Factory painting or commercial painting has it’s own set of challenges. Quality workmanship is of course the objective but other considerations must be taken into account. Safety is always of greater concern. The work conditions are often a challenge.
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All paint has an odor associated with it. Solvent based products have a strong smell and even latex paint will have an odor; just not as strong. What we are discussing is paint that just smells awful. I have had people often ask me why paint sometimes smells like bad milk.
On commercial job-sites I have employees bring smelly paint to my attention and think someone has urinated into open five gallon buckets of paint. Which does happen believe it or not.
Continue reading “Smelly Paint”Door staining is not difficult with a little know how and the right tools. Not surprisingly the most important component is the stain. There are the big box store stains and the stains available from paint stores. Even among paint stores there are some that are garbage. I like Gemini stains and prefer to use them when possible. There are some others that are good as well. I’ve previously discussed the different types of stain and for theses doors, pictured below, I used a mineral spirit based wiping stain.
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A five gallon bucket is what you are most likely to be getting your paint in for many home painting projects. A bathroom or similar small area you’ll likely get a gallon or two.
The vast majority of the paint we purchase is in fives so that brings with it the question of what to do with that bucket when it is empty. One thing is certain, we try to never throw those buckets away. It is worth the time and effort to clean them out. Especially when you consider how long that bucket is going to be sitting in a landfill. We typically go through hundreds in a month so we give them away to schools, daycare centers, etc.
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Efflorescence is something I’ve mentioned before on this website. It is the movement and deposit of salts on masonry surfaces. That movement is because of the presence of water. This is the reason that efflorescence is a good indication of having a potential water problem. If you discover this on your basement walls, you have water coming through the wall and need to address the source of the problem. Sometimes it is as simple as extending your down spouts away from your home or cleaning out your gutters.
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