faq

Frequently Asked Questions

When we come in to paint your home we are expecting to handle everything ourselves. We move all of the furniture into the middle of the room, remove pictures from the walls and take down any window treatments. All furniture and belongings are carefully covered and all floors are protected with the proper drop cloths during painting. The only items we ask the customer to move are the small knick- knack type items. Upon completion of the painting we will place all furniture back in the location that it was removed from and re-hang pictures and window treatments.

After moving the furniture into the middle of the room it will be covered in plastic. All floors will be protected by canvas drop cloths.

All holes are filled and sanded. All cracks are properly scraped out, filled and sanded. Caulking is inspected around all windows and frames, doors and door frames and re-caulked as needed. Crown molding, chair rail etc. are all caulked and properly prepared. All nail pops are repaired and sanded. Any water stains, crayon marks etc. are sealed before painting and grease and heavy dirt accumulations are cleaned. Any mildew that is present will be cleaned prior to painting.

Cracks can be repaired but regardless of the preparation done some may reappear. However the best chance at successfully repairing those cracks is to dig out the crack, fill it, tape it with a fiberglass mesh tape and sand it smooth, then prime over your patched area before repainting.

Yes. The difference can be a big one depending on the surface and area that you are preparing to paint.

We want you happy upon the completion of your job. But regardless of the quality of work done, you may be unhappy with the colors you choose. After selecting a painting contractor, the selection of colors to be used are the next most important decision that you need to make. Take your time on color selection and only use a company that is willing to assist you in making those decisions. Ask for color charts ahead of time and buy a quart or so of paint to try it on a couple of different areas of your home as well as in different types of lighting. The cost of a few samples of paint is much cheaper than repainting a room or entire house if you end up unhappy with the color chosen. If you do not want to change the color of your home, then just ask us to match the existing color and we will most likely be able to do that.

No, in fact most people are not home during the day and arrangements can be made in advance to accommodate your schedule. Our employees are bonded, insured and screened with criminal background checks- so you can feel confident.

Yes, also powerwashing, staining, sealing and all other types of protective coatings.

Our company can replace rotted wood during the course of a paint job. If rotted wood is discovered during the job, we will notify you right away so that you may decide which course of action to take. We use our own carpenters – not subcontractors – for all carpentry work.

A well done wallpaper installation may last 15 to 25 years or more with a look that you simply cannot get from paint. The wallpaper and installation is paid for once, as opposed to multiple purchases of paint and labor to paint over the same period. Wallpaper is far easier to clean up when compared to paint as well. Generally speaking, you can wipe up any marks or stains from a wallpaper’s acrylic or vinyl surface with a sponge. While the same can be said of modern painted surfaces, many times this leaves a shiny or dull spot where mark or stain used to be on a painted surface. For further information, please refer to our Why Wallpaper Page.

There are a few ways that you can purchase wallpaper. Interior decorators, home improvement stores, and your local paint and wallpaper stores. Interior decorators are generally the most expensive route, though they may offer the best advice as to what particular wallcoverings best complement your overall decorating scheme. Local paint, wallpaper, and home improvement stores generally save you more money as long as you are willing to invest the time matching your wallpaper needs with your existing home decor. Some of these stores have free in-house consultants for this purpose.

On all wallpaper, except some textures and murals, there is what is called a pattern match or pattern repeat. This is the vertical distance between one point on a pattern design to the identical point vertically. This pattern repeat is an integral part of the design. A random match is one in which the pattern matches no matter how adjoining strips are positioned. Stripes are a good example. A straight-across match is one in which the design elements match on adjoining strips. A drop match is one in which there is a vertical drop between the matching design elements. With straight-across matches, every hung strip is the same as the ceiling line. With drop matches, the number of strips hung before a strip is repeated is dependent on the type of drop match. Patterns with a significant drop match (24 inches or greater) will require additional wallpaper to be ordered.

No, as long as you are willing to invest the time to browse through the wallpaper books to find the wallpaper that suits your taste. If you are unsure about what wallpapers will complement your home decor, most home improvement centers and wallpaper stores have associates who will be able to assist you. Home improvement and wallpaper stores generally sell for 10-50% (or more) off of full list price.

Yes. There are numerous resources available, both on the internet and at home improvement stores to aid in self installation. First-time installers should avoid kitchens and bathrooms as these are more complicated. Certain types of wallpaper should only be hung by professionals though and you must match your particular skill level, wallpaper type, and complexity of application to give you a fair indication as to whether it’s time to call for help or not.

Yes, and if done properly, the repair is practically invisible. As illustrated below, place a larger piece of wallpaper over the tear so that it makes an exact match with the wallpaper on the wall. Use a razor knife (with new blade) to double-cut through both layers around the tear. Remove both layers, clean the exposed wall area and re-paste the new piece into the area. After 15 minutes lightly seam roll the fitted edge. Note that an irregular, wavy cut following the design in the wallpaper will make your cut less noticeable. If there is a pattern around the damaged area, attempt as much as possible to follow this pattern with your cuts, as this will camouflage the repair as well.

Absolutely. Start with good preparation: remove all nails or other protruding objects. For textured surfaces, “knock down” any high points. For paneling, now is the time to ensure that the paneling is secure by adding additional nails if needed. For slick surfaces/paneling, wash with TSP (TriSodium Phosphate) or equivalent grease cutting cleaner.

Now, you can hang bridging material. This is a thick, blank wallpaper designed for irregular surfaces. Once hung, this will “bridge” the grooves in paneling or other unusual surface allowing for the ultimate application of wallpaper or it can even be painted.

Alternate/additional advice: The application of joint compound to the grooves of paneling is an additional precaution when using bridging material. Some wallpaper installers use the “joint compound, then primer” technique instead of bridging material.

For ceramic or other tile, sand the surface with 200-400 grit sandpaper followed by rinsing with TSP. Apply a prep coat and then hang your bridging material. Examples of prep coats are Roman’s R-35, Zinsser’s Z-54, California Paint’s Prep ‘n Size, Golden Harvest’s BITE, Muralo’s Adhesium, Duron’s Tack Prep, and Benjamin Moore’s Wall-Grip.

There are many types of wallpaper. Wallpaper consists of a backing material and a surface layer. The backing material could one of the four major types and the surface layer could be paper, fabric, vinyl, natural textile, or one of many other types. Often the key factor for the consumer is the aesthetic appearance of the surface layer and less importance is given to the wallpaper construction. Responsible wallpaper shoppers will temper their tastes with the pros and cons of each wallpaper construction type. If prudence is not used in this crucial step, the negative aspects of some wallpapers may cost the homeowner a very valuable lesson.

Yes. When you receive it, check the wallpaper you have purchased roll by roll to ensure you have the correct pattern, color and sufficient quantity of the same lot number. There are many flaws you can spot even with new wallpaper right from the store or shipping company. Some of them include damaged edges, un-even coloring from side to side or roll to roll, or other flaws.

Though the steps below are specifically for painting wallpaper, the same techniques may be applied to hang wallpaper over old wallpaper.

Yes, you may. The best route is to use proper wallpaper stripping techniques first. This will tell you if the wallpaper can be stripped successfully or not. Sometimes painting over wallpaper is preferred. Where wallpaper is adhered to unprepared drywall, this can be the only way to go.

Before deciding to paint over wallpaper, you should always attempt to strip the existing paper first. If after a valid, dedicated attempt at paper removal, it either causes wall damage or just refuses to come off, then you may take the steps for painting. This decision should not be taken lightly! Wallpaper stripping over a properly prepared surface is actually easy to do. Stripping painted over wallpaper can be the worst case scenario and will cause you or the future homeowner problems.

Preparation is the key to painting over wallpaper. Remove any loose paper areas first. Then apply joint compound to any nail holes, seam areas, or other damaged spots. Sand these areas smooth after proper curing time. The more time you spend filling holes, patching, smoothing, and sanding, the better your end result will be. Once you are finished your prep, close your eyes and rub your hand over the entire wall surface. Your hand will tell you where the errors are better than your eye. Without valiant efforts at preparation, it will look just like you painted over wallpaper. Then apply a good quality primer/sealer such as Scotch Paint’s Draw-Tite, Zinsser’s Gardz, Roman’s Liquid Drywall, or Sherwin Williams’ PrepRite Drywall Conditioner over the entire surface. Now your wall is 100% ready for paint or additional wallpaper.

How good are the walls? If the walls are perfect, a flat finish wallpaper will be alright, or a silk/shimmer effect. If the walls are less than perfect, then look for a paper with an embossed or expanded surface texture. For areas that have a lot of use (e.g. hallways), a very plain finish will show marks. A textured or patterned surface is a little more forgiving.

Do you want the same wallcovering throughout the whole house or personalize the rooms? Borders are one way to add personality while maintaining continuity.

How much light do you get in the room? Remember, light colors reflect light, dark colors absorb light, but don’t be frightened of stronger colors, they can be very expressive and add “depth” to a room. Colors affect your mood, so think about the mood you want to create. Greens are restful, Reds are stimulating, Yellows are happy, Blues are cooling. Think about your own color preferences; the colors you select for your clothes. Do you want your home to be tranquil and peaceful, or exciting and vibrant? Whatever the mood, it should be a reflection of your personality. Have fun with wallpaper! If you really want to express yourself with wallpaper, here are a few ideas:

Wallpaper the Ceiling. Why not the same pattern as the walls or a coordinating paper; a little floral on the ceiling of a bedroom could look really super. Borders. There are some wonderful borders available to coordinate your wallpaper. They can be used in many ways.

Run a border at ceiling height Create a split wall with a border at chair rail height, a darker paper below, and light coordinate above. Create a panel in the center of a wall with a border edging mitered on the corners. Borders can be used around architectural features such as doors, and windows. Use more than one border, they are available wide, and narrow. Run a border at the chair rail height, and one at the ceiling level.

The Ultimate Touch

PAINTING, DECORATING & WALLPAPER SPECIALISTS

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Sean Kiely
0416 263 531
Sharon Kiely Office Manager
03 9787 2669

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