Exterior Painting: Color Selection Tips for Homeowners

A smart color combination can dramatically enhance your home’s appearance, but choosing the right colors is a tough job. Read on for some useful tips! 

Changing exterior paint colors can be highly effective in enhancing the overall curb appeal of your home. And if you own a residential property in Chicago, such a smart transformation can substantially increase its market value!

Here, the most important thing is selection of the right exterior paint colors. If you’re confused because of a huge variety of color options to choose from, consider consulting a professional company specializing in exterior painting in Chicago.

But if you want to carry out a DIY painting project, here are some color selection tips that’ll help you:

Keep in Mind Your Home’s Surroundings

Painting contractors in Oak Park advise not to select the same colors as those of the surrounding buildings. You will also have to make sure your chosen colors don’t clash with the structural details of the house. Take time to study your home exteriors and find out where you can change the colors and where not. It will be equally important to keep in mind the natural surroundings of your home. 

How You Want Your House to Look

For example, you can choose a dark shade if you have a large house. Dark colors lend more solidarity to large structures. But if you live in a small space with a low roof, always choose light shades. This will allow the room to reflect more light and appear bigger and more spacious.

Don’t Hesitate to Experiment

Homeowners have already begun to apply tinted shades that best complement both their building materials and landscape. You can go for mid-tone neutrals that are already in trend. You also have the option of painting your house white, making it appear bigger and more inviting!

 

 

Most Common DIY Wallpapering Mistakes People Make

Like any other DIY project wallpapering can go out of control or soon manifest itself into a problem, if not done properly.

The moment a homeowner feels that his DIY wallpapering project has become misleading; he should call in painting contractors in Oak Park. Just because the step by step internet site said five minutes, it is foolish to assume that such a timeline would be adhered to precisely. Let’s have a look at the common problems faces during wallpapering.

1. Have Enough Supplies

When ordering wall paper, it needs to be kept in mind that the exact measurements of the walls will not suffice. It should be kept in mind that paper should be kept in mind for the overhangs and also some paper will go wasted in matching patterns of the paper. Wall paper is sold in square foots so the order needs to be placed accordingly. The basic rule for ordering wall paper is to order 20-25% more that the square footage of the walls.

2. Check the Lot Numbers

When the wall paper is delivered it needs to be checked that the whole lot has the same batch number. A mismatch in the lot numbers will spoil the project completely. Any variations in color and pattern difference will not get the desired result.

3. Preparation of Surfaces

Painters in Chicago insist that the surfaces should be prepared properly before starting the project. Some walls might require a liner for wall paper before the paper is installed on the walls. Painting contractors in old town suggest that vinyl paper should not be used on the exteriors. A textured wall will need to be scraped completely off all previous effects for proper installation.

4. Work Load

Wallpapering is a cumbersome job and needs loads of patience and detail to attention. 

Faux Painting and Your Kitchen

Faux painting is the easiest method to add dimension and texture to your kitchen.

Faux techniques are easy and the home owner does not need to hire a professional to do them. Sponging, stenciling and color washing are some of the common tools of faux painting. Painting contractors in Hinsdale will be able to advise home owners on the details of the desired effect. Let’s take a look at the various options available.

1. Stencling

Stenciling is one of the easiest and most affordable methods to create any effect on the kitchen walls. It takes little time and the final effect is very crisp and neat. The homeowner just needs to pick up a stencil of the effect he is looking for. Painting contractors in old town suggest that a practice run should be first done, before actually doing it on the walls. With a little patience and practice the kitchen can look more personal and bright.

2. Color washing

The technique is also known as glazing. The final effect makes the walls look aged and soft. It gives the best results on the walls, ceilings, furniture and small cupboards. To start with a water based wash is chosen for the effect. Now a thin glaze is applied on top of the base coat using a sponge. The effect looks like layers and gives more dimension to the kitchen. Contractors in Oak Park can be consulted before going ahead for the first time.

3. Sponging

Painting services suggest sponging for furniture and walls. Home owners who are looking for an effect with multiple colors go for this method. A natural sea sponge is chosen and the effect is created using the sponge in the hand. It is advised to use shades of the same base color. 

Most Common Chimney Damages Caused By Moisture

Over the time water ‘eats’ away the masonry chimneys. Mortar joints present between the bricks are usually dissolved by water followed by slow erosion of bricks. So how you effectively address these chimney problems? Let’s find out!

There are many potential problems which can arise in a chimney – water being one of the major causes of trouble. Though annual professional chimney inspection is recommended as a basic safety measure, it can also help in detecting potential moisture problems before they cause irreparable chimney damages.

Mentioned below are the most common chimney damages caused by moisture along with favorable solutions.

1.    Spalling

Owing to the material they are made up with, bricks tend to absorb moisture. The absorbed water in individual brick freezes during winters and slowly thaws as the weather changes. This results into breakage of the brick surface and the process is referred to as Spalling. 

The masonry contractors Hinsdale can help you deal with the problem by adding an extra layer on your chimney’s exterior to make it ‘water proof’.

2.    Rusting and Liner Deterioration

As the water permeates into the chimney, it can cause the firebox and damper to rust and can also damage the tile liner. When there is enough rusting, you should opt for a complete chimney inspection to determine the extent of damage.

Absence of chimney cap can be one reason for the water to enter the chimney place. Another reason for the water to enter could be the leakage around the chimney crown or flashing. Call in professional masonry contractors in Lakeview to fix the areas for you.

3.    Damaged Mortar

Recurring cycles of freezing and thawing can damage the mortar between the bricks leading to the slow erosion of chimney bricks followed by large brick cracks.

Sealing the bricks with fresh mortar can help reducing the brick damage. The masonry contractors in Lakeview can perform tuck pointing process to remove the damaged bricks with new ones for complete repair.