Another amazing exterior painting season!

2014 was a pivotal year for Eric Welch Painting. We painted more houses this year than ever with a total of 35 exteriors. Most of the properties were single family homes, some were three-story rental flats, apartment buildings and some were large commercial buildings. All of our projects are all protected with a limited, three-year warranty that'll keep our clients safe for years to come. 

I feel happy to be a part of this great community and I look forward to continue working here and growing my business. As a company, we make a lasting impact in Madison and it's surrounding areas by beautifying the landscape and protecting it's properties, while maintaining a competitive, value pricing structure. The goal is to solidify our reputation and make EWP one of the best painting companies in Wisconsin. 

We've developed a painting system that is proven to be efficient and effective, a system that delivers value to our customers. We used only top-tier paints from Sherwin-Williams and bonding primers. The bonding primer is designed to be flexible and bond with previously painted surfaces creating a sound base for the top coat of paint to stick too. In combination with a high-solids, high quality, latex paint such as Duration, I'm confident, all 35 exterior paint jobs completed this year will be lasting a very long time. 

Once a year paint-a-thon!

A quick video showcasing this years Paint-A-Thon, put on by Project Home! Every year in early July, Project Home organizes a large city-wide, volunteer run painting marathon. They paint about 14 houses a year, using about 100 volunteers, some without experience and some professional painters as well.

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Painters Guide: The Top 3 Resources to Help You Paint Your House.

These 3 easy resources will help any painter, from the weekend warrior to the tried and true professional , find the right products and use them correctly to achieve a professional looking finish that will last the test of time (...realistically 7-15 years).

I urge you to use these resources. Most professional painters already use Purdy tools and Sherwin-Williams paints, like myself. I'm not plugging them to get any kind of kickback. This blog is to make your decisions easy, and make sure you're using the right tools. If you're using the right kind of paint and applying it with the right tools, life will be much easier. With these three resources you'll have all you need to complete most kinds of paint jobs around the house, both interior and exterior. 

(Hint: one of these painting resources has helped me increase my speed and consistency!)

1.) Equipment and Supplies from Sherwin-Williams Stores: Paint and Tools.

• Most cities have a Sherwin-Williams. I use them almost exclusively for paint and supplies. I buy mostly Purdy tools to use on the jobsite. These stores are for professionals and homeowners alike. 
• Pro Tip: major sales are always held around holidays and the changing of seasons. Stock up on paint and supplies during these sales for 30-40% off. 

2.) Spray and Brush Techniques: Professional Video Tutorials for All Your Painting Needs.

• Chris Berry is an invaluable resource. He's made videos for just about any part of the painting process. I trust what he says and have learned some excellent techniques from his videos. I've also been able to incorporate them into my business and have saved some real time out in the field. 

3.) Ask Your Questions Here: I know it might look like a cop-out, but I know my stuff and will be a valuable resource to help you answer any of your painting related questions.

• Eric Welch Painting is a full service painting company hailing from Madison, WI. We strive to always deliver great value and exceptional quality on all of our interior and exterior projects. Please, check out my other blog entries over here     ------------------>

Thank You!

Eric

Painting and Staining a Basement Remodel

Basement Remodeled by Artisan Remodel of Madison, Wi. Finishing done by Eric Welch Painting LLC.

Basement transformed with skillful design and custom woodwork.

All painting and staining on this project was done by EWP and crew over a couple of weeks time. It was completed in stages to work around the carpenter and electrician. Mike, of Artisan Remodel, really outdid himself on this project.

We started by staining all the oak in the middle of the basement before assembly.  One coat of paint was put on the ceiling and walls. Then, the carpenter and electrician did there handy work, and after skillfully assembling a basement masterpiece, we came back to finish the project. We laid two coats of shellac on the wood, sanding and filling holes between coats. Then, another finish coat of paint on the walls and trim. 

Power-washing and Deck Staining

Deck Refinishing - enjoy complete deck restorations in Madison wi

This time of year, we get a lot of calls for people seeking to refinish their back deck. The stain is flaking off, mold and mildew have discolored the deck boards and have created a slick and unsightly surface to walk on. There are a couple of methods to remove mold and mildew and generally restore a deck to its original luster. 

1. Pressure-wash with a cleaning solution like Deckwash from Sherwin Williams or Jomax.
2. Strip previous coating of existing stain and reapply new stain. 

In the first example, a deck is power-washed with a bleach-solution. This will remove any dirt and grime in addition to mold and mildew from the deck. The power-washing will most likely raise the grain in the wood a little, so sanding is required. We like to use 80 or 100 grit sandpaper on an orbital sander and lightly scuff all of the deck surfaces. Not only will the sanding remove raised grain but will help the the new stain soak in evenly across the deck boards and railings. 

Always make sure to let the deck dry a day or two in the sun after power-washing before sanding or staining.

The second example, we are using a more drastic approach to the deck refinishing. Here, we are stripping the previous coating off and starting new. 

When to strip a deck? A: When the previous coating is peeling or wearing off unevenly. Or when switching from a solid-color stain to a semi-transparent stain.