If you’re considering an upcoming painting project, you might be waffling between hiring professionals and going the DIY route. While painting something on your own can be appealing, the time, money, and energy required to tackle a project yourself can be daunting.
Hiring professionals has many benefits, from a superior finish to fewer headaches. There’s no reason to bite off more than you can chew when quality contractors are only a phone call away, for projects large and small.
Furniture Painters in Canton
Hiring professional painters is the number one way to ensure that your future painting project goes smoothly. Professional contractors can ensure a high-quality product, while also creating a safe environment that protects you and your home.
ProServ Painters are some of the best of the best in Canton. With decades of experience serving the community, they are the number one source for professional private and commercial painting. Call today to request a free estimate and see what a difference the professionals can make.
Benefits of Hiring Professional Furniture Painters
Proper Preparation
The first thing professional painters will do is prep your home. This means covering your furniture, protecting your plants, removing window screens, scrapping off chipped paint, filling holes and cracks, and applying primer to the walls. They use high-quality paint that’s built to last, and will apply two coats of paint at minimum. Proper preparation will also reduce paint splatters and make the entire process smoother.
Preparation can look a little different when it comes to furniture, whether the professionals are painting pieces inside or outside. They will also cover your deck and protect all the exterior pieces of your home to ensure that your space looks even better than before.
Safer Atmosphere
Since the professionals have access to a suite of equipment, they are able to work safely around your home, including in homes with multiple stories. Homes with banisters, stairwells, or open designs can be very difficult to paint on your own. They have ladders that can reach higher peaks and ceilings, and contractors also have access to cherry pickers and other mechanical equipment.
When you try and DIY this kind of project you run the risk of serious injury without access to proper tools or training—not to mention there are dozens of small considerations to remember, such as project duration and paint drying time. It’s better to go with contractors who can do a great job without making concessions in quality over safety.
Insured for Mishaps
Any professional you hire should be licensed and insured, but it’s important to double-check prior to hiring them. If there is damage to your house while they are working, it will be covered under the insurance plan. Their insurance should also cover their own medical expenses in case of injury. Any uninsured contractor can leave you open to a lawsuit if there is an incident.
Get Color Suggestions
There are infinite colors to choose from when you’re deciding to paint your home. If you’re unsure what color would work best, painters can suggest colors based on their expertise. While you might prefer a certain shade of green over another, your contractor can help you find the color and shade that will work based on your home.
They can match base colors with trims, and give you a suite of colors to choose from. They will also order the correct amount of paint, reducing how much is left over and preventing additional costs. Ask your contractor to provide you with a list of the best paint brands.
High-Quality Work
Quality is typically one of the first words professional painters will use to advertise themselves and their work, and there is a good reason for that. High-quality work encompasses the entire painting process, from even application to minimizing runs, splotches, and drips. Professional painters also are trained in methods that will correctly separate the base color from the trim, not to mention that they clean and fix paint spills while they are working.
Complete Cleanup
Cleanup can be exhausting, especially after you’ve spent hours working on a painting project. Professional painters will clean up during and after their work, putting everything back as it was (if they’ve moved furniture) and removing the protective tarps. They will reattach window screens, sweep up any debris, and replace patio furniture.
Convenience of Hiring Professional Painters
Ultimately, hiring professionals is a matter of convenience. DIY projects can be fun, but many people do not have the time, money, or ability to tackle such an extensive home project on their own. Hiring professionals is also great for anyone elderly or with a disability, not to mention that the finished project will be something that you can proudly enjoy for years.
Steps to Choosing a Furniture Painter
Choosing a furniture painter can feel like a hassle, but there are a number of things you can do to whittle down your choices and find a contractor who will work best for you. From doing some research to asking for recommendations and hosting interviews, it’s important to do your due diligence.
Research Painting Contractors
While Google might be the best place to start, there are a number of ways you can research local painting contractors. From talking to friends and neighbors to looking for local recommendations, you can shortlist 5-10 contractors by reading through their profiles and customer reviews. Seek referrals from friends, family, and coworkers, and look for those who have had overwhelmingly positive experiences. You can also search for “furniture painters near me.”
Check Credentials
Check credentials, including licensing, insurance, and experience. Verify license numbers on your state’s verification website, call your county or city building office, and ensure that your contractor’s license is in active use. Read through reviews and even Google their name/business to get a general sense of their professionalism.
Interview Painting Contractors
When you decide on a contractor there are a number of questions you should ask. Start your interview process with pointed questions, including:
- How many years of experience do you have in the industry?
- Are you insured? Are your individual employees insured?
- Do you have recent references from clients?
- Does your company have employees, or do you subcontract the work?
- What is your policy on repairs? On prep?
- Do you have a warranty? How long is the warranty period?
- Which brand of paint do you use? Where do you buy it? Is it high-quality?
- How long will the project take to start and complete?
- Do you provide free cleanup?
Get a Written Estimate
Request a written estimate at your interview. The contractor will send out a representative who will get all the necessary details, including dimensions, areas to paint, and total prep work needed.
- Professional painting estimates should include:
- Labor breakdown
- Cost of materials
- Brand, type, and quality of paint
- Estimated time frame including project terms
- Total cost including taxes, labor, and materials
Tips for Preparing Furniture for Painting
While the professional painting crew will do a lot of their own volition, there are a few things you can do to help prep your home. Take care of your furniture ahead of time to ensure that things go smoothly.
Clean Furniture
Let’s face it: most of our furniture is dirty in some way, even if it’s not old. The purpose of furniture is use, and even if it isn’t regularly cleaned there are a few ways it can be prepped beforehand. If your paint crew is coming to paint your patio furniture, you can help by scrubbing away dirt, grime, and oil. In some cases, the pros might have to remove a layer of furniture polish, which can be tough to remove on your own.
Cleaning your furniture will ensure the paint sticks and will reduce future flakes, peels, and scratches. It will also just make the paint job look better.
Scuff Sand Furniture
Most people want to avoid sanding as it can be a frustrating and time-consuming process. Sanding also creates a mess that you need to clean. If the paint crew is going to be painting wooden furniture, such as a dresser or patio pieces, you can help them out by sanding by hand for a few minutes to rough up the surface for painting.
Prime Furniture
While you can prime your furniture ahead of time, this one you might want to leave up to the pros. Priming is necessary to prevent paint from peeling or scratching in the future, and ensures the coat is applied evenly. Some paints have naturally great adhesion, but in general, the pros aren’t going to use mixed/combination paint and instead elect to use high-quality paints and primers.
You should ask your contractor what services they provide, and what you can do to help prepare for their visit. In most cases, the professionals will do all the work for you, but it doesn’t hurt to check.
