for 2 men. With that you can expect to pay about $989-$1205, depending on paper. prep, height etc.

Most ceiling installs require or need rolling scaffold, planks support braces etc. to get the paper up on the larger area.

That is about it.. the prep we use, the issues we face and some basic ceiling wallpaper installation costs. We hope that helps.. if you have other questions about wallpaper installation in general please let us know how we can help so you can love the space you’re in!

Many Homes have vinyl siding and shutters. Vinyl siding is designed to last many years. Designers create shutters that require no maintenance. Some siding will fade, show wear and tear and need to be painted. You may also just not like your house color and want a change. So lets talk about Painting Vinyl Siding and Shutters.

Hello Everyone, This is David with Dfranco Painting, and we are talking about Painting Vinyl Siding and Shutters here in PIngree Grove, IL. We are also able to help residents in the nearby towns of Huntley, Crystal Lake, Carpentersville, Elgin, and St. Charles.

Problems with vinyl siding and shutters

When you look at the exterior of your home what do you see? Dirt, faded color, algae, white film, or damaged siding? Some of these items are a quick fix.

Fixing homes with algae or dirt just means you need to power wash your siding. It is a quick and pretty painless fix.

Homes that have a white film, we call oxidation. The paint has turned white ish, and most times that can come off with a proper oxidation cleaning. This used to happen on cars, and with some cleaning and waxing it would go away there also.

IS your siding damaged? holes, cracks or evern warped- then you may have to repalce your siding.

Can you paint over my siding?

If you have viny siding or vinyl shutters you can in fact paint them. The one item that you must consider is using the right type of paint or materials.

Sherwin Williams has a great brochure at every store that goes over vinly safe paint and colors. Not all paints can use on vinyl. Some colors and then some paints can cause the vinyl to warp!

When picking colors or paint- make sure it says ON THE CAN that the paint is ok to use for vinyl siding.

Can I paint my vinly Shutters?

Yes you can paint shutters. You must use the right paint to paint shutters, just like vinyl siding.

I will say that painting vinyl shutters may not be cost-effective in some cases. The cost to buy new shutters vs painting them is sometimes an easy decision. In 80% of cases, buying new is cheaper.

What colors can I paint my Vinyl siding?

We have references the Sherwin Williams link above for vinyl siding paint colors that are safe to use. I am sure other paint companies have the same thing, I am not familiar with them. So the best thing to do is just ask the palce your buying paint if the colors you want will work.

Regarless of color- the store always ask us if the paint we are using is for vinyl. They will tint the paint with vinly safe tints and bases.

Painting vinyl siding

Believe it or not, painting vinyl siding or shutters is prettty easy. You need to make sure the surface is clean. The siding needs to be secure. Whomever is painting will need the siding to be accessable (no tree or shrubs etc)

Once we pressure wash or power wash or soft wash the surface it will need to dry. After the surface is dry, you need to watch the weather. If rain is expected shortly after painting, you should avoid painting. We also prefer to work in shade- that will prevent bisters, or the paint from drying too fast.

You can paint exterior siding with a brush and roller or a paint sprayer to spray paint the house. Spraying paint a house is technical, can be messy, and needs patience and expertice. As we mentioned earlier, ensure that you use paint approved for vinyl siding!

Dependin on the color you may only need one coat of paint. Exterior house paint used in home improvement are really good products. If you paint over a darker color with a lighter color then you may need two coats of paint.

Getting an estimate for exterior house painting

If you are not wanting to tacke painitng the house yourself, then we would love to see how we can help with your house painting! For estiamtes on exteriors, we will need to see the home. We will be looking for mold, damage, access to the siding, or other repairs that may need to be made.

The best way is to use our get and estimate for below or at the top of the page. We look to see ing how we can help you love the space your in!

It is spring! The time for people to start moving has started. Phone calls are now ringing from customers about doing some painting at their homes to help it sell faster. One of the many calls we receive is about painting my house before I sell, But the top question is Is Will painting my house get me more money?.

Hey Everyone- David With Dfranco Painting and wallpaper here in Huntley, IL. We work to help home owners and businesses with their painting and wallpaper needs in Bartlett, South Elgin, St. Charles, Algonquin and Pingree Grove to name a few areas. As we discuss the issue of painting your house, and will painting help improve the value, you may have questions- let us know! You also may have a different view point- let us know! Your insights and questions may help other people dealing with painting their house.

Should I paint before selling my home?

While there is no best answer for this questions, there are some good themes or similarities we see and hear from realtors and people moving into a home. The top issues we see and hear are:

• look how dirty the walls are
• I hate these colors
• I don’t want to have to spend the money before moving in
• I don’t have time to paint
• how do I know what colors to paint

What do you want a potential home owner to think of when you see your house? Do want a buyer to think how much work it needs or I’m ready to move in? Paint is a cheap fix cheap and it is the most value in terms of appeal.

The wrong paint color is all a person will think about and the first thing a potential buyer will scoff at once they are back in their car.

Things to paint before selling a home

Lets keep this quick and simple- take a quick walk around your house and take a look at these areas:

• look at the doors and door frames- are they dirty or dinged up?
• Do you have a lot of holes from pictures on the walls?
• Are the walls banged up with nicks and dings?
• Does the mud room and closets have a lot of scuff marks on the walls?
• How are the kids bedrooms? No colors that will send people away angry?
• Bathroom walls- do they show signs of water, moisture etc

Best colors to use to help sell a home?

This is a very interesting question as there are no great answers, because to say neutral is not a safe answer any more. It used to be a neutral earth tone was great, not any more. There are people that love a solid white house, but not everyone. We do many homes in gray, but the gray’s have so many underlying tones of blue, green, etc. It can be hard to pick one that some may decide not to keep in the house because they hate the color! Crazy right?

This pic is from the house we bought (fixer upper) – deep red and water stains never painted over- don’t give a buyer a reason to say no, walk away or show a reason to pay less for your home.

That being said, for the most part we are picking neutral grays, such as Agreeable gray from Sherwin Williams is very popular right now, However!!!-2024 has shown white as a strong contender the the most common color we will be using in homes.

Can I just do touch ups?

I wouuld lover o tell you yes- but the answer is going to be no. Due to changes in paint, age of paint, age of existing wall finishes, differences in tints and colorations, it is almost impossible to touch up walls effectively (so no one see its) anymore.

So just bite the bullet, paint the whole wall.

Can painting a home before selling increase value?

This is a definite yes. You want the buyer excited about moving in, not stressed about having to find a painter before they can move in. Curb appeal matters, if it didn’t your brand new used car would not have been detailed before you bought it.

If you have questions about painting your house before you sell, let us know how we can help.

How Much will it cost to Restain Cherry Cabients?

If you have wood cabinets in your house and are ready for an update or refresh you have several options to consider. Should you replace cabinets, you could paint cabinets, refacing cabinets is an option, or maybe Restain the Cabients. Last week we started a project that is outside what we typically do- we started the task of cabinet staining! That has led to the question- What will it Cost to Restain Cherry Cabinets?

Can I Restain my Cabinets?

Before knowing cost – you should know if you can re stain cabinets. This video shows it best…

any type of water damage will make it almost impossible to re stain cabinets

So- you can stain! Now what?

We have been called, we have seen pics of your Cabinets and now it’s time to get an estimate. Here is where we get into the details that matter.

Cherry is a difficult wood to stain, so picking a stain color is the 1st step. Once you have a color, we will have to do a sample to make sure the stain is what your wanting.

Are you adding or getting rid of existing hardware? We ask this because if you have to fill holes- then matching the stain may be an issue- as not all wood fillers take the stain the same as the wood does.

Not all hinges are made the same

Knowing if you are going to replace any hinges- some hinges acannot be replaced. Older cabinet hinges or the style of the cabinet doors may result to not being able to get new hinges. If you are just swapping the same size and style of cabinet hinges for another then you should be good to go.

How long will it take to Restain wood Cabients?

Once we figure out what stain color you want for your Cabinets, the next question is usually- how long will this take? Great question! Re staining is time consuming. We are hoping that the typical sander can remove the clear coat and the stain as well. With 2 passes of 220 and 400 grit sandpaper.

The last job we figured 70 hours to sand off old finishes, stain, glaze and clear coat the cabinet doors- it took us 95.  Not fun. Two things we under estimated was the clear coat and the old glaze. The cherry cabinets had a very thick layer of clear coat on the cabinets which took 80 grit sandpaper!! 80 grit is very rough and not typical- so we had to use 120, 180, 220, 340, then 400 to get rid of the sanding marks we made to get rid of the older finishes.

We assume that fort the most part it wil take 2 hours per door.

Ok, so how much will it cost to Restain Cherry cabinets?!

Yeah, so we waited a bit to get to it, but we had to set expectations on what you can expect in the process of restaining. When we paint cabinets, we average 120-150 per door opening. (That included the boxes) For this it is more money- and probable close to the cost of refacing. It willl be close to 225-250 per door and opening. The sanding is messy, and takes a long time.

Problems with staining cherry cabinets

Let’s keep this ones short and sweet as we covered most of this in the video

• cherry has Gannon in it- which turns wood yellow or orange
• as cherry is red- you need to know how to kill the red undertones in the wood
• you need to use oil stains for best finishes
• clear coats for oil or modified stains are typically oil.
• Working with oil stain and clear coats are usually very smelly!
• Staining takes a long time! Each pice needs 4-8 hours to dry then 4-8 hours for clear coat to dry

Repairs is a little longer than a bullet point- if there are water stains, cracks, dents, old glue or other defects in the surface- re staining could be very difficult to achieve.

How can we help you with your cabinet refinishing?

From painting, staining or touch ups, we are here to help as best we can- If you have questions regarding cabinet paint or stain- let us know- We look forward to seeing how we can help you love the space your in!

Common Problems Painting White Walls

2024 looks to continue in the trend of painting walls white. For the past several years we painted grey. The grey was the way!! Agreeable grey was by far our most popular color. For the past several months, painting homes white has been making its way as the most popular color.

Painting walls white does not come easy, so we are going to look at some of the most common problems painting white walls

Hello everyone- today we are talking white! I am David Cook with Dfranco Painting and Wallpaper. We assist customers in various areas including Elgin, Algonquin, Pingree Grove, West Dundee, Carpentersville, South Elgin, and Bartlett.

We were at a home show yesterday. People asked us the most common question, “What are the most common problems when painting white walls?” So lets dive in!

Top compaint about white walls

By far and large the most common issue people face with white walls is cleaning. White like black shows everything. So if you have a home with kids and dogs, you better have a washable paint.

What color White should I use to paint my house?

Picking colors os something we don not do. We can tell you what is the most popular colors we have used. We can tell you what colors to stay away from.

Whites can have green, yellow, blue and grey tones to them making it very tricky to select a color. Keep in mind natural light. Lighting affects the colors you use.

The most popolar white we have used over the past year are:

• Chantilly lace
• Simply white
• Pure White
• Alabaster
• Snowbounnd
• Ice Cube

If you need help picking a white or any other other color- what we do is reccommend is:

• a free virtual consult from Sherwin Williams
• JC licht in house color consults (they come with a coupon for free paint $80)
• or hire us to paint the house and we will send a interior designer to your house for free!

Will white paint cover my existing paint colors

If there ever was a question to get a painter in trouble this is it. Maybe do you like the color would be worse.

Painting over dark colors typically means we are priming walls then painting them. If we have to paint over red or yellow- we are priming walls as well. Most times when we paint white walls we have to use 3 coats of paint.

White paint is not the same as it used to be. White paints since covid have changed significantly. We were told that the reason is the loss of an ingredient called Titanium Dioxide. This ingredient made white paint more opaque, able to hide imperfections better.

When we change ceiling whites- 9 or 10 times we have to paint twice to cover the old color.

Can you touch up white ceilings?

If your ceilings have been recently painted -yes. That is considering you have the same paint and you have a dead flat white paint.

We love CHB sherwin Williams. It is the workhourse of the ceiling paint we use. It covers great- it is true flat and it has not relaly changed in 15 years so we can use it to touch up!

You can see the video we did on white flat paint here. Not all white paints are really flat!!

Can you match the white paint colors I picked?

Matching white paint is a yes and no. If you want to use BEHR white in Sherwin Williams, it won’t work. If you want to match Chantilly lace in Sherwin Williams, it won’t happen.

Keep in mind that other paint brands cannot match the whites offered by Sherwin Williams. So if you pick a white from Sherwin Williams- we use Sherwin Paint. Benjamin Morre colors gets Benjamin moore Paint

Lets paint your house white!

We truly don’t care about the color, we just want to help you love the space you’re in by giving you the look and feel you will adore. When we Paint with Purpose, we offer assistance to a woman who has been sexually abused.

With every house we paint you make a difference. The money we raise sends them to camps, events, and provides the help they need in their recovery process. So when you hire us to paint, you are also helping someone in need!

Have other questions?- let us know..

Have a great day and God Bless!!!!

If you are like many of our customers, you have cherry cabinets in your home. Just like these customers, you are tired of the way cherry cabinets look. There are a few problems with restaining cherry cabinets that you should be aware of, so let’s explore them!

Giving cherry kitchen cabinets a new life can be tricky. Most people are painting cherry cabients. Dave S and his wife in Sleepy Hollow, IL chose not to paint their wood cabinets, opting to preserve them instead. Several problems exist with staining cherry cabinets that you should see or know about, so let’s dive in!

Hello Everyone, David with Dfranco Painting and Wallpaper here in Huntley, IL. We assist homeowners in nearby areas with painting, wallpaper, and cabinet refinishing. These areas include Carpentersville, Elgin, Pingree Grove, Bartlett, Geneva, and St. Charles. Todays’ question or issue we get into Problems with restaining Cherry cabinets.

Can you restain cherry cabients?

I am going to share a quick video to show you where we cannot restain cherry cabinets.

As you can see in that video, someone neglected the cabinets for some time. The clear finish had come off the wood, and someone had rubbed off the stain too. To make matters worse, the water exposure had stained and cause water damgage to the cabinets.

With that example- painting cherry cabinets or replacing is the only option. (we can help with cabinet painting as well)

Are you sure you have Cherry cabients?

Several cabinet companies can take woods such as maple or oak and stain them a dark cherry color. Before trying to restain a cherry cabinet- make sure you know what wood you have. Some times cabinet makers turn to glazing cherry cabinets look alikes to get wood to look like cherry.

You amy also not have a solid wood cabient. There are many veneers that look like cheryr that act and stain differently that solid cherry wood panels.

Matching cherry stain colors

As we founf our in our most recent project, cherry wood is tricky. Cherry is a semi hard wood, tht can dent easy. Cherry also have alot of natural tannon in it. Tannon is a natural red or orange color that is part of the wood and affects the look of wood.

Cherry also is not a uniform color wood. In one cabinet door, you can have 3-5 different shades or color tones. Thes different tone make it difficult to match stain colors.

One other issue with matching stain colors, is that like paint, the tints and raw materials used in cabient stains change. Combine that with the changes in how manufacturers make polyurethanes.

Then you add age. Wood changes tone and color as it ages- especially cherry! Sun or no sun with oil base dproducts will shift in their color, darken or amber depending on UV exposure.

When we took this porject on, we experienced every single problem. Take a look…

How polyurathane affects cabinet colors

if you have wood floors, then you may be aware that wood finished that are oil based will tent to yellow in their color. If you have a full sun window with a rug by it, move that rug in a year and you will see coloration diffreence in the floor from sun or no sun exposure.

This coloroation a cannot be reversed. Matching colors to a cherry cabinet can be difficult. This is because the amber or yellow tones of the polyurethane can impact the stain colors.

Are you curious about the cost to restain or repaint your cabinets?

Aside from our pricing page... yo can also check our one of our previous blog posts that can cover cost should I paint and cost to paint cherry cabinets here

If you have a question about cabinet painting, cabinet restaining, house painting, or even wallpaper installation we are here to help!