Dab of paint knowledge goes a long way

The Masters Tournament is only seven weeks away. Do you know where your paintbrush is?

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Gerald Robinson, the owner of Gerald Robinson's Paint & Decorating Center, estimates 90 percent of homeowners who come into his Martinez store in February and March are getting their homes ready for April. Many of them plan to do their own painting.

"It's a combination of people who are doing it themselves, and others who are getting the right colors for contractors to use," he said.

For those who don't want to hire a professional painter to transform the living room, the choices can be bewildering. Latex or oil-based? Flat or semigloss enamel? And how much preparation do the walls really need?

"The first thing we ask is how long it has been since the walls have been painted, because with anything over five years, the paint is going to suck it up," Mr. Robinson said. "Then we'll ask what colors they want, what rooms are the doing, and what kind of lighting do they have."

Details matter, because if a room has white trim, for instance, that will make a color look darker than if it were a stained trim. Of course, a homeowners' budget is never too far away from the equation. Mr. Robinson said a good rule of thumb is to invest in top-of-the-line paints if you think you'll be leaving it up for four years or more. If you think you'll change your mind before that, a middle-grade paint will do the trick. He compared the process to buying new Michelins instead of getting your old tires retreaded.

"The cheaper paints won't cover up as well, so you'll use more of it, and it may show a bit of variation in the way it was applied," he said.

Trent Woodard, the area manager for the paint division of Richmond Supply Co., said the biggest concern of homeowners is getting the right color match. Matching colors has become easier over the years, and many paint companies now sell small sample jars and pouches.

"They'll say we've got this border or this pillowcase and I want to bring everything together as one," Mr. Woodard said.

As a general rule, the highest-grade paint a contractor will use is comparable to the medium-grade paint for individuals. To really get the best results out of your paint, Mr. Woodard recommended, spend 75 percent of your time on preparation. That means wiping down walls to remove dirt, taping the edges of windows and doors, spackling, caulking and sanding down holes and imperfections, and dabbing existing paint with denatured alcohol to make sure you're not applying latex paint on top of an oil-base paint.

"I define preparation as a foundation to a house. If you're going to build a million-dollar house, you don't want a crappy preparation," he said.

Mr. Woodard also is a fan of higher-grade paint because it's easier to touch up. When his dog jumps on the wall, he can dab the area with paper towels and it will blend in with the rest of the wall.

Mr. Robinson said there are some things first-time homeowners can expect no matter what kind of paint they use. They might be shocked at how different a house feels after the painting is finished, for one thing.

"It's like going to the beauty shop and getting a haircut. You get it cut and you say, 'Oh my God,' and then you go home and it's all right," he said. "I always tell people if they're not sure about a color, go one shade lighter, then you can always go darker."

Do you have your eye on a dark shade of red? Mr. Robinson suggested using a battleship gray primer to keep it from bleeding through, and know ahead of time that it'll take three or four coats of even the best paint to get a deep, dark hue.

The last piece in the puzzle, after the color and the brand of paint have been chosen, is the brush. Mr. Robinson said to be careful not to waste the good paint with substandard applicators.

"So many people walk into a paint store and buy good quality paint and then buy cheap rollers or cheap brushes," he said. "The cheaper ones will splatter, and they'll leave fuzz on the wall."

Reach Patrick Verel at (706) 823-3332 or patrick.verel@augustachronicle.com.

Online Resources

National Paint & Coatings Association: www.paint.org
Rohm and Haas Paint Quality Institute: www.paintquality.com
Paint Ideas: www.paintideas.com