It’s important to know is the paint in your toronto home is oil or latex. In this post we’ll show you how to tell the difference.
First off, why is it important to know if my home is currently painted with oil or latex?
Oil paint generally dries harder and slicker than latex and latex paint has a hard time binding on to oil without proper preparation. If oil paint is present and proper preparation isn’t done the latex paint won’t adhere to the oil paint underneath – see picture
Latex paint over oil without proper preparation
How likely is it that I have oil paint in my home?
If your home was painted within the last 5 years there was likely no oil used. If it’s been over 10 years since your home was painted there are a couple of areas that could be painted oil:
trim – doors, door frames, window frames, baseboard
walls and possible ceilings in the kitchen and bathrooms
These are the places that I would check first. 10 years ago oil was a much more durable alternative than latex for these high traffic and high moisture areas. Recently, with advances in paint technology there are great latex paints that are more than suitable for these areas.
How do I tell if the paint on my walls and/or trim is oil?
Look at the paint closely:
if there are a lot of brush or roller marks it’s likely latex, oil looks more smooth than latex. Oil will also feel smoother to the touch than latex.
Use the acetone test:
Put some acetone or nail polish remover on a rag and rub it on the surface of the paint. If the paint comes off on the rag it’s latex paint, if the paint doesn’t come off on the rag it’s oil.
I think my paint is oil, what do I do now?
Proper preparation is key. There are 2 things that I’d do to ensure that the latex top coat will adhere to the oil paint:
scuff sand the oil paint – use 100 or 120 grit sand paper and go over the entire surface. The sandpaper opens up the surface and allows the primer to penetrate the surface.
You’ve selected a reputable painting contractor, received a written quote, signed the quote and scheduled the work, now what? There are certain things you can prepare before the painting starts to ensure you will have a great painting experience.
Select your colours
We use both Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams paints. You can select any colour from either Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore, or any colour that you have a chip for and we can do a custom match. We are able to provide a colour fan for you to select colours from. We are also able to get test quarts and do test patches on the walls so you can be confident in your colour selections prior to your project start date.
If you need assistance selecting colours we can refer an interior designer to you for a colour consultation.
We require your final colour selections 24 hrs prior to your start date. This allows us to have all the materials available when we start your project, so there are no delays.
Arrange access to your home
If you are not going to be home while the work is being done we will need access to the home. Please ensure that a set of keys is available for us to use. We can either take them with us or we have a lock-box, similar to what a real estate agent would use to store your keys securely on site.
Prepare the room(s) being painted
It is a great help if you can declutter the room(s) being painted. Some really useful boxes drawers and other storage units can be used to keep your things safe. This is particularly important if you are having your home office painted, as you do not want any documents, files, or any other important pieces of office furniture to get in the way. If you don’t have a storage barn, it’s not the end of the world. We will also move large items of furniture into the centre of the room and cover them with plastic sheeting for protection. If there is anything that you are very cautious and protective of, or if you don’t have the space in your rooms to move things into the centre, you could look into storing your furniture and belongings. Boombox Storage offers a ‘pickup, store and deliver’ service (https://www.boomboxstorage.com/pickup-delivery) which is ideal for this situation.
Here is a check-list of the items you should be moving out of the room prior to painting:
The contents of the closet (if the closet is being painted)
Pictures on the walls
Table lamps
Electronics
Books from bookshelves (unless it’s a built-in bookshelf that won’t be moved)
Side tables and any other small pieces of furniture (if possible)
Any other small items
By moving these items prior to us arriving we will be able to complete your painting project in a timely manner and without extra expense.
The end result of clearing out the room(s) as much as possible is so we can have unfettered access (at least 3-4 ft) to the walls once the larger items are placed in the middle of the room.
What if I want to put my pictures back in the same spot?
No problem, after you take the picture off the wall keep the picture hook in the wall and we won’t fill in that hole and we will put the picture hook back in the exact same spot after painting. If you do want to reposition a picture, or just not rehang it at all, take the picture hook out and we’ll fill in those holes.
What if I’m unable to clear out the room prior to painting?
This is no problem either. We realize that some of our clients are physically unable to prepare a room prior to painting. How about using a personal concierge? Jodi Goldfinger of I Dream of Jodi is an excellent choice, she can assist you in preparing your home for painting and putting everything back after we’re done.
By following these suggestions you will ensure your painting project runs as smoothly as possible. To book a quote for your painting project click here and Transform your home with lasting beauty!
Homes are made to be lived in, as such the walls and trim can get marked up over time through normal wear and tear. If you have kept some leftover paint that’s a good thing, it makes it easier for your painter to touch those spots up.
How should I store my leftover paint?
Two things to keep in mind when storing leftover paint:
Make sure the lid is sealed tightly. Air will dry out your paint and make it less usable over time, so make sure the lid is seated properly on the rim.
Make sure you store your leftover paint inside. If paint is exposed to freezing temperatures the solids will separate from the solvent and it will be unusable. If you must store your paint in a shed, garage, or outside, bring it it before temperatures dip below zero. I have had paint spoil in as little as a half hour in sub zero temperatures.
How long can I store leftover paint?
Paint can be stored for at least 2 years and sometimes more. Oil, or Alkyd paint usually will last longer than latex paint, sometimes upwards of 10 years. Latex paint generally lasts 2 to 5 years.
To check and see if your paint is still good, simply open the lid, give it a stir with a paint stick and if it’s an even consistency without any lumps – keep it.
How do I dispose of leftover paint?
Wait! Before you dispose of any leftover paint be sure to take pictures of both the lid and the label. This will help your painter if you want any touch ups done in the future. From the pictures your painter can get a new can of paint that will match what you currently have on your walls or trim.
In Toronto, there are several transfer stations that offer Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) drop offs, or you can arrange a pick up of your leftover paint using the toxic taxi. Click here to find out more information about locations or to book a toxic taxi.
Do you have any touch ups that need to be done around your Toronto home?
CAM Painters can help, regardless of if you have leftover paint or not. Book an estimate today and CAM Painters will Transform your home with lasting beauty!
Here’s a fun post. As many of you know, I have my own custom coffee blend made by Golden Gecko Coffee, a local roaster. It’s called the Caffeinated Painter.
So my absolute favourite coffee shop is in my kitchen at home, using my very own custom blend. If you are also an avid coffee drinker, you may want to invest in a dual coffee maker. You can click here for a list of dual coffee makers. The beauty of having a coffee machine at your disposal in the home is flexibility. With home coffee machines, you can make everything that a coffee shop would, maybe even better as you can create it exactly to your taste. Whilst the initial cost of a coffee machine can seem like a big expense, the money you will save by making coffee at home will ensure that the machine pays for itself, and when having guests over, it will certainly make you seem like the host with the most.
But what’s a Caffeinated Painter to do when he’s not at home? Fear not, there is The Caffeinated Painters Exhaustive List of Good Toronto Coffee Shops or TCPELOGTCS.
This list has been made possible by years of research and many cups of espresso using a staff of trained espresso aficionados with highly developed coffee palates. Please enjoy the fruits of our labours:
If you have any additions, or comments feel free to contact us.
I hear many different recommendations of how many estimates to get when hiring a painting contractor, or any other contractor for that matter. Let’s address that question….
Personally, I think you should get as many estimates as you need to feel comfortable with the contractor you select.
Some people need to get as many as 10 estimates, and some people only need to get 2 or 3.
It would be good to start your search with gathering the names of 10 different painting contractors. This can be done by:
Asking friends or neighbours who they have used – word of mouth is generally the best way to find a contractor
Going to your local paint store and asking for their recommendations
Googling “Painting contractor in Toronto”
When asking friends or neighbours you can ask them about the painter’s cleanliness, punctuality, or anything else that’s important to you. After all, you want to have a great painting experience, and you have a great painting experience when your painter is attentive to your needs.
When searching on Google for a painting contractor, see how many positive Google reviews they have received. This is shown by the stars beside their name in the listing, 5 stars is good, no stars means they haven’t gotten enough reviews yet to have stars beside their name.
The next step after you have found some potential painting contractors is to go to their websites and look for a few different things:
See if they have any testimonials from satisfied customers. Many painting contractors have written testimonials from past clients, which is good. But do they have any video testimonials? Most people are very shy when asked to speak on video, so if they do a video testimonial they must be a raving fan!
Do they have WSIB and liability insurance in place?
You can also look for any pertinent blog posts about something that is important to your painting experience.
It is also worth checking if they have any relevant qualifications or training. This isn’t limited to painting, but should also include the running of the business. Contractors not only have to do the work themselves, but also have to do all the behind the scenes work and keep their business running effectively. There are training schemes that will give contractors all the skills and knowledge they need to be able to run their business correctly, but you can find more Professional Contractor Training Advantages here, should you need further convincing of how relevant this type of training is. It means that you can guarantee a contractor who has taken such training will be efficient in how they run their business and are less likely to let you down in the long run.
After you have done this, you might only need to book a time with 2 or 3 painting contractors, or maybe more.
The important thing is that you schedule estimates with painting contractors that you feel comfortable with and would potentially like to do business with.
Hope this helps you with selecting your painting contractor. Feel free to schedule an estimate with CAM Painters and Transform your home with lasting beauty!
