Choosing A Painting Contractor (Part 1) April 29, 2007
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Many of us opt to paint the house ourselves for a number of reasons. Some do it for pure satisfaction and for the sense of accomplishment. Others do it to save some money. However, not everyone has the luxury of taking a couple of days of leave from work to get the paint job done. 
And then there are many others, like myself, who believe that leave from work should indeed be "leave FROM work", not leave TO work at home. Painting is simple, but not easy. A single process which we call "painting" covers 50-100 smaller tasks ranging from paint selection, colour selection, estimation of paint required, purchasing paint, choosing roller and brushes, shifting of furnitures, taking down curtains, filling up holes, sanding off unevenness, masking the edges, etc, etc, to the actual painting of the sides, the painting of the ceilings and walls, the grills, the doors, etc, etc, to the cleaning up, moving the furniture back, putting up the pictures etc.. In the end we may find it better to give the job to the professionals. But how do you choose a painting contractor? These are the few key things we should look for in a painting contractor :
1) Skill Level - Well, the bloke must at least be up to the job. This is often overlooked. We tend to award the job to the lowest quote. Sometimes, the lowest quote is lowest for the very reason - total lack of skill. Yours may very well be his first job! 2) Reliability - Can the contractor be relied on to complete the job on time? I’ve come across projects that require weeks run into months. Another would be the painters ability to provide you with a correct paint system. I visited a customer’s house recently while painting was being carried out. To my surprise, the painting contractor used interior paint system for the exterior, and convinced the owner he was doing the right thing. 3) Honesty - This is now more important than ever, since colour tinting machines become commonplace. Some contractors tint cheap paint and pack into used empty cans of known brands, passing off as the real thing. The price difference between tinted cheap paint and premium ones is wide enough to make the exercise more than worthwhile for the contractor. 4) Accountability - When the job is done and paid, can you count on the painting contractor to return to assist should peeling or other problems occur? If the walls get dirtied when the furniture moved it, will the contractor do touch up work? If the contractor omitted certain areas, will he still answer your call to make good?
In the next post, we will list the things you need to ask your painting contractor before awarding him the paint job.
International Marine Paint Colour Chart April 24, 2007
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I’ve uploaded the International Sea colour chart some time ago (see post). This standard Marine Paint colour chart seems long overdue. I choose to provide the Sea Colour chart because it is not readily available, while many have a copy of the standard chart. For those who don’t, and want to have a rough idea of the colour, click below:
International Marine Chart
This standard chart is used for the various range of International products such as Interlac, Intergard, Interthane etc.
Great Painting Tips recommends - MicroFibre Rollers April 22, 2007
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I just received feedbacks from 3 professional painters and 1 good friend, who definitely is not professional when it comes to painting. They are all very positive about this new range of premium rollers. I’m sure this is not totally new because I recall seeing this material many years ago. It’s called ‘microfibre’ as opposed to current materials such as polyamide, polyesters and acrylics. The paint loading is good and the finish is even. It is suitable for both smooth as well as rockstone surfaces. Use this roller for water-based emulsions only. Currently, this roller is available only in 2 sizes - 6 inch sleeve length with a 50mm diameter and 7-inch sleeve length with a 70mm diameter. And as usual, please refer to the Price Reference Page for the latest prices. Next week I will provide prices for paint jobs for the various HDB flat types, since this has been asked many times.
Boat Asia 2007 Is On… April 19, 2007
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Boat Asia 2007 just started today and will last 4 days, ending on Sunday, 22nd April 2007. It is held, as usual, at Sentosa Cove. (details) On display are many boats and boat-related accessories. The water display will also include 46 luxury boats. You can pre-register online at: http://www.labouroflove.biz/BA07/Web-Dev/Boat_Asia/BA07_tradeREG.htm And if you want to view a boat, book an appointment here: http://www.labouroflove.biz/ba07/web-dev/boat_asia/BA07_bookVIEWING.htm though I’m not sure if you can still do it now, since the show has already started. If you are not pre-registering online, you can also register on the spot. See you there….
Rust and Corrosion Control - Cold Galvanizing Compound April 17, 2007
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Now this is a great product for those heavy duty rust and corrosion control. The Crown 7007 Cold Galvanizing Compound contains 30% - 60% of zinc by weight. What this nearly pure zinc coating does is that it forms a protective "sacrificial" layer over the metal. Should this zinc coating be scratched or broken, and corrosion begins to occur, the corrosion will be limited to the zinc coating, thereby continually protecting the metal. This process is almost like hot-dipped galvanization, thus its name ‘Cold Galvanizing Compound’. It is recommended for use on most unpainted metal surfaces, welded joints, guard rails, metal chain fences, TV towers, pipes, refinery piping, heavy equipment etc. It is ideal for industrial applications in the aviation, marine, petroleum and manufacturing fields. The zinc coat is grey in colour (like most zinc coatings) and is touch dry in 5 minutes. Usually a single coat would suffice. To maximise protection, a second coat may be applied within 1 hour of the 1st coat, or, after 48 hours. Please refer to the Price Reference Page for the latest price for this product.
MSDS Product Data Sheet
