Sharper Impressions Painting

Sharper Impressions Painting announces FREE in-home color consultations for any customer who needs the added color selection assistance. This free color consultation includes free sample cans of paint in different colors and small paint brushes. These samples allow the homeowner to try the paint color on small areas of their home to determine which color they like best.

This service is available to any homeowner looking to make a change of paint color on the interior or exterior of their home. For those who are looking to merely spruce up their current paint job, we have another free service which offers custom color matching services by professional color specialists. We will make sure the new paint matches the current color guaranteed.

As soon as the homeowner chooses Sharper Impressions Painting as their residential painting professional, a manager is able to set up an appointment for a local color specialist to visit the home and aid the homeowner in choosing the perfect color(s) for his or her project. The appointment times are flexible around work schedules (evenings and weekends appointments are available) and are completely free of charge. This is just one of the several free services Sharper Impressions Painting offers to ensure the beauty of their customer’s homes.

Ahhh… the hangover from a United States loss…And the cruel reality that the World Cup is over.

During the summer we are very busy painting homes; however, we have to admit, our DVR was working almost as hard as our painters and managers recording all the World Cup matches.

Our Sharper Impressions Painting family is big into soccer; many of our employees play in recreational leagues around town. Sharper employees love to both play and root for their team; we even sponsor a local team that has been around for over 25 years and we support the local Sunday league.

Being a diverse painting company, we have fans of all countries.

However, the USA loss stung the most, especially after the nail biting overtime. But, the soccer was beautiful and this tournament worldly for all fans.

Now we must stop dreaming of soccer balls and once again of little paint brushes dancing around our heads until 2014.

The worlds sport will be back to entertain our summer evenings in about 4 years.  Until then,  we will get back to making yet another one of our beloved customers happy with their painting project!

In the meantime, while you’re anxiously awaiting the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, enjoy some of our favorite festively painted faces, while we work on painting other Soccer Fans Homes!

After 19 years of painting, you are bound to have some funny stories; here’s one of our favorites…

One of our customers really needed her interior painted before her family’s reunion over Fourth of July weekend. She and her husband chose great new colors for their walls; they even utilized our free in home color consultant to pick the perfect colors for their home.

With our completion deadline looming, we quickly got to work.

As the party people were setting up the tents in the backyard, the homeowner moved their small, 2 year old dog into the house.

This dog was the cutest fur ball we have seen in a long time; he was also a terror!

It was as if he was inspecting the jobsite; sniffing, exploring and playing with our painters.  We wanted to adopt the little guy as our company mascot!

Later in the day, as we were finishing the project; he wanted to show off his tennis ball chasing skills…right through an 18 inch pan of WET PAINT!

He tore off through the kitchen and into the living room; he was having a blast with his new painter buddies chasing him down for his tennis ball.

Paint splattered against walls, footprints were tracked on the floors.

When we finally caught him, three rooms down, his wagging tail was now flicking paint every where…and his playful crouching got all the paint from his belly onto the floor.

We got him outside and hosed him down…with the tennis ball still in his mouth. The inside was cleaned up before too much paint dried; the tent people even helped out.

All was saved, and the party went off without a hitch. Word is the pup was also the hit of the party!!

This isn’t the first time…or probably the last time, the dog days of summer will cause a clean up. Sure keeps the painting business interesting.

We love Dogs and they love our Painters!

From everyone here at Sharper Impressions Painting…Enjoy your holiday!

We here at Sharper Impressions Painting are busy painting homes this summer. But, we like to work hard and play hard.

Making copies is not one of the chores around the office that we love.

So, in honor of the summer season, we BEACHED UP our beloved copy machine.

Now, every time we make a copy, we go on a little vacation…in our mind.

Summer is the best time to get your home painted, so give us a call!

What is the most important thing to look/ask for from a painting contractor?

REFERENCES, REFERENCES, REFERENCES! Ask for both old and new references to ensure the current quality of work and confirm that the painter has jobs that have lasted a long time.

It is critical to make sure the contractor has:

• Liability insurance,
• a BBB membership (Better Business Bureau)
• a material and labor warranty provided in writing, and
• have been in business for several years

Before the painters start painting, be sure to confirm:

• whether they are going to apply 2 coats or 1,
• what brand and level of paint will they apply (you can buy good paint brands that have cheap paints or top quality paints, you get what you pay for in paint, so make sure your painter buys a top level product)
• your home should be power washed (pressure washed) prior to painting,
• preparation work should be detailed on your quote/contract,
• exact price of the work should be clear and discuss any additional charges that may be added to a paint job like yours

How often should exterior paint be refreshed?

There are different general guidelines for renewing exterior paint

• Decks 1-2 years
• Fences 1-4 years
• Trim on homes 5-10 years
• Wood siding on home 5-10 years
• Stucco 10+ years
• Hardie plank or aluminum siding 10+ years

Why was it important for you to run a “green” company?

We are only renting this big blue planet and it is imperative we leave it as clean as we can for the next generation. Often, damages to the environment can be permanent; fortunately, painting your home does not have to cause any damage to you or the environment. Latex paints, (hardly any oil based paints are used anymore) are waterborne and the norm now for the residential repainting industry. Low VOC paints, which dry without harmful emissions, protect the home, the occupants and the air.

In the past year, my company has erased our server carbon footprint, gone nearly paperless in our office, operated temperature control units that turn off heating and cooling during down office times, installed energy efficient insulation and new skylights to reduce the amount of energy used for lighting and heating the office and warehouse.  Hopefully your painting contractor is doing his best to protect our environment also.

Why is prep work (preparation) so important?

90% of any good paint job is prep work; it makes the final paint job look good and last a long time

• Power-washing – to ensure the surface is clean and the paint will stick. Click Here for more information.
• Tape and tarp – to protect surfaces and create nice clean cut lines
• Caulking – seals gaps and joints from weathering, bugs and makes the surface look solid and universal
• Scrape – removes old paint so it doesn’t cause the new paint to flake/peel/blister
• Prime – protects and seals the exposed wood grains, then has a nice smooth surface for the top coat to stick
• Paint – always 2 coats, any color, will last twice as long, looks thick and rich

What are common reasons your interior needs repainted?

The most popular reason for painting an interior is to update/change the color of the walls.

Another reason is for upkeep. Some common reasons to freshen up are:

• dents, scuffs, dirt, dust, animal hair, moisture stains, and faded walls from sunlight

The third biggest reason to repaint is to upgrade the quality of paint. When you repaint the walls with a top quality, deep, rich paint, the colors are deeper and the final result will look beautiful for a long time.

Ceilings usually last twice as long as the walls.  So often customers paint the ceilings every other time they get their walls painted.

• Over time they yellow out from sunlight, and smoke/moisture/oils.
• When you properly paint a ceiling, it can add an amazing amount of brightness to any room

Often a room’s trim, windows and doors will need painted as well. There are generally two reasons people choose to repaint these areas:

• To freshen up the area that gets a lot of abuse from foot traffic, vacuum cleaners and everyday wear and tear.
• To change an old, dated and dark wood trim color to an updated, fresh, bright glossy paint

Check out the latest company headlines by clicking HERE!!

Our Press Room also has helpful tips and advice for making your home look beautiful.

Sharper Impressions Painting has earned the Lead Safety Certification for home renovation, repair and painting. This lead safety certification is a new requirement of the EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, for spring 2010. It is imperative if a home is built before 1978, to use a painting contractor who is certified for Lead RRP (Renovation, Repair and Painting).

This certification ensures that Sharper Impressions Painting is educated and capable of testing your home for lead, quoting lead removal, and safely painting homes built before 1978. We are able to test for lead and then proceed to prepare, clean and paint the home properly. As a certified renovator for homes with lead present, we use proper containment procedures outlined by the EPA.

First of all, it is important for us to answer one crucial question: Why is lead dangerous to your family? Lead is very dangerous to children, and can cause damage to the brain and nervous system. Pregnant women are also in danger of the lead paint causing damage to their unborn child. Adults can be affected by having high blood pressure, and different types of physical fatigue. Lead exposure can cause permanent damage and should be properly prevented by using a certified paint contractor like Sharper Impressions Painting.

Sharper Impressions Painting has been taught the correct way to test for possible lead paint throughout the home. Surfaces that are suspected to have lead paint need to be scratched to the bare wood, ¼”, and the testing device should be used over the area to check for traces of lead. Once the test is complete, a formal lead sheet will be provided to the homeowner outlining any problem areas. If lead is present, the homeowner must sign the form acknowledging the issue before the paint contractor is able to move forward and start the painting project.

In order to contain lead on an interior painting jobsite, we cover everything in the room; including all vents, windows and doors that may be open, as well as taping all covers to the floor and walls to ensure no saturation into other areas. Containing lead on an exterior painting jobsite requires plastic sheets be spread out and taped to the wall, along with a barrier set up around the work area.

A certified painting contractor like Sharper Impressions Painting will test a home prior to painting to determine if lead is present. The painter will then contain the lead dust, water run off and chips, and proceed to apply two coats of safe, non-toxic waterbourne acrylic latex paint or stain on the home.

Below, please enjoy a video of Sharper Impressions Painting Founder, Geoff Sharp, explaining our involvement with the non-profit group PAWS, an animal welfare group that helps save local dogs from euthanasia. We store and provide dog food for local foster dogs and animal shelters.

The staff at Sharper Impressions Painting has also helped with the fostering of these animals. Both personally and community wide, they have found homes for more than 25 dogs.

Power washing (also called pressure washing) is defined as using a machine, wand and water to spray surfaces with high pressured H2O and sometimes chemicals to clean areas.

This is an imperative first step when preparing to paint or stain any part of a home. If a proper cleaning is not completed prior to painting, the new paint won’t stick to the surface and the new paint usually will peel off in big chunks and/or small flakes.

Power Washing Overview

Power washing cleans and prepares surfaces that will be painted by removing dirt, mold, mildew, pollutants, pollen and dust. Power washing also removes most chalking that may have taken place. Chalking is the naturally occurring breakdown of the paints skin surface from sunlight ultraviolet rays.

Using the right pressure washing machine will ensure the perfect preparation for exterior painting projects. The right amount of pressure will clean any surface, including wood, without causing damage. Also, using the proper nozzle will keep the appropriate angle and fan trajectory of water for each different surface. Experienced painting and power washing contractors will be able to prevent wand marks (or etching of the surface), which can be caused by too much pressure applied at the wrong angle.

Power Washing the Exterior

Often, a homes exterior will have dirt, mold, mildew, pollutants, pollen and dust; these all need to be removed prior to applying 2 coats of quality paint.

Cobwebs will be naturally present in the corners of many homes; most cobwebs and wasp nests will be washed away during the power wash, but some may stick and it is the job of a good painter to remove them by hand before later applying paint.

Paint chips will literally fly off the home while being power washed; however, a power wash will not remove all chips or peeling. Using too much pressure or applying pressure too close to the surface may result in unnecessary damage. The removed paint chips on the ground can be removed by hand once dry, by the painter. Also, a good painter will walk around your property to clean up any paint chips that may have landed around the homes yard, roof, landscaping and mulch beds during the power wash.

Stains are a tricky thing to try and power wash away. Simply put, power washing will not remove all stains around the home. Some stains are actually discolorations from years of weathering and will still be around even after a good power wash. After the proper preparation and two coats of fresh paint, the house will look great and fresh with any lingering stains covered and forgotten.

Power Washing Decks and Fences

Decks and fences are often prime candidates for power washing; and both stand to benefit from the cleaning. Decks can be power washed with bleach or deck brightener to penetrate the wood fibers. This will wash away old stain and brighten up grey wood fibers caused by foot traffic, sun and sitting rain water. Fences often have mildew on the surface that is caused by being a soft wood, and being so close to the ground and vegetation. Power washing will help remove these types of mildews and rejuvenate the look of any wood.

Chemicals

Some of the most common and best chemicals to use while washing the exterior of a home is water, bleach and tri-sodium phosphate. Other specialty chemicals do exist, but for the average project preparation, this will get the job done right. Many of the chemicals are organic which prevents harm to plants, lawns, flowers, and landscaping. The bleach is so heavily diluted with water; that the power wash should be like a spring rain storm to the shrubs and landscaping.

Dry Time

The time it takes for a home to dry after a power wash varies greatly on the humidity, rain and temperature. Usually, most homes can be painted within one day after power washing; although, the person who quotes the painting project, should walk the homeowner through a time table for the project.

Power Washing without Painting

For relatively low cost, a home’s exterior can be power washed to easily remove dirt and mildew. This cleaning will actually extend the life of an exterior paint job. Often, customers think their home needs a new coat of paint, when a simple power wash will give them the same desired result and add life to the current paint job. An honest and experienced painting contractor will inform the homeowner of this mistake instead of having them spend money on unnecessary work.

Price

Power washing should always be included with a turnkey painting price quote. Any painter who does not instinctively want to power wash a home prior to painting, is not taking the necessary steps to ensure the paint sticks and lasts a long time.

Final Thought

Receiving the proper preparation and power wash (pressure wash) prior to an exterior paint job is essential to the life of the paint job. The information outlined above is a great reference to maintaining the look of the exterior. The process should be simple with the choice of an informed, professional, residential paint contractor.

For more information, feel free to visit our power washing page: http://www.sharperimpressionspainting.com/power-washing.html.

Local Meteorologist acknowledged the positive impact Sharper Impressions Painting is having on the local bee population. He spoke with Sharper Founder, Geoff Sharp about the company’s efforts, in an attempt to help encourage others to do their best to be environmentally friendly and try to stabilize the local eco-system.

A team of employees installed and painted bee boxes at the Sharper Impressions Painting home office a year ago. Simple bee boxes costing a few hundred dollars attract bees, enabling the critical work of pollinating seeds. The Sharper Impressions Painting team has been embracing the challenge of increasing the local bee population. The first hive of the year is thriving and the buzzing bees have already gone through several pounds of sugar water.

With warmer temperatures finally here and flowers starting to bloom, the Sharper Impressions family was ecstatic to see the escalating problem with Colony Collapse Disorder did not affect their bee population. This disorder, caused by a combination of disease and shrinking habitats, has scientists concerned over maintaining worldwide pollination rates.