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Eco Painting provides almost twenty years of experience in power-washing, interior and exterior painting, staining, deck and furniture restoration. For colors, see this paint color chart. Consulting and referral services available. Email address: mail@ecopainting.com. Or click "contact" above.

FAQ

What is VOC?

— VOC stands for volatile organic compounds, which cause those painting fumes that make you dizzy! The EPA allows any paint containing less than 5 grams per liter to be labeled “ZERO VOC.” Conventional paints contain hundreds of grams of VOC’s per liter.

I painted my room with an eco-paint but still smelled an odor. Is that bad?

— Don’t worry; when you clean something with vinegar water, do you smell vinegar? If you spilled a cup of coffee on the counter, would you smell coffee? Just because the paint has an odor doesn’t mean that toxic off-gassing is occurring. If you spread peanut butter on your walls, your house would smell like peanut butter for a long time. (And no, I’m not recommending it!)

Are there eco paints for the exterior?

—Yes! You can now paint your entire house with an eco paint and expect the same durability and performance as conventional products.

Can I use eco paint in the bathroom?

—Yes! You can paint high-humidity areas like kitchens and bathrooms with the same durability and performance as conventional products.

Is eco paint safe for babies?

—Yes! You can relax your concerns and eco-paint your house using with a baby in the room. Send us an email if you have any questions.

Do I need a primer?

—Depending on the surface to be painted, you may need a primer. You may have guessed already: there’s eco primer. But for most applications (i.e. raw wood, plaster, drywall) eco paint can be used as a primer AND topcoat, so there’s no need to go through the process of changing brushes and buckets to switch from primer to finish paint, which saves time.

Is there any paint for metal?
—Yes!

Can I paint over vinyl?
—Yes!

Can I paint over a surface that’s been previously painted with oil?

—Yes! You can paint over oil with certain eco paints, email for info. Always prepare the surface as you would before using any paint; with a light sanding and, if the surface is greasy, a de-greasing with a natural de-greaser.

I have a rust problem, what can I do?

—You can convert the rust to primer using a non-toxic eco product, then paint the surface any color you like. Send us an email for a free product referral.

Are there any green products (eco products) you WOULD’NT recommend?

—Absolutely. There are plenty of green products on the market that don’t perform as well as others, but rather than tell you about those, let’s talk about the ones that perform BEST.

Why haven’t I heard of these products before?

—Some of these materials are hundreds of years old, others are the result of cutting edge technology (that’s been in the testing process for many years) and which have only recently become available to the general public. Congratulations, you’re hip!

How To Paint

INTERIOR:

First, take everything off the walls: pictures, shelves, mirror and nails (don't spackle the nail holes if the pictures are going right back). Remove all the switch and outlet plates, and tape the screws to the plates so you don't lose them. Ideally, remove the ceiling light fixture—or just unscrew the framing cap and let it hang so you can paint around it. Some people will just tape around the fixture, and that's fine for basic purposes. I don't want you to mess with the fixture if you're unfamiliar or uncomfortable with it.

Next, Move all the furniture into the center of the room, tightly. Move some furniture into another room if need be. Cover the furniture with a large, lightweight plastic tarp, taping the corners down loosely (you don't want to be moving things or re-adjusting drop cloths once you get started; for the newbies who will undoubtedly get paint on their hands:). Set up a work area on the floor, out of the room where you can prepare the paint on a drop cloth.

Now with your hand, you will feel little bumps or specks of dirt on the wall. LIGHTLY sand them off with wide, sweeping motions across the walls. Use 150-180 grit sandpaper, folded three-way. Take a damp cloth and wipe the walls, including any areas that appear dirty. Use a little natural cleaning agent if there's a mucky spot. Clean all the trim too,—you'll find a lot of junk on the window sills!

Alright, press some 2" wide tape along the floor, right up against the edge of the baseboards. If the floor is wood, stone or linoleum, use blue painter's tape. If it's carpeted you can used the manilla kind,—but be careful and test a spot first, to make sure it doesn't stick too much (it almost never does. I've tried blue tape on rugs and it rarely sticks). Cover every exposed area with drop cloths, smoothing them out so you don't trip, and check for nail holes and cracks in the corners.

If there's any extraneous nail holes (there's usually a few) fill them with lightweight spackle,—just use your finger. If there are cracks in the corners, fill them with caulking, then use your finger to smooth it in. (don't overdo the caulking if the crack is small; you can always add more) Take a damp rag and smooth out the caulking edges on the wall, and lightly remove any excess spackle around the nail holes. Now go to the painting work area. I always have the paint store shake the paint when I buy it, why make more work for yourself?

CEILINGS:

Open your can of ceiling paint and pour about 2 pints into a 1 gallon bucket. When you dip the brush into the bucket, the paint should only come about a third of the way up the brush. This is so you don't make a mess, and to also have a lightweight working palette (when you get low, add another pint or so). Start painting along the ceiling, where it meets the walls (called cutting in); make sure to get it well into the crack, and don't worry about getting it on the wall (we're painting over the wall, remember?) CHECK YOUR BRUSH, as the paint will run down your hand if you aren't CONSTANTLY aware of gravity! This is common even among painters that have been working for a few years, and it's a pet peeve of mine. I rarely get paint on my hands, even when doing a ceiling, and I encourage you to make a point of this. OK, Brett's starting to get fussy now, so let's move on!

After "cutting in" the ceiling, pour the rest of the bucket into a 5 gallon bucket, and add a "screen" (the guys at the paint store will tell you). Wet the roller cover with water and shake/spin out the excess, then slide it onto the roller. Screw an extension pole (or broom handle) into the roller, and gently slap the surface of the paint, rolling the pad over the screen above (DON'T dunk it, as the sides will drip all over the place). You only have to get paint on the roller cover; and now roll out the ceiling gently, evenly, and attentively. Check for lines and drips before moving on to the next section, repeating until finished. If the area where you began is now dry and you plan on doing two coats, begin your second coat.

WALLS:

Good, now on to the walls. If you have another good brush, use it for the walls; if not, clean the brush WELL and spin out the water before starting. I should stop here and discuss two schools of thought on this. Some guys paint the trim first. The reasoning is, it's easier to cut in the wall than to cut in the trim. This is arguably true, but if you're very experienced it makes no difference. The reason I paint the trim after the walls is because after the windows, I drop right down and do the baseboards, and I'm done. I do the baseboards last because when you roll out a wall, little speckles get on them. Well, I said my piece, so you'll have to decide for yourself. But when in doubt, don't be ashamed to call a pro!

With the hand brush, cut in the wall near the ceiling first. You should be careful, but if you're too paranoid it may take forever. Remember, you should still have a little ceiling paint for touch-ups. Cut in around the wall plates and outlets too, and just above the baseboards. If you plan on painting the baseboards with the trim color, don't worry about getting wall paint on them (only check for lines and drips). I know the baseboards are a pain, and people usually screw up, but just try not to rush. That usually solves a lot of problems. You should prepare and execute the walls in the same manner I described the ceiling process, above. A second coat is usually appropriate, but if you're using the same color you may need only one.

TRIM:

This is tricky and amateurs should use a smaller brush. Remove the locking mechanisms and any handles or finger-holds. DO NOT put too much paint on the trim. Make sure you spread a nice, even coat along the edges, being mindful not to slop over into the tracks, as opening and closing the window will then become a problem. Use a piece of wood, like a paint stirrer, to hold open the window when needed. The paint should just BARELY go into the cracks where the trim meets the glass. ALWAYS check for drips right after you finish, and expect a slightly longer drying time before re-coating. One more thing, good luck!

Now take a break; have a beer, glass of wine, lemonade or whatever your pleasure. Make a sandwich, read a book, call a friend, go for a walk. Drying time depends on the humidity and temperature, but here in Marin County, an hour or two is usually good. Replace the outlet covers and fixtures (if the fixtures are dirty, wash them. Sometimes they are very old and you should replace them, but make sure they all match if you do). Carefully fold up your drop cloths, mindful of the dust from sanding, and take them outside. Remove the tape. Basically, clean up! Now if you want to vacuum, just wait little longer, as even when paint dries, it's not entirely "dry" and little specks of dust can get on the paint. Remember those little bumps you sanded off? And what's the hurry? You know you'll just start another project soon anyway:)

EXTERIOR:

Oh boy, be careful on those ladders, OK? Seriously, if you're the slightest bit nervous, inexperienced or uncertain of yourself, don't do it! Now I tell everyone to power wash before anything else, and it amazes me how some painters still use the scrapers to prep alone, and paint without power washing at all. Not good. I can't tell you how many times I've seen houses get painted, and 2 years later see them starting to peel. It's from DIRT: street pollution, air pollution, dust, pollen, whatever. It's on there, and nothing beats a good blast of water at 3000 pounds per square inch. Sometimes an additional cleaner is necessary, and there are plenty of eco cleaners for that, but most of the time, the shear POWER of the stream rips that dirt right off—including any flaking or peeling paint. You can call a power washing company if you just want to paint.

After the power wash, you'll still need to scrape some of the remaining flaking off, a light sand here and there, but not nearly as much as you would have without the washing. Depending on your landscaping, you may have to cover brick, walkways, etc. If you need to cover plants, use lightweight plastic sheets, tape them or hold them with stones, and cut several slits in the plastic (otherwise you can kill the plants). It's best to work when they're in the shade. You don't want to paint the house in direct sunlight either. If it's the end of the day or early morning, it's alright, but you don't want the wood to get hot.

Prime first, THEN spackle and caulk. The reason is because primer gets into the cracks a lot better, and soaks into any exposed raw wood. The spackle and caulking will stick much better then too. If there's a lot of spackling to do, apply a second "spot-priming" coat before applying the finish coats. But for the first priming coat, use a sprayer to cover a 5 x 8 section (depending on your ability and the weather) and BACK BRUSH into the cracks. Painters who don't back brush are pretty lame. It's been a disappointment for me to see the age of "Blow and Go" painting, when just spending 20% more time on the project can increase the life of the paint job six fold. I've painted plenty of houses that have held up 15 years, easily, and can tell you two things: power washing and back-brushing.

Again, there are two schools of thought on painting the trim first or last, and it's a tough call. I grew up in New England, where we always painted the trim last; but in California, painters tend to do it first, then tape off the windows and spray the body after. I can see the wisdom in that, but perhaps it's a coin toss. Good luck, and always consider the pro's and con's of any project: you might want to call a pro!