Caulking properly can increase the longevity of paint by sealing out foreign elements such as heat, cold and moisture.
Don’t use water to clean up any scuff marks for 30 days following a new paint job. In the first 30 days, touchups should be done with a dry brush—in other words, a brush with very little paint. After 30 days, acrylic latex paints can be washed.
Paint prices are expected to go up at least 10% across the board after January 1, 2012, and the economy and recession have a lot of contractors with less work than usual. When the economy starts to recover, labor costs will go back up, and paint costs are going up no matter what. You can save up to 30% across the board by painting now--exterior or interior.
If you’re in a position to paint or remodel, now is your best opportunity to save.
Until recently, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were an essential ingredient in paints. They were the solvents that were released as the paint dried. Some people have very strong reactions to them in the hours and days after a new coat of paint.
