Driven by air quality regulations, architectural coatings, paints, and stains have been trending greener for almost 20 years. Developers seeking a price premium for projects certified through the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) point system have demanded low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) paints for a decade. Consumers concerned about indoor air quality are increasingly interested in zero-VOC paint. Metro’s Recycled Paint Program has seen a... more

Over the years, homeowners have used on various paint schemes to “hide” their shed in the back yard. Thirty years ago when I was a kid, my mother would send me out back with forest green or tree trunk brown paint to hide the shed in the landscape. Twenty years ago the shed was painted the same color and trim as the house with the hope the shed would be blend in with the home. Today, with the deck and patio used more as an extension of the home’s living space, the shed has become an exterior... more

Two coats of paint will never equal the performance of a coat of the right primer, sealer or stain blocker, and one coat of paint. Paint applied to bare surfaces peels, cracks, and chalks early; colors appear splotchy and the sheen diluted and uneven. Primers and sealers are formulated to stick to a surface, creating a uniform foundation to accept the paint. Some formulas can hide stains and block odors. Because primer-sealers seal pores in the substrate, less finish paint is required. And, because... more

Use an artist's palette to pick complementary colors to add accessories to a room. Notice how red, green, blue, and purple complements the yellow in the above example. Leading color predictors agree that one of the exciting new color directions for 2009 will be use of clear, bright and vibrant yellows in and around your home. With color names like Mimosa, Marigold and Sunshine, the new yellow is symbolic of our need for optimism for the future. Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone... more

While novice painters will have better control painting with a brush than a roller, rollers do cover walls and ceiling surfaces at least 50% faster than a brush. Painting with a roller will require more paint than painting with a brush and as with any tool, both prior practice and the quality of the tool will determine the outcome. Tools Buy a sturdy roller frame with a threaded hollow plastic or wooden handle that can receive an extension pole for painting ceilings and high walls. The metal rib... more

When I talk about MetroPaint, the local 100% post-consumer recycled latex paint, I always say, “It’s a combination of all your favorite brands all over again.” Metro even has the tag line for their paint, “Paint made from paint.” People over forty smile and laugh at my favorite brands’ statement because they have developed a fondness for a particular company’s products. Younger people, especially twenty-somethings, look on blankly because they haven’t tried enough brands to find their... more

Americans love to paint. Each year they buy an average of 2.3 gallons of paint. A 2007 Environmental Protection Agency study estimates that about 10% of the house paint purchased annually ends up as leftover or unused. In Oregon and Washington State about 2.322 million gallons of paint is leftover annually. A study spearheaded by the nonprofit Product Stewardship Institute finds that people will hold their leftover paint for about seven years before they dispose of it through municipal household... more

Our tastes change over time; the floral motif wallpaper in the family room seems out-of-date, and the kids have outgrown the wallpaper with zoo animals in their bedrooms. Paint can revitalize these rooms but what about the wallpaper? Ask a room full of people and some will say, “Paint over the wallpaper. I’ve done it lots of times.” Others will say, “Painting over wallpaper is asking for a disaster.” Both thoughts are correct. It depends on the condition of the wallpaper, the type of wallpaper,... more