# Ask the painting contractor chick. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 27, 2011, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-painting-contractor-chick/590548 "2011-07-27T22:20:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-painting-contractor-chick/590548/21 "2011-07-28T17:25:06Z")
Now you start the thread! We just had the basement painted last week, and my wife went crazy over the various painting options. But out of curiosity, what’s your opinion of painting versus spraying (in terms of final product), BM vs SW, and the washability of eggshell paint? Also, I’ve always been curious about whether primer is anything different than just another cheaper coat of paint - is there something special about primer specifically? > [@chiroptera](#): > > OTOH, I’ve gotten jobs precisely because I’m a woman. Quite often, I think. Other women, especially elderly women, feel safer having a woman (or women, or a woman in charge of the men, etc) working in their house. Some people assume that women are more detail-oriented and neater, so we’ll do a better job. I was once told that I got the job because the parents wanted their children to see that women could do all sorts of jobs. Also I’ve gotten jobs because I’ve flirted with the general contractor or male homeowner. LOL. Do you feel there is anything different about a woman getting a job because of her gender (or sterotypes about her gender) than a man getting a job because of his gender or stereotypes about his gender? [This may be a bit of a hijack - feel free to ignore.] ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-painting-contractor-chick/590548/22 "2011-07-28T21:34:37Z")
I didn’t used to have much of an opinion one way or another about Behr until I used it a couple of times (because the client had already bought it) and yuck. Three coats on a big ceiling with flat white; still saw roller marks. Repainted with one coat of Sherwin-Williams CHB flat white: perfect. Second time was a deep color a client had already painted in a foyer and they called me to fix the[burnishing](http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/for-your-home/burnishing;jsessionid=NDDGTfZLvz2L5zRrhKnnnkQ3mCSk9PzLYQb1pL71zlg17Q0LGDXm!1918281044!NONE); again one coat of a higher-quality paint in the same color fixed that. But a lot of homeowners like Behr and it works for them…disliking it is also an Elitist Painter Thing. 🆒 I say if you like it, use it! Low-quality paint: hides poorly, burnishes or [blocks](http://www.sherwin-williams.com/do_it_yourself/painting_techniques/painting_problem_solver/peeling/Blocking/) easily, doesn’t level out smoothly so you’re more likely to see roller and brush marks. Also of course doesn’t hold up as well. I love Sherwin-Williams Pro Classic water-based paint, it was formulated to adhere and look like oil-based. Also Benjamin Moore…they have a similar product called Advance; an alkyd-modified water-based paint. And I have to admit, I used Behr trim paint a while ago and it really wasn’t at all bad. I love spraying. 🙂 > [@Sal\_Ammoniac](#): > > I’m interested to hear that you think Behr sucks. That’s what I’ve always used, but now you make me doubt myself. What is the biggest qualitative difference between a paint that you don’t like, and a paint that you do like? What brand is your favorite for interior trim? > > And I’ve also begun to think that spraying is the way to go, generally, for interior work. It seems to me that even with the time spent masking, you still come out ahead timewise after you’ve done a certain number of coats. Plus, with spraying, you can get a very smooth finish, no? ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-painting-contractor-chick/590548/23 "2011-07-28T21:44:09Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > I have what I think is called “popcorn walls”, they’re not particularly sharp but I hate them. > > What would be the best way to paint on that stuff? I tried with the kind of roller they said to use at the paint store but it didn’t work too well, I ended up adding some more water and using a longer-haired roller. Any pointers for next time I attack a room? > > There is a piece of furniture in my entranceway which has about as much in common with the rest of the furnishings as Queen Elizabeth’s profile with the left elbow of a triceratops (and I don’t care if trikkies are something else’s young). Moving it proves to be an exercise in archaeology, though: it’s covering a largish area where you can see the original paint from c.1970, and that three layers of wallpaper were added without covering that space; then the popcorn finish on top of the wallpaper, again leaving that silhouette. What would be the best way to remove the whole mess? (Other than “just put some [pladur](http://www.yesosibericos.com/selectorsistemas/) on top”, that entranceway is narrow enough as is) > > Thank you 😃 (I used to work for the company which makes, or made then, their bases). Popcorn walls, you mean a heavy texture of some kind? Spraying is always a good way to tackle that sort of thing. Or a lambswool 1-inch nap roller. Thin the first coat by a pint or so of water (or Penetrol) per gallon, it will go on _much_ easier. Then do the second coat undiluted. I am obligated to tell you that removing layers of 1970s- or earlier layers of paint may [release lead dust into your home, air or soil](http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/leadpdfe.pdf). There’s all sorts of fun laws nowadays, since April of last year, on dealing with lead. Yeesh that sounds horrible…if you remove the whole area, will you then have to re-apply the popcorn-like texture to match the surrounding wall? (I am unclear on what the popcorn stuff is, but if it’s old you may want to hop on over the the EPA regs on disturbing asbestos…some older texture materials contain it.) I’m sort of voting for leaving the triceratops furniture thingie right where it is! ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-painting-contractor-chick/590548/24 "2011-07-28T21:49:30Z")
> [@Sal\_Ammoniac](#): > > Wait, I have another question! What’s the deal with ceiling paint? I’ve had zero luck putting it on such that you can’t see lap marks, holidays, etc. even after three coats. Is there anything magical about ceiling paint that makes it different from any other flat white paint? I feel like I’d have better luck with ordinary flat white. The ceiling paint I’ve used is… well, maybe it _is_ Behr, and it’s sold as ceiling paint. Aha! I believe I covered that in my other response. Ceiling paint is usually extremely flat (to hide imperfections) and usually has black added (makes it somewhat gray, but hides better) and is supposed to be spatter-resistant (I don’t know how they do that.) Sherwin-Williams CHB white flat hides very well, touches up like a dream, is dead flat and easy to work with. It’s also pretty cheap…I pay about 60% of retail and my cost is about $16.00. I’m not pushing S-W for any other reason except that it’s what I use the most so I’m familiar with their products, and it’s a national brand. There are many excellent paint companies, some regional and some national. My standard advice for buying paint and getting sound advice - is go to where professional painters shop. Which isn’t Lowes or Home Despot. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-painting-contractor-chick/590548/25 "2011-07-28T21:54:35Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > For whatever it’s worth I have a stucco home and we chose their elastomeric when it was painted last year, our contractor’s recommendation. While it took about a month to dry completely and aquire the final hue, my impression based on close inspections since is that this too is an excellent, top notch paint. Wonder if you’ve had any experience with it? Not much, to be honest! It is a very high-build, flexible paint. Are you in the west or south west? One reason I haven’t used it is because it’s the go-to paint for real stucco homes, and I haven’t painted one of those since the mid 1980s when I left California. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-painting-contractor-chick/590548/26 "2011-07-28T21:55:50Z")
> [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](#): > > Not a question, just a minor rant. > > My landlord had my exterior trim painted last weekend, including my door. The painters painted right over the door handles and latch. They also didn’t tape the six panes in the door and then spent over an hour scraping paint off the glass. > > Yes, you do get what you pay for. Agh!:eek: These were not _cough_ real painters. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-painting-contractor-chick/590548/27 "2011-07-28T22:11:01Z")
What’s the deal with painting all the walls in the room a color, but leaving the ceiling white? Is this a common practice that I’ve just not see before? I have some rooms with a lighter color on the ceiling (bedrooms) but my great room is a sage green on the walls and ceiling. A friend of mine was stunned that we painted the ceiling. She’d never heard of that. At her house all the rooms are painted some color but the ceiling is white. Her great room is lt. beige, but still the ceiling is white. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-painting-contractor-chick/590548/28 "2011-07-28T22:11:38Z")
> [@Snickers](#): > > I too have a stucco house that’s already painted and needs to be repainted, and we’re planning on doing it ourselves (tho’ we may contract out). What paint would you recommend? Could you give me tips or pointers on how to go about it? It’s a neutral beige/cream now, will probably be a slightly deeper or yellower beige/cream when we go to choose new colors. > > Round these parts, we’ve a specialty house that manufactures its own paint (Hirshfield’s, for those playing along at home) that has one line of paint that combines primer with the paint itself. (It’s possible bigger paint manufacturers do this too.) Is this worth looking into, or is it better to keep the primer separate? I’ve heard of Hirshfields…it’s similar to Graham paints, looks like. That’s a regional paint company here in Michigan and some surrounding states, I use it sometimes and it’s excellent. Most masonry doesn’t need to be primed, especially if it’s already painted…IMO (and I admit I haven’t researched this but a few companies _cough_ Behr _cough_ have similar products) the “primer and paint in one!” is a sort of gimmicky thing. Two coats of 100 percent acrylic is pretty much standard for exterior masonry. Stucco holds paint really well as long as it’s clean…remove chalking and efflorescence first by scrubbing and hosing, or powerwashing. (If it’s not “real” stucco but stucco panels then you probably don’t have to worry about either.) Use an exterior siding detergent - Home Despot carries Jasco, which is pretty good and can be used with a power washer. Spraying and backrolling is the way to go if the stucco is unpainted or was self-colored because it gets the paint to penetrate and grip. On really hot dry days (not an issue in MN I guess) lightly misting the stucco first helps it penetrate. If you’re painting over previously-coated stucco, you can spray or roll, as long as you use two coats you should be good to go. If there’s wood trim, scrape/sand/prime that first, then caulk every gap you see. Caulk holds up better on primed surfaces than bare wood. Moisture and expansion/contraction due to temp extremes will be the biggest enemy of exterior surfaces in MN…that and mildew. Sun is the worst. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-painting-contractor-chick/590548/29 "2011-07-28T22:22:15Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > What’s the deal with painting all the walls in the room a color, but leaving the ceiling white? Is this a common practice that I’ve just not see before? I have some rooms with a lighter color on the ceiling (bedrooms) but my great room is a sage green on the walls and ceiling. A friend of mine was stunned that we painted the ceiling. She’d never heard of that. At her house all the rooms are painted some color but the ceiling is white. Her great room is lt. beige, but still the ceiling is white. Hah that’s funny…I work a lot with a decorator who has a thing for white ceilings, but I prefer to think of a ceiling as a “fifth wall” and do something fun with it. A designer I used to work with tended to have the ceiling match the floor color, or did very dark ceilings…darker than the walls. On the theory that dark colors recede, so dark ceilings looked higher. I think it depends on the style of home and the colors used. Right now I am painting a newer McMansion-type home with big vaulted ceilings…the homeowner was set on the same color for ceilings, walls and trim. Flat on ceilings, matte on walls and semi-gloss on trim so there is some contrast but personally I don’t care for it with the huge high rooms. Could be regional too. I’m in the midwest now and mostly paint McMansion/newish big homes. I don’t know whether it’s a functiomn of being in the midwest or working the the types of people who tend to buy McMansions, but there isn’t a whole lot of creative or out-of-the box thinking (both decorating-wise and generally) here like when I lived and worked out west. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-painting-contractor-chick/590548/30 "2011-07-28T22:30:54Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > As another woman doing “men’s work” I find I have more trouble with sexist comments and attitudes _outside_ the trades. I find most men, once they see you’re there to work and willing to do you share, really don’t care (a few exceptions aside). Do you also find that the case? YES. And FWIW, I think women are worse about it than men. The guys I work with, for, around or for me have been almost unfailingly cool. Like you said…as long as you show up, do your job well and competently and are generally cooperative, no problem. I was also a Navy SeaBee (reserves) and an over the road trucker for three years and my experiences have generally been positive. Actually, I prefer working with men for the most part. Less drama, more direct and upfront. (I think I mentioned earlier…I really am a lousy feminist!) ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-painting-contractor-chick/590548/31 "2011-07-28T22:37:27Z")
> [@The\_Evil\_Prince\_Zorte](#): > > There is a lot of trim around the doorways in my house that have so many layers of paint that all the edges are rounded, chips have been painted over, and there are new chips that go all the way to the wood. I’ve been thinking the house wouldn’t look so old (80 years) and worn if the trim was cleaned up. > > If you were painting an interior with trim that already had 1/8" on paint layered on it, would you sand it, strip it, or recommend a carpenter? Recommend a carpenter to simply replace it…which may not be a simple thing with 80-year-old trim! But would be the cleanest option. Or get to work with a palm sander…but refer to an earlier post about lead paint and dust and new EPA laws. Eighty-year old woodwork HAS been painted with lead-based paint and sanding it is going to release a crapload of lead-tainted dust. If you go the sanding route, use a matte or eggshell trim paint instead of semi-gloss. The lower the gloss, the less it will accentuate surface imperfections. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-painting-contractor-chick/590548/32 "2011-07-28T22:48:16Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > Now you start the thread! We just had the basement painted last week, and my wife went crazy over the various painting options. > > But out of curiosity, what’s your opinion of painting versus spraying (in terms of final product), BM vs SW, and the washability of eggshell paint? > > Also, I’ve always been curious about whether primer is anything different than just another cheaper coat of paint - is there something special about primer specifically? > > Do you feel there is anything different about a woman getting a job because of her gender (or sterotypes about her gender) than a man getting a job because of his gender or stereotypes about his gender? > > [This may be a bit of a hijack - feel free to ignore.] Both BM and SW have lower-quality “builder grade” paint as well as very high end paints…some of the newer matte/eggshell/washable flats outperform glossier paints. I spray when it’s feasible…I don’t personally think there is an end-difference in the finish all else considered. One advantage to roll and brush is that it’s usually somewhere between difficult and impossible to successfully touch up a sprayed surface with a brush or roller. Rule of thumb: repairing or touching up paint is best done in the manner it was originally applied. Depends on the primer type and the purpose. For new drywall, yes it’s important IMO to do the first coat with a dedicated drywall/PVA type primer. It soaks into the surface and makes the finish coat more durable. Example: if you apply scotch or masking tape to drywll that was simply painted without being primed, it will pull the paint off when removed. That is unlikely to happen on a primed wall. Or with woodwork - sap, tannin and knots are more likely to show up as discolorations in months or years to come if the wood hasn’t been primed first. I think any assumption made about someone only because of his or her gender is “sexist.” I also think this is natural and normal and not necessarily a wrong thing. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-painting-contractor-chick/590548/33 "2011-07-29T02:52:49Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > Could be regional too. I’m in the midwest now and mostly paint McMansion/newish big homes. I don’t know whether it’s a functiomn of being in the midwest or working the the types of people who tend to buy McMansions, but there isn’t a whole lot of creative or out-of-the box thinking (both decorating-wise and generally) here like when I lived and worked out west. Perhaps it is a regional thing. I am an older midwesterner, and I’ve never seen a home with non-white ceilings in this area except in magazines - or a screened in porch. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-painting-contractor-chick/590548/34 "2011-07-29T07:15:56Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > Or a lambswool 1-inch nap roller. Thin the first coat by a pint or so of water (or Penetrol) per gallon, it will go on _much_ easier. Then do the second coat undiluted. I feelz smart, that’s what I did (well, except for that second coat, which is going on next time I have vacation and no simultaneous family crisis). > [@](#): > > Yeesh that sounds horrible…if you remove the whole area, will you then have to re-apply the popcorn-like texture to match the surrounding wall? (I am unclear on what the popcorn stuff is, but if it’s old you may want to hop on over the the EPA regs on disturbing asbestos…some older texture materials contain it.) That part is very short, I was thinking on removing the archaeological layers only for the two yards or so from door to hallway-turn… > [@](#): > > I’m sort of voting for leaving the triceratops furniture thingie right where it is! B-b-but… polyester varnish! Decision time… do I popcorn over the silhouette and paint on it, or find a large yet narrow piece of furniture to replace the polyester dinosaur? Decisions, decisions… ah well, I guess I have until the next non-family crisis vacation to find replacement furniture. If I can’t, I’m popcorning the hole (it’s basically a matter of putting on the wall the same stuff you use to fill in holes and texturing it instead of flattening it). ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-painting-contractor-chick/590548/35 "2011-07-29T14:16:12Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > My standard advice for buying paint and getting sound advice - is go to where professional painters shop. Which isn’t Lowes or Home Despot. 😃 Well, I have to admit that since I spend half my life at Home Depot, that is where I buy most of my paint… and Behr is basically their house brand. But it’s true that I’m never 100% happy with the results when I use it. I’ve been in the habit of blaming myself, but I’d be more than happy to transfer the blame to the paint itself. I’m going to take your suggestion and try another brand. Thanks for your tips on spraying. You know, I never thought about the difficulty of touch-ups, but it’s a real issue. It occurred to me that maybe you could use something like [this](http://www.naturalpigments.com/detail.asp?Product_ID=631-LCATM). What kind of compressor do you use for spraying? I’ve often felt like I’ve needed a compressor, but I sort of hate them, and I’ve managed to get by without one so far. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-painting-contractor-chick/590548/36 "2011-07-29T14:40:48Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > Definitely - Penetrol. 🙂 It retards drying time. Cheaper: so do ice cubes. I also lived (and painted) in Colorado, so I know from arid, dry conditions! > I know both Sherwin-Williams and Home Despot carry Penetrol. Wouldn’t it be Floetrol for latex paints, and Penetrol for oil based? At any rate, Floetrol is great stuff; it slows drying time long enough to help the paint level out more, so that you don’t get so many brush and roller marks. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-painting-contractor-chick/590548/37 "2011-07-29T16:59:20Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > As another woman doing “men’s work” I find I have more trouble with sexist comments and attitudes _outside_ the trades. I find most men, once they see you’re there to work and willing to do you share, really don’t care (a few exceptions aside). Do you also find that the case? > [@chiroptera](#): > > YES. > And FWIW, I think women are worse about it than men. I think some women view it as threatening - that somehow, because you or I wrestle the 40 foot ladders and work outside and do “guy” things that it’s some how critical of their choice to be, say, stay at home mothers or have job that require fine clothes and heels or something. And often I just don’t know _what_ they’re thinking, just that they’re inexplicably hostile towards me, or inexplicably think I’m incompetent or not actually doing the job they are watching me do. More often, though, I get positive comments, if I get any at all. Certainly, many people find women in the trades entirely ordinary and nothing unusual these days. It’s just the occasional negative can be memorable. > [@](#): > > I was also a Navy SeaBee (reserves) and an over the road trucker for three years and my experiences have generally been positive. Actually, I prefer working with men for the most part. Less drama, more direct and upfront. > (I think I mentioned earlier…I really am a lousy feminist!) No, you’re a _fantastic_ feminist - you’re going about your life doing the things you want to do, the things you have talent for, as if it’s the most ordinary thing in the world - which it should be. You’re not doing your job because it’s what people of your gender are assigned, it’s because it’s what you’ve chosen and you’re good at it. That’s what feminism originally meant, and equal rights, not shouting about things largely irrelevant or being an annoying harpy. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-painting-contractor-chick/590548/38 "2011-07-29T17:02:04Z")
What are the wrong assumptions that someone who doesn’t know anything about your industry might make? (like me, I’m an indoor-gal and I don’t know much about manual labor/constructiony stuff) For example, my roommate had a friend over last week to paint our living room and they finished the whole room in just a few hours. I think they only did one coat, but still it looks a lot better. I would have expected it to take all weekend at least, because anytime I’ve seen contractors at work, it’s like watching paint dry (hyuk). Do you alter your rates based on your client’s ability to pay? Meaning if you paint a roachy place, do you charge less? or is that just your “baseline” rate and you charge a Mcmansioner more, because they can afford more? Or is it strictly by the square foot, regardless of the economic class of your customer? Do you maybe even charge more for the roachy places because they’re more disgusting? Have you ever turned down a job because the house was too dirty or nasty or cluttered with trash? How much would you charge to paint one 15x15 bedroom? Let’s say I hired you (or someone like you in my area, since I dunno where you work). Would I have to move my furniture into the center of the room to keep it paint-free, or do you guys do that? Do you charge per wall, counting the ceiling as a wall (as in, would it be significantly cheaper for me NOT to have the ceiling done)? Do you do anything besides “just paint”? Like, would you put up a roll of that sticky decorative trim around the top of the ceiling if I wanted you to? How did you adjust your rates over the years? Are there guidelines for what to charge, or do you just kinda eyeball it per job? Have you ever (maybe in your younger years) ended up making less than minimum wage for your work because you planned wrong? Do you guarantee your work (I assume so)? What’s the biggest mistake you ever made, both in terms of cost and size? Have you ever made a mistake that a customer didn’t catch? Or would you rectify those things out of a sense of ethics/personal pride? Did you have to apprentice under anyone when you started out? Is it hard to break into your industry? Do you have to buy insurance? Do you hire people? Or do you do all your work yourself? If you do hire people, have you ever hired laborers you suspected were illegal? Do you see a lot of that? My uncle and ex-stepdad worked for a large concrete contractor in NW Indiana when I was a kid, and they talked about how their boss hired illegal coworkers all the time. Sometimes under the table, or sometimes with fake SSNs. I just wondered if you ever saw that, too. You can ignore any of these questions if you want to. I asked a lot. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-painting-contractor-chick/590548/39 "2011-07-30T10:53:58Z")
That atomizer is a nifty idea! Could well work, too. I have an airless, no compressor. [This one](http://www.graco.com/Internet/T_PDB.nsf/SearchView/UltraMaxII490). There’s some pretty sweet-looking ultra-compact little sprayers now, that aren’t too expensive. Although the really cheap ones don’t work very well and IMHO it’s better to rent a good one for a day. Hint for spraying any kind of house paint: strain the paint first, either through nylons or a strainer paint stores carry. Even brand new unopened paint can have little bits of grit in it. If paint has spent much time in a very hot warehouse or truck, it can start drying around the edges even in the sealed cans…nothing that ruins the paint, but enough that tiny shreds can clog up spray equipment which can be a huge pain in the ass. > [@Sal\_Ammoniac](#): > > Well, I have to admit that since I spend half my life at Home Depot, that is where I buy most of my paint… and Behr is basically their house brand. But it’s true that I’m never 100% happy with the results when I use it. I’ve been in the habit of blaming myself, but I’d be more than happy to transfer the blame to the paint itself. I’m going to take your suggestion and try another brand. > > Thanks for your tips on spraying. You know, I never thought about the difficulty of touch-ups, but it’s a real issue. It occurred to me that maybe you could use something like [this](http://www.naturalpigments.com/detail.asp?Product_ID=631-LCATM). What kind of compressor do you use for spraying? I’ve often felt like I’ve needed a compressor, but I sort of hate them, and I’ve managed to get by without one so far. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-painting-contractor-chick/590548/40 "2011-07-30T10:55:10Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Wouldn’t it be Floetrol for latex paints, and Penetrol for oil based? > > At any rate, Floetrol is great stuff; it slows drying time long enough to help the paint level out more, so that you don’t get so many brush and roller marks. Yes. Indeed. :smack: Thanks for catching that! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-painting-contractor-chick/590548.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-painting-contractor-chick/590548.md?page=3)