Disposing of old paint

Below a great post on how to dispose of old paint by a painting company in New York. 

Latex paint is very similar to Acrylic paint, both are water based. Acrylic is a bit more elastic than Latex paint and more suitable for harsh weather conditions when used as for exterior painting.

Disposing of Latex Paint

I get asked alot about how to dispose of old paint.  There a few safe methods of disposing of old latex paint. These methods are a safe alternative to just throwing the paint into the trash.
1) Contact your local recycling center. Latex paint is recyclable and a lot of paint companys are recycling old latex paint.
2) You can donate it to an organization, such as Habitat For Humanity.
3) Latex paint is not hazardous, as of 1992 it has not contained mercury, you can leave the lid off of it, add cat litter to it, let it harden and put it out with your regular trash, but it has to be hardened.
Kellogg's Painting donates all paint that we do not use

Banks Building recycles old Acrylic paint.

Happy painting,
Andre

More on house painting - windows

In today's post relating to house painting I'll give some detail on painting timber windows or painting joinery.

This has to be the single most expensive and important part of your house when it comes to painting, maintenance, insulation, noise control. Windows are also the most common point of entry, not only for thieves, but for water as well!

If you are like me, and own a house built before the 1970's, or if you just like the look and feel of timber joinery you will be facing regular maintenance if you want to keep on top of any issues.

In your house painting schedule you may want to tackle the windows twice as often as the  rest of the house. Your joinery will need more care as they attract moisture due to condensation and due to the many angles and faces will be harder on your painting and decorating efforts.

Before you start painting

First thing to do is to check to see if there is any place where water can get in and fill using the appropriate Selleys product such as No More gaps or Permafill. Check your flashings for rust and architraves for rot. If you are unsure ask your house painter or building maintenance specialist. You can give us a call at Banks Building. Before you start painting, make sure all your opening sashes are not touching on closing as this will cause them to stick when the paint dries.

Choosing paint

Choose a light colour as darker colours will attract more heat from the sun and need more maintenance. High gloss paints are the best as they have less surface area creating a stronger chemical bond between the timber and the paint. However, when you use high gloss paint, extra preparation will be required to achieve a good looking finish on your painting and decorating project.

Repairing windows

Next get your window putty replaced by a professional if it is falling out. Then scrape and fill as per normal painting preparation. Now is the time to repair any cracked window panes and rusty hinges. If repairing windows looks a bit daunting, give us a call at Banks Building. Go the extra mile and get thicker laminated glass and stainless steel hardware, its worth the small extra expense. If you are considering any draft prevention get a quote and advice from your maintenance professional at this stage. I'll cover this area in a later post.

Final tips on painting windows

1. Remember; the extra preparation now will save you thousands of dollars in the future and will give you a longer lasting result on your painting and decorating project. 
2. Use only high quality paints and fillers such as Dulux, Resene and Selleys brands they are worth every cent in the long run.
3. To finish use oil based undercoats and acrylic enamel topcoats, lighter colours may require 3 coats.

Well that's all, till next time
Have a great weekend
Andre

#12 on 101 tips on house painting and decorating

Exterior house painting

A new coat of paint tells the world that your house is new and valuable. Exterior house painting will improve how your house looks and at the same time it will help to protect your house from the weather. In Auckland, with plenty of water coming down from the sky and with the harsh sunlight, maintaining a solid paint job is important to keep your house in good condition.

Painting the outside of your house is definitely something you can do yourself. You’ll need materials and tools, paint, a bit of elbow grease and of course some knowledge on how to do a great job. I’ve given some info on painting in my previous blogs, and in today’s blog I’d like to give you a few tips on painting tools.

However, first of all, painting your house is not a small task, and if it seems all a bit too daunting, or if you simply don’t have the time, don’t hesitate to give Banks Building a call for a free quote on exterior painting.  

 

Buy the best painting tools you can afford. 

If you have to spend a few dollars more for top quality, it will be worth it in the long run. Quality brushes and rollers make any painting task go more easily and quickly, and will give better results. When well looked after and thoroughly cleaned after each job, good tools will last for many years of home maintenance.

 

What kind of tool to use. 

On flat surfaces using a roller will go a lot faster than using a brush. Most painters use brushes for trim work and around windows and doors, then turn to rollers to fill in the big blank spaces. If the cladding is very smooth, or if you are painting weatherboards, you might want to look into using paint pads, especially 100mm or 180mm sizes, as an alternative to rollers or brushes. 

 

Choosing a roller. 

All rollers they are fiber-covered or urethane-foam-covered cylinders, which soak up paint from a tray and then release it when rolled over a flat surface. The rolling action creates a vacuum that pulls the paint off the roller. Roller covers can be made from different materials, for example wool, acetate or polyurethane foam. The label on the roller will tell you the kind of paint you can best apply with it.

The label on the roller will often also tell you the length of the roller cover's nap, or pile. For rough surfaces, use the long naps; choose short ones for smooth surfaces.

Paint trays are made of aluminium or plastic and come in different sizes. Choose the size that fits the roller you will use. Some trays come with hooks that allow you to attach them directly to a ladder.

What to look for when buying a brush. 

With few exceptions, there are two kinds of paint brushes: 

• Natural bristle brushes, made of animal hair;
• Synthetic bristle brushes, usually made of nylon.

Previously the naturals were considered the best, but today the synthetics are every bit as good.

Tip: Use a synthetic brush when applying waterbase latex paints, because water makes natural bristles limp and more difficult to paint with.

Here are a few tips on how to distinguish between a good brush and a bad one by examining them closely at the store: 

• Spread the bristles and inspect the tips. The more split ends, the better the brush and its paint-spreading capabilities.
• Tap the brush on the edge of a counter; a good brush may lose a few bristles, but a bad one will lose many. 
• Find a brush with long, tapered bristles, especially on narrow brushes. As a general rule, the length of the bristles should be about one-and-a-half times as long as the width of the brush (the exception is with wider brushes, often called wall brushes). Longer bristles will make it easier to paint into corners and around trim. 
• Finally, choose smooth, well-shaped handles that fit in your hand comfortably.

 

Look after your painting tools, as this will increase the life of them. 

Clean brushes and rollers after you finished painting. Use turpentine if you’ve been working with solvent-based paints, use water if you’ve been using water-based paints.

Brushes

• Work the brushes in the turpentine cleaner or water until all the paint has come off. 
• Make sure you get all the paint out of the metal plate that holds the bristles in place. 
• Always store brushes flat or hanging up. Don’t store them in a jar standing on the bristles.

Rollers  

• Rinse rollers under running water or remove the paint by working turpentine through the nap. Then wash in warm soapy water and rinse well.
• Rollers should be set on end or hung up to dry. If you stand the rollers on the nap, the nap will be flattened and will not work well next time when you are painting.

Started your project, but no time to finish it? Give Banks Building a call to get the job done! We've got some great house painters on the books.

Happy painting!
Cheers, Andre