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paint_naa 2007 10/3/11 9:48 AM Page 1 62

1 paint_naa /3/11 9:48 AM Page 1 62 UNITS O c t o b e r w w w. n a a h q. o r g

Paint By Numbers The correct planning and application can make painting projects as easy as 1-2-3.

2 Paint By Numbers The correct planning and application can make painting projects as easy as BY LAUREN BOSTON Using his characteristically calm voice, the late American painter Bob Ross would remind us that there are no mistakes in painting only happy accidents. Property managers may beg to differ. Painting happy little trees is one thing, but when it comes to completing a major project at an apartment community, there isn t much room for error. Sorry, Bob. Following are 13 things apartment owners and managers should keep in mind or make sure contractors do to ensure a successful paint job. Know the surfaces that you are painting. Before starting any 1. paint job, conduct a thorough walk-through of the property to get a sense of what needs to be done and where, says Josh Sloan, owner of Sloan Painting & Designs. Applying the appropriate cleaning solution, primer and paint will help to ensure a longer-lasting, high-quality paint finish. When hiring a contractor, finalize the color palette before 2. the project begins. We once completed all of the prep work power washing, substrate preparation, caulking and wood-rot replacement on a 264-unit project prior to the client finalizing the color schedule, says Skip Huddleston, Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing for AAPCO Group, a nationally licensed paint contractor. The client had us do approximately 18 individual color samples (the industry norm is three or four). Their inability to decide on a color added six weeks to the project and had a negative effect on the residents quality of life. Scout out the neighborhood. The first thing to do is to walk 3. across the street and take a look at your building, says Bob Buckter, Painting Consultant, Doctor Color. Compare it to the colors of the buildings next door, up and down the street and even across the street from your place. The trick is you want your building to fit in the existing color scheme but also stand out. To do this, Buckter says, consider a color or colors not always present on the street. For example, always-popular greens and sages may already exist on your street as may some beiges, yellows and grays, he says. What s left? Mediterranean peaches, gray blues, taupes and beige-blushes. Out of these possibilities, October 2011 UNITS 63

The public doesn t know why it likes a building done in nice colors, but using a darker color at the bottom gives the viewer an anchored feeling, thus lending a feeling of substance and foundation,

Choose a color family and move on to the next step. Dark and Light. Sloan says darker colors tend to fade 4. quicker and may need to be re-painted or touched-up sooner than expected.

3 The public doesn t know why it likes a building done in nice colors, but using a darker color at the bottom gives the viewer an anchored feeling, thus lending a feeling of substance and foundation, and even confidence about entering the building. Bob Buckter Color Consultant Doctor Color pick hues that you personally like best. There s no wrong answer here. Choose a color family and move on to the next step. Dark and Light. Sloan says darker colors tend to fade 4. quicker and may need to be re-painted or touched-up sooner than expected. The color selected also can have a direct impact on the cost, completion time and durability of the paint project. According to Sloan, beiges and light to medium bases have above average resistance to UV light and fading, and also provide excellent coverage. Shades such as bright reds and yellows may require up to three coats, which will take longer and cost more. To estimate costs, when painting a 100-unit community in average condition (without needing a base coat), consider these calculations: To paint one coat to match a pre-existing or similar color of paint = 100 units at seven gallons per unit at $20 per gallon for a total of $14,000. To change the color, included is one coat of primer at $18 per gallon at 700 gallons = $12,600. Depending on the extent of the color change, tinting the primer to help with final coat for coverage should be considered, (for example, when painting a bright red, it is always recommended to use a gray primer to give the correct depth/true color for the finish coat). For a total cost, add the cost of primer and the cost average for one coat in the 100-unit scenario. And consider, if using a bright color such as red, it may take two coats on top of the primer to get full coverage. Good as gold? Gold leaf is a particularly great way to decorate a building, based on your tastes, Buckter says. But heed 5. this advice: never use gold paint. It turns brown in a year or two, whereas real gold leaf lasts 15 or more years, looking brilliant and classy. Plus, small amounts of gold can be relatively inexpensive, so just place it on column tops or borders, or on rosette tips on ornately decorated buildings. Photo courtesy Sloan Painting & Designs 64 UNITS October

Do it right the first time. A proper paint specification and 8. adequate wood-rot replacement scope will add years to the life of a properly executed paint project, Huddleston says.

15-year span. Huddleston also recommends using fiber-cement material (trim, siding and panels) for wood-rot replacement when possible. Photo courtesy Sloan Painting & Designs Be bolder at the bottom.

4 Do it right the first time. A proper paint specification and 8. adequate wood-rot replacement scope will add years to the life of a properly executed paint project, Huddleston says. For example, using premium paint products and replacing all rotten wood with KDAT (Kiln Dried After Treatment) treated lumber should reduce the necessary number of paint jobs from three to two over a 15-year span. Huddleston also recommends using fiber-cement material (trim, siding and panels) for wood-rot replacement when possible. Photo courtesy Sloan Painting & Designs Be bolder at the bottom. Paint the bottom floor of your 6. building in a dark color, Buckter says, it will ground the building and give it an illusion of substance. The public doesn t know why it likes a building done in nice colors, but using a darker color at the bottom gives the viewer an anchored feeling, thus lending a feeling of substance and foundation, and even confidence about entering the building. Select designated staging areas onsite. Equipment required 7. during a typical painting project includes a roll-off dumpster, storage container and Porta-potty, Huddleston says. An area to store carpentry material will also be needed if a wood-rot replacement is a component of the project. Consider curb appeal. The most visible areas of your 9. property should receive top priority. Think ahead. When mixing paint for each part of a new 10. project, always set aside, label and date one gallon of that color for future touch-ups or color-reference needs, Sloan says. Also, save one gallon of paint for each color used to complete any necessary touch-ups before performing a final walkthrough. The minimum shelf life of most unopened paints is one year. For opened containers, the shelf life varies, based on how well it was sealed and how it is stored. If a contractor is hired, an onsite employee should be designated to give final approval on completed buildings. For tips and tricks that spruce up your building, visit the Building Operations Library under the Resources tab on the NAA Community Site & Online Resource Center at 66 UNITS October

The client had us do approximately 18 indi vidual color samples (the industry norm is three or four). Their inability to decide on a color added six weeks to the project.

5 The client had us do approximately 18 indi vidual color samples (the industry norm is three or four). Their inability to decide on a color added six weeks to the project. Skip Huddleston Senior Vice President AAPCO Group was very hard to mimic. Sloan did some Internet research and eventually contacted someone who had worked with the artist. The painting was fixed at Sloan s expense, but the owner was so impressed with how he handled the situation that she wrote him a letter of recommendation and continues to refer him to others. Lauren Boston is NAA s Staff Writer. She can be reached at lauren@naahq.org or 703/ Use new spray tips as often as possible. When tips blow out, the spray 11. quality worsens, Sloan says. To prevent this, clean the spray tip as often as possible. Spray tips cost $20 to $40, with the average tip in the $20 price range. Cleaning tips is usually the easiest part of clean-up, and usually the most neglected. There should also be one or two painters ahead of the one in charge of spraying to make sure the buckets are full and check on masking so that production doesn t stall. When it comes to approved painting hours, follow the industry 12. standard: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday during the summer months; 8 a.m. to 30 minutes prior to dark the rest of the year, according to Huddleston. Sloan says to be mindful of residents special needs, including those who have pets or those who are day sleepers. If you make a mistake, own up to 13. it. Sloan s company was doing a high-end interior paint job when one of his employees moved a painting off the wall. The painting which ended up being worth $30,000 was very old and very sensitive to movement. When it was moved, a piece of the painting flaked off. My guys were terrified and didn t know what to do because we didn t know at the time how much it was worth or whether or not it could be fixed. Sloan immediately called the owner, who informed him that the artist was deceased and that particular type of paint October 2011 UNITS 67

Choose Paint Colors and Schemes

Choose Paint Colors and Schemes When you re decorating your home, choosing the right paint colors is the most important decision you ll make. As fun as choosing colors can be, this part of the planning