Masking in Painting

In today’s post, we bring to you the concept of MASKING in painting work. Not a prevalent practice in the Bhutanese painting market, the understanding of proper painting methods and their future implication are least considered but the cost is put first and fast. Keeping these entire aside, we hope this information help in one way or other at some point in time.    

Masking   Pic-Internet

Well, masking in painting refers to a process where masking tape is covered on certain areas which are not intended for painting. Painting is a messy job; paint gets onto anything that’s not covered. So masking as a preparation before painting is a primary task that attributes to proper finishing, maintaining an accurate line of colours, and ease post painting like cleaning and minimising resource spending.

Though the masking benefits are abundantly but somehow inapplicable in our market, we have narrowed the understanding that is doable as follows;

1.     It takes far more time to clean up paint that ends up where it doesn’t belong than it takes to prevent the paint from getting there in the first place. Masking reduces clean up time. For ex. as in the picture, masking off windows with tape and plastic (used newspaper in our case) protects them from paint spatter. This saves time from scraping up paint dots on the glass.

2. Proper masking speeds work. So long masking tape is done firmly, paint bleeding is a minor issue compared to trying to paint along with trim without getting spots of paint in the wrong place.
3. Masking allows you to paint on correct alignment without worrying much about the opposite side. Only those who tried the art of perfection know how difficult that is to maintain proper paint lines without masking.
4. Masking enables a painter to look like a pro. They need not have to master fantastic cutting-in skills. Using tape keep lines straight and the paint where it belongs.
5. Masking help maintain visual appeal as it was. Covering door hinges & knobs and other hard-to-remove hardware with masking tape or small plastic retains its originality. It not only irks the property owner but is amateur of the painting firm painting door knobs and hinges.  
6. Using drop cloths across the floor or wherever relevant as masking ensures that floor surfaces are protected from paint drips.

When masking is not taken care of, the post painting becomes laborious and cost implications are obvious. Masking is a critical part of the painting preparations and worth effort for many reasons. The techniques for masking are the same for indoors or out, cover properly parts that are not intended to paint. Bam then do the brush stroking, roll the rollers or spraying that we use.

Note: You can remove hardware that is easy to replace, keep them in a separate plastic bag and put it back. Paint shields can be an option in larger area masking scenarios. Remove the MASKING when the paint is sticky but not entirely dry.

Know the House Painting process!

Painting the walls of any structure is a must-to-do on time activity. Not only does painting give a fresh look, but it also helps maintain the walls and bring the maintenance cost down.

Through this post, we intend to provide some basic processes of painting and other factors involved in the cost estimation of property painting for contractors and DIY individuals. Because of the complexity in the paintings, property owners tend to make errors of judgment in selecting types of paint, application method and budgeting.

What is the surface that is being painted?  The answer to this is infinite, we can paint anything. In the pretext of this article, we will cover House Wall Paintings. The general thumb rule is “the cost of exterior paint is lesser than interior paint.” However, the process of exterior painting is cumbersome as it needs the use of scaffolding or a ladder pulley system.

Conversely to the prevailing practices in Bhutan, sensibly it augments that more coats of paint and an extensive sanding/levelling process are required for exteriors to protect from external weather. This is the reason today the exterior walls of all the buildings in Bhutan is an eyesore. Following are the factors that contribute to planning the painting.    

Wall condition:

The condition of the walls is the most important factor that plays the cost. Fresh painting needs 1-2 coats of putty & primer, and at least 2-3 coats of topcoat paint. For the repaint, touch-up of putty in parts are recommended and primer with 1-2 coats of paint.

Generally, a layer of putty is applied before painting to ensure that the wall gets a smooth and even finish once painted. It also increases the lifespan of the paint.

Consider employing good men to do the plastering. A well-punned wall enhances the painting's outlook. The undulated wall elevates the overall process resulting price hike.

Fresh painting costs more than repainting. On the contrary, if the repainting surface is not clean (like in institutional buildings use of tapes are extensive), cleaning and preparation need a lot of work resulting again in cost escalation.  

Paint type:

Another important factor that put weight on the cost of painting is the paint type in use. The price difference for different kinds of paints is clear. Water-based distemper paints are the cheapest paint we have in town.   They are the least durable with a strong odour.

Emulsion paints come in both water and oil-based; they are the standard quality for painting today. They are durable and often washable as well; some of these paints also have anti-fungal/mildew properties.

Emulsion paint comes in a wide range depending on the different finishes such as matte, glossy, satin, pearl, and more. Check with local distributors.  

The number of colours used:

Using single colour or lesser throughout the project is invariably cheaper than using multiple colours. This is simply because of economies of scale. Wastage of paints is also more. The more colours in use, extra work is added and thus the increment in the cost of painting.

Cost of Labor:

Labour charges are very tricky. Call the contractors to the site for inspection of the property. Have your rate ready and consider relating the contractor’s quote. Analyze the differences and the reasoning before agreeing on the rate.

Prices vary depending on location, the quality of paint used, and the project's size and difficulty. The level of painting skills of the firm would help determine the cost and their work output. The well-established firms usually charge more than the part-time contractors.

The important aspect here is to find the right contractor with the required skills and mechanization process adapted to do the job. So opting for organized players is a safer bet.

 Ask these questions to the firm you are going to hire:

ü  How long have you been painting?

ü  Will you be using subcontractors?

ü  How many painting jobs have you completed in the last year?

ü  Can I have a list of references with contact information?

ü  What paints do you recommend?

ü  If you get paint on the furniture, are you liable?

ü  Do you offer a warranty or guarantee your work?