Does your home’s exterior need a face lift? The most obvious sign that your home needs new paint to protect it from the elements is cracking, flaking and peeling. Take a walk around the outside of your home and examine the siding and trim. If you see one or more areas where it is no longer smooth, it’s time to call Sharper Impressions Painting. We can help.

Cracking and peeling starts small and spreads. Your exterior paint may have superficial cracks across the surface. Take a close look at the edges and the corners where two exterior walls meet. If paint is starting to chip and peel back from the edges, it’s time for a new paint job. Sharper Impressions will put two fresh coats of long-lasting paint on your home. You choose the color. We do the work.

Contact  Sharper Impressions Painting today to set up an appointment.

We pride ourselves on giving you good customer service. With nearly 20 years in the painting business, we know how important it is that we do the job right, on time and as quoted. We want you to be happy with your Sharper Impressions experience. We want you to know that we care.

When we come out to give you an estimate for the work, we make an appointment and we keep it. We know that your time is valuable and we do not keep you waiting for hours like some contractors do. Our Sharper Impressions Painting professionals pay careful attention to what you want painted and any special circumstances that may exist with your home’s layout, color scheme and existing surfaces. If you have any questions, we are happy to answer them.

We take the time to come out to your home the day before the job begins and walk through the property with you. As part of our superior customer service, our Sharper Impressions Painting manager verifies the work areas and the scope of the job so that there are no disappointments or  misunderstandings.

It is our goal to deliver what we promise from start to finish. Before your Sharper Impressions Painting contractor leaves the premises, you can inspect the work to make sure it meets or exceeds your expectations. Within a few days of the job completion, someone from Sharper Impressions will come by to ensure your satisfaction. This is all done at no extra charge as part of your Sharper Impressions experience.

Sharper Impressions Painting traveled to New Orleans, Louisiana for their annual Paint the Brain conference. This week long trip inspires and trains staff for the upcoming busy season; as the motto for this year’s meeting says it best, it’s all about “shaking the rust off!”

“Last year was the first time we held the conference in New Orleans,” said Founder Geoff Sharp. “There is something about the city that motivates and drives people. The people were great, and you’re surrounded by amazing food and music; it was a no brainer to come back in 2011.”

All Managers and Owners were in attendance to review the 2010 year, and plan for growth in 2011. As warmer weather approaches, February is the perfect time to make sure new policies and procedures are implemented to make the painting process as easy as possible for customers.

“Paint the Brain is more than an annual meeting – it’s a time to celebrate success and plan for the future,” says Sharp.

For more information about exterior, interior, or other services we offer, please visit: www.sharperimpressionspainting.com. While there, check out our Current Promotions or Book a quote online.

Birds singing, sun shining, and people out and about are all signs that spring is here. You go outside to enjoy the weather, take a look at your house and can see what Mr. Winter Weather did to your exterior. There are several things you may notice: chipping and peeling, mildew growth, caulking problems, gutter issues, and worn stain on decks, fences, pergolas, swing-sets and trellises; these are all things that could be potentially harmful to your home.

Chipping and Peeling

There are two signs you need to spruce up your exterior paint; there are obvious mass coating failures, or there are small amounts of chipping and peeling, about the size of a dime, which expose the wood underneath. These are both signs your top coat isn’t protecting the wood from weathering. Paint is the same at protecting your wood as the way your skin protects your body.

There are several other ways to tell if your home needs to be painted and renewed; the color is fading and is noticeably lighter, there are water streak lines, the white colors are turning grey, and/or deep colors are losing their base and depth. Also, if you find chalking on the surface of the paint, it may mean you need to get your home power washed and painted. To test for chalking, touch the paint surface with your finger; if it leaves paint residue on your hands this is a sign the paint is breaking down and ready to be recoated.

The mixture of wet snow and ice, coupled with dry winter air can leave paint needing a new coat and some troubled mildew spots heading into the spring season.

Mildew

Contrary to popular belief, mildew does grow in cold weather. It lays dormant throughout the winter and springs to life with the moisture of the spring season. Mildew will look like little spores and/or dark spots on the paint. Mildew is a sign that your slick, glossy paint surface needs refreshed; it allows spores to grow in the nooks and crannies of the paint surface.

Often, honest and reliable painters will let you know if a simple and very cost efficient power washing is enough for your paint upkeep for that particular year. Mildew can easily be removed with a professional pressure wash, although sometimes it will require a new coat of paint to keep your home protected.

Caulking

Caulking failure can also be extremely dangerous for your home. The caulk can pop-out or split open leaving you with three potential problems:

1. Lose of energy efficiency.
2. Weather and insects can enter where failure occurred.
3. Moisture can get behind the wood and paint, which leads to peeling of paint, rotting of wood and mildew growth on the surface and inside the home.

Caulking is also important cosmetically; if it is done properly, it will look seamless with your paint and will be tight and secure. The look will be more complete and your home will instantly benefit from a solid and intricate caulking application.

Other Problem Areas

During the winter months, snow and ice settle into your home’s gutters; this means moisture got behind the fascia and paint. A few ways to tell if your gutters need a new paint job are: water stains, peeling and blistering of the paint, and bowing of the wood. If you notice these warning signs, it is best to have someone come out and fix problem areas.

The snow, ice and cold weather can also be a detriment to the staining on decks, fences and trellises. Seeing exposed wood means its time to protect the wood for spring; you may see heavy wood graining or see fibers in the wood, but they both require the same maintenance.

Walkway surfaces and aggregate stone also need some help after the long, cold winter. One way to tell if your walkway or aggregate stone needs attention is when the spring rain hits; if the rain water doesn’t bead up, it means the water can penetrate the surface and cause decay and unforeseen underlying problems. The cure to this is to get the surfaces power washed and coated so that the next time it rains, the water will bead up preventing saturation of the surface of your walkways.

Final Recommendations

The tips outlined above are a good guideline to use when determining what type of work your home may need after a harsh winter. Whether it is a new paint job or getting your home power washed to eliminate mildew, each improvement you make will help your home stay beautiful longer.  A good painting contractor will provide an honest and detailed quote for what painting and preparation your home may or may not need.  Quotes should be free and you should always meet your contractor to walk around your home, so that the contractor can point out and explain issues and solutions.

The next six weeks are an ideal time to give your entertaining spaces an affordable makeover – to update your home in anticipation of a joyous holiday season. A professional paint job is one of the easiest ways to freshen up your home for family and friends and, you are guaranteed to get the best price of the year from your paint contractor.

Often, if you find the right painting contractor, December pricing can save you 20-30% on all types of interior paint jobs. Late November through mid-December is a transitional time for most painters who find themselves booking only interior painting projects. As they finish up exterior jobs, this is a perfect time for you to take advantage of their schedule and get some much needed sprucing up done in time for the holidays.

Here are some important tips:

1. Have you ever considered giving a fresh paint job to a spouse or loved one for the Holidays? Most paint contractors can give you a quote secretly, you can sign the painting agreement and then either have the area painted before or after the holiday. A fun and unique gift. And you don’t have to spend your winter weekends painting rooms!

2. For paint contractors who are busy finishing exteriors, they have open spaces to fill on rainy days. If you can be flexible and allow your contractor to work with you on bad-weather days, you’ll probably see an even greater discount. We have seen HALF OFF when customers are flexible.

3. Allow at least a week for the color selection process. Good paint contractors can help you select colors and will allow FREE color try-ons to make your decision easier. Remember, once the color is selected it will be there for a long time, so enjoy your color selection process.

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