Painters Port Stephens

What to Consider About Painters in Port Stephens

Painting your house is an essential component of the necessary maintenance to keep it looking good and to prevent damage from the environment. It is also expensive, irrespective of whether the job is done right or not. We therefore cannot stress the importance of contracting the job to a trusted and reputable painting company enough and urge you to read through this article before obtaining quotes from other interior, exterior or roof painters in Port Stephens.

The Importance of Using the Right Paint

Interior, exterior and roof paint. Gloss, matt and satin paint. Oil-based and water-based paint. This creates many different permutations of paint, and each one has a very specific use and point of application. A quick run-down will illustrate the differences and why it is essential to always use the right paint for the job:

Gloss enamel paint is the hardest wearing paint. It resists casual scratching, and almost anything can be cleaned off it using a little warm detergent on a cloth. This makes gloss enamel the preferred product for painting contractors when coating doors, windows and frames.
Exterior paint is specially formulated to be UV resistant and act as a water-resistant barrier to protect the underlying plaster and clay bricks. It should also be washable with a pressure water hose and not fade over the years. In contrast, interior paint usually lacks UV protection but has a much better feel, especially the satin paints.
Always choose paints from reputable manufacturers and only use interior painters who prefer those same paints. Insist on quality, and you won’t be disappointed with flaky and peeling paint.

The Importance of Correct Preparation

Using the right paint for the specific job is essential, but the correct preparation is necessary for the paint job to last beyond a few years. If the proper preparation is not done, the applied paint will soon start peeling or simply be washed off.

Cleaning. In a coastal area such as Port Stephens, it is crucial that exterior house painters thoroughly clean all previously painted exterior surfaces to remove years of salt build-up and deteriorated paint. The chalky substance on the walls results from the higher UV light at the coast, which causes the paint to turn to dust. Removing this residue is essential. Similarly, interior surfaces must be cleaned to remove oils and grime, usually with a sugar soap solution.
Priming. Unpainted, raw surfaces must always be primed for plaster, brick, or concrete using the correct primer. If necessary, a sealant should be applied first, especially where water damage occurred. Priming ensures better paint adhesion to the surface and protects the surface.
Undercoat. The undercoat creates a smooth and neutral surface for the topcoat paint. Interior house painters can lightly sand an undercoat to remove slight imperfections. The undercoat also strengthens the primer and increases the lustre of gloss paints.

The Importance of Paintwork Maintenance

The best correctly applied paints are not impervious to the onslaughts of nature, kids, and accidents. Regular maintenance is the only way to ensure the paintwork lasts for fifteen or more years, especially at the coast. It is not a difficult task but can be quite time consuming and nearly always involves ladders.

Salt. The salt in the air is deposited on the exterior walls and slowly permeates the paint’s surface. The salt crystals then grow over time as more salt enters, and eventually, they create cracks in the paint, usually at corners, ledges and wherever there are edges. Sealants are available to prevent this, but probably the best solution is washing the walls using a high-pressure water jet on a schedule, depending on the amount of salt being deposited.
Touch-up. Any place where the paint has been damaged is an edge where moisture, salt and other detrimental chemicals can burrow their way underneath the surface. This action eventually destroys the adhesion between the topcoat and the undercoat, leading to peeling paint. Regular touch-ups of high traffic areas by your local Port Stephens painters are necessary at least once a year.
Remedial work. A dripping water pipe will have caused extensive damage to your paintwork from the inside by the time it becomes observable on the outside. Also, the holes drilled for a new air conditioner can substantially abrade the various layers of paint. These and other such damage to the paintwork of your house must be repaired as soon as possible by applying the correct combination of sealant, undercoat, and topcoat.

The Importance of Aesthetics in House Painting

So far, we have only discussed the technical aspects of house painting, but one other subject needs to be especially stressed: aesthetics. Painting your house chartreuse with rose pompadour trim might have seemed like a good idea at the time, but it will probably also win you the prize for the most garish house on the street.

Go with traditional colours like white, grey and light brown. The paint manufacturers readily call these by marketable names and produce certain shades in bulk. It’s always best to first look at these colours because they form the trend for a few years. Premixed colours are also a lot cheaper for exterior painters than custom mixes.
Choose the right complementary colour for the trim, considering the colour of your roof and fences. A dark primary colour requires a light colour trim, and light-coloured walls need dark trim to define the house. The paint manufacturers list expertly chosen combinations on their websites, or you can ask us for advice.
A splash of difference always makes a huge impact, especially with doors. So don’t neglect the opportunity of having your front door painted a different colour each year when the exterior of your home is cleaned and repaired.

About JR Green Contracting in Port Stephens

We have been house and roof painters for over 30 years, and we know our brushes from our rollers. We don’t paint over another tradie’s mistakes, but always ensure that each job is correctly layered from start to finish. We also undertake the scheduled and ad hoc maintenance and cleaning of the exterior of homes and business premises.