Painting Syracuse NY

This week Donigan Painting had the pleasure of interior painting at a historic home in Syracuse NY.  This customer decided to paint their master bedroom dressing room and a half bath that we remodeled from the studs out.  Their half bath was gutted to the studs, new sheetrock was installed, cement board was installed on the floor, new pex lines were ran, a new pedestal sink was installed as well as a new toilet and a tile floor.  The bathroom was painted using Sherwin-Williams Ovation in a light grey eggshell finish.  Here is how it turned out. 

Donigan Painting
224 Ross Park
Syracuse NY 13208
315-313-3254
billdonigan@gmail.com

Interior Painting Manlius NY

This week Donigan Painting had the pleasure of painting a few bedrooms in Manlius.  These bedrooms where covered with two layers of water soluble wall paper that was removed.  The walls were floated out with joint compound, sanded to smooth and thoroughly wipe down with a hot-wet sponge.  These customers chose a sage green by Benjamin Moore Paints in an eggshell finish for he walls in each room.  Prior to painting the floors were covered with contractors paper, switch/outlet covers were removed and everything was sanded and cleaned for a smooth finish.  Two coats of high quality paint were then applied using a roller-brush application.  Call for your free estimate and to get it done professionally the first time.

Bill Donigan
Donigan Painting
Syracuse NY 13208
315-313-3254
billdonigan@gmail.com
http://doniganpainting.webstarts.com/

Wall Paper Removal and Painting Syracuse NY

This week Donigan Painting & Remodeling had the pleasure of removing three layers of wallpaper in a home on the west side of Syracuse.  This customer needed their entry hallway, dining room, master and baths wall paper removed.  Once it was all off the walls were floated out with joint compound-sanded and painted with two coats of Benjamin Moore's Ultra-Spec 500 in Gravity Grey, Cream and Sage in an eggshell finish.  The customers were so pleased with the results so far that they have already lined us up to remove the remaining wallpaper in the other rooms and paint additional areas.  Here are some before and after pictures of the work.

Bill Donigan
Donigan Painting and Remodeling
Syracuse NY 13208
315-313-3254
billdonigan@gmail.com
http://doniganpainting.webstarts.com/

Commercial Painting Syracuse NY

Donigan Painting worked at a large warehousing facility last week.  We painted a company's colors throughout their offices and did two sports themed offices.  This particular job required a dark grey primer coat to the block walls because of their high traffic wear and tear.  We applied PPG's Seal Grip Acrylic Primer to all the walls followed by two coats of Ultra Spec 500 Semi Gloss in a maroon color.  The metal doors and frames were two coated with a dark gray PPG product DTM(Direct To Metal) paint that provides a lasting durable finish great for industrial areas.  Gratefully we will be going back to this same facility to paint other areas and continue providing long lasting beautiful finishes for their companies.  Here are some pics of the before and after.

Bill Donigan
Donigan Painting
224 Ross Park
Syracuse NY 13208
315-313-3254
http://doniganpainting.webstarts.com/

Painting Syracuse NY

Donigan Painting had the pleasure of working on an exterior in Manlius recently.  The house was a beige color that had a ton of chipping and peeling paint.  We started by hand scrapping off all the loose paint and followed up with pressure washing off all the remaining dust-dirt.  Next we oil primed all the bare wood from scrapping and caulked gaps and seams.  Following this two coats of Benjamin Moore's Exterior Aura flat white was applied with a sprayer and brush application.  This is a high quality product that is 100% acrylic so it stretches and sticks on much better than a paint with more water in it.  When protecting your investment it's worth paying a little more for a product that delivers the absolutely best results.  You pay for what you get with paint so spend the extra 15 a gallon and your repaint will last much longer.  The homes shutters where painted a jet black satin finish to wrap this paint job up. 

Bill Donigan
Donigan Painting
224 Ross Park
Syracuse NY 13208
315-313-3254
 http://doniganpainting.webstarts.com/

Painting Syracuse NY

Donigan Painting and Remodeling had the pleasure of repainting a dutch colonials dining room with coffered ceilings this past week.  The walls needed extensive prep work which included applying a skim coat, sanding to smooth and applying a high quality primer to seal it.  In this case we used Seal-Grip by Benjamin Moore an interior/exterior acrylic primer that provides an excellent bonding surface for your paint.  You cannot scratch this stuff off once it's on.  We will be using the same product in an industrial setting next week on cinder block in a heavily trafficked warehousing company.  Once all the surfaces have been sanded to smooth we taped out all the wood molding to protect it and applied Benjamin Moore's flat white Waterborne Ceiling Paint 2x.  The walls will be being wall papered with a Classic Disney themed pattern we picked out from Sherwin Williams next week.  Pictures will be posted once it is papered.  If you are bored with paint the new patterns and textures in  wallpaper is worth checking out for some variety.  Take a minute to stop by your favorite paint store and look thru what they have to offer.  Also coming is a kitchen remodel we will be completing this week that was a total gut from studs out-electrical-plumbing-cabinets-flooring.  Stay tuned!

Bill Donigan
Donigan Painting & Remodeling
Syracuse NY 13208
315-313-3254

 

Interior Painting SU Colonial

This week Donigan Painting worked on an older home in the SU area.  This customer needed their living room and master bedroom repainted.  Due to sensitivity to paint odor we used no VOC paint from Purcell's Paint's.  If you are allergic or irritated by paint odors this is the way to go so you do not smell anything.  No VOC means there are no volatile organic compound's floating around as the paint dries.  They chose a dark grey low sheen color for the living room and a light green low sheen paint for their master bedroom.  The product used in both rooms was Benjamin Moore's Ultra Spec 500 No VOC interior paint.  We used the same product to repaint the molding in an ultra white semi-gloss finish.  All molding was taped out for clean straight lines, walls were sanded to smooth, dings and dents were floated out with joint compound, floors were protected.  Here are some pictures of how it turned out. 


Bill Donigan
Donigan Painting
Syracuse NY
315-313-3254

Interior Painting Fayetteville NY-Syracuse NY

Donigan Painting worked on a whole house interior repaint this past week in Fayetteville.  This newer colonial needed to be freshened up before being put up for sale.  The 4 bedrooms, living room, dining room, entry hallway, stairway and office were two coated.  The master bedroom was a light green and one of the bedrooms was a dark blue with a blue ceiling so three coats were needed in each for optimal coverage.    The original colors were yellow and beige through out and changed to Classic Ivory from Sherwin Williams in their low lustre finish Cashmere Paint .  For the uninitiated low lustre is a combination of eggshell and satin sheens.  It's more or less satin.  As usual all furniture was centered and covered with plastic, switch/outlet plates were removed, all the natural wood molding was taped out and drop clothes were put down on finished floors.  The walls dings-dents-holes were filled with joint compound, sanded to smooth and cleaned.  The ceilings were coated twice with SW's Eminence Ceiling Paint in a flat bright white.  In addition to painting we also refinished a bunch of the wood windows that had faded due to sunlight.  Here we removed the mutin's, sanded the old polyurethane off and three coated them with a satin oil polyurethane.  The pictures below show the entry hallway after painting, the master, the blue room before-after and last the master before.

Bill Donigan
Donigan Painting
Syracuse, NY 13208
315-313-3254
http://doniganpainting.webstarts.com/

Deck restain-Skaneateles NY

This week Donigan Painting had the pleasure of refinishing a deck and rails in beautiful Skaneateles on the lake.  This job was a referral from another deck and smoke house we did down the street last summer.  Joe's restain included all the railing-spindles-stringers-joists.  Before we stained everything was hand scraped, sanded, washed-scrubbed to remove mold-dust-dirt and screwed secure.  After preparing the surfaces we applied two coats of Sherwin-Williams Super-Deck Solid White.  Here is how it turned out.

Bill Donigan
Donigan Painting
Syracuse NY 13208
315-313-3254
http://doniganpainting.webstarts.com/

Exterior Painting Syracuse NY-Tudor University

These past two weeks Donigan Painting had the pleasure of restoring and repainting a 1920's tudor located in the Syracuse University neighborhood.  These customers chose the A-Plan which included extensive sanding to feather out old buckling alligator skinned paint, thorough caulking and two coats of high quality Benjamin Moore Paint.  Since it is an older home built before 1978 lead safe practices included wet scraping, high mil plastic ground cover, specialty sanding tools and extensive cleaning with a hepa vacuum .  The prep work for this older home included washing dirt-dust off gently due to its stucco façade, hand scraping-cutting back loose paint, specialty machine sanding to feather in the scraped paint edges, oil priming bare wood, caulking seams-gaps, wood putty filling holes, glazing older windows.  A boom lift was used to reach peaks and other high points on this job.  Once the prep work was completed we applied two coats of paint that matched the existing colors in a low sheen and flat sheen.  The homeowners were very happy with the results and led to us staining their 100'+ of deck rail-spindles-stringers. This job also led to another repaint we will be doing around the corner from this home in a few weeks. 

Bill Donigan
Donigan Painting
224 Ross Park
Syracuse NY 13208
315-313-3254
http://doniganpainting.webstarts.com/

Strathmore California Bungalow Repaint Syracuse NY

Last week we had the pleasure of restoring a 1920's Syracuse gem on the west side.  The home had not been painted since 1980 and needed a lot of tlc.  Extensive prep work was needed in order to get the surfaces ready to accept primer, caulk and paint.  Most of the paint came off in large sheets and crumbled away.  Oil primer was applied twice to many areas that were down to the bare wood.  After priming we caulked gaps and seams with a 25 year latex siliconized caulk.  All areas were extensively protected to contain lead and thoroughly vacuumed to remove fine particles.  Loose clapboards were nailed down and some of the soffit molding was replaced(in the first pic the soffit mold was replaced after this shot was taken).  Two coats of high quality paint were sprayed and brushed into all the nooks and crannies.  On the two dormer soffits alone we used 3 gallons to super coat them.  The owners have lived here for 50+ years and said they couldn't be happier with the results.  This repaint came as a referral for work done on another home up the street.   

Bill Donigan
Donigan Painting & Remodeling
Syracuse, NY 13208
315-313-3254
http://doniganpainting.webstarts.com

Exterior Repaint Syracuse University

Last week we had gorgeous weather which made for great painting conditions in central NY.  This customer was a referral from a tudor home we painted across the street last summer on Berkley.  In this case we needed to fix a previous painters mistakes who did not prime or put enough prep work into the surface.  This caused the paint, which is Aura by Benjamin Moore, to fail faster than it should have.  It was obvious after walking around the house and scraping some test spots there was no primer applied and the cleaning was sub-par leaving chips and dust mixed in with this previous painters finish application.  In order to make it right we hand scrape the failed paint off, vacuum the surfaces, lightly sand, vacuum again, oil prime bare wood and apply two coats of Ben Moore Aura.  We used a lift to access the steeper parts of the houses siding minimizing any wear and tear on the roof and keeping the painters safe.  Here are some pictures of before and after from some rough parts of the home. 

Bill Donigan
Donigan Painting
224 Ross Park
Syracuse NY 13208
315-313-3254
http://doniganpainting.webstarts.com/

How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets Syracuse NY

Painting kitchen cabinets is a common repaint homeowners diy.  Buying new cabinets can be quite expensive so the alternative is to paint them.  Here are professional painting tips for someone who wants to tackle this type of project.  Typically repainting your cabinets will take about a week when all is said and done with dry times.

Right now we are on a kitchen remodel in Fabius NY where we are refacing the cabinets with paint.  Not all paints are created equal so knowing what to buy will save you from applying the wrong product.  Some people think slapping latex wall paint with a sheen on there does the job, it doesn't.  Cabinet resurfacing paint is made up of urethane-alkyd-acrylic components that provide a superior, hard, scratch free surface when applied correctly to specifications.  An example of improper application is using a latex primer and latex paint.  What will happen immediately is the primer will be a soft coat that provides poor adhesion and easily scrapes off with your finger nail.  This type of coating will wear out within the first year leaving you with dingy cabinets and a waste of time.  I will get back to the product side of it later in this blog.  So you're ready to begin now what?

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1.  Start by removing the cabinet doors and hardware.  The best practice is to keep your door hardware with its original door so that everything fits back together.  Or you may opt to update the pulls and hardware.  If this is the case the best thing to do is bring your old hinge to the store with you and compare it with what you are considering.  Pulls or the part you pull on to open it are standard for most cabinets.  In some cases you may have to wood putty fill screw holes to accommodate your new hardware.    Labeling and separating them will keep things organized and make reinstalling go smoother in the end.
2.  Hand clean the cabinets with soap and water to remove grease and grime.
3.  Sand the cabinets. Depending on the finish on your cabinets you will need to use anywhere from 120-200 grit to scuff the surfaces and remove the gloss finish.  This is a critical step that must be done thoroughly so that when you apply your primer it sticks.  If you have ever painted a surface and not sanded you may have already seen this play out, you'll be able to rub the paint off dried.
3.  Clean everything you sanded with a shop vac so that all the dust is removed.  Next go back over all cabinet surfaces with a wet sponge or rag and remove fine dust.  Cleaning all the dust off and out of the cabinets will keep your work area clean and help you avoid dirt and dust in your applications.
4.  Priming:  Depending on the level of the finish you would like to achieve will determine how you choose to apply your primer.  The choice's range from a brush to fine roller to spraying.  Brushing on the primer often leaves brush strokes which means more prep work between coats.  For your typical oak cabinet with a polyurethane finish you will need three coats of primer.  Laying the primer on thick is not recommended.  To achieve optimal results you will need to apply many thin coats until you can no longer see the original wood colors.  By doing it correctly you will save your self from the paint pooling in areas, sagging or drips.  This will also cut down on in between sanding time and mess.
5.  Once the wood is covered with primer you will need to sand again to remove orange peel finish, brush strokes, imperfections.  This time 180-200 grit will do the trick.  The idea is to get the surface as smooth as possible before you apply the finish coats.  Once again thoroughly vacuum and wipe down all surfaces same as before.
6.  Finish coats:  You are now ready to begin applying your finish paint.  In most cases using a fine nap cabinet roller will work best.  This is a roller designed specifically to apply this paint because once you've rolled it on it leaves little to no application marks once it has leveled out and set up.  There is a technique used for the best results when applying the finish coats.  Once you've loaded up your roller you want to roll it on till you no longer can here the paint spreading.  This may take you a little while to realize what you are listening for but once you get it it will provide that mirror like showroom finish. 
7.  Install cabinet hardware and pulls and rehang. 

These are a few tried and true practices that will ensure you get the high quality finish you are looking for on your kitchen cabinets resurfacing.  Keep in mind these are standard practices for the best results in this application.  Depending on your level of expertise and patience results will vary.  Like they say you can't rush a good thing and in this case it holds very true.  Dry times will vary for products so make sure you read carefully what they are and the conditions that must be met to allow the product to work correctly.  None of the steps above can be short cut or left out without a consequence.  So when you go and spend a few hundred dollars to reface cabinets make sure you follow these steps and the product specifications so that you don't waste your time and money.  When you are shopping for primer and paint make sure you buy a alkyd urethane primer and acrylic urethane finish paint.  The components in these type of products will outlast an enamel or latex paint for decades.  Good luck and happy trails with your project!

Bill Donigan
Donigan Painting
224 Ross Park
Syracuse NY 13208
http://doniganpainting.webstarts.com/

Pressure Washing Best Practices

Pressure washing has its pros and cons.  When it comes to your next project take the time to get it right the first time by reading up on best practices for pressure washing. 
Spring is finally here in central NY and neighborhoods are buzzing with work.  To the uninitiated pressure washing may seem like an intimidating process.  Many times I have been 2nd in line after the damage has been done to a homeowners property.  Once you zig or zag with a zero tip you have yourself a whole new can of worms to tackle.  Pressure washers name implies exactly what it does.  Typically you have around 3,000 psi (pressure a square inch) pushing the water out of the spray gun.  Your gas powered psi will vary at your big box store. Rental units are around 3000 psi give or take.  For heavier duty washing a gas powered washer that has 2000-3000 psi will get the job done. Electric pressure washers are good for cleaning cars, deck furniture and lighter duty applications. Here is a list of common projects for pressure washing that we come across and something's to keep in mind before firing it up.

1.  Decks:  If you have the pleasure of someone or maybe you putting paint on your deck you will notice in a short time it is peeling up.  Here is a great candidate for a pressure wash.  In my experience we've come across some sloppy decks that were painted sometimes multiple coats before the owner realizes that you stain decks.  In order to get it right the best thing to do is rip all the paint off.  It's a messy time consuming job but when you are done you will have a proper surface to apply your stain or sealant.  If your deck has been stained and is uniformly solid with no peeling your best bet is a deck cleaner.  There is no need to remove perfectly good stain.  An intact surface will cover even if you go from redwood to beige.
2.  Cedar Clap Board:  Many homes have or are being covered with cedar.  It's a softer wood so you have to be gentle pressure washing it.  First and foremost do not use a pressure washer as a scraper to take paint off.  It will ultimately make a bigger mess than what you start with.    If it is a home built before 1978 you may have lead paint buried in there and by going cowboy with your pressure washer you could be spreading lead everywhere causing more of a mess and a new can opening.  Using the correct tip size will dramatically reduce the chance of a zig or zag in this situation.  To remove dirt or mildew start your spray two feet away from the surface and move it slowly to around a foot for the best removal of grim with a 2-3 spray tip.
3. Stucco-Concrete:  If you have solid-sound surfaces using a pressure washer should not be a problem here.  Although if you have cracks or pitting you are going to want to be a little more cautious around these areas.  Water will get into the smallest crack on stucco and that leads to breakdown.  It is best to use a garden hose if you have surfaces that fit the poor condition criteria. Hitting it with a hose is much less pressure and if you grab a stiff bristle brush you'll be in business to get it done.  A lot of times the combination of a garden hose, stiff bristle brush and the proper cleaning solution will be all you need.  It's better to error on the side of caution with your stucco because unseen damage caused by the pressured water can show up as soon as we have a freeze and you notice a section of concrete on the ground. 

Before you start washing familiarize yourself with the three or four spray tips you have.  You can do this safely by trying each tip size out and watching the fan pattern being shot out of the orifice.  They will range from 0- straight shot capable of putting holes in just about anything to 4-with a 2 foot fan span and more of a mist.  Practice a bit first on something you don't care about and then have at it.  Practice makes prefect.  Good luck and don't shoot your eye out. 

Bill Donigan
Donigan Painting
Syracuse, NY 13208
315-313-3254
http://doniganpainting.webstarts.com/

Lead Paint Safe Practices Syracuse NY

If you live in the city or an older home around Syracuse that was built before 1978 there is a chance you have lead based paint somewhere under the surface.  There are simple test kits available at your local store that are easy to use inside or out.  Depending on the extent of your renovation it may be more practical to hire a pro to test it.  Children and your pets are most susceptible to the harmful effects of the dust created when removing lead based paints.  It is better to be safe than sorry when removing this type of paint inside your house or out.  In this case we will talking about removing exterior paint that contains lead.

Painting contractors performing this type of work must be certified. When it comes to the health and well being of your own it is important to consider the benefits of having it done correctly to minimize any exposure to lead dust.  Yes it is going to cost more to have it done correctly but what's more important:  quick and questionable or methodical and safe?  I choose safe and will performing this type of removal all spring and summer all over Onondaga County.  For instance my company will be removing large amounts of paint from my own home this spring and we have a 6 month old baby and dearly loved lab like many families.  In order to minimize exposure we follow procedures that contain, collect and knock down any dust during removal.  You are probably asking well Bill what is it you do exactly so here it is:

1.  We contain the areas we are working in by laying down very thick/mil  heavy duty plastic.  This plastic cover is extended out 10-15 feet from the house and securely attached with gorilla tape and staples.
2.  Windows are closed tightly and covered with plastic on the outside same as above.
3.  If the area we are working in is close to a neighbors property or there is abnormal wind we set up a vertical containment to prevent the dust and chips from blowing around.
4.  Before hand scraping we hose down the area we will be working on so dust is not an issue.  So when we are scraping the paint chips off no dust is created and it drops to the plastic without incident
5.  Once the area is done we wipe it down with wet sponges to remove any dust or dirt
6.  The paint chips are safely disposed along with plastic and any other materials used for removal.
7.  The area is thoroughly vacuumed with a HEPA Vacuum
8.  If you choose to have the paint sanded off we use a tool that sands/grinds it off while vacuuming it up into a HEPA Safe Vacuum
9.  FYI:  HEPA safe vacuums are specifically used because they are equipped to collect dust and debris without redistributing it out the back like your typical shop vac.  It's a closed system and they are not cheap.

By following lead safe practices and hiring a certified contractor for its removal you can rest assured your family will be safe during and after the project is completed period.  Be wary of the painter who does or says otherwise about these practices. 

Donigan Painting
224 Ross Park
Syracuse NY 13208
http://doniganpainting.webstarts.com/

Best Paint to Buy Syracuse NY

You're ready to get moving this spring and get your homes exterior looking great with a paint job.  Excellent.  Here is a professionals opinion on what you may want to look for when shopping for an exterior repaint. 
Believe it or not there are more pro's to choosing the most expensive paint.  Paints components and the varying amounts of them determines whether you are buying a high quality or low quality paint.  For the sake of argument we will look at exterior latex paint because it's just about spring here in good old Syracuse, NY and homeowners are ready to getter done.
So here is what we are looking at:
High-quality paint have more total solids  ,pigments- resins and fewer solvents than lower-quality paint. So while the two may go on similarly , when the solvents evaporate, a high-quality paint leaves a thicker,  more durable paint film.
Low-quality paint have fewer solids and more solvents. Once the solvents evaporate, the thinner paint film left behind is less durable and doesn’t cover as well. You will spend more time and money repainting to achieve the performance of a high-quality paint.

In my opinion it is clear with Sherwin-Williams Duration Exterior Paint that its viscosity is much thicker than their A-100 Exterior Paint.  The solids count is much higher in the top grade vs. the low grade.  So for what you are paying to have the paint put on by a professional it might be worth spending the extra 20 a gallon to have peace of mind knowing you won't need a repaint in 2-5 years.  I can tell you from having used this product and similar it is awesome and holds up better than any other product we've used in 20 years.  We used Duration in a dark blue to paint over a light grey home in Manlius in November and that was 7 years ago with no call back for any issue.  It's like superglue. 
So when you are shopping for that special paint keep in mind that paying a bit more you get a bit more for your buck.  Trying to save money can cost you in the long run with low quality paint. So most Pro's will just tell you: Buy paint that’s 100 percent acrylic and buy paint that is expensive on sale. A high-quality exterior latex paint can last 10-15 years vs. 2-5 with the lower quality grade.

Donigan Painting
224 Ross Park
Syracuse, NY 13208
315-313-3254

http://doniganpainting.webstarts.com/

Stripping Entry Door to Paint or Stain Syracuse NY

Stripping your entry doors paint off takes some time and repetition to remove old paint.  This diy weekend project will take your old door from drab to fab with these simple steps and tips to make life easier.

1.  Materials you will need are gel stripper(orange scented is easy to work with because it smells citrusey), heavy duty latex gloves, cheap plastic 2-4" paint brush, a few different sized putty knives, steel wool, mineral spirits, rags, table or work horses, safety goggles, drop cloth.
2.  Remove the door and doors hardware
3.  Place the door on work horses or table
4.  Put on your gloves and open the gel stripper.  Pour gel into a plastic can or pal(just enough to work with).  When working with gel stripper, imo, it's wise to put it on thick in order to get it saturated.  You are going to make a mess, but it's part of the process.  It may take a couple to  dozen applications to get all your doors paint off completely. 
5.  Once the gel wrinkles the paint up you are ready to use your putty knife to start scraping the paint off.  Remove the loose paint and reapply more gel.  Repeat and so on
6.  Once you've reached the wood clean it thoroughly with the steel wool and mineral spirits.  Repeat this until you reach your desired level of satisfaction with the doors cleanliness. 
7.  Excellent.  You are now ready to prime/paint or stain your door.

Bill Donigan
Donigan Painting
224 Ross Park
Syracuse, New York 13208
315-313-3254
http://doniganpainting.webstarts.com/

Picking the Right Paint Syracuse NY

So you've decided to repaint!  Great, now what paint gives you the most bang for your buck?  Do box stores or paint stores offer better choices?  In my opinion a paint store will deliver much better service and provide you with more information to make the right choice.  Many times I have gone to the big boxes to be greeted by a new paint center employee who has no idea what they are talking about or what will work best for your application.  By choosing a store that specializes in serving strictly paint customers you will save money and time.  Let me explain.

Over the years we have painted many homes and properties in Syracuse NY and relied on a professional paint representative to provide us with the right product, information and tools to get the job done right.  If you have a question or concern you have a line to call and talk to the same person you just bought the product from.  If you need more of the product they will be able to replicate the paints color and stand behind the results.

For instance last summer while we were painting a Tudor home in the Syracuse University neighborhood we needed more light cream exterior paint for are customers repaint.  I knew by going to our local Benjamin Moore store that we would be getting the exact color and product mixed by a pro.
 
On repaints you may need more paint so you can just call up and order it because your not being routed all over the place or getting someone who doesn't have a clue.  When it comes to getting the most bang for your buck choose a store that specializes in paint.  In the long run you will be choosing someone that stands by their product, is there if you have any questions and will provide you with information that will save you from running back and forth for something you may have forgotten or overlooked.  Purcell's and Sherwin Williams both provide top notch paint products and service in Syracuse.  We go to both depending on the customers preference.  They offer a wide selection to fit all budgets. 

Donigan Painting
Syracuse, NY 13208
313-3254
http://doniganpainting.webstarts.com/contact.html

Painting Contractors Syracuse NY

Spring is here and it's time to freshen up your home or properties look and value with an exterior paint job.  Paint may be peeling, cracking or buckling off your house causing you to be concerned and take action.  You want to maintain your homes value and integrity so it can weather the next Syracuse storm.  Bravo!  To help you figure out the best way to manage such a large project let me give you some helpful insider tips to make this undertaking smooth as possible. 

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1.  Consult a professional.  Even though you have a good idea of what needs to be done a trained eye that does the same routine year and year out will be able to help you see what's unnoticed or needs more attention.  A professional painter can provide you with insights that will save you thousands of dollars in the repaint and years that follow it. 
2.  Get a  handful of quotes and compare them.  Are they all apples to apples?  Often times you will find that you will run the gamut of having the lowball to middle of the road to high ball estimates.  The differences are usually obvious.  Attention to detail, product, and your overall gut feeling will help weed out hacks.  If cheapest price is what you are looking for be prepared for headaches.  Low ballers skimp on high quality paints and extensive preparation, which is the key to a lasting paint job.
3.  Is your contractor protecting you and your property?  Are all adjacent surfaces covered so the paint goes where it is intended?  Do they carry insurance?  Do they look and act professional?  When you choose a contractor based on a higher price point you will see the difference in the aforementioned.  So sit down and really do your homework.
4.  When you add up what a typical Syracuse NY exterior paint jobs life expectancy is, 10-15 years, and divide it by what you are paying how much is it really going to cost you to know it has been done correctly to the highest industry standards?  As a professional there are standard practices and methods that produce consistent high quality results.  Being informed and educated will only help you make the best decision for your exterior or interior repaint.  When we come to your home or business for an estimate you can bet we will listen very carefully to you and figure out what exactly you are looking for then provide a detailed solution to best fit your needs.  Hope this helps and good luck!

Bill Donigan
Donigan Painting
224 Ross Park
Syracuse, NY 13208
doniganpaintingco@gmail.com

http://doniganpainting.webstarts.com/

Deck Staining and Refinishing Syracuse NY

When it comes to maintaining your deck preventative maintenance goes along way.  It's best to stain or seal your deck at least every five years.  Syracuse's weather can be brutal and wear down the best applied stain or sealers quite fast.  Some homeowners make the mistake of using paint to seal their deck not realizing it is going to cost them if they ever want to get it right again.  Paint sits on top of the substrate it is applied to while stains penetrate the surface protecting the wood further.  Like anything else with repaints or staining preparation is the key to lasting high quality finishes.

Decks can be in many conditions in this neck of New York so knowing what you are dealing with will help you choose the right methods for an optimal  deck staining.  Here are some basics to keep in mind when tackling this type of project:

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Choose the Right Cleaning Product - Which cleaning product you need depends on the condition of your deck or porch.

Use stain & sealer remover on all exterior wood that has been previously treated or stained.  There are many great products available to make this step easy.  Use deck wash solution to remove mold and mildew from composite decking and unstained pressure-treated wood.
          
Choose the Right Stain - The type of stain you choose depends on the appearance and durability you want to achieve.  Buy the best product available.  It will save you time and money.  The cheap grade stuff will spread to thin and be gone before Labor Day. 

Clear 
While offering the least UV protection, clear stains provide an optimum view of natural wood grain.
Toners
Toners provide a light color that highlights wood grain and provides good durability.
Semi-Transparent Stains
Semi-transparent stains provides very good durability as well as a rich, pigmented color that allows the natural wood grain to show through. For severely weathered natural wood it's recommended that you apply two coats of semi-transparent stain.
Solid Color Stains
Solid color stains help cover up wood blemishes or unsightly grain while offering maximum durability. Advanced technology makes Solid Color Stain a perfect choice for composite decking.

Use the Right Project Materials - To properly prepare and finish your deck or porch, your project checklist should include the following items:  Gloves, broom, garden hose, drop cloth, sanding sponge, stiff synthetic-bristle brush, 4"  stain brush, brush holder, roller extension pole, pump sprayer

Preparing the deck

Hand scraping loose and flaking stain or sealer.
Secure loose decking, rail, spindles.  Hammer down popped nail heads and make repairs to wood if necessary
Sand the boards, rail, spindles
Depending on the age and condition of your deck it may need to be professionally pressure washed.  Pressure washing to the inexperienced can do more damage than good if you do not know what tip to use, are to close to the surface, are to far from the surface. This is the point where you either use a garden hose and cleaning product or pressure wash to remove dirt, grease, dust, mold, mildew.
Once it is dry check by sprinkling water on it and seeing if it is absorbed.  During the spring and summer how long it takes your deck to dry will vary.  Typically 1-2 days with warmer weather.

Application

Applying your stain or sealer can be done a few different ways.  When applying stain take a board at a time to avoid lap marks. Start high with rail/spindles if applicable and work your way off the deck.  Don't stain yourself in a corner!  You can use a roller, stain brush, pump sprayer.  If you do decide to spray it on make sure you brush it in or roll it in for maximum protection.  You may need two coats so allow at least 4 hours in between coats.  Allow 48 hours before using your newly stained or sealed deck.

Thank You for stopping in,

Bill Donigan
Donigan Painting
224 Ross Park
Syracuse, NY 13208
315-313-3254
doniganpaintingco@gmail.com
http://doniganpainting.webstarts.com/


    

Kitchen Painting Syracuse New York

Donigan Painting- Syracuse New York
315-313-3254

For those of you who find painting your kitchen a daunting task here are some helpful tips to minimize common problems for the diy'er.  Picking the color and buying supplies is the easier part of the many steps to get it done right so it looks amazing and will last for years adding to your most valuable assets roi.

First, do not buy cheap materials.  Sure you can go to the discount depot and buy brushes, a nap, roller frame, painting pan, tape etc but ultimately it will cost you time because the cheaper stuff, although easier on your budget, does not provide good coverage-often breaks.  The old saying you get what you pay for applies here.  If you want to get the best coverage for your buck go at least middle of the road on your supplies and buy them from a reputable store whether it's a big box or a paint store you will get a higher quality product that will save you a huge headache and a lot of time running back and forth to get what you need to now fix mistakes from cheap equipment-materials.  Buy a good angle sash 2.5 brush, a cut can, roller frame, 3/8 nap, roller pan/inserts,  blue tape, a drop cloth, plastic to cover furniture, a five, wall spackle for nail holes, sand paper, painters caulk, caulk gun, rags, an extension pole, a step ladder, flat head screwdriver. 

Typically when painting a kitchen people prefer a paint with a bit of a shine-luster.  Keep this in mind when you are choosing paint.  Sheens range from flat-matte-eggshell-velvet-satin-semigloss-gloss.  Depending on how  shiny you'd like it and the degree to which you want to be able to clean it these will factor into your choice.  Next how much paint will you need for your room?   A gallon of paint covers about 300 square feet.  Once you know your rooms dimensions to be painted you will arrive at your square foot number.  Next will it be a light color or dark color?  Depending on what you choose your kitchen repaint may need 2-4 coats of paint to cover correctly.  This means you may need to apply a primer coat or two to achieve the desired finish and buy more than just finish paint. Beyond the walls will you be painting the ceiling, molding, doors?  If so plan on buying more paint to suit your taste.  In a kitchen some customers like flat bright white on their ceilings and others like a semi-gloss.  That's up to you.  With molding and doors due to their constant use-traffic you want a highly durable paint other than what you are putting on your walls.  For these it's recommended you use an enamel.  Enamels setup harder than your latex wall paint and provide a surface coat that will take a beating and clean right up. 

So now you have everything you need.  Let's start with the process:

1.  Remove all switch-outlet plates, curtains, hardware, screws, nails
2.  Remove all your keep sakes and kitchen counter clutter
3.  Center your furniture in the room so you can move around easily
4.  Cover your furniture with plastic
5.  Tape out and cover counter tops, cabinets, lights, door knobs, appliances
6.  Fill nail holes and caulk cracks in molding
7.  Repair any dings-dents-scratches
8.  Sand all surfaces to be painted so the paint adheres correctly
9.  Wipe down and thoroughly clean the sanded surfaces
10.  Cut in your ceiling and apply two coats of finish paint
11.  Cut in your walls and apply two-four coats of finish paint depending on color choice
12.  Allow 24 hours for paint to properly dry and setup
13.  Tape out walls along molding
14.  Apply two coats of enamel to molding-doors allowing for 3 hours dry time between applications
15.  Remove tape and plastic
16.  Replace furniture
17.  Reinstall hardware, covers
18.  Clean area

These are some basic steps for a top notch paint job that will last for years.  Keep in mind rolling the paint on, for the inexperienced, causes what we call ropes or lines from the roller on the wall.  When you are finished applying the paint on an area you need to back roll/blend what you just painted to achieve a perfect complexion.  Be careful of runs-sags-drips-splatter as you go.  Depending on your color choice you may have to cut in more than once.  Although it may seem daunting to paint your kitchen following these procedures and buying right will cut out half of the headache that goes with new territory or a revisited past time of doing it yourself.

Bill Donigan
Donigan Painting
224 Ross Park
Syracuse, NY 13208
315-313-3254
doniganpaintingco@gmail.com
http://doniganpainting.webstarts.com/

Painting Contractor Choices

Donigan Painting: 315-313-3254

Choices, choices, choices. When you’re decorating a home, you’re faced with tons of choices. And finding the right paint colors for room interiors or the outside of your home is the easy part! Who should you choose to actually do the painting job? Getting professional local home painting done is more than just a matter of avoiding paint in your hair and a massive task. It’s the only way to be sure of a fantastic finish with the minimum of mess.
You’re smart enough to know that cheap isn’t always better, but what should you consider? Clearly, a good contractor should be properly licensed, insured and have plenty of experience. Whether you’re decorating a mansion or just looking for apartment painters, it pays to check on the materials and methods that will be employed.
You should probably ask your painter a few questions and have a good discussion with him. How will the surfaces be prepared before wall painting commences? And the type of paint he’s planning to use is also of concern. Good paint is durable and washable and because cheap paints are often way too thin and need several coats, decent paint will also save on labor costs. Do your homework before you approve any quote.

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Syracuse Residential and Commercial Painting Contractors

Your commercial property is the ‘face’ of your business. Keeping it in tip top shape helps your clients to have confidence in you. But finding the best /residential-commercial painters in Syracuse NY and ensuring that you renovations don’t interfere with getting things done for your clients is an important step.
It may be tempting to call for quotes and pick one almost at random – perhaps not the very cheapest, but an affordable and reasonable-sounding quote. But although you’re busy, you should make time to meet with the contractor you’re considering appointing. Apart from ensuring that your painters are licensed and have insurance, just how the painter proposes to tackle the task requires a bit of discussion – and it will also give you an idea as to whether your wall painting contractors are going to go the extra mile for you.
You’ll also have discuss issues such as indoor air quality. You can’t shut your home-offices down just because the paint’s drying, and you can’t expect your employees to work in a fume-laden environment. The health and safety committee will be on your back first thing. Professional residential- commercial painters will make time to consider your concerns and come up with workable solutions.

Pricing of Exterior and Interior House Painting Services

Pricing of house painting services will always vary. The scope of the job, any specific requirements you may have and the way in which the task is to be performed will all influence price.
As we’ve already noted, using expensive paint might not be as costly as you think. The paint job last longer, is easy to clean and may need less coats to give good coverage – all elements that will ultimately save you money. This is one of your most important considerations when considering house or apartment painters’ quotes. It’s a time when considering underpricing as a potential problem is way more than looking for suspected overpricing.
Local painters vary from people with little or no experience to truly skilled professionals who take pride in their work. If you’re proud of your house or apartment, that’s what you should be looking for.
If a local painting contractor is passionate about his work, you’ll soon see it by the way he talks about interior and exterior painting. Floor painting may not be your idea of a good time, but a pro who cares about his work will talk excitedly about staining floors and window frames, adding colors as a trim when wall-painting and other residential projects they’ve done and are proud of.
Cost really isn’t everything, but do be sure that you get a full, written quote and ensure there are no hidden costs. The best way to determine pricing is to get quotes, and you should be willing to ask for finer details so that you know exactly what you’ll be paying for. You may find yourself going for the most expensive quote you received simply because it’s affordable and still reasonable for the level of service you’ll be getting

Donigan Painting
224 Ross Park
Syracuse, NY 13208
315-313-3254
doniganpaintingco@gmail.com
http://doniganpainting.webstarts.com/

Interior Painting Syracuse NY

Prep Like a Pro: Seven Steps to Prepare a Room for Painting

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Interior painting is a great do-it-yourself project that can freshen up a room in no time, but there are risks to going it alone. Amateur paint jobs can be easy to spot because, unlike professional jobs, they leave tell-tale signs of paint spatter, mottled color or missed spots behind. Here are seven steps you should follow before you dip your roller to help you paint like a pro.

1. Remove Furniture
Professionals don’t stumble over coffee tables and stretch to paint behind the sofa, and neither should you. Remove furniture from the room before you paint to make the job easier and avoid ruining wood and upholstery with spilled or spattered paint. To ensure that your furnishings remain in good enough condition to be brought back into your newly painted room at the end of the project, refrain from just shoving everything into the hallway where it could be damaged or cause accidents. Consider renting a temporary storage container or a storage unit while you work. If there’s an item that just won’t fit through the doorway or is too heavy to move, pull it to the center of the room, away from the walls to be painted, and cover it with plastic to protect it.

2. Protect Flooring
 Assuming you want to keep your carpet or hardwood floor in place after you paint the room, protect it before you get to work. A few sheets of newsprint under your roller tray just aren’t sufficient. Use professional-style drop cloths throughout the room instead. Plastic sheeting is cheaper, but it’s easily punctured and can shift under your feet while you work, exposing areas of flooring. A heavy canvas drop cloth or a professional grade butyl-backed cloth protect against spills and also help keep paint from being tracked through the rest of your house if it accidentally gets on the soles of your shoes while you work. (Lots of do-it-yourselfers prefer to paint barefoot so they know when they step in paint.) Butyl-backed cloths have the added bonus of keeping spilled paint from soaking through to the flooring below.

3. Remove Wall Hangings
Maybe you think you’ll save time by leaving your paintings on the walls and simply painting around them. That’s great, unless a painting shifts a little bit one day in front of company, exposing your cut corner. Cutting in around paintings and clocks is actually more time consuming than removing them, and it risks damaging your décor as well. Plus, you might want to change your wall art before you paint the room again. So, it’s always better to take everything off the wall and paint the entire surface. Again, protect your things so you have something to bring back into your finished room. Use bubble wrap and storage bins to make sure delicate pieces don’t break, and be sure to store them well out of the way. If there is any chance that you might want to reconfigure your pictures and clocks when you re-hang them, remove nails and picture hangers and fill in the holes with spackle before you paint. Be sure to let the spackle dry before you cover it.

4. Clean the Walls
Why should you clean something you’re just going to paint anyway? Because clean, uniform surfaces will assure you of a smooth, professional-looking result. Dark smudges can show through a coat of paint, and oil or other substances on the wall can change the consistency of the paint being applied. Clean all walls to be painted with a solution of water and mild detergent. For tough stains or smudges, like kitchen grease or soot stains, professionals rely on trisodium phosphate. Mixed with bleach, trisodium phosphate can also remove mildew and mildew stains before you paint. No matter what kind of cleaning solution you use, be sure to rinse the walls thoroughly when you’re finished and leave them plenty of time to dry before you get to work. House painting professionals might even use fans to speed the drying process.

5. Remove Outlet Covers and Switch Plates
The pros don’t try to cut in around tiny little outlet covers, and neither should you. This will inevitably result in visible brush strokes around the outlet or smudged paint on the outlet cover. Remove the outlet covers and switch plates in the room to be painted, and take care not to paint the actual sockets or switches themselves. Again, that looks very unprofessional. Childproof plastic outlet covers can help protect wall sockets from paint while you work. Use caution in a home with young children after protective coverings have been removed, and be sure to replace them promptly as soon as the paint around them is dry. If you’re going to paint the ceiling of the room, don’t forget to remove light fixtures and ceiling medallions whenever possible. Turning off the electricity to the room at the circuit breaker first is always a good precaution to take.

6. Tape
If only you could take all the moldings and trim out of the room as well before you paint. Alas, this is not the case. To avoid the amateur mistake of smearing paint along your baseboards and windowsills, tape off these areas before you start. Don’t rely on household tape to get the job done; invest in professional painter’s tape, available at most hardware stores and paint suppliers. Taping is simple, but time consuming. Doing it right, though, makes for truly professional-looking results. While not protecting trim is a common mistake, so is over-taping. Be sure that none of your tape is on the wall to be painted, or your old wall color will be playing peek-a-boo around the perimeter of your room. You can also use painter’s tape to tape out patterns or color blocks on your wall. If you’re brave enough to try that, tape out the entire design and make sure it’s perfect before you even open a can of paint.

7. Set Up a Staging Area
Think you’ll save time by just carrying a gallon of paint with you from wall to wall? Wrong. Whatever time you save in set-up will probably be doubled in clean-up. Set up a staging area in the center of the room or just outside it for pouring paint, storing open paint cans, and cleaning brushes and rollers. This will cut down on spills and accidents, or at least keep them contained to one designated area. Plus, you and any helpers you’ve enlisted will always know where the painting supplies are and won’t waste time looking for misplaced paint keys or roller trays. Boards placed between two saw horses make a great staging area. So does an old folding table covered with a drop cloth.

By taking the time to prep a room, anyone can achieve professional-looking paint results. Invest the time up-front to get off to a great start, and your project will go smoothly and look beautiful. Once you’ve got the hang of interior painting, you can freshen any room at will and transform your home one space at a time.

Bill Donigan
Donigan Painting
224 Ross Park
Syracuse, New York 13208
315-313-3254
doniganpaintingco@gmail.com
http://doniganpainting.webstarts.com/

Exterior Painting Syracuse NY

When the paint on your home’s exterior begins to fade, chip, and crack, it brings down the entire look of your house. The property value of your home can drop, if a worn-out paint job isn’t properly addressed. It can be daunting to tackle an exterior house painting job, but it needs to be done every five to ten years, depending both on where you live and the quality of the previous exterior paint job.
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Maintain the Exterior
If you deal with one area in which the wood has begun to rot, that may be all that’s needed at that point. Retouching at some point may involve re-caulking.

Signs that Exterior House Painting is Needed
Even the best paint jobs that are well maintained eventually expire. As mentioned above, a dingy paint job that is chipping, fading, and cracking needs to be re-done. Exposed wood and wood rot are also signs that it is time for exterior home painting.

Tips for Exterior Painting that Will Last
The approach to getting an exterior paint job on your home will make all the difference in how long it will last and how long it will look good. If you gather quotes from professional painters, keep in mind that paying less almost always costs more in the end. A paint job that is done haphazardly and without attention to important details could force you to do another repaint within as little as one or two years. From preparing the wood to choosing the kind of paint to use, every step of the process can be what lengthens or shortens the life of your home’s exterior paint job.
The following are some tips with regard to exterior house painting:

• Don’t wait too long because the amount of wood that needs to be replaced could greatly increase the cost of your new exterior paint job. Exposed wood is more vulnerable to the elements.
• Address all damaged surfaces before beginning a paint job. Sealing and caulking should be part of the preparation process.
• Start with a clean surface, prior to application of new primer and paint.
• Using paint primer is recommended by all paint professionals because it makes the surface ready in a way that extends the life and improves the appearance of the exterior paint job.
• The type of exterior paint that you use is a critical factor, as far as determining the durability of your new paint job. Always choose high-quality paint for an exterior paint job.

Is it time for a new coat of exterior paint on your home? Get the job done right, and you can put off the task for a much longer period of time. Call our professionals, if you want the job done right, with minimal hassle and best results.

Donigan Painting
224 Ross Park
Syracuse, New York
315-313-3254
doniganpaintingco@gmail.com
http://doniganpainting.webstarts.com/