by Craig | Nov 11, 2015 | DIY, Interior Painting
Recently someone asked me how I remove wallpaper, so here was my response:
Generally wallpaper has two layers, the top layer is usually water resistant and durable, the bottom layer, or the backing, is soft like paper.
Tools List:
Wallpaper scraper, spray bottle, microfibre cloth, plastic bucket, ladder, drop sheets
Here is a picture of a wallpaper scraper so you know exactly what I’m talking about, a regular putty knife is too blunt to get under the wallpaper.
Peel off the top layer of paper
I try to get the top layer of paper off without water, I peel up an edge with a wallpaper scraper and see how far it will go. It’s important to keep the paper close to the wall as you pull, don’t fold it over on itself or it will tear much more easily
Remove wallpaper backing
After I’ve got the top layer off there is a paper backing that needs to be removed. To remove the backing I use a spray bottle with warm water, soak the surface and then scrape it off the wall using the wallpaper scraper and peeling by hand.
Scrape off any excess glue
After that some glue will be on the wall, I run over that with the wallpaper scraper to remove the glue and wipe the wall down with a wet rag to get as much of the glue residue off as possible.
Prime the wall
I prime the wall with an oil primer or emulsion primer which ensures any left over glue won’t affect the topcoat.
However: since there’s no way of knowing what is underneath the wallpaper or if the walls have been properly primed you might be left with very uneven walls. So it might be wise to have someone lined up who can do some plaster work, just in case there are any surprises after the wallpaper comes off.
Skim coating of walls is a service that CAM Painters offers along with wallpaper removal services.
Transform your home with lasting beauty!
by Craig | Nov 2, 2015 | DIY, drywall repair, Interior Painting
Patching a hole in the wall in your home is a simple task if you’re handy with DIY projects. I’ll outline how I usually tackle these projects.
Materials needed for the patching a hole:
Step 1
Either cut a piece of drywall the same size, or use the piece left behind by the contractor (if they are nice they will leave this for you).
Step 2
Get a piece of 1×2 lumber and cut it so that it extends past the hole by a few inches on either side.
Step 3
Insert wood into the hole and fasten it with screws on either side.
Step 4
Insert drywall piece into hole and fasten it in position with a screw or 2.
Step 5
Apply mesh tape around the edge of the patch. However, in this case, the patch is small, so I’ve just mesh taped the entire area.
Step 6
Apply a coat of mud over the patch and allow to dry overnight. Usually I will use the premix mud either in the bucket or box.
Final Steps
When the patch is dry, sand, give one more thin coat of mud, sand again and paint.
Usually for the final skim coat I will use Sheetrock 20 powder because it dries fairly quickly so I can sand and paint the same day.
There you have it, step-by-step instructions on how to do an effective and durable drywall patch.
If you need any help on your painting projects please schedule a quote, we’d be happy to help you out!
by Craig | Oct 26, 2015 | General posts, Interior Painting
One of the first questions that arises when I am pricing a project out is “how long will this take?”
Rightfully so, your time is precious and you want the least amount of disruption to your busy life.
Your painter should do the best job possible in the most efficient manner possible. So what are the factors that influence how long a project will take?
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Level of prep needed:
When areas of ceiling or walls need to be smoothed out with patching compound the dry time can be from a couple of hours to overnight, depending on the thickness of the patch needed. Also, many times a two or three coats of patching compound may be required for the walls or ceiling to look their best.
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Amount of things in a room to be worked around:
If there is a lot of furniture to be moved, pictures to be taken down, etc. this adds to the time that it takes to paint the room. In some cases where there is a lot of furniture in a room we have to move the furniture against one wall, paint half the room and then move it to the other side to complete the room. As you can imagine this can add up to two or three extra hours to complete a room.
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The number and size of rooms that are to be painted:
More rooms equals more time and more surfaces to be painted equals more time.
General rules of thumb: An average sized bedroom with little to no prep will take about a day to a day and a half. A master bedroom, bath and walk-in closet with little to no prep will take approximately two days. Most living rooms can be done in two days, a bigger living room can be done in three.
The best way to know how long your painting project will take is to schedule a quote and you can Transform your home with lasting beauty!
by Craig | Oct 19, 2015 | Interior Painting, Pricing/Value
Many painting projects can be handled by a DIY home owner. Stairwells, however, have tricky angles and in most cases require specialized ladders. This should be taken into consideration when deciding to tackle your stairwell painting project yourself or hire a professional.
First thing, CAM Painters has the proper tools and ladders to paint stairwells safely and efficiently. When you hire CAM Painters to paint your stairwell in Toronto you get:
- Properly trained painters using safe work practices
- Appropriate equipment for hard to reach areas
- Painters who are fully covered by WSIB and Liability Insurance
- A superior paint job that you can be proud of
I’m sure you’ve seen wavy edging done with brush extenders and other edging tools mounted to poles. For straight lines in corners the painter needs to be eye level with the corner-we can do that.
So how much does it cost to paint a stairwell? It can range from $500 to over $1000 plus tax depending on the complexity of the project what surfaces you want to be painted.
- Do you just want the walls painted?
- Were you thinking ceiling, walls and trim?
- How about stair risers, tread, handrails, etc.?
- Some combination of the above?
Please feel free to schedule an on-site quotation for your stairwell project in Toronto and transform your home with lasting beauty!
by Craig | Oct 5, 2015 | Interior Painting, Pricing/Value
Have you recently had a reshuffle at home? Have you gone all out and bought new decor, a new full size mattress and all the trimmings? Thinking about painting your bedroom? Wondering about the cost? And I know from speaking to a friend that one of the easiest ways of keeping the cost down is changing service providers. My friend recommended that I should look into a new energy provider because so much money is wasted in that area with people who forget about how much their energy providers charge. She recommended Simply Switch and tells me the service was great!
Whether you want to paint your master bedroom, your kid’s bedroom, or a seldom used guest bedroom a professional paint job will freshen up and transform that bedroom!
In terms of cost, our prices can range widely based on:
- the size of the room
- are we just painting the walls?
- are we painting ceiling and trim as well?
- are we painting the closet?
- the level of prep needed
As you can see, there are a wide variety of factors, which is why it’s important to get a written quote disclosing all the details of the project from your painting contractor so that there are no surprises.
Generally speaking, though, a small bedroom can range as low as $500 plus tax. A large bedroom can be over $1000 plus tax, especially if there are a lot of details like coffered ceilings, elaborate trim details, and other factors.
What is included when you hire CAM Painters to paint your bedroom?
- all paint, labour and materials
- professionally trained painters, fully equipped with all the proper tools
- WSIB coverage
- Liability insurance
- An excellent painting experience, customized to your needs!
It’s easy to schedule a quote, just click here and you can book an estimate online!
Transform your home with lasting beauty!
by Craig | Sep 14, 2015 | General posts, Interior Painting, Pricing/Value
So you want to get some interior painting done? Painting is a great way to add value to your home and keep it looking fresh and new!
I’m writing this blog in mid-September, so it’s a perfect time to start planning for your interior painting projects, so that they can be all finished before the holiday season is upon us!
How much should I budget for the painting of my interior? It depends on a few factors:
- How many rooms do you want to paint?
- What areas in those rooms do you want painted? Just the walls? The ceiling and the walls? Or ceiling, walls and trim?
- What is the level of complexity of the project? Rooms with vaulted ceilings take longer to paint than rooms with standard 8′ or 9′ ceilings. Detailed trim also takes longer to paint than a more simple profile trim.
- What is the level of preparation required? Are there quite a few cracks to fill? Are there some uneven walls? Damaged walls sometimes require up to 3 layers of patch to make smooth, which takes time and adds to the cost.
Let me give you a price range to think about:
I just recently completed a fairly simple and straightforward 2000 sq ft house for $4000 plus tax.
I’ve also done work on a larger 5000 sq ft home with vaulted ceilings, awkward stairwells, and some other detailed trim work which came to over $15 000 plus tax.
The best step for you to do is to get a written quote, custom tailored to your home and your expectations. Click here to book a time to have us over for a quote!
