Making the Right Decision

For many your home is your most prized possession and will most likely be the biggest financial investment you make. I’ve seen a lot over my years of painting from paint slapped all over windows frames to peeling paint all over the place, trust me when I say these kind of mistakes can cost you a fortune to fix if even possible. This is why when it comes to making decisions regarding your property not many are as important as choosing the right painter. There is simply no end to the amount of damage a dodgy or unlicensed painter can do to your property.

When I see people putting their most prized possession in the hands of an unlicensed painter for the sake of saving a few dollars i’m left scratching my head and with no regulatory body to turn to you’ll be left with no recourse. 

So given that we all understand how important finding the right painter is, how do we make the right decision? Below are a few guidelines to follow. 

1. Check that they have a QBCC license and are insured. It may surprise you just how many unlicensed painters are running businesses on the Sunshine Coast. Legally you can complete work up to the value of $3,300 without a licence leaving the door open for every man and his dog who thinks he can paint.

2. Make sure they have at least 5 years experience in your local area. If they can run a business without going out of business that’s usually a good sign. We have been servicing the Sunshine Coast since 1988.

3. Check their google reviews. They should have a solid history of satisfied customers with 5 star ratings.

4. When comparing quotes look for details like what preparation will be carried out, how they will be applying the paint, what quality of paint is being used and how many coats are being applied.

5. Accreditations with various industry bodies like Taubmans & Dulux Certified, MPA (Master Painters Australia) are all good signs that you are dealing with a reputable business.

6. Check out their website. If they don’t have one in this day and age that’s not a good sign. If they do they should have loads of detailed photographs to showcase their expertise. Maybe even a blog like this one!

Don’t forget to use your own judgement when meeting the painter. They should be honest and open to answering any questions/concerns you may have, be presentable and leave you feeling confident that you're putting your most prized possession in the hands of a trustworthy business. - Kenny

Water vs Oil

A question/topic which we discuss with clients regularly is the decision between water-based and oil-based paints.

The answer depends on the situation and there are pros and cons for each so I’ll summarise below and you can make an informed decision for your next painting project. 

Water Based

• Non- Yellowing
• Anti-bacterial 
• Faster drying times 
• UV protection 
• Less prone to cracking 
• Wash up with water not turps 
• Low VOC (volatile organic compound) 
• Environmentally friendlier  

Oil-based

• Higher and longer lasting sheen level
• Much harder wearing 
• Flattens out leaving a smoother finish 
• Superior washability 
• Better coverage 

Water-based is the superior choice for most applications. The only time a decision needs to be made is when choosing a product for the interior woodwork. There really is no comparison to the sheen level, hardness and washability which a premium oil-based enamel can produce. 

On a personal note I painted my own house with water-based enamel only to repaint it with oil-based a year later when I realised that all the scuff marks and blemishes were not cleaning off. The sheen level had also dulled off quite quickly. Oil-based enamel will clean up and look basically brand new after years of wear and tear. 

BUT the biggest problem and the reason I tried water-based was the yellowing aspect of oil-based. If your going to use a straight pure white on your doors and architraves I would strongly recommend using a water-based enamel as the oil seems to yellow extremely fast when using a bright white. This is not really so much an issue today with more trends tending towards matching off white walls and woodwork. Other factors which lend to yellowing are poor ventilation and dark spaces/low UV rays. Inside cupboards, cavity sliding doors will always show more yellowing because of this. 

One last thing to consider is the labour cost. On a typical repaint the woodwork will usually only need 2 coats (1 undercoat 1 gloss) but using water-based in my opinion 3 coats are necessary to achieve a high quality finish (1 undercoat 2 gloss) which obviously increases the cost. 

So the decision is yours! Which will you choose for your next project? 

Dont forget to always spend the extra and buy the highest quality paint you can afford, it will save you in future labour costs. We are Certified Taubmans painters and use/recommend Ultra Premium Taubmans paints. - Kenny

Plywood Feature

Something which seems to be becoming more and more popular lately is the use of plywood boards as a feature. We like experimenting with new materials and finishes so we were excited to work with some for a new house project in Rosemount, QLD. 

Originally the owner and builder were wanting to stain the boards but after experimenting on a couple of offcuts with different stains we decided that clear coating with Johnston's Interior/Exterior Clear was the best option. Some of the advantages of water-based clears over oil are the UV protection and non-yellowing properties. 

3 Best Painters in Sunshine Coast

Last night I thought I might have a quick look at some of our business’s competitors. While browsing though the search results for "Sunshine Coast Painters" in google I came across a website called Three Best Rated. Having no idea what the website was I opened up the page only to find that Willis Painting was in the 1st position! Apparently they have a 50 point inspection and we topped the list for Sunshine Coast Painters. Got to love some free marketing! - Kenny

Stain and Varnish

It's amazing what kind of timber transformations can be achieved with a good quality stain and varnish. 

Owner: "So we have a light coloured Teak door, Merbau hardwood posts and Walnut timber look garage doors and we want them all to match.... "

Challenge accepted! 

When working with stain and varnish products the choice has to be made between oil and water-based products. In this case we opted for the water-based option as the door will be in direct sunlight. Water-based products have superior UV protection. 

We brushed 3 coats of Cabots Water-based Exterior Stain tinted to Rich Walnut followed by 1 coat of Cabots Cabothane Clear. Being water-based its a lot more challenging to keep your wet edge and produce a uniform finish. Experience is a must.