Category: Painting

Gilberts, Illinois, is a town known for its picturesque homes and vibrant community. Living in such a beautiful town, it’s important to keep up with the latest home painting trends. With new trends constantly emerging, keeping up with what’s popular can be difficult. To help you with your next home improvement project, let’s delve into the top home painting trends in Gilberts, Illinois, for both exterior and interior spaces.

Exterior Painting Trends in Gilberts, Illinois

The exterior of your home is the first thing that people notice. One of the easiest and most effective ways to maintain your exteriors is through exterior painting. To add value to your home, create curb appeal, and enhance the overall look and feel of your property, keeping up with the latest trends will give you inspiration on how to go about your own exterior painting project. Here are a few ideas:

Dark Hues

Dark hues are becoming increasingly popular for exterior painting projects due to their dramatic and modern appeal. Charcoal gray, navy blue, and deep greens are just a few examples of darker colors that have become in great demand. These colors offer a sleek and sophisticated look that can make a home stand out from others on the block. Not only that, but darker colors can also help hide imperfections on the home’s exterior. All in all, dark hues add an element of elegance and uniqueness to a home, making it instantly stand out in a crowd.

Modern Farmhouse Style

The modern farmhouse look is still one of the classics in Illinois. Popular farmhouse exterior painting colors include soft whites, creamy beiges, and warm grays that provide a neutral backdrop for contrasting accents such as black shutters, doors, and window frames. For a more traditional farmhouse look, colors like barn red or deep green can be used as accent colors on doors or trim. In fact, one of the most popular farmhouse colors by Sherwin Williams is aptly named “Barn Red.”

Natural Colors

Painting exteriors with natural colors is a popular trend for homeowners who want to create harmony between their homes and surroundings. Some popular natural color trends include earthy browns, sandy beiges, and soft greens, which complement natural materials like stone, wood, and brick. These colors can create a cohesive look that blends seamlessly with the surroundings, making the home feel more integrated with nature. Lighter shades of these colors can also help to reflect sunlight, keeping the home cooler during warmer months. Not only that, but natural colors can be paired with a wide array of contrasting accents like dark trims or bold front doors to add visual interest and curb appeal.

Interior Painting Trends in Gilberts, Illinois

The interior of your home reflects your style and tastes, so it’s essential to keep it well-maintained. Interior painting is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to do this. 

Keeping up with the latest interior painting trends adds value to your home and creates a comfortable and inviting space for you and your family to enjoy. The current trends can range from color choices to different textures and finishes. By staying up-to-date, you can ensure that your home keeps up with the latest fads.

Neutral Colors with Pops of Color

Neutral colors like white, gray, and beige will forever be popular for interior projects. After all, classics are classics for a reason. However, if you want to add interest to plain, old, neutral walls, try adding pops of color. You can do this through accent walls or brightly colored furniture and decor. Citrus is a popular accent color that goes well with a subtle blue-tinted white or plum, a great pop of color against stark white surrounding walls. You can consult with your local Gilberts painting company to get the best recommendations.

Earth Tones

Another trend that will always stay on top, with maybe a few variations, will be earth tones. Earthy shades such as greens, browns, and terracottas are a forever favorite as people are drawn to having a natural feel in their homes. These colors work well in almost all rooms, including living rooms, bedrooms, and bathrooms. Some great shades to consider are varying shades of cream, beige, terracotta, green, blue, gray, and brown.

Bold Color Choices

Bold and unconventional color choices are becoming more common in 2023. Dark shades like navy blue or deep forest green are being extensively used to create a moody atmosphere. Meanwhile, bright and bold shades like fuchsia, turquoise, and orange are used to add excitement to a room. If these colors are too much for you in common areas, try starting with smaller rooms like a powder room, a home office, or a guest bathroom. It’s important to note that darker colors may make a room appear smaller, so be sure to consider this as well when selecting an interior paint color.

Whether you’re looking to refresh your home’s interior or exterior, there are plenty of trendy options to choose from in Illinois. Neutral colors with pops of color, earth tones, and bold color choices are all popular for interior painting projects. For exterior painting, darker hues, modern farmhouse style, and natural colors are all on-trend. Don’t be afraid to try something new and experiment with different colors and finishes to create a unique look for your home.

Exterior Painting Services in Gilberts, Illinois

Looking for trustworthy house painting services in The Village of Gilberts, IL? Contact our crew today! 

At D’Franco Painting & Wallpaper, we prioritize the needs of our clients and aim to deliver the best possible service possible. Our team of skilled house painters is equipped with industry-standard tools and techniques, ensuring that we meet your expectations and guarantee 100% satisfaction. Having completed hundreds of successful exterior projects, you can trust that you’re making the right choice with our crew working on your home.

Give us a call today at (847) 349-4112.

Are you a homeowner with wallpaper in your home? If so, you’re not alone! But, do you love it? At D’Franco Wallpaper, we love installing wallpaper. However, if you’re not fond of the wallpaper in your home, you may be wondering how much it will cost to have it removed. While the cost of wallpaper removal can vary, this guide will give you an idea of the approximate cost to remove wallpaper in your home.

Should I remove wallpaper or just paint over it?

This is a common question among homeowners. At D’Franco, we typically recommend removing the wallpaper before painting.

Why? Because wallpaper is porous, meaning that moisture from the paint can cause the wallpaper adhesive to re-wet and loosen from the wall. This can result in the wallpaper falling off the wall, leaving you with a wet paint and wet wallpaper mess. Trust us, we’ve seen it happen! To avoid this issue and ensure a professional looking paint job, it’s best to remove the wallpaper before painting.

When can you paint over wallpaper?

At D’Franco, we prioritize  a smooth and seamless finish. Our experienced team offers wallpaper removal services, with an estimate based on square footage and our knowledge of similar wallpapers. However, in cases where the wallpaper is not coming off easily, we may recommend an alternative solution.This may happen if:

• Wallpaper was installed directly over drywall
• Incorrect adhesive was used
• Wallpaper is from the 1980s and has a vinyl film

Our recommended solution in these cases is for us to:

• Prime the wallpaper using Guardz or Shellac primer (which will cause any loose areas to bubble up)
• Cut out these bubbled areas
• Skim coat any seams or cutaway areas
• Re-prime for a solid surface 
• Apply your desired paint color for a polished finish

While this may not be the ideal path, we’ve had success with this method in our own homes as well as other customers’ homes. You can trust our team to achieve the look you desire.

What can I expect the cost of removing wallpaper to be?

The cost of wallpaper removal can vary greatly, with prices ranging from $1.00 to $4.00 per square foot. Factors that can affect the cost include 

• Ease of removing the wallpaper
• Any necessary repairs to the walls after removal
• Height of the walls
• Type and amount of wallpaper being removed
• Also, if the project generates a lot of trash, a dumpster rental might be necessary adding to the cost.

We understand that every home and project is unique and will provide you with a detailed, personalized estimate based on your specific needs. Our experienced team can efficiently and effectively remove your wallpaper while providing transparent and fair pricing.

What tools are needed to strip wallpaper?

Removing wallpaper can be a daunting task, but with the right tools, the job becomes much simpler. We have years of experience in wallpaper removal and have refined our methods to make the process as efficient and effective as possible. When tackling the project yourself, the following tools are essential:

1. A spray bottle filled with a diluted wallpaper stripping solution
2. A bucket of hot water and a sponge
3. A wallpaper steamer
4. A drywall scraper (or putty knife)

These tools are all you need to get the job done. First, spray the solution onto the wallpaper and let it sit for a few minutes. Then use the sponge and hot water to remove the top layer of the wallpaper. If needed, use the steamer to soften the remaining adhesive and use the scraper to remove any stubborn pieces. In many cases, you can simply use your fingers to remove the wet wallpaper backing. Once the wallpaper is removed, clean the walls thoroughly with water.

So if you’re looking to strip your wallpaper, these are the tools you’ll want to have on hand.

Ready for your wallpaper to be removed?

We can help! Let us know if you need advice or help with a project. You can call us at (847) 349-4112, text us at (847) 349-4112  or email us by visiting our email form on our contact page. We would love to see how we can help you love the space in your home, with fresh paint, wallpaper, or painted cabinets.

Do you need Paint touch- ups for your home? Are you selling your home and just need someone to fill some nail holes, re-paint a wall here and there? 

Then We have a solution for you!!  A Painter for a day.  This is a simple and straight- forward program we offer that a lot of people really like.

How much does a painter for the day cost?

$480.00-I figured we might as well get that out of the way first. We will send a painter to your home that will:

• Work in your home for up to 7 hours
• Use the paint you have in your home
• Touch up or repaint walls etc. in your home
• They can Repaint doors or door trim where needed
• Do those little touch ups around the new lights
• Fix minor drywall repairs

All of our painters are employees that have been fully been given background checks so you can trust who is in your home.  This is also something that works great for gifts for family members who “have it all and don’t need anything”. Hire a painter for the day as a Father’s day, Christmas or Birthday gift!

How much work can get done with A painter for a day?

So Before we schedule a painter to come to your home, we will come to the house and make sure what you want to be done is able to get done in 7 hours.

We will walk with you and identify:

• What areas you need painted
• What areas you need repaired
• Potential issues that we cannot work on such as mold, water damage
• The paint you have and if you have enough paint for the touch ups
• How much time it will take our painter to do the work you want done

What if  I need more paint?

This is where things get tricky.  When we come and look at the painting you need, and you don’t have enough paint or you don’t have the paint we have several options:

• If you have no paint, we can try to match the wall color but you will end up painting the whole wall
• When we look at the paint and it is old you may be stuck with buying a new gallon and again painting a whole wall
• Repaint the whole room with a new color

Sometimes the paint you had is no longer available. The base paint, tint base, the tints that were used may not be made or used anymore or when tints have changed you most likely are buying new paint.

Will the painter move furniture to do the work?

As with any interior painting project there are items that have to be moved.

• Heavy items such as pianos we do not move.
• Other items such as large bedroom furniture can be moved but we need more than 1 person to do that. You can use furniture gliders to help moving some of these pieces.
• Refrigerators, gas ovens, gas dryers we also shy away from moving due to water or gas line damage.  We can move them but we will require a hold harmless agreement from you.
• If you have bookshelves like we do in our home we will need those cleaned off so they can be moved. It is too dangerous to try move the items and the bookcase at the same time.
• Pictures are also a top question. If there is a hole in the wall we fix it, if there is a nail in the wall we leave it alone. I know for a fact the nails you have found “just right” after the “just a little bit more up or left” is something you want to keep.

How can you Hire a painter for the day?

Call us (847) 349-4112, or go to our website and fill in a contact us now form and we will help you love the home you’re in with a painter for the day.

Don’t forget about our referral program!

We look forward to helping you love the home you’re in! 

If you are like me, painting doors and trim really just makes your house take on a whole new look, especially if going from stained finishes to white paint. So let’s take a look at when is the best time and method we have found to use.

Should I be painting doors and trim before getting new floors?

This question is assuming you are having floors removed. For our home we removed old slate tile, old carpeting, and old vinyl flooring. 50 year old flooring had to go, so it made things easier for us to just paint all the base trim, paint the door trim, and paint the doors. We had to clean all of the trim, fill nail holes, caulk the trim, then scuff sand the trim, prime all of the wood, then finally paint the trim. It was also easier for us as we could use a sprayer cause the house was empty. All of this to say if you can- then yes- paint your trim before getting new floors.

If you have flooring that is not coming out, it does make things harder to coordinate and arrange painting of trim and doors.

How to paint trim – brush vs sprayer

Loaded question and topic! We love to spray as much as possible as it just gives a great finish. Spraying has its sets of issues however. Using a brush and or roller to paint trim is a great way to get it all painted. As with spraying, brushing trim also has its issues.

Spraying trim is fast. There is a lot of prep work in masking, but the application is fast.

Brush and/or roller trim painting is slow. This will take 3-4 times as long to apply.

Painting trim with a sprayer:

• produced overspray, so you need to vent air
• uses larger equipment which most people don’t have
• can produce runs or drips when someone is inexperienced
• dries fast
• allows for multiple coats quikly
• means all hardware is removed or masked – usually removing doors

Painting trim with a brush:

• requires more hand tools
• requires more kneeling
• usually requires more coats of paint to cover
• can produce more round or drips easier in corners
• shows brush or roller marks
• not as a smooth of a finish
• does not require doors to be removed

Can trim be painted after new flooring?

The answer of course is yes- it just takes more time and careful prep work. In some ways it is easier because we don’t have to worry about marks on the trim after flooring is installed. Here is the damaged caused by our flooring people..

If you have the trim painted after flooring is installed then odds are you wont have to worry about your newly painted trim getting nicks, dents, scratches etc.

Masking for painting trim after new flooring just means more time to protect the new floor with tape, flooring protections, show covers, making sure there is not overspray or drips anywhere and being extra diligent to be clean.

Most popular colors for doors and trim

By default the two most popular colors for us when painting trim are Simply White from Benjamin Moore and White Dove from Benjamin Moore. Reflective white from Sherwin Williams and Extra White from Sherwin Williams are the next 2 most popular that we apply.

Best paint for trim

I am biased on this one, so this is from the perspective of what dries the fastest, what applies the best, what paint feels nice and the price.

For the feel aspect, I love the paint we use for cabinets- Chem Aqua. It is just awesome. Next to that I am still a huge fan of Pro Classic from Sherwin Williams.

There are two hybrid paints, Emerald and Advance Urethanes from Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore. I am not a fan on how these feel when they are dry. I also don’t like the dry times- 2 hours and 16 hours respectively. Plus, they smell more. They do work well with a brush or roller, but the dry times for me as a paint contractor are great ways to waste time and money (oh and they are the most expensive options too).

Coverage on all of these are about the same. Whites are not what they used to be pre covid. We are told otherwise but proof is in the paint (I was going to say pudding) and they just don’t seem to cover as well anymore. Wall paints that are white are almost always taking 3 coats to cover. Whites made post covid are just not the same. For trim and wall paint the one exception we have found is dead flat ceiling paint- CHB from Sherwin Williams- for over 15 years this stuff has performed and never let us down with its consistency, price, coverage and touch up capability- it always works!

We hope this helps

If you have other questions about painting your trim, please let us know how we can help. Whether from a blogging perspective, social media or YouTube videos, let us know how we can help you love the space you’re in!

If you’re not familiar with skim coating walls, then GOOD! That is why we are writing this. We do not do skim coating work, but it is needed as part of being a paint contractor.

What is Skim Coating Walls?

You can see in these two videos we have done recently that we had to do some skim coating on walls that had wallpaper removed; the other is skim coating over a rough texture plaster.

The wallpaper that we removed took the drywall off with it, so it is a mess!

The other one we are working on is a Faux Finish- texture plaster applied to the walls about nine years ago. Faux finishes can be awesome…until it is time to get rid of them. In this case, we are power sanding walls to get to some smoothness; then, we will have to skim coat the walls to fill in all the uneven surfaces.

How to skim coat

There are a few methods to skim coat a wall.

The first is calling a drywall company. It is staggering how fast they are!

Skim Coating Tools

If you are doing it yourself, then we have several tools you need:

• drywall mud pan
• 45 min Durabond
• pre mix a 4-gallon bucket of Durabond
• drywall knives
• pole sander
• vacuum
• respirator
• fan
• drop cloths

When we are skim coating, we typically use a pre-mix bucket. The areas are large, making it easier vs. mixing up 2-3 cups at a time. The powder form is great for small areas.

We start with covering areas/floors. Then, we hang plastic so no dust reaches the rest of the house. Pole sand the walls to remove any burrs etc. from the wall. Next, just grab some mud in the pan and use a drywall knife to apply it to the wall. Smaller, thinner applications work best. The more you can “scrape” the wall at a 40-degree angle, the better, as it will leave smaller amounts, which dry faster and sand smoother.

After the first coat, allow it to dry, then sand smooth. Apply as many coats as you need to get the wall smooth and ready for paint!

Other things to know regarding Skimming your walls

Drywall work is messy!! The dust gets everywhere. We use Festool sanders to ensure the dust is contained as much as possible.

Make sure that the drywall mud is as dry as possible before sanding!!

You will have to prime the repairs before painting. Do NOT just use ceiling paint to prime these areas. Use a drywall sealer. That will ensure that the primer will penetrate the surface, creating a uniform, harder surface to allow sanding to ensure that if a piece of tape is applied, the tape won’t pull away the paint! (SO frustrating!!)

Loaded post! So from my perspective, the answer would be YES! There are many ways we can answer this question, so let’s do a top 5 reasons why. Something different and fun. So.. here we go.. Should I paint my house before selling?

Top 5 reasons to paint your house before selling!

1. Painting your house can get you more money

It is said that painting your home before you sell it can get you around 1-3% more for the home. The dollars I cannot really give you authority on, but here are things we hear from customers when they are looking for estimates before buying:

• I can’t believe they didn’t fix these holes
• Why didn’t they paint the ceilings?
• Who would list their home with these colors?
• How much more is this house going to cost me?

2. New paint changes the way the house feels

When thinking of the cost to paint a house before you sell it, you also have to ask if new paint can accent any areas of the home, make someone feel a certain way, or just have them feel at ease for they can move in.

For example the wrong colors on the walls can make a brick fireplace stand out as dated, unsightly, or just make people upset. A blue wall next to natural brick will clash in every way possible!

If there is oak trim in the home, the colors selected will not draw attention to the wood as much as highlight it to bring out its natural color, making it more attractive to the right buyer.

When the homes have existing drapes or window treatments, the last thing most homeowners want to think of is changing them out and then fixing the walls or having to install something else, but the right colors can make a customer feel at ease and ready to just move in.

3. Poorly painted walls can raise a red flag!

Have you ever walked into a home and when you see the walls you just have to ask what the hell happened?

• paint drips or runs on the walls
• stains bleeding though the paint
• bad job on patching holes looks worst than the nail they tried to fix
• they used a shiny paint on rough texture walls
• they painted over electrical outlets, light switches, HVAC vents
• paint on the trim, doors, cabinets and knowing it has to be scraped off

These are some examples of things people look at, and then wonder:

• Are there water issues?
• Is there a problem with the walls?
• Why couldn’t they get the outlets off ?
• Do the outlets work?
• If the vent covers are that dirty, how dirty are the vents themselves?
• Can these walls be fixed?
• Do I have to paint this house before I move in?

4. Does paint color matter in my home?

Only to the person living there. So, if you are thinking of painting your home before I sell, you have to ask who is going to buy my house?

With grey as the trending color seeming to be replaced by white, you have to wonder will these people like my orange walls? Will they like my wallpaper?

Then people are looking at what you have and then picturing what they have already and asking themselves: Will it fit? Will it go? Do in need new? So although simple questions… color does matter in your home when selling it to someone else.

5. Don’t give a reason to get less money for your house

This is similar to the red flag comment. If there are any issues in your house a buyer is going to bring it up as a reason to want to pay less. Painting and flooring are two quick and easy ways to eliminate any issues regarding look and feel, we are gonna have to’s etc.

In the grand scheme of things, paying $500 or so per room to get it painted and looking clean, neat, fresh and new is an easy decision to make, in my opinion.

Ready to paint your house before you sell?

If you have questions about painting your home before selling or painting before you move in, then let us know, we would love to help!

Do you have cherry cabinets?  Do you hate the look or feel of them?  Have you ever thought about painting over those cherry cabinets?

If you are like many of our customers, the kitchen is the number one place for you and your family to hang out. Like most of our customers, the kitchen gets the most attention. This attention is from you, your family, and your friends when they come over. But like so many people, the thought of replacing the kitchen cabinets is too overwhelming and too expensive. So- have you considered painting over your cherry cabinets?

If you have seen other posts and YouTube videos we have posted, you will see how we are transforming kitchens, changing how you feel about your home, so you can love the space you’re in!

If you are selling a home, the kitchen is the number one place people consider when buying a home, so it may help you get more money from the sale with a updated kitchen.

Our Step by Step Process for Painting Over Cherry Cabinets:

Painting Cherry Cabinets

If you don’t like the color or the feel of the kitchen -good!! Because we will help you make the change you want.

Painting over cherry cabinets is a relatively painless process and we guide you all the way through it. I’ve painted the wooden cabinets in my own home so I know stressful how it sounds. For the past 10+ years, we have refined our cabinet painting process, found the best materials and have the needed experience to make this remodeling easy for you.

1. Prep Work

We start with the cabinet painting prep work by covering floors and countertops.

Covering the floors and counters makes sure that no dust, debris, cleaners, dirty residue from the cleaning and or painting process gets on your floors or counters.

• For the counter tops we use a self-stick film as it is waterproof
• The floors get covered with a builders grade paper that is laid down, then taped to the floor surface so no paint or dust gets on the floor.
• The walls and ceilings will get masked with a combination of plastic and paper to make sure we are not painting your walls.
• Then the insides of the cabinets will get masked to prevent any dirt, overspray etc. from getting in the cabinets and on your dishes.

2. Clean Everything in the Kitchen! Prime. Paint.

We use Dawn, TSP, sandpaper, degreaser and denatured alcohol for the cabinet cleaning process.

• Once everything is removed, we start cleaning.
• Heavy grease or oil actually comes off with diluted dawn dish soap.
• We also may need TSP to clean as well, it just depends on the level of dirt or contamination.
• Wet sanding is our preferred method as there is no dust.
• Once cleaning is done, wipe with a clean rag and denatured alcohol to remove any residue left.
• Then, we wait for it to dry.
• After allowing it to dry we prime with a coat of Stix primer, wait for it to dry, then scuff sand each piece before we prime it a second time.
• For the primer, we usually allow it to dry overnight, then give it the final paint, Sherwood or ChemAqua.

3. Spraying Cabinet Doors.

All the kitchen cabinet doors and drawers are taken off-site to our shop where we have a spray booth. We repeat the same process of cleaning them, sanding them degreasing- denatured alcohol as we did with the cabinet boxes.

We actually hang the doors when we spray on end so we can be sure to get all sides at once, helping speed the application process. Here is a video of some spraying while hanging..

Once all the doors are painted, they are allowed to dry overnight then we load them up and bring them back to your home.

There you have it…a brand new kitchen! Check out this painting cherry cabinets video!

Call us at (847) 349-4112 with your questions and schedule an estimate on painting your kitchen cabinets! We are here to help you love the house you live in.

One of the many calls we receive is about painting your house before you sell. There are several questions about it, so lets dive into it to get you what we do and what we know.

What rooms should I paint before I sell my home?

The best answer for this question will depend on the wear and tear of the home. For example, the laundry room and mud room. It has been the source for every dump site from kids over the past 10 years of little league games, snow and mud covered shoes and hands. Odds are this will be a room you will need to paint.

Traditionally, we are painting the main areas of the homes. What is seen when you walk in? What do you want to customers to think of – how much work it needs or this is really great? Paint is cheap compared to other fixes of the home, but it is the most value in terms of appeal. A red dining room is not going to get you many fans these days, and that is all they will think about and the first thing a potential buyer will scoff at once they are back in their car.

So if you’re thinking about painting your house before you sell, take a quick walk around your home.

• Take a look at the doors and door frames- are they dirty or do they need paint?
• Do you have a lot of holes from pictures on the walls- can they be covered up?
• Are the walls banged up with nicks and dings?
• Are there a lot of scuff marks – usually in the closet?
• How are the kids bedrooms? No colors that will send people away angry?
• Bathroom walls- do they show signs of water?

What colors should I paint before I sell my 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?

That being said, for the most part we are picking neutral grays, such as Agreeable gray from Sherwin Williams is very popular right now.

Does the Sheen matter when repainting a house?

I would say yes. When choosing a paint finish, this is our recommendation: Flat paints show the color the best, low sheen has a nice look to it, and eggshell is a bit more washable. If you get into a satin or semi-gloss it can look good, but it is hard to touch up and look good because it shows every problem, nail, repair, etc. on the wall. So again I would say use a flat or a lower sheen.

Should I get an interior house painting estimate virtually?

Well, yes you can but if you’re selling I would not. We should see the home and property to verify any damage that needs to be repaired prior to giving a final cost.

Can painting a home before selling increase value?

This is a definite yes. If the home is dirty, has bad colors, water damage stains on ceiling, holes in the walls from previous pictures it all leads to a person saying- UGH! It does for me, so I know I can’t be the only person feeling the same thing. “Is there water damage?” is not a question you want a buyer to be thinking. 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.

Are you getting ready to paint your house? Do you have some dark or “odd” colors in your home? Then, you will need to know the answer to “How many coats of paint do I need?” to cover these colors.

The pitfalls of painting with light colors

We are finally seeing the tide turn when it comes to colors. More customers want the lighter colors of whites and light greys than dark or bold colors.

Is selecting lighter colors bad? Tomato, Tomatto… It is really a personal choice. The darker colors do make a statement. The lighter colors make everything brighter. Want some other top comments about light colors?

• the lighter colors will take more coats of paint to cover better
• lighter color paints show all your dirt, so make sure to get highly washable paint
• lighter colors with lower sheen are cheaper than higher sheens
• lighter colors make the room feel bigger

How do I cover red painted walls?

LOL—with a lot of paint. I say use a light grey primer, as grey will neutralize red. You can use a white, but I think the red still affects the undertones of the white (pink), so we use light grey.

To get the coverage you seek, you will most likely have to cut in the edges three times and roll it out once. Below, you can see the house we are working on in Inverness, IL, where we are covering red paint.

This is also where the phrase you get what you pay for will be seen. Lower-quality paints just do not cover well.

How will my new paint color go over darker colors?

That, my friend, depends on the new color you are painting.

Every color is covered differently. People cringe about painting red, but I feel yellow is the worst color to paint.

We painted a home in Boulder Ridge subdivision that was painted an army green. It was pretty hard to cover as they selected a linen-type white. Even with three coats of paint, we could have done four.

When selecting a lighter color, we often ask if they can add white to the white base to get more coverage. We have a few other paint contractors experimenting with adding more titanium white raw materials to get better coverage. (we will let you know how that works)

Tools for painting

Just like paint, when it comes to tools, there is a huge difference, personally the Cortez Paint Brush by Corona and Purdy Microfiber Roller Sleeves are my go to and must haves…

There are others, but as the drill sergeant in Full Metal Jacket says, there are none like it!

Other tools you will need for painting your walls:

• sandpaper
• spackle to fix holes
• drop cloths
• plastic to cover furniture
• extension pole
• ladder
• screwdriver to remove outlet covers
• paint pan
• roller handle
• paint! (see our past blog about how to choose the right paint sheens)

I could list about 20 more, but to do the job, that is about what you need.

How long should you wait between coats of paint?

Waiting for paint to dry is a saying that gets tossed around when you’re bored—like watching grass grow. The dry time of paint varies by the brand, the sheen, and the color. The more tint in the paint, the longer it will take to dry. The higher sheens, i.e., gloss paint, I think take longer to dry. The instructions for paint will vary on dry times. 

• advance paint says 16 hours between coats 
• average flat or eggshell paints can be recoated in usually 1 or 2 hours or less.
• using a fan will dramatically decrease dry time
• if painting inside, keeping the air moving is critical, ceiling fans, HVAC, etc., the more air moving, the better
• if there is high humidity, it will take paint 2x longer to dry – that is another reason for air conditioning, it removes the moisture from the air 

We use the feel test. Is it dry to the touch? Then paint.  If the paint feels cold, odds are there is moisture, and it’s still too wet to paint.  Basically, if there is a doubt, then wait.  

How else can we help?

Let us know how we can help you love the space you’re in! From interior painting, and cabinet refinishing to wallpaper installation we are here to help.

This blog post came from the mind of our website host- thanks Megan! In looking at what people search for when painting their homes, deciding which type of sheen is best is actually a very common question. I never thought about it, because as professional interior painters we are just buying and applying with little thought. Choosing the right interior paint finish or paint sheen is important as it will determine how long the paint will last.

So here we go…(with the help of our local Carpentersville Sherwin Williams and Geneva Benjamin Moore stores) we will cover each type of paint sheen and where they are best used in your home. The sheen levels are also in order of quality and cost, FYI

Flat Paint Sheens

I did not miss type – I did say sheens, plural. Even with the paint being flat, there are some differences in the flat sheens. Flat paints are used almost all the time for painting ceilings. Flat sheen actually does a great job of hiding imperfections in the wall or ceiling surface and they touch up very easily. Using this sheen, in my opinion actually shows the truest color, as the more sheen you have the more reflective value you get, which I think takes away from the color. CHB and 200 flat are the most common we use, but these are the most common flat paint sheens:

• Sherwin Williams – There are a few different flat paints within the Sherwin Williams line of paints. There is CHB, 400, 200, Super Paint, Emerald, Duration
• Benjamin Moore also has several flat paints; Super hyde, Cornado final touch, Ultra spec, Ben, Regal , Waterbourne Ultra Flat

Matte/Low Sheen Paints

Low sheen paints are a higher sheen than flat, so it is not totally flat, but it is not really shiny either. If your looking for something with some shine, then this is your ticket. It can be a little tricky to touch up, and it still does ok at hiding wall imperfections.

• Sherwin Williams has several low sheen paints; 200, 400, Cashmere, Duration, Emerald
• Benjamin Moore has several low sheen paints; Ultra Spec, Ben, Regal, Aura,

Eggshell Sheens

Eggshell paint is the work horse of paint sheens. What that means for us is that we use it more than any other sheen of paint. It washes well, and has a nice sheen or shine level. Touching up can be an issue. It will definitely start showing problems with the walls, nicks, dings, pops, issues with bad drywall seams.

• Sherwin Williams has a few variations of the Eggshell sheens, the degree of sheen may change by 1-3%, but it these are all considered eggshell sheens. 200, 400, Cashmere and Super paint Velvet
• Benjamin Moore has Super hyde, Ultra Spec, Ben, Regal, Aura

Satin Sheen

Satin paints are the start of what people will use for trim, doors, windows etc. They wash very well and they can do a great job of creating a washable surface for high traffic areas. Touching up this sheen is a pain. You usually have to paint larger areas or whole walls.

• Sherwin Williams has Super, Duration and Emerald, as well as Cashmere Low lustre
• Benjamin Moore has; Cornado Waterbourne, Ultra Spec, Ben, Scuff X, Advance Waterbourne, Cabinet coat, Regal (pearl) and Aura

Semi-gloss Sheen

Semi gloss sheens are used primarily for trim, doors, etc. It is shiney!! The higher the shine the more issues or problems you will see with the walls, doors, trim etc. It will show everything wrong with the walls.

• Sherwin Williams has 200, 400, Super, Duration, Emerald, Cashmere Medium Lustre
• Benjamin Moore has; Super Hyde, Cornado Waterbourne, Ultra Spec, Rust cat/Multiply, Ben, Regal, Cabinet coat, Advance Waterbourne and Aura.

Best Paint Sheens for Bathrooms

Within Sherwin Williams paints the best bathroom paint sheens would be Duration and Emerald as they have a moisture content in the paint to help prevent moisture issues and allow for the most durability and washability.

Benjamin Moore actually has a bath and spa paint that is made for bathrooms. We have used it in home painting projects and man does it work!

We hope this helps!! If you are getting ready to paint your home, aside from picking colors and who will be painting the interior of your home, the next most important thing is choosing the right interior paint finish.

If you have more questions about paint sheens you can call your local paint store, or visit their websites:
Sherwin Williams
JC Licht