Mannion Custom Painting

Dinning Room Painting Part 4

2008-12-08T17:24:00.000-08:00

Because casual dining areas are so often open to other rooms, neutral colors (see The Hidden Power of Neutrals feature) tend to be the best choice for these spaces. Neutrals blend well with other colors, helping to create a complete, unified look.

Warm neutral colors—like red-toned or yellow-toned neutrals—work especially well in dining rooms. From warm rosy taupes to golden honey beiges, these colors are calm and comforting, creating a very pleasant dining atmosphere.

Open dining areas tend to look best when continued in the color schemes of the rooms that surround them. If cool colors (see The Creative Power of the Color Wheel feature) are used in these rooms, try to use warm accent colors—such as touches of red, orange or yellow—to help stimulate the appetite.

Tags: advice dinning contractor paint painting cumming interior georgia duluth painter faux alpharetta estimate interior roswell forsyth decroative

Dinning Room Painting Part 3

2008-12-04T15:57:00.000-08:00

Dining rooms don't necessarily have to be formal, especially if they're connected to a living room or kitchen, as is common in many contemporary homes.

In these more open and casual dining areas, the decorative style usually follows that of the surrounding environment. Your dining room should look as if it's a natural extension of the rest of your home. For example, putting an ultra-modern dining area into a country-styled home might make the room appear off-balance with the rest of your home.

Tip: Be open-minded. Don't limit yourself to thinking that meals must be restricted to a formal table. A kitchen island, or even a countertop fitted with stools or high-sitting chairs, can also make for a fun dining experience.

Color
Because casual dining areas are so often open to other rooms, neutral colors tend to be the best choice for these spaces. Neutrals blend well with other colors, helping to create a complete, unified look.

Warm neutral colors—like red-toned or yellow-toned neutrals—work especially well in dining rooms. From warm rosy taupes to golden honey beiges, these colors are calm and comforting, creating a very pleasant dining atmosphere.

Open dining areas tend to look best when continued in the color schemes of the rooms that surround them. If cool colors (see The Creative Power of the Color Wheel feature) are used in these rooms, try to use warm accent colors—such as touches of red, orange or yellow—to help stimulate the appetite.

Many choices are available, and a professional painting contractor should be able guide you through the process..

Tags: advice dinning contractor paint painting cumming interior georgia duluth painter faux alpharetta estimate interior roswell forsyth decroative

Dinning Room Painting Advice

2008-12-02T14:38:00.000-08:00

A formal dining room is an excellent place for entertaining. Elegant and refined, these rooms can make even the most casual get-togethers seem impressive.

Tip: Next time you visit a favorite restaurant, take note of the colors and décor being used—often, these spaces are professionally designed to maximize the dining experience.

Color
Here are some color suggestions that will enhance your formal dining area:

Warm colors (see The Creative Power of the Color Wheel feature) such as reds, oranges, and yellows, work especially well in more formal spaces. Psychologically, these colors help to stimulate the appetite, making them an excellent choice for rooms where the primary purpose is food and entertaining.

For the best dining experience, use warm hues that are muted or shaded (see The Creative Power of the Color Wheel feature)—such as golden or creamy yellows, spiced oranges and terracottas, wines, burgundies, and dusty roses. These colors help stimulate appetite, while encouraging diners to linger at the table for pleasant conversation.

Tags: advice dinning contractor paint painting cumming interior georgia duluth painter faux alpharetta estimate interior roswell forsyth decroative

Dinning Room Painting Advice

2008-11-30T16:43:00.000-08:00

Dining rooms can range from stately and formal to very relaxed and casual in their décor.

Most often, formal dining areas are in a separate room, while informal dining areas are more commonly out in the open—frequently attached to the living room, family room, or kitchen.

Before decorating the dining area, you should first determine the level of formality you'd like to achieve. This decision will have an enormous impact on the colors you'll choose, and the overall look of the décor.

Be honest with yourself! Most people who have very formal dining rooms use them only occasionally. If you want to use this room on a daily basis, consider decorating it more informally than you would if it were used only on special occasions.
Tags: advice dinning contractor paint painting cumming interior georgia duluth painter faux alpharetta estimate interior roswell forsyth decroative

How To Stain & Seal Your Deck

2008-11-30T09:56:00.000-08:00

The Perfect Deck Stain/Seal Procedure

We call it the three step for the best deck finish.

It consists of Preparation, Product and Application. These three steps done correctly will
Result in the best finish for your deck. Short changing any of these steps will only make for a bad job.
1) Prep- Deck got to be clean! I don’t care how old or new it is, it needs to be washed. In the hands of a pro the pressure washer is the ideal tool. In the hands of a novice it will damage your deck and shorten it’s life. Never I mean Never use bleach!!! Bleach only damages the wood’s fiber and does not I repeat does not kill mold. Bleach only make mold look like it is gone, but it’s not. Bleach actually spreads mold. Bleach can also void your terminate contact around your home if you have one. Got mold use a mold killer. There are other means of cleaning your deck, but if you pressure washed it you have raised the grain. The deck needs to be conditioned, check for a product in the home improvement stores.
2) Product- Can’t say enough here, but I will say you get what you pay for! I prefer oil semi transparent for most applications. Oil feeds the wood, draws out moisture and tends not to scuff off like latex. It’s water repellant and mold/mildew repellant as well. The semi allows the grain of the wood to show through too!
3) Application- Hands down got to brush and roll. Spray just don’t cut it! Spaying does not allow for frication/energy transfer, it kind of just sits there. Hand brush and roll really presses the coating into the fiber for better protection.
Tags: advice quality deck stain seal bleach pressurewash oil wood-conditioner painter exterior alpharetta wool professional grain wood finish contractor

Exterior Prep for House Painting

2008-11-29T11:50:00.000-08:00

Exterior Prep House Painting

One of the most important steps in prep work needed for an exterior house painting is pressure washing your home before applying the new home painting. Pressure washing will help clear your home's exterior of any debris and anything else that can negatively affect the exterior house painting. Any mildew and loose paint will also need to be taken care of before the painting is completed. Stay away from using bleach to clean as this can lead to problems.

A home is a major investment and you probably don't want to do anything that would damage that investment. If you have been putting off a badly needed paint job however, you may be unknowingly risking damage to your home's exterior that could be easily avoided. So, when you notice that your exterior house painting is looking faded and weathered, it is probably a good idea to call your contracted painter to schedule that home painting.

Tags: advice walls contractor painter painting cumming interior trim duluth contractor color alpharetta estimate exterior scheme forsyth

Color and Contractor Choice for Interior Exterior Painting

2008-11-14T05:43:00.000-08:00

Painting your home is not just something you can check off a list. It is something you’ll live with everyday. It is a lifestyle choice. Working with a contractor who understands this can make all the difference. Mannion Custom Painting.LLC is one of those contractors. “Remember, painting your home, whether interior or exterior, is a statement about who you are and your personality. Choose colors wisely. Take the surroundings into consideration, but do not be scared to try new things. Remember, it is only paint and it is not permanent. One last thing, choose better quality paints and your project will always come out the way you want it.”

If you select earth tones, the overall feel is warmth, tranquility, peace, and quiet. “In my opinion, bringing these qualities into your living environment, lowers stress and gives a lived-in feeling to the home,” Peter says. “It makes others feel invited and comfortable to be at your home.”

Tags: advice walls contractor painter painting cumming interior trim duluth contractor color alpharetta estimate exterior scheme forsyth

Selecting Trim Color Paint

2008-11-06T15:17:00.000-08:00

Painting both the interior and exterior of your home can add much to your property value and the overall attractiveness of your house. One of the ways to really set-off the paint job is through the addition of accentuating trim colors. These accent colors can be used on trim around corners and windows, on shutters, post caps, and on doors. Choosing the right color is the key to completing your look, and some of the following tips will assist you in choosing those colors.

When choosing your color scheme it helps to see it exemplified beforehand, either in a painting brochure or on a neighboring home. Before choosing your paint, become more observant of popular color trends that you encounter in your day-to-day travels. If you notice a color scheme that you like, you can always contact the owner for the colors or try to match it as closely as possible. No matter how sure you are of your selection, it is recommended to paint a test patch to see how your colors tie together before purchasing all of your paint. Some paint stores can even electronically match a color chip if you can obtain it.

When selecting exterior trim colors, try to choose a color that is simply a darker shade in the same spectrum as the base color. If you are going to choose a drastically different color, it is better to use that one more for small accents. An example of this would be if you have a beige house color, a brown trim, and a deep green accent in key areas.

Choosing interior colors is quite simple as white is the most commonly used color. It even can be used in combination with wood. Most interior trim colors are semi-gloss or satin finish. This allows them to stand out from the wall color which is typically a flat finish, unless in a bathroom or kitchen.

Tags: advice walls contractor painter painting cumming interior trim duluth contractor color alpharetta estimate exterior scheme forsyth

Exterior Painting Color Choice

2008-11-06T15:07:00.000-08:00

Exterior Paint
Whether you prefer neutral colors, earth tones, or more dramatic splashes of color, it's critical to get your exterior paint job done right the first time. The choices are many and decisions often hinge on ideas taken from visual images, whether from a remodeling magazine or your local paint store's fan deck. And now, here's another option. Enjoy the photo gallery of completed exterior paint projects on our web site.

Tags: advice walls contractor painter painting cumming interior walls duluth contractor color alpharetta estimate exterior roswell forsyth

Painting Your House — Increase Your Curb Appeal

2008-11-06T12:22:00.000-08:00

Painting Your House — Increase Your Curb Appeal

Definition of Curb Appeal: the visual attractiveness of a house as seen from the street

Potential home buyers WILL decide whether or not to look inside a house or take it seriously based on its curb appeal. They’ll make a decision if they even want to see it, from how it looks on the outside.

One of the most important things you can do to enhance curb appeal is to make the outside sure the paint looks good and is appealing.

When deciding on what colors to paint your house, keep the following in mind:

Neighborhood Context
Make sure that your colors are compatible with the houses next door

Existing Colors
New paint doesn’t need to match existing colors, but it should harmonize.

Is there mortar or other siding that will not be painted? Do you have brick or stones on parts of the house?

Will doors and railings remain their existing colors?

Accents
Select accent colors for trim and details such as shutters, moldings and columns.

Too many colors will overwhelm your house and too few will make it seem two dimensional.

Dark and Light Colors
Light colors will make your house seem larger.

Lighter tones will highlight details which project from the wall surface.

Dark siding or dark bands of trim will make your house seem smaller

Darker shades are best for accenting recesses,

Harmony and Contrast, and Balance

Contrasting colors will draw attention to architectural details.

Extreme contrasts will clash and actually detract from details.

A burst of a single color on just one part of your home may give it a lopsided appearance.

Strive to balance colors over the entire building.

Durability
The more intense a color, the more likely it is to fade.

Dark colors also pose more maintenance problems.

Dark colors absorb heat and suffer more moisture problems than lighter shades.

Dark paint fades, it’s difficult to touch up.

Sheen
Glossier surfaces show imperfections, brush strokes and touch up marks.

Glossy surfaces are easier to clean.

Preview your Color
Many paint stores and computer programs offer computer imaging to give you an idea of how a particular color will look

Tags: advice walls contractor painter painting cumming interior walls duluth painter interior alpharetta estimate exterior roswell forsyth

Washable Flat Paint.

2008-07-31T17:16:00.000-07:00

Washable Flat Paint.

Through the years I am constantly asked what is the best finish to put on my walls?
The answer is, it all depends on what you the client is looking to achieve.
A majority of my clients all want washable walls. Most have the misconception that and eggshell or semi-gloss is the best choice. Both eggshell and satin have there pro’s, and con’s. These finishes always enhance wall imperfections, things like nail pops and plastered joints. This can be a nightmare especially on large walls and entry halls. To circumvent this problem flat has been used, but flat does not wash! You only make a bigger stain.
Recently paint manufactures have been rushing to develop washable flat paint.
Some brands have done real well, as I can attest from professional use. Please understand
That these paints are not dead flat, they do have a very slight sheen, but they work real well. If you are interested in brand recommendations please contact us, we would be happy to share our experience.
Peace
John

Tags: advice walls contractor painter painting cumming interior walls duluth painter interior alpharetta estimate house roswell forsyth

Deck Safety Checks & Stain Application for CCA Lumber

2008-07-04T10:05:00.000-07:00

Cracks, dirt and mold and mildew are clear signs that it is time to refinish your deck. But signs of an unsafe deck are often less obvious. If yours was built before 2004 it was most likely made of chromate copper arsenate (CCA) lumber. These chemicals need to be sealed as to be effective and non-hazardous to people and pets. There have been cases of people getting a splinter in their hand or foot and having an allergic reaction, some needing hospitalization. CCA lumber is no longer used due to these hazards. In order to keep you and yours safe, your deck needs to be properly sealed. Not all sheens of stain or stain themselves will seal in CCA. If you are unsure please contact a professional or better yet drop us a line.

Tags: advice quality deck stain seal bleach pressurewash oil wood-conditioner painter exterior alpharetta wool professional grain wood finish contractor

How to Stain a Neglected Deck.

2008-07-02T07:41:00.000-07:00

The problem with the deck was that it had been pressure washed with bleach

and left for about a year without any coating. It had the usual problems

associated with such neglect. It had very dry and cracked boards, boards

where all holding water and had mold and mildew.

We decided a pressure wash was not the best option seeing the condition of

the wood. so we elected to do a chemical wash instead. We the hand brushed

and rolled semi-solid oil base stain. The deck came out great and the client

was highly satisfied.

Tags: advice quality deck stain seal bleach pressurewash oil wood-conditioner painter exterior alpharetta wool professional grain wood finish contractor

Free Estimates

2008-06-10T17:48:00.000-07:00

Do You Give Free Estimates?
Yes We still Do!!! Don't get Upset!!

With the economic conditions today a lot of contractors are starting to charge for estimates. Though we understand being a professional paint contractor firm the
Expense involved chasing down leads; we have decided to maintain our long standing
Practice of FREE estimates. Being in the painting business for as long as we have, we have made provisions and instituted certain guidelines to enable us to keep estimates FREE. So, no matter if you live in Alpharetta, Roswell, and Johns Creeks Sandy Springs. Gainesville, Duluth, Dunwoody, Sugarhill the city of Atlanta or Buckhead when you need a professional Interior or Exterior Painter, or are in need of expert deck staining or sealing, you can count on us. We will give you a detailed estimate for FREE.

Peace
John

Tags: estimate painter deck stain seal Roswell pressure-wash oil href="http://technorati.com/tag/John’s-Creek" rel=tag>John’s-Creek Duluth exterior alpharetta Buckhead professional Atlanta Dunwoody Gainesville contractor

Quality Deck Finish Before & After

2008-06-05T17:15:00.000-07:00

Finished Deck Before & After

Hi There- Discussed here is the before and after of a quality deck refinishing job. This deck you see was neglected. It was let to weather without any coating. The before
Picture you see is after a pressure wash, cleaner and conditioner. The deck should look somewhat like this before you stain it. The after shot speaks for it’s self; we used a semi transparent oil stain by Cabot. You need to ensure the stain you use on your deck floor is walk able.

Peace
John

Tags: advice quality deck stain seal bleach pressurewash oil wood-conditioner painter exterior alpharetta wool professional grain wood finish contractor

How to finish a deck with problems

2008-06-04T16:02:00.001-07:00

What to do with a problem deck.

Some decks require extra prep work to achieve a quality finish. I will discuss how to finish a deck that has multiple problems. Use this link to go to my Youtube page. "http://www.youtube.com/user/MannionCustomPaintin"

Here you will see a deck that has about three coats on it two of stain and one with a clear sealer. Also present was mold and mildew. What we did was to use a chemical stripper and allow it to sit for about thirty minutes, we then pressure washed it off using as little pressure as possible and a wide tip. After the wash we soaked deck cleaner on all areas, let it sit for about five minutes and then followed up with a wood conditioner. The conditioner is needed as the grain is raised during the pressure wash. As you can see the
Deck came out great.

Peace
John

Tags: advice free deck stain seal bleach pressurewash georgia lamb painter exterior alpharetta wool professional grain wood painting contractor

Deck Preparation.. The Key Ingredient to a Beautiful Deck!

2008-06-01T06:57:00.000-07:00

Deck Preparation.. The Key Ingredient to a Beautiful Deck!

Above you will see two pictures of a deck we did recently. The one to the left shows the
Deck after we pressured washed it and conditioned it. Notice the bright color with darker grain show through? We do not use bleach. This oicture shows how the deck should look prior to staining. The after picture shows is almost done. Please notice how we brush between each board, an important step to ensure a good quality job. Yes, there is a lot of labor involved, but the fruit is well worth it.

Peace

John

Tags: advice free deck stain seal bleach pressurewash georgia lamb painter exterior alpharetta wool professional grain wood painting contractor

Why you should not use bleach on your deck.

2008-05-28T08:26:00.000-07:00

Why you should not use bleach on your deck.

We never recommend using household bleach, because it only kills mildew and does not clean other contaminates on the deck that lead to pre-mature coating failure. Fact is that labotory tests have shown that decks cleaned with bleach suffer from a coating breakdown 60% sooner then that deck that has not bleach. Think about it, do you wash your cloths with bleach only? Of course not! Bleach also can damage the celouse fiber in the wood especially if a pressure washer is used. There are plenty of good deck cleaners on the market and we recommend using one of them.

Peace
John (2011)

Tags: advice free deck stain seal bleach pressurewash georgia lamb painter exterior alpharetta wool professional grain wood painting contractor

Decroative Tip for your deck Mannion Custom Painting

2008-05-11T06:51:00.000-07:00

Decorative Tip for Your Deck by Mannion Custom Painting

If your looking for some ideas on giving your deck that Wow look, here is a simple idea that looks great on the finished product.
To create a distinctive look, apply s semi-transparent stain on your deck with a solid color accent on the railings, benches and planters.
Think of your backyard furniture and the architectural details of your home when choosing color for all of your exterior needs. We can help with color selection and finish, just contact us.

Peace

John
Tags: advice free deck stain seal bleach pressurewash georgia lamb painter exterior alpharetta wool professional grain wood painting contractor

Service Areas, Mannion Custom Painting,LLC

2008-05-09T12:54:00.000-07:00

Service Areas MAnnion Custom Painting,LLC

We thought it important to blog about using a local painting contractor. It’s important for you the potential customer to feel good about who will be in your home or on your property. We are a local company and that serves the local area only. We never sub-contract or use day labor. We stand behind all of our work and offer written gurantees.
Local professionals live and work in your area, our kids go to local schools and we are known in the local paint stores.

Tags: deck staining contractor painter Roswell Cumming,GA Alpharetta,GA Georgia duluth,GA Milton,GA Atlanta Suwanee,GA Woodstock,GA Gainesville,GA Roswell,GA Forsyth,GA Buford,GA JohnsCreek,GA Norcross,GA Buckhead,GA Hall,GA Fulton,GA painter

Deck Surface Preparation

2008-05-08T17:31:00.001-07:00

Deck Surface Preparation The beauty and durability of any stain job depends on both the quality of the stain and the proper surface prep. Customers often spend hours trying to pick the right color and brand, yet give little attention to prep. Proper preparation ensures a beautiful finish that will last. The few dollars saved wears off as the agony of a poor job lingers on. Want a professional deck stain job, call a pro better yet contact us. Peace John Tags: advice free deck stain seal bleach pressurewash georgia lamb painter exterior alpharetta wool professional grain wood painting contractor

The Perfect Deck StainSeal Procedure

2008-05-02T15:41:00.000-07:00

The Perfect Deck Stain/Seal Procedure

We call it the three step for the best deck finish.

It consists of Preparation, Product and Application. These three steps done correctly will result in the best finish for your deck. Short changing any of these steps will only make for a bad job.
1) Prep- Deck got to be clean! I don’t care how old or new it is, it needs to be washed. In the hands of a pro the pressure washer is the ideal tool. In the hands of a novice it will damage your deck and shorten it’s life. Never I mean Never use bleach!!! Bleach only damages the wood’s fiber and does not I repeat does not kill mold. Bleach only make mold look like it is gone, but it’s not. Bleach actually spreads mold. Bleach can also void your terminate contact around your home if you have one. Got mold use a mold killer. There are other means of cleaning your deck, but if you pressure washed it you have raised the grain. The deck needs to be conditioned, check for a product in the home improvement stores.
2) Product- Can’t say enough here, but I will say you get what you pay for! I prefer oil semi transparent for most applications. Oil feeds the wood, draws out moisture and tends not to scuff off like latex. It’s water repellant and mold/mildew repellant as well. The semi allows the grain of the wood to show through too!
3) Application- Hands down got to brush and roll. Spray just don’t cut it! Spaying does not allow for frication/energy transfer, it kind of just sits there. Hand brush and roll really presses the coating into the fiber for better protection.

Peace
John
Tags: advice free deck stain seal bleach pressurewash georgia lamb painter exterior alpharetta wool professional grain wood painting contractor

Deck Stain Seal Care

2008-04-27T10:14:00.002-07:00

If your deck is gray and black and the local bees are hanging around, it's time to give your deck some attention. The black you see most probably is mold, which needs treatment and not with bleach as bleach does not kill mold. Besides bleach may void your
Termite contract. Those bees you see are most likely carpenter bees. They love boring holes and laying eggs in you dry unprotected deck. Once hatched the bee problem gets worse. Proper preparation is the key to a long lasting protective finish on your deck. We will wash your deck, treat it with green friendly products and then apply by hand a stain that will last years. Want to fill up those bee holes; you can try putty, caulk or wood filler all of which will not work. Drop me an e-mail and I tell you how to remedy the problem.

Peace
John
Tags: advice free deck stain seal bleach pressurewash georgia lamb painter exterior alpharetta wool professional grain wood painting contractor

How To Paint Your Walls by Mannion Custom Painting, 3

2008-03-18T07:58:00.000-07:00

Painting Interior Walls, Cutting In.

·
· When painting interior walls paint from top to bottom working away from windows, door baseboards etc.
· Use the biggest brush you feel comfortable with, this will allow you to cover a greater area quicker and therefore lessen the chance of the paint drying out too quickly at any edges.
· If you are using a paint bucket (recommended) then fill the bucket so it is half the depth of the bristles on your brush, this will help avoid overloading the brush.
· Making nice smooth vertical action with your wrist, paint one section at a time ensuring to keep any wet edges fresh, as this will improve the finish.
· With corners always paint outwards over the edge, this will reduce the chances of any paint collecting at the edge and forming runs.
· Try to ensure you catch any runs in the paint as they happen, if you find a run that has already dried out too much to smooth with the brush then you will need to sand it down with fine sandpaper, and then recoat.
· Apply the second coat in the same way.

Tags: advice walls contractor painter painting cumming interior walls duluth painter interior alpharetta estimate house roswell forsyth trim

How to Paint your Walls by Mannion Custom Painting, LLC

2008-03-13T07:43:00.000-07:00

How to Paint your Walls by Mannion Custom Painting, LLC

· The next step is to cut in around the ceiling, baseboards, moldings corners, light switches, sockets and any doors/windows.

· To cut in to the ceiling use a good quality 2.5 to 3 inch brush. Paint along the top of the wall keeping the edge of the brush tight to the ceiling, use firm steady strokes to give yourself a nice straight edge.

· Then turn the brush and go over the paint again with a steady stroke to smooth the previous coat, this time there is no need to get too close to the ceiling but close enough to smooth the paint out.

· You can use this technique to cut in around the horizontal runs of any windows, doors, sockets and light switches.

· To cut in to the baseboards boards use a similar technique holding the brush at a 90 degree angle to the skirting board, then turn the brush and go over the paint again to smooth the coat.

We will continue with the process on our next blog.

Peace
John
Tags: advice professional contractor paint painting cumming interior georgia duluth painter exterior alpharetta estimate house roswell forsyth painter