By LORRI FINTON

When I was a kid my family would make the annual eight-hour drive to coastal Maine for a two-week holiday. Once there, I would inevitably spend time at my grandparents’ house painting anything and everything my grandfather would let me. It was usually the mailbox post, the well cover, and the trim on the shed; always white. I was given the paint can, a rag and a brush and could entertain myself for hours. I’ll admit I still like to paint; there is a calming element in it for me, plus the bonus of instant gratification as I can see the results of my efforts immediately. What has changed about painting is the choices of color, additives, and types of brushes, quality of paint, environmentally friendly options, washable paint and finishes. There is a little more to it now than just grabbing a brush, a rag and a can of white. 

Interior and exterior paints have different properties. While exterior paints aren’t necessarily more durable, they are developed to prevent fading and to be mildew resistant. Interior paints can stand up to a good scrubbing and don’t stain easily. All types of paint have four parts: solvents, resins, additives, and pigments. Solvents are typically either water for latex paint and mineral spirits for oil-based paint; they keep the paint in a liquid state. When the paint is exposed to air, the solvents dry and leave behind the pigment, resins, and additives. Resins bind the pigment to the surface and are formed from epoxy, acrylic, or silicone. The additives are extra chemicals cut into the paint to enhance the paint’s properties such as mildew resistance, sheen, and durability. Finally, the pigment is the color, usually added in powder form (hence the instructions to stir or mix well before use) and interestingly enough it is suspended within the solvent and bound to the surface by the resin.

Each type of paint uses a different resin to bind the pigment to the surface area. Resins in exterior paint must be flexible in order to accommodate temperature and climate changes as well as moisture. Flexible resins are easier to scuff but more difficult to peel or chip, whereas interior paint resins are more rigid allowing less scuff and a higher tolerance for cleaning. Exterior paints typically have a stronger odor than interior, releasing more VOCs (volatile organic compounds), which are emitted as gases—reports say some may have adverse health effects. Great strides have been made, however, to significantly reduce the VOCs, as society becomes more green and environmentally friendly.

After speaking with Scott Giammalbo, store manager for Aubuchon Hardware in East Falmouth, I’ve learned that the right paint for the right look may be decided solely by the sheen or finish. For example, if you want an exterior Colonial-looking result, the most likely choice is to go with an eggshell or satin finish versus a glossy finish. He recommends Benjamin Moore’s Aura as the best line—it is self priming, fast drying with a Color Lock® technology using certain types of resins and tint with waterborne colorants. The promise of no more than two coats, a lifetime limited warranty if applied according to manufacturer’s specs and easy cleanup with soap and water sounds like a winner.

Exterior painting will require some amount of prep work. This involves cleaning first (broomswept or washing), then patching any nail holes or dings with wood putty or caulking, followed by some sanding to get a smooth surface. Tools and accoutrements might include a paint sprayer, different angled brushes, rollers, paint trays, a ladder, a bucket hanger, scrapers, rags and clothing with pockets.  There’s almost nothing worse than getting to the top of an extension ladder and forgetting something on the ground; hence the pockets.

Application method of the paint is up to you, and dependent upon the type and size of area you wish to cover. A sprayer goes quicker, although you may have to back brush or roll after a coat goes on.  Using a roller is a bit more stress on the arm muscles, and you would need to utilize different types and sizes of rollers to get into the cracks and corners and also have a paint tray. Simple brushing is my preferred method. I have a pretty steady hand and can angle and cut in without a mess on the shingles when I paint the trim. Bottom line—spraying is faster, but brushing is neater.

Interior painting is similar but will have some different setup materials and obstructions. Painter’s tape around the edges of casing for windows and doors, both top and bottom sides of the chair rails and the tops of the baseboards, will serve as a quick and easy mess-prevention tool. A cotton or canvas tarp should be used to protect the floor surface. Plastic sheathing, while less expensive, runs the risk of sliding and spills don’t dry quickly.

Use spackle or wood putty (dependent upon the type of walls) to fill up nail holes, dings, and divots on the wall. After the filler is dry, lightly sand with a high grit sandpaper to create a smooth, even finish. Next, dust down the walls to remove any leftover particles and hit those larger repairs with a quick coat of primer. The primer can eliminate a noticeable texture difference once the wall is painted. Usually interiors are painted with either a sprayer or roller. Brushing, except for those hard to reach corners and some outlining, won’t give the appearance of a smooth even coat. After 24 hours have passed and everything is completely dry, remove the painter’s tape using a blade to cut it off—that will give a clean sharp edge to the new wall color.

According to Brian Hubbard, manager of Hubbard Paint on Main Street in Falmouth, a great line from a smaller paint company called C2 is the ticket to an easy-to-apply, great looking, and long lasting paint job. Their paint is both self-priming and affordable. C2’s lines are comparable to other high quality lines, except instead of using the US standard of a 12-colorant system, they utilize the European 16-colorant system, which gives each coat more luminosity and depth. A huge plus to C2 is that they offer poster-size paint chips coated with real paint, not printer’s ink or lacquer. The large size, combined with real paint, gives the homeowner a better perspective on whether that particular shade will work in the room. They also offer a 16-ounce color sampler, enough to try on a 5-foot x 10-foot space.

Hubbard’s tips for achieving the best paint job possible are to buy a good brush and learn to cut in. If you do these two things, the painting will go smoother and take less time. Ninety percent of painting is prep work. He should know: Hubbard Paint has three locations on Cape, and all offer color consultations.

There are many ways to create a unique look for your rooms simply by choice of paint and application technique. Faux finishes allow you to bring the feel of New Mexico, Tuscany, or Ancient Greece to Cape Cod.  Each type of finish needs its own set of tools as well as paints, glazes and techniques.  These styles will take a longer period of time to create as the base coat has to dry and be textured and the glazing or top coat must be applied with some additional texturing or sponging. Each finish has a special set of instructions and specifications for application.

The next time my living room gets an infusion of new color, I think I’m going to try smooshing.  Smooshing involves using a pearl-type base coat color and then allowing it to dry for 24 hours. Day two, the glaze is mixed and applied to one wall or section at a time. While the glaze is setting up, press a plastic sheet not more than one milliliter thick directly onto the freshly glazed wall and smoosh it around, crinkle it; rub it, anything that will move the plastic. When the section is done after about 5 minutes or so, remove the plastic and discard. Repeat the process until all sections of walls have been smooshed, using a new sheet of plastic each time. Sounds like a fall weekend project.

Oh, honey…