Beautifying Your Home for the Holidays

With winter rapidly closing in, people are going to be preparing to put their best foot forward as they entertain friends and family during holiday parties. One way to significantly brighten up any room is applying a new coat of paint. ProTect Painters, a national painting contractor Franchise encourages homeowners to brush up on painting fundamentals before taking on any interior painting jobs this winter.

“Even before picking up a brush, homeowners need to really consider the type of paint and finish they are looking for in a room,” said Chris Ring, Vice President of Operations and Training for ProTect Painters. “This first step is critical in creating a lasting paint job that will ‘wow’ guests not only during the holiday season, but year-round.”

ProTect Painters and Sherwin-Williams have created a number of useful tips to help in selecting the right paint for the right job. Additionally they have put together advice on paint finishes that homeowners should keep in mind.
                                                               
In today’s homes, acrylic latex (water based) products are used almost exclusively. Gone are the days of relying on paint thinner or having the stench of turpentine lingering throughout the house for weeks.  The low odor and low volatile organic compound (VOC) characteristics of water-based products make it much easier for someone to paint their own home nowadays. But selecting the right finish on walls will make all the difference in the world on the finished product. These finishing options include:

• Flat finishes are best for large areas like ceilings and for concealing surface irregularities. If your walls have quite a few bumps, cracks, or other imperfections, they’re best hidden with flat, as this finish does not reflect any light. Flat is also the easiest to touch up – critical when trying to spruce up those rooms for future holidays quickly. Nowadays “washable flats” are available that still give that flat look, and yet will resist staining and actually stand up to washing off scuff marks and other blemishes.
• Satin finishes, with a low luster or eggshell finish, combine the best features of flat and gloss paints; such as hiding some surface imperfections and resisting dirt collection.  This is by far the most popular finish for walls, especially high traffic areas like foyers, hallways, living rooms, and bedrooms. You will have mixed results touching up these types of finishes, darker colors usually require the entire wall or area to be painted.  
• Semi-gloss and high-gloss enamel finishes are best for highlighting details, such as window frames, doors, and trim. These finishes resist dirt collection and are easier to clean.  They also reflect back the most light – so older homes with more drywall imperfections should avoid shinier finishes. Kitchens and bathrooms are good candidates for semi-gloss or gloss paint.

For additional interior as well as exterior painting tips, visit the ProTect Painters website.

Specializing in residential and commercial painting projects (exterior and interior), ProTect Painters is one of four brands owned by Service Brands International (SBI), a privately held, multi-concept franchise system with worldwide headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In addition to ProTect Painters, its portfolio of home-services brands includes category leaders Molly Maid, Mr. Handyman and 1-800-DryClean.

About ProTect Painters
ProTect Painters is a professional painting contractor franchise which specializes in interior and exterior house painting, as well as commercial and residential painting projects. The brand’s strong foundation is built on franchisee training and support created by founder Wayne Scherger, who started the company in 1994. In 2009, ProTect Painters was acquired by Service Brands International to join its forces with Molly Maid, Mr. Handyman, and 1-800-DryClean brands. Under the SBI umbrella, ProTect Painters is expected to grow to 200 units during the next five years.