Painters & Painting Dolbeau-Mistassini / Quebec / Canada

PAINTING FINISH

When did you last look, really look, at a well-painted wall? The answer is probably never. We just don’t look at painted walls, we look at the art that hung on them or the exciting juxtaposition of colors they present, but even professional painters almost never take a hard look at the wall itself (Unless they were the painters on the job!) – except when there is a problem or, in other words, a painting blemish.

The difference between a professional painting services guy and an amateur painter is that a professional painting contractor can paint a wall, and make it disappear. Professional painters leave no painting blemishes, there are no missed spots, there is no difference in the density of cover or color, there are no drips, ripples, or streaks, there are no painting brush marks or painting roller marks, and there are no cut-over problems, where the paint from one wall edges into another wall. When you hire professional painting contractors, the paint and the color are flat, sheer, and perfect, and exactly fits the surface it is supposed to cover, with no ragged edges. And so quality painting services make the wall disappear. There is nothing to catch our eye; there are no weird shadowing effects caused by different paint densities, no bubbles, bulges, or stray hairs. The wall is flat plain and perfect, and so, it just disappears. That is the real art of quality painting services – their product is invisible!

PREPARATION BEFORE PAINTING

Of course, not all professional painters and painting contractors love their work. It can be back-breaking at times. Many painting contractors find that their painters claim that painting job has severely affected their health because climbing up and down ladders and bending over backward to finish ceilings has given them a permanent sore back. However, if you meet up with professional painters, who work as individual painting contractors or as part of the painting services company, they may explain the creative fulfillment they get from their work and also teach you the importance of preparation, and the 50/30/20 rule.

Painting contractors may explain that for most painting jobs, the split is pretty much always the same. Painters spend half the time on prep before painting, about a third of the time cutting-in and doing the skirting and so on, and only about 20% of the time painting.

That is where amateur painters get it wrong – they usually go at it like a bull at a gate. Amateur painters grab a painting roller and aim for maximum coverage from the get-go, but then have to stop to fix this or sort that out. In the end, it always finishes badly and takes them way longer than it should get any finish at all. Amateur painters very often end up and call in an individual painting contractor or a painting services company.

As you may have guessed, painters are often colorful characters, but good painting contractors or painting services companies will always make sure their painters understand how to clean and clear the walls, remove the fixings and wall-plugs, fill and sand, fill and sand. Best painting contractors or painting services companies will teach their painters to wash down and sand again – until everything that must be painted is in a fit state to take the paint – the undercoat, the main coat, the secondary coat, and, if necessary, the top layer. As experienced painters always say– don’t start painting until you know you can finish that coat without having to break off to do something else. And good painter will always find something else to do while one painting layer is drying.

PAINTING SPEED

Painting contractors and painting services companies are businesses like any other, and they must make a profit. So, for them, work speed is of the essence, but this does not mean their painters have to paint quickly, far from it!

For painting contractors and painting services companies alike, the important thing is not that their painters paint fast, but that they finish the job to the required high standard in the minimum amount of time. Painting contractors could save time and money by skimping on preparation time but if the painters are called back in at the end of the job, after snagging is completed, to fix a dozen problems and repaint entire rooms, then any commercial advantage is lost, and indeed this delay may cost them with lost contracts elsewhere. Best painting contractors and painting services companies understand that while speed is essential, perfect painting quality is usually much more important, and cost-effective.

FIDDLY BITS

Every room, hall, vestibule, or staircase will have more than its fair share of fiddly bits. These are the tight corners, the windows and window frames, the skirting and door frames, the not-quite hidden bits behind the radiators, the underneath of the window-sills, all those areas which need special attention from the painting contractors or painting services pros. Conscientious painters from painting services company will take special care with these areas (The 30% from the 50/30/20 rule.) whereas most amateur painters tend to be either sloppy or messy, or will bypass them altogether. That is another main area where you can see the difference between an amateur painter and a professional painting contractor. The fan painter will make a mess of it; true professional painters will treat every room as though as it is in the White House or Buckingham Palace – it must look perfect and be perfect.

GOOD TASTE

Everybody has the absolute right to decide on their décor, but not everyone has the talent, artistic flair, or color sense to be able to make the right decisions. You can go the whole hog and call in an interior designer, but any competent painting contractor will at least be able to advise you, on whether your chosen colorway will look the way you think it will.  If you want to paint your dining room in Mud Brown and Paranoia Purple, then a painting services consultant won’t stop you, but they might advise you that pale pastel on the walls and a greyish slate-blue on that high ceiling might aid your digestion and that of your dinner guests.

DUST SHEETS

Let’s consider the problem of messy painters. That is related to our earlier discussion about preparation before painting but is worth considering. Any painting contractor will have a lot of dust sheets. Individual painting contractor’s or painting services company’s job is to paint the bits you ask to paint, and not to paint anything else. Best professional painters, as part of their preparation, will always cover all the carpets, and paper and tape the windows and fitted furniture. Anything that can be moved out will be replaced, anything that can’t be will be shrouded that no paint can get near it. Amateur painters very often either forget this or omit it altogether.

CONCLUSION ABOUT PAINTERS AND PAINTING SERVICES

For all these reasons, calling in the professionals to change your space will end up saving time, money, and above all, heartache. Bringing in the right painting contractor or painting services company, and relying on their professional painters, will cost you money that is true, but a quality painting job will last a long time and give you years of service, and, if you keep touch-up colors in marked cans, will also give you more years of having those invisible walls.

Decorative Painting

The basic interior and exterior works of a room or entire building completed. Now what? The finishing touches, of course. That is where decorative painting and finishing services will be required. Beige and magnolia are all very well, but when a bit of character needed, these sorts of services are perfect for the job. There are several available options – consumers are genuinely spoilt for choice in how to decorate their residential or commercial property. This article will be a short guide to deciding on the most suitable decorative painting and finishing services.

WHAT ARE DECORATIVE PAINTING AND FINISHING SERVICES ON OFFER?

Faux Decorative Painting and Finishes

Faux encompasses several decorative paintings and finishing services featured in this article. These kinds of decorative finishing methods can transform featureless rooms into remarkable and eye-catching places. That may be achieved by way of recreating natural materials and classic finishes – both regarding look and feel.

To create these effects marble, aged plaster, limestone, distressed and stained paint, plus several shades and types of wood may be used. Some finishing service providers even use leather imitation, etc.

Wood Graining and Glazing Decorative Finishes

It can be used as a decorative wall feature or for sprucing up the faded closet doors in the kitchen, or for whatever else. Whatever the intention, wood grain or wood glaze finish is a decent choice since it ties room and an entire house or building style together.

A professional in decorative finishing services will be able to give a consistent look to any room. The glazing will make the wood surfaces looking sleek and shiny. Many different shades and types of wood are available to suit the room perfectly. For a lighter, more rustic look, the tones of pine are most suitable, to get the more luxurious design, move for the darker, sophisticated mahogany shade.

Polished Plaster or Venetian Plaster Decorative Finishes

A little plaster-oriented chemistry is involved here. Polished Plaster (or the highly-polished Venetian Plaster) is made by mixing natural lime plaster, marble dust, and pigment. It is then applied by hand to the intended surface. The result – entirely dependent on the customer’s desires. A distressed antique patina? It can be done. Or perhaps a high polished sheen finish.

Another technique which is commonplace among finishing services providers. If the customer wants top sophistication, then this technique will guarantee it. Walls are just the beginning. The finish can be applied to ceilings and, more particularly in commercial buildings, columns and pillars. It serves as a unique alternative to basic paintwork and framed artwork.

Gold and Metal Leaf Decorative Finishes (a. k. a. Gilding)

That is one of the genuinely regal styles. The leaf is an extremely thin and fragile sheet of metal – even pure gold is available – instrumental in creating a gilded appearance. The fitting to the ornate and opulent surroundings. The leaf comes in several different metals, including 24 karat gold, which a lot of customers prefer. Also available are silver, copper, aluminum, or brass.

Most finishing services professionals will be well-versed in many gilding techniques. It is just as useful and appealing as a means of decorating ceiling panels and corners as much as adorning artwork frames and antique furniture. This finish will also bring excellent detail and character to a variety of architectural elements from moldings and ornaments, to wall surfaces and cabinets.

Marbling Decorative Finishes

When the base paintwork accomplished, but there’s still a lot of character and charisma missing. Marbling is the decorative painting world’s most accessible solution. What dresses up a dull, featureless wall or column with a luxurious, sophisticated look than an eye-catching colorful marble pattern? Or perhaps a polished stone look? Marbling enables both, and any finishing services provider will be able to do it.

The process starts with an eggshell base applying onto the entire surface. After that is in place, a marble-like finish will be sponged in a swirling fashion, layer upon layer. The hired pro will continue in that way until the beautiful result desired by the customer is achieved.

It is not reserved for walls and columns, either. Also, for fireplaces and other hard furniture.

FAUX STONE AND DECORATIVE TEXTURED PAINTING

Following on from the marbling section, faux stone and textured paint are also options that are commonplace among decorative painting and finishing services. An ideal ratio of glaze to paint for creating a faux stone look is 3:1, but there are some techniques, various tools involved in recreating the look of stone. As such, it might be wise to check out how competent and well-done these sorts of jobs have been done previously, as results will differ depending on the method used by each decorative painting and finishing services company.

When it comes to textured decorative paint jobs, a new list of options comes on. Again, do the right amount of research – scour the websites for available decorative painting and finishing services providers. Most should have a gallery on their website (if they do not, consider looking elsewhere), where examples of their previous work presented. Check thoroughly before hiring a decorative painting and finishing services provider – they may not be able to provide the desired effect.

Textured decorative paints in their premixed form contain small, grainy, and gravelly appearance particles commonly applied on ceilings and other surfaces. However, a very thick and smooth variety of textured paint can be used by some decorative painting services providers. It will require some special application tools, such as a trowel or a textured roller. If a stucco look is the one desired by the customer, this type of textured paint will do the trick.

Customized Hand Painting and Mural Work Decorative Finishes

From the Neoclassical frescas of the Italian Renaissance to the Art Deco feel of the Roaring Twenties. Or maybe the room will be better-suited to notes of 19^th Century whimsy?

A replication of the Sistine Chapel ceiling may not be possible, but a decorative painting and finishing service will be able to create murals and Trompe l’Œil (see more on that below) to spark visitors’ imaginations and conversations.

Some decorative painting and finishing services providers apply customized hand-painted decorations to ceilings, walls, floors, and borders by the client’s wishes. Look for a decorative painting service provider who has hand painting and stenciling among their offered skillset. They should be able to make a suitable creation using paint or even on Venetian Plaster.

Stencilling Decorative Finishes

Keep it simple, but don’t lose the potential elegance that could go into a room. Stenciling will transform interior designs to new heights. Stenciling decorative finishes can be applied alongside some of the other finishes discussed in this article, such as Venetian and Polished Plasterwork. Gold and metal leaf gilding can go into it, and even crystals if the very sparkly look desired.

There will be no need for anxiety in searching for decorative painting and finishing services that can provide stenciling work. It’s a popular service and a lot of call for it in interior design. Just check out their website galleries again to see what they can provide. Some decorative painting and finishing services companies may specialize in patterns or replicate certain cultures. A decorative painting and finishing services provider that renowned for their work in Moroccan style patterns may not be suitable for realizing dreams of Neoclassical elegance.

WTROMPE L’ŒIL DECORATIVE PAINTING

That is French for “deceive the eye” – it will be easy to gather what that means regarding interior design and decorative painting. Trompe l’Œil is the means of making 3D out of 2D. Optical illusions and forced perspective – this kind of thing.

Depending on the client’s taste, it will be usually better-suited to commercial buildings. Restaurants and other hospitality businesses wherein an avant-garde decoration style will be an eye-catching distraction. However, acquired a taste it may be, it may also suit individual residential properties. In these cases, it will serve as a conversation starter.

Again, it should go without saying, carefully comb through the image galleries of any websites for decorative painting and finishing services offering Trompe l’Œil. A client may have a clear idea of what they want, so it would be best practice to see what the decorative painting and finishing services pros have done before.