You may be an active do-it-yourselfer, but painting the second story may be intimidating. You may find changing colors invigorating but the prep involved before applying the new color can take more time than you have. You may know that the peeling paint contains lead but may not know how to safely handle and dispose of paint chips. While anyone can call themselves a painter, hiring a skilled professional painter must be... more

American Clay Plaster What? A can-do-it-yourself plaster product. Bring elegance to your bedroom with a smooth Venetian surface. Surround yourself in your kitchen with the rustic colors of the Southwest. Bathe in the hues of Provence. Or travel to Tuscany each time you enter your dining room. This interior finish is a 100% natural earth plaster, which provides an environment that is... more

In Oregon an estimated 2,000 to 5,000 children have lead poisoning. Lead is an invisible hazard that can impose lasting health effects. Lead poisoning often occurs before parents are even aware their child has been put at risk. The parents of a one-year old boy began renovating their newly purchased 1907 house. They all lived in a downstairs apartment during the remodeling work, which included sanding and scraping... more

Sometimes we finish a painting project and the surface appears less than fresh. Poor hiding — the failure of paint to conceal the previous coating — is a common painting problem that is often easy to solve without applying an extra coat of paint. Quality Paint All paint companies sell many grades of paint. More important than brand name is premium grade paint. Premium paint contains not only the best pigments... more

We have all heard the stories about the professional painter who comes to a site, eyeballs it, and knows exactly how much paint to buy. Professional painter and author Jack Luts (The Complete Guide to Painting Your Home) claims to always know how much paint will cover the exterior of a home by counting the rooms and hallways inside a home. His single-coat exterior formula is to allow one gallon of paint for each room in... more

The most important part of any painting project is the part you do not see — the primer or sealer used under the topcoat.Painting is not rocket science but it is more than picking a color and slapping it on a wall. Ninety-percent of paint failures are the result of poor surface preparation. Neglecting to use the proper primer will result in the topcoat peeling, blistering, or cracking prematurely, often in a few months... more

Choosing paint sheen is as much about personal preference as it is about the amount of wear and tear the painted surface will receive. The sheen or gloss level of a paint — either oil or water based — is the degree to which the coated surface reflects light. The more resin or binder in the paint, the higher the sheen, the smoother the finish, and the more durable the surface coat. Conversely, the higher the pigment... more

From its beginning in 1992, the Metro regional government’s recycled latex paint program could be called colorful. While other municipalities may re-blend leftover latex paint for re-use, Metro has offered the most sophisticated range of colors. Aaron Winer, showroom manager for Environmental Building Supplies, explains, “Many people think that recycled paint only comes in a couple of colors. When they... more