Monday, 25 December 2017

Questions To Ask Painters

Questions to Ask Painters There is an endless list of companies to choose from when it comes to hiring Toronto painters.  There are many of these service providers and deciding the best one to work with may be confusing. Wrong decisions will not only lead to undesirable results, but will also force you to put up with the low-quality paint job since you can’t simply have the whole thing repeated. Here are some of the Read More >>
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Advance Waterborne Enamel

Advance Waterborne Enamel This was a very large home in the Bridle Path area of Toronto. We painted the entire home in Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace. The existing colours were very strong and the transformation to white took a primer and 2-3 coats of Aura Paint. The doors were already white, which was not appealing to the new homeowner. The new colour she chose for the doors was Benjamin Moore’s Black Iron. A very deep Read More >>
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Sunday, 24 December 2017

Commercial Reviews

Ecopainting is an easy choice for Commercial Painters in Toronto. With well managed painting crews, we take care of all details and deliver predictable results. Browsing through our commercial client list you will find businesses that are similar to yours. As a result of our quality work and service we have hundreds of customer reviews like these. Commercial customers were also kind to leave us a review or testimonials like the ones in this blog. Phone references are Read More >>
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Email Reviews

Heartfelt Review from a Wonderful Customer “Never in my life have I been treated with such respect, dignity and kindness, by strangers I let into my home” We just finished painting an apartment in the Cedarbrae neighbourhood of Scarborough. The customer’s comments were very touching and helped us put some things into perspective. A paint job and how it’s done can make a big difference in someone’s living space. The pink bedroom and the yellow kitchen Read More >>
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Interview With Our Estimator

Interview with our Estimator When meeting with the estimator, the potentional customer actually meets the painting company face to face, likely for the first time. Maybe the customer read through painters reviews  before booking an appointment and knows what to expect but the first impressions are the most important ones.  In a very small company, the owner wears many hats including the sales hat. It is common for the painter to do estimating straight after work, without even Read More >>
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The Cheap Painter

Why Hiring the Cheap Painter is Bad for your Home Let’s address the issue of the cheap painter. You want to paint your home and search Google for “painters Toronto”. There is a plethora of painters out there and they all want your business. You end up at the online classifieds and this $99 dollar room special sounds too good to ignore. Later in the day, this person from your Facebook group has a cousin Read More >>
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Sunday, 10 December 2017

Medical Facility Painter

Painting Hospitals, Clinics, Doctors Offices & Other Healthcare Facilities Is it time to repaint your healthcare facility again? Have you been putting it off because of budget shortfalls? Maybe pre-qualifying of vendors is a hassle you don’t want to face again. Not every painting contractor is qualified to service the Healthcare sector. Your clients are your patients and their comfort is first priority. Institutional work is serious business and the commercial painters doing it need to Read More >>
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Tuesday, 21 November 2017

Rosedale Project

Wallpaper Removal in a Rosedale Home – Residential Painting Project. This featured project in Rosedale started small and ended up being one of Ecopainting’s most succesful projects. It involved way more than painting, in fact most of the labour hours went to wallpaper removal and the wall repairs afterwards. The homeowner just moved in and initially called Ecopainting to just remove some wallpaper and paint two bedrooms. It was a last minute request but since Read More >>
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Wednesday, 8 November 2017

Best Interior Paint

The Best Interior Paint Money Can Buy- A Review of Benjamin Moore’s Aura Eggshell What is the best interior paint? Is it even possible to make such a statement without conducting tests for durability, adhesion and hiding qualities? What about the look and the sheen? Interior decorating is all about the look afterall. Some people prefer the smoothness of a matte finish and others the silkiness of eggshell. Even after ticking all the required boxes, does the paint Read More >>
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Sunday, 29 October 2017

Guildwood Village Home

Home in Guildwood Village Painted as Good as New (better than new) This featured project is a lovely, almost new home we painted for a customer in Guildwood. Guildwood is a neighbourhood in the south east Scarborough, along the bluffs and south of Kingston Road. There aren’t too many new homes in the area and the ones that are newer are custom built for the homeowners. Guildwood village is a newer neighbourhood and was established in Read More >>
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Friday, 6 October 2017

Interior Painting How-To’s

DIY Painting Guide for Absolute Beginners A lot has been said about painting, colours, right tools to use, the best season and so on. However, nothing can be handier than a guide that lists everything down in the simplest possible manner. DIY enthusiasts often complain about not the lack of information available to them but the excess of it. With painting suggestions pouring in from left, right and center – it can be easy to Read More >>
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Sunday, 1 October 2017

Wallpaper Removal Methods

Wallpaper Removal Methods Removing wallpaper is one of these activities that every painter has an opinion about. Some painters developed methods of doing it successfully and others wouldn’t touch it. Being a tedious and time consuming activity, hiring a contractor to remove wallpaper can get expensive. If you are a DIYer with some free time, you can certainly attempt it yourself. You need some useful tools, some good instructions, patience and a lot of elbow Read More >>
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Sunday, 24 September 2017

Condominium Building Doors

Painting Doors for Apartment and Condominium Buildings Every day the doors of apartment and condominium buildings see a lot of wear and tear. Residents rush in and out of their home, sometimes with shopping bags, other times with furniture, but always in a hurry. Delivery workers and movers have a job to do and their job is to bring large objects through the doorways. To withstand this abuse, doors get painted with the toughest enamels Read More >>
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Sunday, 10 September 2017

How To Caulk

Interior and Exterior Caulking – How to do it professionally Caulking is used to fill the gap between two different or similar materials. Painters value prep-work as the foundation of a professional paint job. As trade skills go, caulking, like patching is a skill that new painters tend to overlook. In a way it’s understandable, since a new painter wants to get to the brush and the roller as quickly as possible. Prep work is usually not Read More >>
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Thursday, 31 August 2017

Painting Basements? Choose These Top 5 Colours

Basements are interesting places to decorate. Most homes have basements that double up as storage places or as an extra room. Homeowners also like to use this extra area to organize parties and family meets. If the basement is going to be used as a place where you spend time with family and friends, it is definitely a good idea to paint some interesting colours. 


A number of Ecopainting’s clients have specific uses for the basement. If you plan to use it as a TV/media room, use dark colours. In case you plan to use it for reading or relaxation purposes, a monochromatic or light colour scheme will work well. You can stay conservative and stick to neutral colours, but the basement is one place where you can go bold with colours and experiment. 

Selecting a good colour for the basement should not be difficult provided you know the limitations and advantages of this unique space. Considers painting samples and adjust the available lighting so that any paint colour in the basement turns out just right. 

Your basement can be dingy and dark with no windows or a big, bright room with a walk-out door. It makes more sense to take into account the lighting needs first and then choose the colour. Once you have determined that, your colour options will also increase. 


Here are some colours that are great for painting basements

  • Benjamin Moore’s Pottery Red – A deep red colour, this shade will be great for a media room and used alongside black and white. Such a red will work with distinct styles and accent colours. Pair that up with a white ceiling and trim so that the room doesn’t feel cramped and acts as a contrast to the red. 
  • Benjamin Moore’s Golden Honey – If you have a basement that doesn’t have enough natural light, this yellow shade will brighten up the area. Some clients choose to use basements as play areas or home offices, in such cases a warm yellow will make everything look bright and inviting. However, do not assume that a yellow paint colour will be able to completely compensate the lack of natural lighting around the room. Some light will be needed though. 
  • Benjamin Moore’s Wandering Heart:  Neutrals can work well in basements too. If you want to paint your basement a neutral shade but don’t want it to be too dull, the Wandering Heart is one colour you should consider. The pale green undertone gives a unique appearance under light. 
  • Benjamin Moore’s Arctic Blue: Basements painted in a universal colour like blue appear light and open. The Arctic Blue is a paint shade that has just a hint of green undertones and doesn’t look all blue. It’s a spa like colour that is ideal for creating a calm atmosphere in the basement. 
  • Benjamin Moore’s California Lilac: Lilacs and Purples are great alternatives to all the greens and blues out there. A deep purple shade will make a basement look royal. It is great for inspiring creativity and fun. With adequate lighting, this paint colour is most suitable for game rooms. 


In addition to choosing the best colours for your basement, the right sheen has an important role to play as well. The sheen will determine how the light will be reflected on the painted walls, whether it will highlight or hide flaws and how easy it will be to clean the walls. If you have a damp basement that may be affected by mold, a satin paint finish will be needed as it can tolerate moisture better than other paint types. 

Homeowners should also take into account, the current finishing of the basement and any other existing materials that may have been used to finish the basement. For example, if you have brick walls, you may like to paint the adjoining walls a refreshing colour such as pale green or a blue. In case the basement has a carpet or complete drywall, deeper and richer colours will be more appropriate. 

What colours do you think look best in a basement? Do share your colour and décor ideas in the comments section below. 

Tuesday, 29 August 2017

Patching Drywall Training

Drywall Repair, Patching and Taping – A Free Training Event by Ecopainting There are many YouTube videos about how to do anything these days and you can find step by step instructions for any DIY task. When we decided to host our Drywall taping and patching event we didn’t know what response we would get from our community. Ecopainting had free educational and community events before with various degrees of success. We called this one Read More >>
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Monday, 28 August 2017

Painting In Riverdale

Painting the Exteriors of Riverdale Homes and Local Businesses Are you looking for local painters to paint your home in Riverdale? Maybe you are a business owner thinking that the exterior of your establishment could use some sprucing up? We think you should consider hiring Ecopainting. We love painting in Riverdale and our customers are ecstatic with the service that they receive. During the last twenty years we have painted homes, stripped and stained decks, Read More >>
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Friday, 14 July 2017

Painting Suggestions For Smaller Bathrooms

Painting Small Bathrooms – How to make them look bigger ? Small bathrooms can be a pain to deal with.  If you as a homeowner are planning a residential painting project, optimizing the use of existing space is probably one of your major concerns. A home can certainly use more area, but in situations where it isn’t feasible to expand an existing bathroom, one of the ways you can make a small bathroom look larger Read More >>
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Wednesday, 12 July 2017

Top 5 Exterior Painting Blunders to Avoid While Painting Your Home

Summer is one of the best seasons to begin exterior painting for your home. But, there is more to an exterior painting colour scheme than just choosing a trim colour and a nice neutral for the outside. Conscious homeowners are aware of curb appeal and have begun to give similar importance to both interior and exterior painting.  While selecting the right exterior colours is not a difficult task, in order to maximize the curb appeal, make sure you avoid the commonly repeated mistakes discussed below. 

  • Disregarding the Neighbourhood Exteriors: In an ideal world, we would all live in our happy bubble and not concern ourselves with anyone else around us. In reality, it is very different. Some neighbourhoods have guidelines about exterior colours. You may be expected to paint your home exteriors in a certain colour to match the other homes on the street. Before you pick a paint colour, all you need to do is take a quick look down the street and see if your colour plans will look out of place. You may want to paint the outside walls a moss green but be prepared to change it or tone it down if the colour goes against the neighbourhood vibe. 
  • Absence of a Color Scheme: Just like testing colour samples, it is also necessary to create a colour scheme for the exteriors. Before you choose the paint, consult a painting contractor or a colour consultant in coming up with a colour scheme to beautify the outside of your home. You will need to decide on a colour for the trims, the outside walls, front door and even window colours. Accents can be added too and these can take the form of porch décor, pottery, plants, or furniture. 

  • Ignoring the Landscaping: Apart from testing paint colours, and trying to match them with the neighbourhood colour scheme, a homeowner must also carefully consider the landscaping colours. If the front yard has bright greens and yellows, a cool hued exterior may look cold and dull. Same goes for those front yards that have single colour flowers. If one colour dominates, this a problem too. To get rid of this problem, ask your painting contractor for suggestions, use a paint colour app for matching and get all the help you need before arriving at a decision.
  • Failing to test colour samples: It is a myth that testing colour samples is for interiors only. Sampling paint colours is as important for the outside of your home as it is for the inside. Getting paint colour swatches for the exteriors may even help you from choosing the wrong colour and save you some money. In the past, most homeowners would simply go up to their neighbourhood paint store and ask for a simple beige for the exterior. Nobody wanted to experiment with colours and people generally stuck to the tried and tested traditional colours. The problem with continuing this old approach now is, a ‘builders beige’ can look different on each home exterior. A general residential painting rule is - do not not assume that because something looks good on a neighbour’s home, it will also suit yours too. Each house is built different and testing colours for exteriors will tell how the paint will look on your home. 
    • Forgetting the Front Door: The front door can be of the most noticeable things about a home or one of the most unnoticeable ones too! A well painted front door greatly adds to the charm of a home’s exterior. Wooden and white doors may look nice but imagine a pop of colour for the front door. A well-chosen paint colour will make your home’s entrance look very attractive. It can complement the existing colours of the house, work with the colour scheme and also highlight unique architectural features that would otherwise go unnoticed. 

    In addition to the above aspects, there are certain other house elements that should be taken into account. For instance, homeowners should think about the existing materials that have been used for the exteriors. Roofs, stone and brick can also influence the exterior colour scheme. Some bricks and stones are brown, some are gray, or a shade of red-rust. 

    It is important to coordinate the exterior paint colours with these elements so as to prevent an ugly contrast. Also remember that light colours will make the house look more inviting, especially if it is situated away from the curb. On the other hand, dark colours will help in emphasizing the lower part of the house and indicate a solid foundation and stability. 

    What colour are you planning to paint your home’s exterior? 

    Wednesday, 5 July 2017

    10 Mistakes to Avoid When Painting Kitchen Cabinets

    Painting kitchen cabinets or painting anything for that matter is ruling social media sites these days. Aspiring DIYers are updating kitchens and interiors with fresh coats of paint and posting the pictures of their endeavors on sites such as Pinterest. While painting kitchen cabinets may look like a fun thing to do but there are some blunders that you should avoid: 


    1. Not labeling doors, drawers or hardware: The absence of labels is another blunder that people commit. It can be quite the task to remember what goes where. So it’s worth the effort to use numbered labels and these will tell you where everything goes. You can also stick a piece of masking tape with a number at the back of each piece. 
    2. Insufficient budgeting of time: Painting kitchen cabinets is not a weekend project that you can finish over a period of one or two days. It can often take four days to a week to do a thorough job. In addition, you also need to factor in breaks and prep time. If all this is overwhelming, hire a painting contractor to do this.
    3. Not sanding: Even if your cabinets are in a spotless condition, you still need to sand them so that the paint sticks. Use sandpaper, that is somewhat in the middle (150-200 grit) and use it on all surfaces that deserve a good, quick rub. The surface needs to go from glossy to matte. 
    4. A dusty surface: Cleaning up and vacuuming is more important than you think. Before you begin the paint job, vacuum any debris from the surfaces you plan to paint. Even a few specks of dust or foreign matter can ruin the look. If you don’t, you will get a gritty finish and the effect will be like you painted on sand. In order to address this, you will have to sand and repaint all over again. 
    5. Having unrealistic expectations: Painted cabinets do look lovely but expecting a hundred percent smooth and flawless finish is unrealistic. Grooves may show through the paint, warn painting experts. Once the paint dries, what wasn’t apparent earlier will show up now. The grain can be covered with putty but it can be a challenging and time consuming affair. 
    6. Picking the wrong color: While there is no right or wrong colour, it is important that you select an appropriate colour for the kitchen. The cabinet painting task is not difficult but it is not one that you will be redoing over and over again. So it is important that you get it right the first time. You can always paint a big poster board with colour samples that you’re considering. Hang the board on kitchen walls, appliances or even cabinets and make sure that you have picked the colour you really want to see there.
    7. Not cleaning the wood: Irrespective of how clean you think your kitchen is, you do need to wipe everything with a cleaner meant for removing grease. Because, when you paint a water-based paint on an oily door, the paint is not going to stick if it hasn’t been de-greased. This is a very important step and must not be skipped. To begin, remove all the doors, take out the drawers and unhinge any knobs or hinges. There are some people who attempt to paint it all – including the hinges when they’re still in place. However, this is not the right solution. The cabinets and hardware will start to show signs of wear and tear very soon. The paint on hinges will begin to crack and all you can do is to soak the hardware for getting rid of the paint. So, save yourself the trouble and follow the instructions above. 
    8. You skip priming: Some painters like to skip priming but think about this. The finished kitchen may look amazing now but few weeks or months down the line, the knots in wood can bleed through the paint. Try using a stain-blocking primer and you can avoid the blotches as the paint settles in.  
    9. Selecting sub-standard paint: After trying all sorts of paint, as a painting contractor, we had the most success with Benjamin Moore Advance. At times, it may be more expensive than a generic store bought paint but it is definitely worth it since you’ll get a smoother finish. Kitchen spaces have limited area to cover anyway so you won’t be breaking the bank if you opt for a good paint. 
    10. Rushing to re-install cabinets: It can be tiring to wait for paint to cure. However, if you happen to smudge the paint by mistake, you will have to sand the areas and repaint. So, don’t rush to install the cabinets the moment they’re painted. Give them time and the end result will be a spectacular kitchen. 
    Have you tried painting your kitchen cabinets or hired a painting company to do it? What was your experience like?

    Wednesday, 14 June 2017

    10 Ways to Use Colour Psychology for Your Home



    When we plan a home renovation project – there are few different approaches we take. Some of us like to stick with an existing décor or pattern and some of us like to choose objects or colours that look more attractive than what exists currently. Colour is generally one of the dominant tools that influences our decisions. The choice of colour has the power to inspire certain emotions, create illusions of space, set the mood or hide flaws. Colour psychology is a field in itself and can be a great way to create a beautiful home. This holds true not just for interior but also exterior painting. 
    In this article, we touch up on some simple ways that you can use colour psychology: 
    1. Bright colours good for creating space illusion: When you need a home to appear larger than it is, use vibrant colours like eggshells or yellows to add space, especially to exteriors. This will also help with resale if you are a seller. No need to stick to white, it is too common and won’t be as effective as tinted colours. 
    2. Red kitchens for building appetites: As per colour theory, blue is a suppressant and red, a colour than enhances. Red/warm colours have been effective in increasing appetite in most people. This is one of the reasons why it is used frequently in restaurants or in dining rooms. It is not difficult to use red, you can paint cabinets red or beige walls can have red windows. 
    3. Stay warm in winter: Warmer/Deeper tones are great for the winter. Use oranges, reds and yellows when choosing a paint for the home. In the winter, it will make your home look more inviting from the outside and warm on the inside. This is a great tip to follow when you’re planning to sell your home during winter. 
    4. Cool off in the summer: Like warm colours, cool tones will make your home seem clean and fresh in the summer. Think of white exteriors with a blue trim, this is a popular choice for summer homes and new home painting projects. 
    5. Look back for a moment: Colour consultants suggest that using familiar colours can inspire a feeling of goodness. Look back, think of your childhood, and are you reminded of any particularly fond memories? What colours do you associate with these memories? Many of us remember colours from kitchens, if you cannot recollect those, reds and yellows are an ever-popular choice. 
    6. Rest & relax: Most of us have that one room or space in the house that manages to instantly relax us. What colour is this area? More often than not, it will be a neutral or cool colour. If you want to make a room super relaxing, paint it in cool colours like lighter shades of blue, lavender and green will all have a calming effect. 
    7. Reds and high blood pressure: While red is great for kitchens and boosting appetites, dark shades of red are generally associated with high blood pressure. Having deep red bedrooms can cause irritability so go for calmer colours if you’re looking for relaxation. 
    8. Go green: A number of us either work from home at times or have a fully functional home office. Are we really all that productive when working from home? Consider painting home office spaces with shades of green. It will inspire concentration and help you in working quickly. Apart from painting the room a light shade of green, also consider including a plant or two but don’t turn the area into a jungle. It can be distracting. Painting contractors will tell you that green is one of the most popular green colours currently being used in home design. 
    9. An optimistic yellow: Yellow is a cheerful colour and is perfect for sun-rooms. If you want to use shades of yellow inside your home, there are couple of ways you can do that. One way is to paint the entryway yellow or use the colour on an enclosed porch. These places are ideal as you feel your spirits lifting the moment you leave or enter the house. A little pick me up like this will make the daily grind more bearable!  
    10. White is not that bad: White symbolizes cleanliness and purity, that’s probably one of the reasons why most bathroom fixtures are white. You don’t want to hide dust and stains in the bathroom, they should be visible so that they can be cleaned. A fresh and clean bathroom with gentle white paint will put your mind at ease. 

    Colour psychology is a science, one that should be used when deciding the colour scheme for a home. When everything else fails, nature has the best colour palette. Select hues that resonate closely to the world outside. Colours that appear naturally will also blend very well with the interiors. For exteriors, we do recommend bright colours to create a more welcoming appearance.

    Tuesday, 13 June 2017

    What Colour To Paint Your Kitchen

    What Colour Are You Thinking of Painting the Kitchen? Interior renovation projects frequently include choosing new paint colours for the walls as well. Once you are done deciding colours for the main rooms, it is time to choose colours for the kitchen. Painting the walls is one of the simplest ways to make the most used room of a home stand out. Before you hit the local paint store, take a breath, relax and think Read More >>
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    Sunday, 4 June 2017

    Colour Help for New Homeowners

    Home is a Reflection of the People that Live in it! The colours we love to wear and the colours around us are proven inspiration sources. For most of us however, too much choice can be overwhelming. You just bought your home, painting is the last thing on your mind. That’s where we come in. Ecopainting has been doing this for 15 Years. We can help. We can even paint your Home before you move Read More >>
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    Sunday, 28 May 2017

    Concerns About Interior Painting

    Common Apprehensions about Interior Painting Interior painting is a big deal – especially for homeowners. Deciding on a colour is just half the battle. The other half is how smoothly and successfully the painting project will be executed. Gone are the days when you would see a group of scruffy painters in overalls rambling about your house, painting at a snail’s pace. With time, the painting industry and the painters themselves have become a lot Read More >>
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    Saturday, 27 May 2017

    The Right Sheen For Interior Paints

    Have you been waiting to complete that painting project for the kitchen or a kid’s bedroom? Finally zeroed in on the right colour for the rooms. Congratulations – you’re almost there. But have you thought about the sheen? Wait! Why is sheen important? What sheen should you pick for the bathroom or the kitchen? And does it matter? These are some questions that you may need answers for as they will make a world of Read More >>
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    Monday, 20 February 2017

    Unionville

    Interior and Exterior Painting in Unionvillle.

    Ecopainting has been painting for the residents of Unionville and Markham since the early eighties. A lot has changed in 30 years, not the least of which is the demographics of this suburban “village”. As in most of the GTA there has been a lot of residential development here, notably north of the 16th line and south of Highway 7.

    Without sounding too anachronistic, the Unionville we were painting years ago, was much different than the Unionville of today. When you painted the interior of a home, you were asked to paint the exterior and eventually the entire neighbourhood. All you needed was good old fashioned customer service and some good work.

    We know some of these neighbourhood intimately. Around the Bridal Trail subdivision at Carlton and Kennedy we still have some customers since the nineties. Customers were loyal then and losing even one of them was a big deal. Ecopainting made it a point to stay “Top Of Mind” year after year. Norm, Debbie, Helen, Suzanne, Diane, they were all neighbours and you could say hello to all of them within a quick drive.

    This is what Diane Koch said after painting her Unionville home:
    “Wow! What a transformation! Working with Karon and George has been a pleasurable experience. Their professionalism, beginning with the detailed proposal to the neat and tidy work areas, are factors that will ensure our recommending Ecopainting to family and friends. Their expertise in making recommendations to several areas was fully appreciated. We look forward to seeing them again”

    Almira Furniture is a well known furniture store in Unionville. Painting the store was a labour of love for more than 12 years.  Many small paint jobs later, we completely transformed the interior of the store and every  inch of wall and trim has been painted.

    Painting for Almira Furniture in Unionville was a badge of accomplishment that we kept for a long time. The owners and employees of the store hired Ecopainting for their own homes and painted for their clients throughout the GTA.

    We bought the paint locally and we wouldn’t have it any other way. The place to buy paint in town was Hunter’s Discount Paint. RONA Lansing around the corner was the closest you could get to a big box store.  Rona had the reputation of a local lumberyard and did very well with the locals.

    Hunter’s is not around anymore but Chee, one of their employees opened up two Benjamin Moore stores in Markham. With Chee’s experience and his connections, MARKHAM COLOURS & DECOR became one of the best paint stores in the GTA.

    Downtown Unionville a good place to paint

    Unionville is 33 km northeast of downtown Toronto & 4 km east of Richmond Hill. Main Street is a picturesque downtown street. During the summer, Main Street is crowded by thousands of locals walking up and down the street in European style.
    Beautiful outdoor cafes and cute storefronts come to life especially during the Jazz Festival. There are literally tens of thousands visiting the Festival. We often suggest our painters take a walk on Main street after work. Even if just for a cold drink at “Jake’s” or for ice cream, the experience is worth it. We may even say hello to a customer or two.

    Complete Painting Services available in Unionville by Ecopainting

    Residential painting and staining in Unionville

    Call Ecopainting at 416 733-7767 to paint your home or business and experience the old school service of Unionville.

    We offer the following services (editted 20/02/2017):

    • Exterior painting
    • Restoration painting of Century homes
    • Interior painting – Quick repaint for staging and resale is available
    • Complete redecorating of entire homes (painting ceilings, walls, woodwork).
    • Work for interior designers and colour consultants. Design professionals love the service we provide to their clients. We also love and appreciate the convenience of a paint job as instructed by a design professional.  
    • Wallpaper removal and wall repairs. According to some people in the industry, wallpaper is making a modest comeback. Unfortunately most of the wallpaper currently in homes is outdated and needs to be removed. Ecopainting is experienced in removing wallpaper and we use a special, safe, non toxic solution. You don’t really have to be stuck with ugly wallpaper. Our professionals can remove it without any hustle. We can even restore the walls to a perfect condition, ready for redecorating.
    • Commercial work in offices, retail stores and restaurants.

    “I love it. It all comes together now: the yellow gold walls, the fabric and new furniture colour, the wood floors. Thank you, for all of your help, and I hope to see you again when we paint the kitchen – next year!”

    Susan W. Repeat client in Markham – Unionville.


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    Saturday, 11 February 2017

    Located In Scarborough

    Scarborough’s Local Painting Company, now Officially.

    Our Office in Scarborough

    Ecopainting used to be located in Scarborough at 2100 Ellesmere Rd. This was the Aldgate building at the corner of Markham Road and Ellesmere. We loved that office – especially the shared hallways, the sparkling clean washrooms and elevators. Aldgate was a good landlord for us. They allowed alterations within our space without any hesitation and kept the building clean and maintained. When it was time to renew our lease, it was also a time for change for Ecopainting. We decided that it was time for Ecopainting to own a commercial space. You know, to be like the little painting company that grew.

    It was early in 2012 when we started looking. Commercial real estate in downtown Toronto was getting to be very expensive. The next best thing for us was to find something outside the downtown area but close to the 401. We paint throughout the GTA and proximity to a major highway would make our daily commute much easier.  Since the majority of our employees lived east of the city, we looked for a place in  the east of Scarborough

    What did we find?

    A Commercial Space with Potential

    We found what we thought at the time was affordable space, on Morningside Avenue, just north of the 401. This had potential written all over it and we decided to purchase it. 1345 Morningside Avenue Unit 20 would be our new location.

    When we bought it, it was a place of worship. It had wall to wall red carpet, a wooden podium, and a few other things that we needed to change. We broke some walls, removed the carpet and gathered all our leftover paints. With a Titan 440 sprayer, the place got a makeover and our Scarborough painters got a spray training opportunity as a result!

    Within two days and freshly painted, the place looked extra nice and clean! We took time to decide how we wanted our work space to be, and what would work for a painting contractor. We wanted the office area at the front, a kitchenette with cupboards and a washroom. The back area was to be part shop, part storage.

    Another advantage of having our own location, was being able to manage the construction waste coming back from the job sites. We contracted a waste disposal company that had good environmental policies. We decided on having weekly pickup of construction waste and recycling. The recycling bin is now getting filled with recyclable materials that the crews collect at the job sites. We recycle anything from cardboard, to drinking containers, even coffee cups. Paint cans with paint in them get taken to a drop off depot in Scarborough, usually a RONA store.

    A teaching moment at our Scarborough shop

    Ecopainting Spreading Roots in the Community

    The GTA is a huge area to work in and at times traveling west can be a challenge. We opened a second location in Mississauga* in 2015. The role of this smaller location is to service our western crews. In the meantime, we have some big plans for our main home in Scarborough.

    We intend to conduct training programs for our painters, and there’s an exclusive training wall for that purpose. Ecopainting is a socially conscious company with principles that extend beyond our narrow profit margins. For this reason, our doors are open to the community, especially the locals in Scarborough. In the future, Ecopainting will be inviting local individuals and organizations to use our location as a local resource. There will also be educational gatherings and sessions where our painters will share their trade knowledge with the community.

    Our office is only minutes away from the Rouge Valley, Scarborough’s own jewel of nature. We are planning for our environmental mandate to go beyond our field responsibilities. We think Ecopainting should be an active participant in local environmental activities. Our company (and painters) should be leaders and advocates of protecting our environment.

    We are proud of our growth, our new offices and we are certainly open for business. We are also open to the great community in Scarborough. If there is any way we can help, give us a call at 416 733-7767.

    *Update: One year we decided that the Mississauga location was not necessary as most of our painters lived in the east part of the city.

    This post was originally published on March 13 2015 and was last updated on February 11 2017.


    Located In Scarborough posted first on your-t1-blog-url

    Scarborough Paint Store

    Our Favourite Scarborough Paint Store

    Ecopainting is located in Scarborough and is well established in the local business community. As a result, we support local groups and of course business and vendors. Our favourite Scarborough paint store is Boyd’s Decorating Centre. They are currently located at 590 Ellesmere Road, north west intersection of Birchmount and Ellesmere Road.

    We have been using Benjamin Moore paints since the early nineties. Ecopainting was one of the original members of the Painting and Decorating Services (PDS) of Benjamin Moore. This program is not available any more but through our participation, we got to know some local Toronto designers and colour consultants. We also got to understand how important an independent paint dealer is to painting contractors.

    The Benjamin Moore dealers are the main reason Toronto painting contractors prefer the brand. The product knowledge, service and trade support you get from a local dealer is second to none.

    The Local Paint Store – Boyd’s

    A big box store will never be able to replace what a local store means to a community. Ecopainting as a Scarborough based business, has a policy of supporting local vendors and we avoid patronizing big box stores if we can help it.

    Boyd’s has been servicing the Scarborough market for over 40 years and their experience is second to none. Over the years the store was in different locations, reflecting the change of demographics and the growth of Scarborough. The first location I remember was the Huntingwood store on Brimley Road. That was a good residential area and a highly sought out market for Scarborough painters. We used to have a few repeat customers in the area and we still service some of them. I remember shopping for paint at Boyd’s on numerous occasions. I remember Judy well, and how she used to provide me valuable product advice every time I needed it.

    The store later moved in the Parkway Mall, where they operated for many years. The biggest advantage of that location was that it was open late and you could buy paint during shopping mall hours. Especially when working late at commercial painting projects in Scarborough. Their current location on Ellesmere Road is by far the most convenient for our painters to buy Benjamin Moore paint from. The store is much bigger, and brighter, thanks to many large windows. Contractors love the convenience of a well-stocked store and of course the always available parking.

    Julia, one of our painters, visited Boyd’s and learned about their long history. She had an opportunity to interview Paul Boyd, who is part owner of Boyd’s Decorating Centre. Paul graciously agreed to provide Ecopainting this amazing and heartfelt review. The transcript of the interview is provided after the video.

    How long have you known Ecopainting?

    Ecopainting, I am gonna say I ‘ve known them since 2007. Judy goes back much further knowing them. But for us, we find both Karon and George very professional. In saying that, there is a real human element to the two of them. They are personable, other than selling them paint, we have come to know some of their personal lives and what they like and dislike. For us at Boyds, for the staff, Shelley and I, this is part of selling paint. It’s getting to know our customer, we have almost become the fifties barbershop, they will come in, tell us about their weekend, some will share their problems.

    What Do You like about Ecopainting? 

    They buy paint from me, I love that! Besides that and their business, they are great people once again. Like a lot of our customers, they will share some stories, we got to know these people. It’s not just about standing on this side of the counter and selling paint. They are real people, they are professional, they hire people like yourself. They pay their bills, and as a distributor of paints, when they run a business that professional, then you got to assume that’s how their paint jobs turn out.

    They know what they want, they are educated, they are right up on all the eco products. So anyone that would hire these people, it comes with the knowledge …or they come with the knowledge they truly know what they are doing.

    Thank you Paul, this type of endorsement is very valuable to us, especially coming from a respected business in the Scarborough Community. We look forward to many years of the same amazing service we have been receiving.

    This post was originally published on May 24 2015 and was last updated on February 2 2017.


    Scarborough Paint Store posted first on your-t1-blog-url

    Scarborough Commercial Painting

    Commercial Painting Service by local Scarborough Contractor.

    Offices painted at a commercial location

    Ecopainting is located in the North East part of Scarborough. We recently purchased our own commercial condo in an up and coming industrial part of the city. Being only a short drive north of the 401 on Morningside Avenue, our company premises have become a busy hub for our painters and crews. We paint throughout the GTA but it’s always convenient when the job sites are in close proximity.

    Scarborough used to have a strong industrial presence when companies such as General Motors and GE among others, represented its manufacturing base. Due to the de-industrialization of the economy, the manufacturing sector experienced a net loss of 1,758 jobs between 2002 and 2012. In contrast, the retail and service sectors together experienced a growth of over 3,000 jobs.

    Commercial Services in Scarborough by Ecopainting

    Being a commercial painting contractor in Scarborough has its advantages. Ecopainting regularly gets the opportunity to work with local clients who are either major employers in the area or established corporate citizens. Our professional Scarborough painters have painted:

    • Commercial and industrial plants such as G&K Services
    • Office Space and buildings
    • Food processing facilities
    • Health institutions like Bellwood Health Services
    • Outpatient health facilities for the Rouge Valley Health System
    • Retail establishments in the Scarborough Town Centre
    • Condominium and apartment buildings
    • Schools and educational facilities
    • Public Transit Stations, such as the Go Transit Stations
    Commercial Scarborough location painted

    Commercial customers have specific expectations from a Painting contractor. Most importantly, they would like the least disruption to their production processes. Retailers like contractors to be considerate of their customers. In care facilities, the number one priority is the comfort of patients and residents.

    Ecopainting has a working understanding of these distinct requirements and works closely with facility managers to make their projects as hassle-free as possible.

    Two Commercial Painting Projects in Scarborough (one is retail and the other industrial)

    Lululemon Store (Scarborough Town Centre). This was one of their busiest locations and being in a mall it stayed open late. To avoid interference with their retail operations, all painting was to take place after closing time. A big and experienced crew was assigned to work overnight. We did all prep work and repairs immediately so they could dry quickly. The specialty primers had one hour dry and recoat properties. The customer specified the colours and they were bright and vibrant. Bright colours often require the application of multiple coats to achieve 100% hiding of the previous colour. To reduce the number of needed coats, we decided to use high quality fast drying paints. Specifically the product line was Benjamin Moore’s Aura. Aura dries very fast and allows for possible recoating in one hour. This paint also happens to be one of the most durable in the market. It employees Benjamin Moore’s proprietary Colour Lock technology and allows for years of durability and colour retention.

    The other problem we wanted to avoid was the offensive smell that most paints emit. The store opens every morning and freshly painted walls come with the expected paint smell. Not this time, Aura paint came to the rescue again. This revolutionary product has low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) and uses waterbourne colourants. Despite the strong colours like orange and purple, the smell of paint in the morning was minimal. We painted at this facility twice within a year, and both times we completed the work in one night.

    Durapaint Industries. This company is located in the north east, industrial part of Scarborough. Durapaint is a supplier of pre-coated metal parts and equipment for the building industry. They have a large 60,000 square feet modern facility.  Inside their premises they have an enormous spray facility. The painting “assembly line” is 35,000 square feet in size and utilizes some of the most modern ventilation technologies. When they were building it, they engaged the services of the Ecopainting crews to paint some of the structural parts. These were very tall metal structures and we used aerial lift equipment to reach them. This time we used coatings from Devoe’s industrial paints. Later, we went back to paint some of their metal exterior structures including their state of the art paint filtering system. 

    looking down to our commercial painters

    According to Statistics Canada 2011, Scarborough has a population of 625,698. That is larger than the city of Halifax, the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, or the combined areas of Kitchener, Cambridge and Waterloo.

    Ecopainting is experiencing growth throughout the GTA. As a Scarborough based company, we are here to help, please call 416 733-7767 to know more about our painting services.


    Scarborough Commercial Painting posted first on your-t1-blog-url

    Wednesday, 8 February 2017

    North York Exterior Painting

    Exterior Painting of North York House – Natalie’s story.

    Painting the exterior of a North York home

    North York is a beautiful area to explore if you are in one of its neighbourhoods. There are a number of well designed, luxurious homes worthy of being featured in a magazine. Ecopainting gets a number of exterior painting jobs in North York every summer. The residents take pride in their homes and keep the exteriors well maintained. We have done work for a large number of homes in the area. The newer, bigger homes keep our exterior crews busy for a long period of time. Whereas, the older homes are smaller in size but may require more attention to detail.

    Irrespective of the size of your house, Ecopainting succeeds at a successful, hassle-free paint job each time. A while ago, we painted a home in the Bathurst & Lawrence area. Our client was particularly impressed with the Painting Crew and the Job Manager.

    While requesting a customer testimonial is a part of our closing procedure, there are instances when clients go out of their way to provide us with a descriptive version of their experience with us. It is these notes that we treasure and display on our website. Words of encouragement are hard to come by but Natalie from North York had a lot to say!

    Here is an excerpt from the email Natalie wrote to us after Ecopainting painted her North York home:

    “We have done numerous renovations on our North York home since we bought it in 2006. We knew that it was a house that needed and would continue to need a lot of love. “She (Rachel, a Job Manager)” has not let us down! Over the years, we have had a number of crews come to our home and it has usually felt very intrusive and we have usually felt out of control in the whole process. Ecopainting has been the exception. The first time Rachel phoned at 7:45 to let us know that they would not be starting at 9 a.m. with an explanation as to why, I was completely shocked! It was so respectful and allowed both my husband and I to feel in control of our schedules – which is extremely important when you work from home. In all our years and projects dealing with contractors this had never happened.

    Rachel is not only a fantastic young woman who loves both people and her work, but she happens to be an excellent painter. Her background in Fine Arts means that she takes painting seriously – even house painting! The job she did managing the crew and the quality of work she did, in the time frame it took, was worth every penny we paid. We have never had so many requests for input and feedback about the work they were doing. Feedback was not only listened to but appreciated and acted upon immediately. This really is not the norm!

    We have a few more complex projects coming up and we will definitely use Ecopainting again”

    Warmly,

    Natalie

    Ecopainting  dedicated crews of painters and job managers who are deeply committed to their roles. It is often difficult to quantify or review the experience you have had with a ‘service’. That’s where we go the extra mile and make your exterior painting experience memorable.

    If you are in North York or need painters anywhere in the GTA – don’t wait for summer! Schedule your exterior painting job today – call us on 416-733-7767 for an estimate.


    North York Exterior Painting posted first on your-t1-blog-url

    Sunday, 5 February 2017

    Painting For A Markham Customer

    Painting for a Markham Customer.

    Markham living room decorated

    This blog is about painting in Markham, at Susan’s and  Michael’s home. We will talk about their customer experience through Susan’s comments and her testimonials. We will get to meet Harley and his sidekick Rio (their pet parrots). Harley and Rio are the central characters every time we visit or talk about this lovely home.

    A little bit about Customer Service

    Customer service is not about the contractors and the paint job. It is about the customer and what they think about having you inside their home. Walls and doors can look spectacular with paint, but it’s still a paint job. Service is about producing a real and pleasant customer experience. These days the consumer has different ways of sharing their experiences. Online reviews is one place to see customer comments. The problem with online reviews is that people now distrust them as being fake. Ecopainting keeps records of all handwritten and signed customer testimonials.

    Let’s meet Harley, the pet parrot

    Susan and Michael live in the Unionville area of Markham. They live with their pets Harley and Rio. The moment you walk in you can’t miss who is at the epicenter of this home is, it’s Harley. His presence was evident since the first estimate  & continued right through our paint jobs later.

    Karon our estimator said about Harley. “Harley didn’t like the landscapers outside because they were loud. He didn’t mind the painters working inside the house, you would think we enjoyed the company. He would look at you, swaying from side to side…like he was dancing! While painting in the family room, you would hear a frequent “hello” from the kitchen next door. If you were having a conversation, you might hear “really?” when Harley was listening. It actually sounded like a legitimate question!”

    The pet parrot

    First we painted the main living areas in shades of creams and greens and yellows. We used Natura eggshell and Aura Bath & Spa paints from Benjamin Moore. A few weeks later, the new hardwood floors complimented the colours beautifully.

    Susan’s comments: “Karon, I remember you asking me whether I liked the family room colour. My reply was that I’d wait and see after we installed the wood. That was when it would all come together. Well, the wood has is in (and the furniture recovered). I thought I’d share these pics with you and turn the tables: what do you think? I love it. The yellow gold walls, the fabric and new furniture colour, the wood floors. It all comes together now. Thank you for all your help. I hope to see you again when we redo the kitchen!”

    We went back to Markham to paint the new kitchen and Susan was again delighted:

    “Wonderful – What a difference professionals make to a reno project. From suggesting complimentary colours for the whole house to delivery of proposed results.  The whole effect is one of warmth, unity, and elegance. Complete thanks to Karon and her team!”

    When it was time to paint the exterior, there was no doubt who the contractor would be. Earning the trust of a few good customers can keep a painting company busy with repeat work and word of mouth alone. In April 2011 we painted the windows doors and door frames. Lennox and Rachel are the painters pictured here.

    Exterior painters in Mrkham

    In 2014 back painting the home again

    It was 2014 and time to paint for one of our favourite customers again. They upgraded their windows and the front door. This time we primed and prepped the new wood and applied two coats of Para Paints semi-gloss. The crew was Aziz and Alex but the results the quality of work and service was the same. Alex got to meet Harley and his sidekick parrot for the first time. Susan was not present during the work but she was equally impressed:

    “Hi Karon, I’m sorry I missed you during the ‘painting season’. I suffer from the pains of working downtown and the traffic. Michael kept me well informed and I’m grateful you could conclude before Christmas. I just wanted to tell you that I love (love!) the colours you and I chose for our house a few years back. Even the living room looks great. Your choice it was (I was hesitant) and you were right. It’s perfect. As usual, your painters did a great job. Better than Michael and I could do on those windowsills – many thanks. He made such a fuss when they were here and you know how noisy he can be first hand!”

    Update: In 2015 we completed another project for Michael and Susan. We cleaned and restained their backyard deck. This job deserves a full project description of it’s own. I hope to write a blog (with many pictures) about painting and staining decks in the GTA.
    In January of 2017, Alex went back for yet another paint job. She painted their interior oak railing in bright white.  


    Painting For A Markham Customer posted first on your-t1-blog-url

    Sunday, 22 January 2017

    Conference Rooms And Branding

    Painting the Conference Room and Boardrooms.

    Painting the Boardroom is a good idea
    What colour would you choose for the conference room and boardrooms next time the facility gets painted?

    When picking colours for the paint job, the reception and main areas get most of the attention. That’s totally understandable, considering that’s where most of the activity happens. However, at the meeting rooms is where most of the important decisions are made. If the meeting rooms are comfortable for the participants, the discussion will be productive.

    Ecopainting is a commercial painting company. As such, we may be biased in our thinking that paint and colour is the solution for everything. Somebody said: “when you’re a hammer everything looks like a nail” That’s fair to say, we are all a little biased and may overvalue what we bring to the table. There are however other ways to make meeting rooms comfortable.

    How Relevant are Conference Rooms these days?

    With the progress of technology and social media, companies identified travelling to meetings as an unnecessary expense. Conference calls video conferences and online meetings became a viable way of doing business. However they don’t have the same effect as face to face meeting do. Studies show that face-to-face meetings are more likely to result in breakthrough thinking.

    In the study, there was a correlation between cutbacks in business travel and a reduction of profit. As a result, businesses are abandoning that thinking and plan to spend more money on business travel and meetings. Online meetings are a great business tool but with limitations.  Face to face builds transparency, comfort, and trust with each other.

    Goal: Make the Boardroom Comfortable for the Participants

    Business travel and meeting costs are expensive but necessary. What will it take to help make the meeting as productive as possible? Improving the surroundings and the comfort level of the participants is a start.

    • How is the temperature in the boardroom during meetings? Is it comfortable to someone to spend a few hours in there? How is the air quality. Having the ability to control the temperature in the room is very important.
    • Refreshments. Water, coffee drinks and even catered lunch will keep the participants attention span focused for longer periods of time.
    • Lighting. Natural light is the best and healthiest source of lighting. Opening the blinds to let natural light in is a great idea but many conference don’t have windows. In this case a bright room can be created with artificial lighting and light colour walls.
    • Comfortable chairs and a practical boardroom table are a good investment.
    Painters hard at work at boardrooms of a lawyers office

    The role of Paint and Colour in Creativity and Comfort.

    Different colours can create different emotions both positive and negative. Does it mean that using colour psychology can give us the best possible colour for creativity? Unfortunately, the answer is not that simple. If there was a perfect colour for productivity, every company would be using it already. We all have different backgrounds and upbringing. Cultural influences play a big role in how we see colour.

    Opinions & Observations after years of Painting Boardrooms

    Dark neutrals such as a darker grey have no place in a boardroom. Maybe yours is an accounting firm that can’t let go of conservative surroundings. Maybe preserving the stereotypical accountant’s reputation is important to you. But seriously, these colours have a place in carpeting, furniture and maybe on an accent wall or two. If you want a cheerful Monday morning meeting, gray will not be a friend. In my opinion, using shades of vibrant colours works wonders. Shades of blue, green even hints of orange can spice up a boring boardroom and keep a meeting alive. If you are not that daring, use small doses of colour as accent walls and paint the rest of the boardroom in an off white. More information about painting the office and colour.

    Painting with Whiteboard and Chalkboard Paint in Boardrooms

    Whiteboard paint in the boardroom
    Advertising agencies and marketing teams create constantly. When an idea sparks the mind, it must be captured. Recently, the paper notebook has been losing the battle to tablets and other digital tools. What about the whiteboard as a place to capture creativity? Why not paint entire walls with whiteboard paint? We painted a few walls with whiteboard paint and the results were positive. It takes a day or two to prep and paint the wall and the cost is not prohibitive.

    What about the old chalkboard method? It may make you feel like you are back at school, but if it worked then, it can work now. There was something authoritative about teaching with a chalk in hand. Our painters used chalkboard paint in a Toronto office space recently. The customer was Powered By Search, a marketing company in Toronto. When we painted their new space, they wanted a wall painted with a wide strip of chalkboard paint. For years later, that wall was a focal point in their office. This was definitely a creative way to use paint.

    When painting offices in your facility, why not pay some serious attention to the colour of the boardroom.

    In Toronto, call Ecopainting at 416 733-7767. We can help you find the right colour, we can even connect you with a colour consultant.


    Conference Rooms And Branding posted first on your-t1-blog-url

    Saturday, 21 January 2017

    Painting Building Exteriors

    Painting Building Exteriors in Toronto.

    Painting a building exterior

    By painting commercial building exteriors you can protect the surfaces from the harsh Toronto weather elements. This is more evident after major ice storms like the one in December 2014. Rain and ultraviolet radiation can be almost as damaging to building surfaces as severe weather is. If the building exterior is part of a housing complex, protecting the exterior elements with paint will help the residents enjoy the premises. Then there is the issue of making a building look good with paint. Painting commercial building exteriors shows pride of ownership and makes the facility manager look good to the customers and users.

    Protecting the Building Exterior.

    • Fading. Our summers get very hot. Ultraviolet radiation breaks down the paint film and the colours fade. This is more the case with older or cheaper paints. Painters today have access to quality acrylic coatings that resist fading. Today’s acrylics do a great job with gloss retention and protect surfaces better.

    • Mildew. After a few years, buildings can start developing mildew. Oil based paints and cheaper coatings are more prone to mildew. This happens more in damp and shaded areas. A good painting contractor knows how to pre-treat a surface and clean it properly before painting. New quality acrylic paints contain mildewcides and resist future mildew forming.

    • Efflorescence. This looks like a white salt stain deposit, and is found on brick and other masonry surfaces. It is the result of moisture collecting inside the masonry walls. The moisture travels to the surface and leaves a powdery looking substance. Efflorescence compromises the paint strength and mostly the substrate below it. After the contractor cleans the surface, a good primer and breathable paint should be used. If possible, eliminating the source of the moisture should be considered first.

    • Water Intrusion is a culprit to most building surface problems and paint failure. Paint itself can do a good job protecting, especially the latest elastomeric type coatings. The best way to ensure that no moisture will penetrate the surface is doing a quality caulking job. The type and brand of caulking itself makes a difference. A caulking with great expansion qualities will “move” together with the surfaces it is applied on and resist cracking. The best quality is the acrylic siliconized grade that is paintable. If part of the caulking needs to be coated, the paint itself needs to be flexible. An exterior painting contractor should have the product and application experience to help with product specifications.

    Painting the Building Exterior for Aesthetic Reasons.

    Painting Exterior of building on a Toronto busy street

    Moisture will make the paint peel, metal will rust and even brick surfaces will show signs of efflorescence. Ultra Violet radiation will make the colours fade, and gloss of the finish coats disappear. Neglect from the previous building owners is also a major contributor. As a result the building will not look good and become the eyesore to its surroundings.
    For example, this Toronto building pictured here was very dull and almost unnoticeable. The building is home to the practice of Aaron B. Harnett, BA, LL.B, a Toronto Criminal Lawyer. That building needed colour, and colour it received. You would think lawyers are conservative in their decorating endeavours and be happy to just blend in. But not criminal lawyers said Mr Harnett.

    Our painters worked hard to transform the look of the building and the results were amazing. The building was first pressure washed to remove most of the road dust and dirt, as it is located on a busy main street. A few days later we did some minor patching and caulking and treated the rusted areas. The entrance of the building had some white marks due to efflorescence. After washing it well we used a special clear sealer. The paint we used was Benjamin Moore’s Exterior Aura, low lustre finish. Aura is a very low VOC paint (Volatile Organic Compound). Considering the smog problem, it is a great product to use for exterior painting in Toronto. In the past, adding this much colourant to a low VOC paint used to be a problem. Traditional universal colourants were very high in VOC content. Aura uses low VOC waterbourne colourants. Another benefit of using Aura Exterior Paints was it’s strong hiding quality, eliminating the need for multiple coats of paint.

    The owners of a North York building (pictured at the top of the blog) called us a year ago. They just purchased the property and they fully intended to upgrade it’s look. The previous coating was completely faded and it was looking that it was in serious need of painting. The neighbourhood is a busy and established commercial area and spending some money to repaint the building was a fail-proof investment. After we spent some time analyzing what the existing coating was and how itself was adhering to the substrate, we went on to choose the proper coating.

    The colour needed to be similar to the existing colour before it was faded. This would ensure that the building blends well with it’s surroundings. There were some larger buildings on the street that set the tone and also a neighbouring church and a school. We decided to use a colour from Benjamin Moore and a Direct to Metal (DTM) acrylic from PPG. After washing the surface well, we tested the new coating extensively before applying it. We tested for adhesion strength, ease of application by roller (busy street) and drying times. We finally confirmed that this was the right product to use and our painters had the building painted in less than two weeks.

    Townhouse complex and Apartment buildings.

    Painting townhouse exteriors

    When the building in question is an apartment building or townhouse complex, maintaining the exteriors will add to the enjoyment of the facilities by the residents. Swimming pools, balconies and playgrounds need maintenance from wear and tear and the elements. Using long lasting coatings and applying them properly makes a lot of sense. The value of the property is maintained and residents will help with the upkeep as the enjoy using the facilities. Manufacturers produce great new coatings that perform well under different weather conditions and climates. They test these products extensively as their company name is on the label and their reputation is at stake.

    Why not take advantage of all the latest products and use them to protect and beautify your property. A good paint contractor is experienced with the application of these products and their proper application. Ecopainting painted townhouse complexes, co-op buildings and has helped maintain several buildings in the Toronto area. This specialized experience and the professionalism of our painters makes our company an asset to any maintenance team.


    Painting Building Exteriors posted first on your-t1-blog-url