March means rising temps and it brings us the first day of spring (March 20!). And as we come out of our caves from winter hibernation, it’s time for some housekeeping. While spring is synonymous with cleaning the interior of your home — we’ve all heard of “spring cleaning” — spring is truly the perfect time to tend to your home’s exterior and your landscape. With snow melting and the ground thawing out, it’s time to tend to your home exterior, your deck, and the garden. That’s why we’ve cataloged a quick checklist that you can tackle to ensure that your property looks its best, and your home is ready for the upcoming summer.

Reseal Exterior Wood

Do you have a deck? A wood fence? A pergola? A gazebo? It’s time to reseal all of the exterior wood around your property. Most outdoor wood should be sealed every one to three years to preserve the wood and to fend off rot and weathering. Clean the exterior wood structures on your property with a pressure sprayer (be sure to use a low, yet effective PSI setting), let the wood dry out, and stain your surfaces on a warm, sunny day.

Check Your Roof

Winter can wreak havoc on a roof, especially here in Colorado. With heavy snows and huge daily temperature swings, your roofing material can deteriorate quickly. Be especially wary of damage that may have occurred over the cold season if you have an asphalt roof or wood shake roof, since these materials are more susceptible to damage from snow and ice.

Turn on Those Sprinklers

Once temperatures no longer dip below freezing at night, your sprinklers and irrigation lines can be turned on throughout your property. Be sure to give all of the zones in your yard and garden a test run, and check each sprinkler head and drip line. Sprinkler heads are liable to malfunction after a winter season of wear, so you may

have to do some adjusting and you may have to replace a head or two. Be mindful of pooling water anywhere along your irrigation lines or reduced pressure coming through the lines — both can be an indication that you have a leak in your system that will require some attention.

Get Gardening

Spring is the perfect time to till soil, trim trees, and plant a few veggies. If you have a garden, till the soil while it is warm and moist. You can add in fertilizer, compost, or top soil to improve the quality of the soil. If you have trees scattered throughout your landscape, take time to assess the health of each tree. Look for dead limbs that aren’t growing leaves or signs of rot, and remove any tree limbs that are hazardous. If you’re a green thumb, then you know that the early bird gets the worm when it comes to garden planting. Spring marks the best season to plant many greens, cucumber, onions, beans, peas, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, and peppers, among other plants.

Paint Your Home Exterior

Spring is the perfect season to paint your home exterior. Temperatures are warm enough, and it’s the ideal time to protect your home against spring showers and summer sun rays. Take a quick look at your home’s siding for signs of deterioration, such as discoloration, cracked and chipped paint, and damage to the siding itself. If you notice these signs or if it’s been more than five years since you’ve had your home painted, then it’s time for a fresh coat!

Here for Spring Painting

If you live here in Northern Colorado, you can count on Horner Painting to paint your home this spring. Horner Painting provides painting services for our neighbors throughout Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Windsor, Johnstown, Wellington, Severance, and Timnath. As a matter of fact, we’re offering early bird specials for folks who schedule spring painting as winter comes to a close! Take advantage of our lowest prices of the year, and reach out to us today for an estimate on your upcoming painting project. Best wishes from the team here at Horner Painting as you take care of your home this spring!

Selecting the best paint color for your home interior can prove to be difficult. And to add to that headache, modern paints also come in a number of “sheens,” as well as colors. So how do you choose? Well, we’ve created a handy guide to help you to find the perfect sheen for your paint, once you select a color. As always, you can count on the pro painters here at Horner Painting to help you decide on the right paint gloss (and to apply the paint, of course!). We provide painting services and color consultations for our neighbors throughout Northern Colorado.

Understanding Gloss Level Terms

Paints come in a number of sheens, or “gloss levels.” The gloss level of a paint determines how reflective the dried paint surface will be. For example, high-gloss paints will be very reflective of any light sources, even if the paint color is dark. Meanwhile, low-sheen paints will reflect little light from light sources, even if the paint color is light. Low-sheen paints are often considered “matte” paints, as well. Here’s a brief overview of common paint sheen options:

Flat or matte paints: Flat paints (also known as matte paints) are paints which have very little sheen. All light sources that hit this paint sheen will diffuse, creating an even, soft-looking surface — which is why these paints are called “flat.” Flat paints have a gloss level of less than two percent.Low-sheen paints: A slightly higher sheen than matte paints, low-sheen paints have a gloss level ranging from three to 19 percent. You will begin to see some direct reflection of light sources, which can begin to show imperfections and texture in the wall.Satin paints: Satin paints are slightly more glossy, and have a 20 to 30 percent gloss level. These paints may be more resistant to staining than lower sheen paints, yet less resistant to staining than semi-gloss and gloss paints.Semi-gloss paints: Semi-gloss paints have a gloss level of 30 to 45 percent. These paints are fairly reflective of light sources, and they are quite easy to clean, since the paint surface will be smoother.Gloss paints: At the highest end of the spectrum, we have gloss paints. Gloss paints include any paints over 45 percent gloss level. These paints are highly reflective, and they will show far more texture and imperfections in a paint surface — which may be a desirable characteristic. Gloss paints are also the easiest to clean.

Tips to Choose Your Paint Sheen

When settling on a paint sheen, we recommend that folks ask themselves about three things: aesthetic, use, and light. Consider the light sources in the room you are painting, consider the use of the room, and consider the appearance that you desire.

esthetic

First things first, consider how your paint color will look, alongside its sheen. Bright, bold colors can look gaudy in high-sheen paints. And, some tans and neutral tones can look overly plain in matte. If you’re trying out different color/sheen combinations, get sample paints, and apply them on your surface to get a real feel for the sheen and color after the paint dries.

In addition, take note that if you’re painting walls that are textured, you may want to use a medium- to high-gloss paint to further accent the texture. On the other hand, if you’re painting a smooth surface, and you’d like to hide any minor imperfections, you should opt for a low-gloss paint.

Use

The utility of a room may affect your decision as well. For instance, you may want to use a high-gloss paint in your kitchen or bathroom to make cleaning surfaces in these rooms easier.

Higher gloss paints are also more resistant to damage and mold buildup that can be created in moist environments (like small bathrooms with showers, mud rooms, and kitchens). Be sure any bathroom or kitchen space is well ventilated if you’re considering low-gloss paints.

Light

Now it’s time to consider the light sources of your room. It’s best to avoid high-gloss paints in rooms with bright white lights, or rooms where sunlight floods in through windows. These paints can look overly reflective, which may be an eyesore — instead, opt for matte or low-sheen paints. If you’re working on a room with little lighting, or warm, yellow lighting, you can opt for high-sheen paints to make surfaces more textured and to give them more character. Take note, matte paints can still look great in low-light and warm-light rooms, giving them an intimate, cozy feel.

Call for a Consultation

Still undecided? Don’t sweat. At Horner, we’re here to help you find the perfect paint to fit your room, and your vision for your home. We can work with you to help you settle on the right paint colors to fit the lighting, aesthetic, and use for your rooms, and of course we’d be happy to apply the paint once you’ve selected the perfect hue and sheen. Again, Horner Painting proudly provides painting services throughout Northern Colorado — feel free to reach out to us today to get started!

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.dilconpainter.com/?p=84

Painting your kitchen can completely change the character of the space. And, done right, a new paint job can make your kitchen feel cozier, cleaner, and more welcoming. So, which colors work best for kitchen walls? And why? Let’s delve into some considerations to weigh when choosing the perfect color to coat your kitchen, and let’s take a look at a few classic colors that always seem to work.

As always, if you’re ready to update your kitchen (or any surface of your home — interior or exterior!), you can call on Horner Painting for our premier painting services. Horner Painting proudly provides painting services throughout Northern Colorado — feel free to  reach out to us today to get started!

Kitchen Painting Considerations

Take a fresh look at your kitchen. Look at the tile, countertops, cabinets, windows, and flooring, and ask yourself: Is there a theme? What character would I like to give this space? If you have a light, airy, open kitchen with clean, white cabinets, then you may want to stick with light, natural tones to match the theme.

Or, if you have a kitchen with warm wood cabinets, brass fixtures, dark wood floors, and a dark tile backsplash, then a bold red or slate color may work well to keep with the rich character or your kitchen.

Since it’s easiest to change the paint of your kitchen (versus the tile, flooring, countertops, etc.), it’s best to base your upcoming paint color on your kitchen as is — unless, of course, you’re planning a full kitchen remodel. Be sure to get plenty of paint color swatches, and compare all your options with the fixtures, furnishings, and surroundings of your kitchen to help you settle on the perfect pick for your paint.

Classic Paint Colors

For the most part, you’ll want to steer clear of gaudy colors in your kitchen. Instead, opt for natural colors, including colors that are reminiscent of plantlife, like avocado green, lime, or aquamarines. Lively earthy tones work great in kitchens, since food is often in view. These hues are perfect if you keep a few houseplants in the kitchen, too.

You can also go with dark neutral tones, such as slate, charcoal, or espresso brown. Consider these colors in kitchens with a richer character, and don’t overdo the dark tones, especially if you have a smaller kitchen (since dark paint colors can make a room appear smaller).

And on the other end of the scale, you can consider white, off-white, and ivory. These light, uplifting colors are ideal for smaller kitchens, and kitchens with a clean, airy appeal.

Update Your Kitchen Today

If you’ve settled on the perfect color to coat your kitchen walls, we’re here to help apply the paint. And, if you can’t decide on the right palette for your kitchen, we can help there too; we provide color consultation services on top of our traditional painting services! Again, Horner Painting proudly provides services throughout Northern Colorado, offering painting services for our neighbors in Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Windsor, Johnstown, Wellington, Severance, and Timnath. If you’re ready to give your kitchen a fresh coat of paint, don’t hesitate to reach out to us today!

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