Frequently Asked Questions
HOW MUCH PAINT DO I NEED?
Know the square footage of the room you are painting before you head to the store. Professionals recommend one gallon for every 400 square feet. Covering textured, rough, or unprimed surfaces may require more.
WHAT DOES VOC MEAN?
Paints have volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) that can release toxic gas into the air for years after a room has been painted. Buy eco-friendly paint with low-VOCs or zero-VOCs paints. These special paints with a green seal have a VOC of less than 50 grams/liter for flat and less than 150 grams/liter for non-flat.
HOW CAN I GUARANTEE COLOR UNIFORMITY?
The color mixer at the paint store can create slight variations from can to can. The last thing you want is to have two different shades of a color on the same wall. This can be remedied by mixing all of the paint cans together before you start painting to ensure you will have consistent color throughout the room.
HOW DO I KNOW MY SURFACE IS ACCEPTABLE TO PAINT?
Paint doesn’t stick very well to dirty surfaces, so dust and/or clean them with soap and water (or TSP) and rinse with water once done. Let dry overnight then sand any shiny surfaces and wipe dust off. A clean, dry, and dull surface is recommended to get the most adhesion and best performance out of your paint.
HOW DO I PICK THE FEATURE OR ACCENT WALL IN MY SPACE?
While this could depend on the overall space, the wall that comes into view opposite the main entrance is often used as the feature or accent wall. In most cases this wall should be the one to receive special treatment. What do we mean by special treatment? (Different color or sheen?)
HOW DO I TELL IF MY EXISTING PAINT IS OIL-BASED OR LATEX?
Wipe a small area with a clean rag saturated with denatured alcohol, paint deglosser, or non-acetone fingernail polish remover. If the paint is oil-based, it won’t be affected. If it’s latex, some paint will come off on the rag or the surface will become tacky.
WHAT IS A "PAINT AND PRIMER IN ONE"?
Products with self-priming formulas have the ability to completely seal surfaces and provide an even foundation to support the finish coat. Key performance features are adhesion and bonding to different surfaces (substrates). Self‐priming should not be correlated to improved hiding capability or stain blocking but to the long‐term adhesion of the paint.