​Did you know that exterior painting can end up as a severe fatality if proper precautions are not taken? Painting might seem like an easy and fun job but it isn’t so simple. With solvent based products, high elevations or uneven surfaces it can become quite complex.

We need to give our homes or offices a shiny new outlook through painting the exterior every once in a while. Moreover, to prevent yourself and others from toxic lead inhalation, it is necessary to get a new coat of paint while discarding the old one. It might seem like a daunting task to partake, but nothing beats the look of a newly painted house or workplace and the excitements that follow.

Are you curious about exterior painting safety? Before jumping into this task yourself or through the help of others, it is essential to know some basic safety tips and rules concerning exterior painting. This is to protect yourself, people around you and the environment overall.

• Safety Precautions for Painters:

Following precautions should be taken by painters while doing the job:

1. It is essential to use the right gear while painting including safety goggles, mask, respirator, and gloves to prevent yourself from inhaling harmful fumes, dust or substances or getting paint on your exposed body parts while sanding or painting.
2. Be very careful while using the ladders, and keep the ratio of placing the ladder correctly in mind. Each time the ladder rises for 3 feet, it should be placed one foot from the wall of the building. Ensure that the ladder is well-balanced and keep both your feet and at least one hand grip on it while painting, always.
3. While opting for spray painting, ensure that the pressure inside the gun is not too much and release it gently and then proceed. Also, protect the eyes from over-spray.
4. Beware of any electrical wires in the nearby area before even moving the ladder for painting. It is best to use fiberglass ladders if electric wires are in close proximity to avoid electrocution; but they can be heavier.
5. Use footwear that would protect your feet in case of any accidents or while climbing up and down the ladder. Make sure your shoes don’t have metal or steel plates or buckles.
6. Wash your hands properly before eating or drinking as not to ingest toxic substances.
7. Avoid wearing nylon or plastic clothing as these materials are the conductor of static electric current.
8. Wash off paint or varnish residue immediately from your hands only with soap and water. These can soak into your bloodstream through your skin.

• Other Safety Precautions:

Following precautions should be taken generally:

1. Avoid painting jobs in rough weather condition like rain or thunderstorm. Rain can cause slipping accidents and thunderstorms can cause electrocutions. Windy weather conditions can also be difficult for painting jobs as they will splatter paint everywhere which can be dangerous.
2. Don’t opt for paints with high VOC (volatile organic compounds) content as it can cause toxic effects on one’s health.
3. Keep paint away from fire or heat source as they can be inflammable.

If you keenly follow all these instructions, your exterior painting will be a safe and enjoyable process. If you find the exterior painting tasks too much, either for your lack of knowledge, or your physical capabilities, call a Jacksonville painting company to assist you with the exterior painting. ​904-293-4600

​If you are interested in interior painting, here are some tricks that can assist you in making the best use of the opportunity; After all, painting inside can be a meticulous endeavor requiring preparedness, time and effort to execute the skills needed for the best results. 

​DOs

1. Choose the right color: Inasmuch as this may sound quite simple, it is vital to have a good sense of color combinations for the whole project since the a large portion of the outcome will be determined by the color. Always run some background checks on the best type of paint for your location and weather condition.
2. Be Prepared: To be prepared for an interior paint job is to know which tools are needed, the best way to prepare the surface, the choice of brush or roller to be used and the lighting of the room to be painted. It is highly recommended that you don’t paint your house in a way that is out of order, or with the wrong color. Also, don’t forget to remove all hardware and lay drop cloths to keep safe from paint splatter. 

 Don'ts
If you want to have the best interior paint job you could ever imagine, it is important that you avoid the following practices;

1. Don’t rush the process; interior painting requires proper planning and attention. Make sure you dedicate as much time and focus as possible to the project. Patience Grasshopper!
2. Don’t apply any finish unless the wall is properly sanded. It is also important that you don't use latex over oil.paint. Your new finish will fail.
3. Don’t close the doors and windows while painting; painting in a poorly ventilated area could be dangerous to your health. The fumes can be nasty!

​Don’t forget to share this article with friends and loved ones. And be sure to tell us how you feel about our interior painting services, we will love to hear from you. Pro Color Jax welcomes all feedback!

​Power Washing Tips and Info.
Learning about using the power washer for your home is important for the average homeowner. This is primarily because power washers (also known as pressure washers) help in the task of removing certain kinds of dirt and algae from your Jacksonville home. In this article, we take a look at power washing, the tools and materials required and the process of preparing for the task. 

Determine the Nozzle Best for You
You will need to use the black chemical nozzle to apply the detergent. To pressure wash the house siding clean use either the 25- or 40-degree nozzle tip. To pressure clean the higher up areas you will want to use an extension wand because you want to avoid using a ladder with a pressure cleaner. Always hold the pressure wand 3 feet from the surface to start and move closer to 1-foot as you watch how much force is required to remove mildew and grime. The detergent should work its magic to make very little pressure required.

Choosing Detergents
Detergent is necessary because it will make the job easier. Without it you risk damaging your surfaces because more extreme water force will be required to remove the dirt and grime. There are specific detergent solutions formulated for cleaning your house siding – whether it be vinyl, stucco, brick or wood. Make sure you only purchase environmentally friendly solutions. TSP and JoMax are favorites of ours.

An Extension Wand Makes Things Easier
An extension wand makes power washing those high areas easier if you have a two-story house. There are additional attachments that you can put on the end of the extension wand to allow you to clean the gutters out while standing safely on the ground. Safety is number 1 and that is why we recommend the use of a telescoping extension wand. We use Under Pressure on Beach Blvd. quite a bit.
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Consider a Brush Attachment
Although not required it will improve the cleaning capacity and performance of your power washing. A brush attachment will allow you to push and scrub the dirt and grime away with the bristles of the brush. You can purchase one for less than $40 and use it to clean siding, cars and boats.

Protect Your Eyes
Eye protection is mandatory. It’s scary because you would never see guys in a machine shop working without eye protection, but then you will always see DIYers and people working around their homes without eye protection. Super simple to just wear a pair of safety rated sunglasses to avoid eye injuries.

As Much as Possible, Don’t Use Ladders
You may want to avoid using a pressure cleaner from a ladder because the push back from the wand may cause you to lose balance and fall. You will not see commercial pressure washers using a ladder because it is a safety risk. The industry standard is that people will use elevated work platform vehicles, scaffolding, rope access techniques or simply use extension wands.
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Make Sure the Area is Clear
Another super simple thing to do is clear the area of toys, bikes etc. to avoid forgetting about them and tripping over them. Also clear the bottom part of your house siding of bushes so you can pressure clean those dirty bottom areas.

Benefits of Power Washing in Jacksonville
With Jacksonville, Florida’s extreme climate delivering pollen, wind driven rain, powerful sunshine it’s important to protect your exterior paint job. Power washing has many benefits for your Jacksonville home or commercial property. When the exterior paint finishes are kept up with a regular power washing routine (every 12-18 months) your paint job will last years longer than left neglected.

​Repairing Stucco in Jax
Upon seeing the seamless stucco on a house in Jax, it feels like a bulletproof sidewalk and its perfect foil stands against the harsh and wet weather of the city, standing the test of time and surviving the days. However, it is important to note that beneath the lush cloak of ivy, the cement shell is often a mess of cracks and buckling due to the water that gets underneath and damages the wood or lath under it. When this happens, you may need to repair your stucco. 

Repairing stucco in Jacksonville is dicey because of the weather considerations and the many other factors. This means that if you must do it yourself, you must adhere to strict procedures and follow specific methods. Or you could hire professionals to handle the job and eliminate the guess work. If you opt to do it yourself, then this is for you. It is all you should know about stucco repair in Jax.
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Here are some tips you should take note of while doing stucco repair in Jacksonville, FL;

​Consider the Weather
Wet stucco can be ruined by freezing temperatures so it is advisable to wait for nighttime temperatures that stay above 40 degrees before commencing repairs. Hot, dry, windy weather can also interfere by sucking out moisture the mix needs to cure properly. Work in the shade so the stucco doesn't dry too fast. Between coats, keep the patch moist by covering it with a plastic sheet.

Ensure to Work Safely
The alkaline that can be found in wet cement can cause burns. As a result of this, when working with fresh stucco, wear gloves or touch the mix only with your tools, not your fingers. Keep a bucket of water nearby to wash any splashes off your skin.

Ensure to Finish It Right
No patch, no matter how expertly textured, will match the color of the old stucco around it. To do that, you need to apply a pigmented coating over the entire surface. Patches should be covered with a thick, acrylic elastomeric such as Loxon XP that bridges and seals hairline cracks. Other acceptable coatings include concrete paint, waterproofing, lime washes, and "fog coats" of pigmented cement. Whichever coating you use, make sure it's alkaline tolerant and permeable to water vapor. Otherwise, it will fail in no time.

​Follow the Proper Directions
Shovel the dry ingredients into a wheelbarrow and blend them with a mortar hoe. Add the acrylic bonding agent, then stir in water, a little at a time, until the mix reaches the consistency of buttercream frosting. Too much water will make it loose and unworkable. Too little it will remain “cakey”. Once water is added, the mix will stay usable for 30 to 90 minutes before it starts to harden.

Hire Stucco Repair Company
​Stucco repairs or exterior painting don’t have to be stressful; but you can save yourself the time and hassle of doing all of this alone and contact us to handle the stucco repairs in Jax, and be sure to get excellent service delivered to you. Our services are successful because of the quality of products and professional staff we have. 

Guide For Hiring Your Painters in Jacksonville, FL.
Painting is a critical task that requires critical and trained attention. Painting isn’t something everyone or anyone should do. Skillful painters are trained through years of continuous expressions and a wealth of experience gathered from making mistakes, learning and innovating on the job. For what it’s worth, when hiring painters, don’t just jump in and pick the first person that comes to bid.

When choosing the right Jacksonville painter or painting company, there are some factors that you must consider. These facts sum up the expertise of the painter, their ability to innovate, the level of their creativity and their spontaneity – all of which determine how well the job will be done.
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Here, we will look at some very basic things to consider when hiring a painter for your home, apartment, office space or commercial building. Follow through and learn the art of determining whether a painter or painting company knows their “onions” before committing your finances and engaging with them to contract.

​#1: Compare the Charges the Service
Before engaging a painter or house painting service, compare their charge to their service. The importance of this cannot be over emphasized. Request for their portfolio of previously completed tasks and painting projects and determine whether their work or style is something you want for your project.

For what it’s worth, you can determine how much a Jacksonville painter should charge by comparing their previous work with their quoted charges. Also, from painting costs, you can determine whether or not they really understand the scope and standard of the service expected of them on your project.

#2: Find Out How Much They Know About the Job
This is a very crucial part of deciding whether or not to choose a painter or painting consultancy. Their level of knowledge on the subject would greatly reflect their poor or advanced knowledge of the painting job. You will find that people who spend more time studying and improving their craft when it comes to painting have a lot more knowledge of the craft than those who just learned from watching YouTube painting videos.

Engage them, find out what they know and try to ask them for their strategy and approach to painting or executing your painting task. This way, you will determine just how seasoned they are with their job.

#3: Get Multiple Bids from Different Painters
Interacting with different painting companies concerning the job you want to address will help you get different perspectives on the task at hand, and how they are all going to approach it. This variety will give you an opportunity to see different style options, and weigh the different budgetary options as well. This way, when you make a choice, it will be the right choice.

#4: Check the Feedback they’ve had in the Past
By comparing the feedback on their Google business listing, painting blog or other various websites, you can decide whether their customer service and delivery is comfortable for you and your project. This way, you don’t rush into the contract and regret later. 

Keep in mind, when hiring a painter in Jacksonville, FL. its not always the lowest price point to consider. Look for the VALUE when choosing a painter for your project. Many painting service use inferior products that just don't last! This results in re-painting more often and causes headaches than it's worth.

Creating Certain Moods with Colors
Colors are a major factor in determining the mood for a number of things. Most of all, vibrant colors play a vital role in the entire framework of design and how people react to that design. This means, advertising companies, homeowners, office interior designers all think in line with colors when planning for the painting of spaces or design of things that people would interact with.
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When settling in to a new apartment, business or office, keep in mind that you can determine the mood of that apartment through vibrant colors. Occasionally, your painting consultant would help you with the color selection based on mood requirement, but in the case that you do not have the resources or time to hire one, we have curated a list of vibrant colors and the moods they set for your apartment. Enjoy;

​#1: Red Speaks Energy
The color red captures attention more than most other colors in the world. In fact, some would say this color screams for attention. There is something about the color that calls for attention, captures it and holds it for long enough. These qualities of the color red make it ideal for painting the living areas of your home. But, don’t go into that without proper considerations.

Red in the home should be restricted to living areas with high energy – like the living room – and with sufficient lighting. This way, it blends in perfectly with the day-to-day activities that are held in that area. If you must use the color red in the bedroom, it is better to complement it with some other color that creates a relaxing effect in the room.

For painting offices and meeting rooms, the color red can also be used to set the mood for excitement and great energy.

#2: Lavender Makes for a Calm Arena
For people who desire for their spaces to be calm and relaxing, lavender is the perfect color to consider for setting the mood. This color sits between somber blue and the energetic purple and it soothes the environment without sapping your energy. When it comes to painting rooms where there won’t be much light, or for painting the bedroom lavender comes in handy and gives off the perfect feel. It is a convenient alternative to the regular selection between green and blue. No matter the size of the space, lavender makes for a very relaxing vibrant color.

#3: Gold Speaks Celebration
Gold is not only associated with the Olympics. When you are painting for a celebratory feast or event – a wedding or child naming ceremony, for example – gold brings out the pop in the celebration.
Apart from being associated with wealth and sophistication, gold is used to set the mood for celebration and comes together with effective use of lighting to create an ambiance that is exciting.
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#4: Use Yellow to Create Happiness
You’ve probably seen yellow being associated with happiness and life before. The sun itself is often depicted with the hues of yellow and in many scenarios, yellow is considered a representation of happiness.
Yellow can also be used to set the mood for joy in painting the home or office. The color blends well to create a feeling of satisfaction and excitement in the home or office.
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Whatever color you choose, make sure it fits your own unique style and motif. This will determine your “mood” success for many years to come. If your having trouble; contact the Jacksonville Painters with knowledge and skills to overcome any obstacles. 904-243-4600

​Many things can be done to upgrade your home and to paint your house, it’s no doubt the best way to change your home look and the entire feel. A fresh paint job can quickly change the whole look of your home and give it a sharp look. In addition, this upgrade is always suggested when trying to sell a home. Keep in mind, it’s safe to say there is no time you can’t paint your home. Painting your house is a part of home maintenance as well. Apart from the fact that paint jobs and touch ups clean up a house, both will definitely change both the indoor and outdoor aesthetics. 

​Just as we stated earlier on painting upgrades, they can be done throughout the inside and outside of the home and any room; you can enjoy some different finishes and textures to upgrade its look and feel. A good paint job can benefit everything from ceiling to the floors, decks and garage floors and woodwork in your home. There are many different types of upgrades for the ceilings alone and hiring a professional painter to do the project is advisable. Professional painters can paint hard to reach spots, like ceilings and high walls. This is especially useful when handling exterior jobs.

​Hiring trained painting professionals for the job also protects your safety. They are trained to paint on ladders, roof areas or ceilings safely. They are licensed and insured to guarantee performance and reliability, plus, they have equipment like; sturdy ladders of all sizes, paint poles and full tool sets to safely and efficiently reach work on every area. Decks and garage floors can be repainted and touched up too for a fresh, new look. House painting goes much further than just interior walls and redoing the exterior trim of the home. 

Also, do not forget that house painting upgrades do not cost much, and you don’t have to break the bank, yet they can have profound effects on the look and feel of the home. The paint job can affect how prospective buyers see a home (especially if you are considering selling your house). Painting can completely change the entire 'feel' of a room and hiring a professional painting contractor is the best way to go. Good painting contractors will find areas of concern during the preparation of the work area. Painting is a great do-it-yourself type project, but you risk issues such as:

​Painting your home not only upgrades it, but it adds your own unique style! Doing annual painting upgrades can add depth to a room, add comfort, and open a space up without having to spend a lot of money. It really is the most “bang for the buck”!

​Painting Furniture
Furniture painting is a very delicate task which, when done properly, is very rewarding and an incredibly useful way of improving the look and feel of your furniture without you having to change the furniture totally. For people who are not financially buoyant to change their furniture, painting your furniture over is a great way of overhauling the condition of your furniture and preserving them for an even longer time. If you are running a very low budget and cannot afford to hire professional painters because of budget issues, this post is for you. It is a step-by-step direction to painting your furniture yourself.

​Assemble the Necessary Tools Before Commencing
This is probably the more mentioned rule in do-it-yourself tutorials and there is a good reason why it is very often mentioned. Assembling all the needed tools before commencing work on painting your furniture yourself helps you avoid the confusion that comes from having to pause your work halfway just to go get a particular item or another. Some of the items required for painting are: Oil Soap, Medium Grit Sandpaper, Fine Grit Sandpaper, Primer, Tack Cloth, Paint, Paintbrush, Foam Roller, Paint Sprayer (Optional), and Topcoat. Remember that choosing the right kind of paint is a very important factor to consider.

​Prepare the Furniture for Painting
Preparation continues after assembling the needed tools. This time, it is the preparation of the furniture. First, you have to take note that the furniture is made of wood and therefore requires specific attention when preparing it for paint. You cannot just slap paint on the furniture and call it a day. First you have to clean the furniture with your wood soap and after the furniture is dry, commence sanding with the medium grit sandpaper. When the furniture is dry and free of dust, apply primer so that your paint will adhere. Applying the primer at this point is very important because without it, the paint would easily peel off within days of painting. After the primer has been applied, sand again with the fine grit sandpaper. After sanding this time, use the tack cloth to clean the dust off the surface.

​Painting
When it's time for painting, take special care to apply the paint to the piece of furniture. Select either the foam roller or the paint sprayer to apply paint to the body of the furniture. Then use the paintbrush to apply paint to the crevices of the furniture. It is much advisable to use a paint that has a glossier finish because flat finishes will show prints and are hard to clean, but glossy finishes are quite easy to clean if there happens to be stain prints on the furniture by the time you are done. Make sure to choose a quality paint. After painting has been done, take the furniture to a temperate place and allow the paint to dry. Make sure to keep away from moist and rain and direct harsh sunlight.

Painting Tile Successfully
Painting tile can often pose a problem especially if it’s not something you are used to doing often. The truth is, for first timers, painting any surface can be really tasking to say the least. And considering the fact that painting tiles is particularly technical, it isn’t an easy task to take on. However, with the right amount of preparation and attention to detail, outstanding results can be achieved. In order to help newbies and amateurs get around this particularly daunting chore, we decided to create this post for those who seek to learn the process of successfully executing a tile paint job. But before we go into the process, let us consider the benefits of properly prepping the surfaces in lieu of painting your tiles.

​Benefits of Painting Tiles Successfully

• When tile is properly painted, the life span is prolonged.
• You don’t have to rip out and reinstall tiles – so save money and avoid making a mess of your home
• You get the chance to fix cracks in your tiles and cover up the patch material with your tile paint
• You can achieve any color you wish instead of settling down for the more limiting colors.

Now, to move into the process of acquiring the right materials to paint tile successfully.

​Get the Right Materials
You would need the proper tile paints and tile paint usually fall into three categories. The first is the Two-Part Epoxy Paint. Part A and part B are mixed to get a substance which you can then spray or brush onto the tiles. The second is the Two-Process Paint which is achieved by first applying a bonding agent and then applying the top finish coat. One of the most popular examples of the two-process paint is Rust Oleum Tile Transformations. The third category of tile paint is the spray paint which is basically cans of epoxy modified acrylic paint. Valspar makes a decent one. 

Evaluate the Tile Areas to Determine Your Work Flow
In order to achieve maximum result, consider assessing the areas of your tiles and the kinds of attention they may require. For example, tile areas close to stoves would be the hardest to clean because of a long time of accumulating grease. In the same vein, tile around bathing areas and showers have a similar problem. You have to identify and evaluate these areas in order to effectively apply the paint where necessary.
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Remove Stains and Smudges
When you have identified the areas of your tiles that need more attention, you can now focus on removing the stains and impurities on those areas like molds, mildew and fungus by using a commercial cleanser. Then rinse with water and allow to dry thoroughly. 

​Sanding and Paint Application
Sanding should be done with a hand-held sander with fine-grit paper (the higher the number, the finer the grit). Remember to go easy with the cleaning because the intention is not to completely remove the glaze but to remove grease and soap which have built up in the tiles. After sanding, clean thoroughly with water and a tack cloth to measure when the tile is dry. Then you can commence paint application. 

​Painting the Tile
Several methods can be used with success. Spraying or roll and brush both have good results. Be sure to provide adequate ventilation; the fumes may be harsh. Also, remember several thin coats are always better than 1 super thick coat. Ans always allow for proper dry times when applying additional coats.

​ When finding wood rot or decay on your home comes a sense of discouragement and distress. Wood rot or decay usually occurs when dry wood is exposed to condensation in places where there isn’t sufficient aeration. This water contact usually occurs through leaky roofs, faulty plumbing, rain leaks, etc. 

​The Wood Repair Struggle
The struggle of fixing wood rot often poses a challenge to people who do not have the budget capacity to hire professionals or the experience to handle it by themselves. However, they may want to take on the task on their own and encounter hiccups in the process. It is for these people that we bring this step-by-step tutorial on how to do it yourself and still get the professional result. Here are a few steps to take when fixing wood rot using epoxy resin in your home by yourself. 

​Next Step is Applying the Wood Hardener and Filler: Prior to the application of wood hardener and the polyester filler, first remove the rotten area of the wood with a sharp tool in order to stop the spread of the rot to the good areas of the wood. After that, cover the area with the wood hardener and apply the mixed polyester wood filler into the corners and crevices using a putty knife. If you are on a tight budget, you can opt for the Bondo wood filler or some other product of wood filler or two-part auto body polyester which are also guaranteed to work well. 

Applying the Epoxy Resin Filling: Using epoxy resin as an alternative for new wood fillings is a great idea. This would save you reasonably on the cost for procuring wood and save you the stress of having to fix the wood. You can select from a wide range of options of epoxy variants for filling rotting spots on wooden platforms. The epoxy resin filling comes in a liquid form which eventually hardens when it dries. Epoxy adhesion is compatible to almost anything including wood, however, it is advisable to use it only on surfaces of rotted or rotten wood that is not necessarily hanging. This is because the epoxy can ooze out from a hanging wood like a door. When this filling has been applied, the surface should be allowed to dry in a temperate and dry environment. Also remember to protect your hands with Nitrile Rubber gloves when applying the Epoxy resin filling.

Finishing Off the Wood Repair: Once your epoxy is applied and starts to harden; drag a wire brush through the patched area in the same direction as the wood grain. This will allow you to mimic the wood grain on your patch, instead of seeing a “flat” patched spot. Be deliberate; this effect will soften after sanding and priming.

Final Note: Always be sure to prime the epoxy patch before applying a high-grade paint; these are considered “hot patches”.