Aloe is a great color for:

• a bedroom
• an accent wall
• a living room
• a powder room
• a bathroom
• or an office

The Perfect Summer Color Scheme

One of the best summer color schemes is to paint a room white and use a bold accent color such as:

• teal
• yellow
• orange
• green

White makes a space feel larger and cooler and a bright accent color helps to add visual appeal to the room. Using a brilliant white will give any space a fresh, clean appearance. Choosing an accent color like yellow or orange will add a cheerful, refreshing ambience, while colors like light blue or green will add a calming and serene presence to the room.

The combination of these color characteristics creates a blissful spring and summer setting for any home.

If you have questions about color and interior design or about painting, call Bear Mountain Painting at 678-455-2887. We serve Atlanta, Mableton, Druid Hills, Hapeville, East Point, Scottsdale, Conley and the surrounding cities of North Georgia.

Add these 4 things to your Spring to-do list to have your home ready for summer before June.

Spring Home Maintenance To-Do’s

1. Caulk cracks around doors and windows. It’s common for windows and doors to separate from the frame during cold weather, so it’s important to inspect the frames around your doors and apply exterior caulking and replace weatherstripping where necessary to optimize the energy efficiency in your home.
2. Pressure-wash your home (and other outside surfaces). Siding, brick, wood and other exterior surfaces should be cleaned at least once a year to prevent mold growth and staining and to keep your home clean from accumulated dirt and grime. Surfaces that can be pressure-washed are your home exterior, fences, decks, driveways, etc.
3. Check your deck and other wood surfaces for decay, mildew or deterioration. Resealing your deck will help protect the wood during the summer months. Also it’s important to inspect for splintering and repair any damaged wood to keep your family safe this summer.
4. Repair cracked or peeling paint. A fresh paint job will keep your home inviting and well-protected from the elements. Your home exterior should be repainted every five or so years and inspected for touch-ups every year. If your home needs touch-ups, let us know and we can show you the most efficient way to repair cracked, fading or peeling paint.

Let us know if you have any questions or if you need a contractor to help you tackle your Spring home-maintenance list. Call us at 678-455-2887 or request a free estimate online.

5 Don’ts of Painting

1. Don’t buy cheap, low-quality paint.

You get a much better return on investment with high-quality paints. Top-of-the-line paints are worth the few extra dollars because of their better adherence, better appearance and longer life expectancy.

2. Don’t buy cheap, low-quality brushes and rollers.

As with paint, you get what you pay for with paint applicators. Low-quality brushes and rollers make it difficult to apply paint and leave a rough finish. Good tools will help produce smooth, even coats and will allow you to easily apply the paint.

3. Don’t skip or skimp on surface preparation.

When paint is applied on rough or dirty surfaces that haven’t been cleaned and sanded, the paint will look unfinished and will peel and fade quickly after painting. Also paint surfaces will be more likely to absorb dirt and acquire mildew after painting. Good surface preparation includes cleaning the surfaces well and caulking, sanding and priming.

4. Don’t skip using tape.

Painting tape is an invaluable tool in the painting process. No matter how meticulous a painter is, not using tape is a careless mistake that will result in uneven lines and blotchy edges. The best painters take time to apply paint to the surfaces edges.

5. Don’t paint in the wrong weather conditions.

Painting the exterior in the wrong weather conditions will greatly compromise a paint job. Not even the best quality exterior paint can withstand the extreme temperatures, harsh winds or rainstorms. Good weather conditions are clear days with mild temperatures (50-87 degrees), with low humidity.

Avoiding these 5 mistakes is easy when you invest in good quality tools, do thorough surface preparation and pay attention to the weather when painting your home exterior.

If you have questions about which paint products are high-quality or questions about painting procedures, call Bear Mountain Painting 678-455-2887.

Using bold colors has to be done tastefully to work well in a home. Use the following tips as your guide in adding vibrant colors to your home.

Guidelines for Using Bold Colors

• Use bold colors that compliment the rest of your home. There needs to be visual flow throughout the home for a bold color to blend well and seem purposeful.
• Try adding a bold color to a small room. Usually the small rooms can pull off being painted a bold color, however dark colors can make a room seems smaller, so use a bright bold color to expand a small room rather than making it appear smaller than it already is.
• Use a bold color on one wall. Bold accent walls are tasteful and artistic. Using a bold complementary color to the rest of the room adds character and unique style.
• Only 10% of a room should be bold color. As a rule, the bolds of a room should take up no more than 10-15% off all the color or visible surface area in a room, otherwise it can be overpowering or throw off the balance of a room.
• Pair flamboyant with neutral. Adding bold colors in your home work best in the rooms that are already very neutral. Adding vibrant colors to a room that already has some bright colors will contradict the theme of a room, so choose the most neutral rooms of the house to sprinkle with bold color.
• Use bold colors to direct. Bold colors serve as arrows to where you want the focus of a home to be. Use the flamboyant colors where you want to attract the attention in your home.

Overall balance of color is key in creating an atmosphere of harmony. No matter what technique or style you use, if you have a harmonious blend of color, the appearance will be aesthetically pleasing.

Call Bear Mountain Painting at 678-455-2887 if you have questions about interior design or if you want to schedule a color consultation.

Place tape in any location where two colors will meet, such as corners, doors, trim, windows, color stripes, etc. Instead of covering with tape, remove any outlet and light switch covers before painting.

Follow our process for applying and removing painter’s tape for a professional finished product.

Taping Process

• 1. Purchase several rolls of blue 3M painter’s tape. (Depending on your purposes, it’s usually helpful to buy a few different widths.)
• Note: Never apply tape to paint that has not fully cured. If your walls have have been freshly painted, wait 2-3 days after painting to apply tape to the surfaces.
• 2. For basic taping around wall edges (for baseboards, doors, molding, windows, corners, ceiling edges, etc.) use the natural edge as your guide. However, use pieces of tape that are 2-3 feet in length rather than taping with one continuous strip. This method allows you to avoid bends and creases.
• 3. Line up one end of the tape at your starting edge and pull the other end taught (not too tight). Use one finger to lightly press the tape into place from the starting edge to the loose edge. After the tape is in place, run a finger firmly along the tape again, thoroughly sealing the edge that will meet the paint.
• 4. For a line where two colors will meet on a flat surface, use a level to draw a light straight pencil line. Then follow step 3 to apply the tape and seal it along the pencil line edge.

After following these steps, you should be ready to paint!

Removing Tape

When you are finished painting, make sure you remove your tape before the paint is thoroughly dried. Remove the tape anywhere 30 minutes to 3 hours after painting.

To safely remove the tape:

• Begin at the edge that you started and pull with one hand at a 90-degree angle from the surface.
• Use your other hand to direct the tape so it comes off in a straight line, and work at a steady pace to prevent smudging the clean line you’ve created.

If you are painting a multiple coats, the safest method is to reapply new tape for each coat.

Call Bear Mountain Painting at 678-455-2887 if you have any questions. We serve Atlanta and the surrounding cities of Northern Georgia.

Depending on the purposes of each room you are painting, use the following information to paint your home.

Flat Paint

Descriptors:

• offers a smooth finish
• conceals wall imperfections
• absorbs light
• difficult to clean

Flat paint is best for low-traffic areas such as: Sitting Room, Ceiling or an Adult Bedroom.

Eggshell

 Descriptors:

• offers a smooth, low-gloss finish
• more washable than flat paint

Eggshell paint is more versatile than flat paint and can be used for: Living Room, Dining Room, Bedroom, Foyer, Hallway, Kitchen, Family Room, Powder Room, or Home Office.

Satin

Descriptors:

• easy to clean
• softly reflects light
• versatile

Satin paint is the most versatile and can be used for almost all areas of the home: Living Room, Dining Room, Family Room, Bedroom, Foyer, Hallway, Trim, Laundry Room, Playroom, Bathroom, Powder Room, Doors, Kitchen or Home Office.

Semigloss

Descriptors:

• durable
• doesn’t absorb dirt
• reflects light
• can be used indoors and outdoors

Semi-gloss is best for high-traffic areas or for accent areas: Kitchen, Bathroom, Cabinets, Doors, Molding, Hallway or Trim.

Gloss

Descriptors:

• high-shine
• smooth finish
• good for areas that require frequent washing

Gloss paint has high glare so it’s best for small areas such as: Trim, Molding, Doors, Cabinets, Kitchen, Bathroom or Woodwork.

Come to Bear Mountain Painting with any painting or home-maintenance questions you may have. Schedule a free estimate online or call us at 678-455-2887.

Flat Paint

• Flat paint (also referred to as a matte finish) reflects about 5 to 10 percent of the light that shines on it. It has the ability to absorb light which usually makes it appear darker. Flat paints conceal wall imperfections and usually appears non-reflective with a smooth, matte finish. on the standard for most walls. It has the lowest sheen available and when it dries, it appears completely non-reflective with a smooth, matte finish. Although flat paint helps surfaces look smoother, because of its dull, pourous texture, it also easily absorbs dirt which makes it difficult to clean.

Eggshell

• Eggshell paint reflects more light than flat paint, but it also has a smooth finish. It hides imperfections well and has a slight gloss that makes it easier to clean than flat paint.

Satin

• Satin paint is a low-luster paint that falls in the middle of the paint sheen scale. It is more lustrous than flat and eggshell paint and adds depth to a room. Because of it’s medium-sheen, it is more durable and can be used for almost any wall in a home.

Semi-Gloss

• Semigloss paint reflects about 25 to 45 percent of the light that enters a room. It doesn’t hide imperfections well, but because of it’s glossy finish, it is very durable and easy to clean. It is usually used for trim or areas that receive wear.

Gloss

• Gloss paint is the highest gloss and usually reflects over 50 percent of the light in a room. Since it has a high-shine factor, gloss paint is rarely used for walls, but instead is used for trim, baseboards or areas that are susceptible to acquiring dirt or grime.

Understanding what the different sheens are will help you in determining which sheens are best for your home. For more direction, read our blog about which sheens are best for specific rooms of the home.

Call Bear Mountain Painting at 678-455-2887 for help with your painting needs. We serve Atlanta, Mableton, Druid Hills, Hapeville, East Point, Scottsdale, Conley and the surrounding cities of North Georgia.

To get your deck back to looking “good as new,” follow these procedures:

1. Remove any deck furniture.
2. To remove mildew, make a solution of one part bleach to three parts water and apply it liberally to the surface of the deck, wherever traces of mildew are present. Wait 20 minutes, then scrub the surface with a long-handled brush. Rinse off the solution and any mildew residue.
3. Sand any splintered areas with a medium-grit sandpaper.
4. Next remove dirt and dust from the surfaces by washing them with a deck cleaner and a hose.
5. Before applying stain, allow the deck to dry for 1-2 days. Then sweep the deck if any debris has accumulated.
6. Use a paintbrush to apply the sealer or stain in corners and other difficult areas, such as steps, railings, end grain and cracks.
7. With a paint roller with an extension handle, or with a sprayer, evenly apply a coat of stain or sealer to the main deck surface. Two thin coats are better than one thick coat which won’t properly adhere or dry.
8. Allow the deck to dry completely before walking on it, and wait for about 5 days before replacing any heavy deck furniture.

Method 1 – Baby Wipes

• Baby wipes are made with gentle ingredients that are made to break down oils, so they usually work well for cleaning fingerprints from a wall. Use a wipe and work in a small circular motion to try to remove the fingerprints.

Method 2 – Magic Eraser

• Surprisingly, magic erasers usually do what they claim to do in successfully removing a variety of scuffs and prints from painted walls. Again, use a gentle circular motion to clean the walls with a magic eraser.

Method 3 – Warm Water & Ammonia Solution

• Mix about 1 cup of ammonia in a small bucket of warm water, then use a soft sponge or a microfiber cloth to scrub gently in a circular motion. Dry the wall quickly after cleaning.

If your walls are severely dirty or stained, Bear Mountain Painting can help you refresh and revitalize your home. Our painting services are efficient and professional, and we guarantee you’ll love the results! Call us at 678-455-2887 to schedule a free estimate.