Spring is in the air here in the Sacramento area and it feels great!! Spring is a great time to get going on your “honey-do” list, including home maintenance, inside and out. There are several things that may pop into your head right away – clean or replace air filters, check smoke alarm batteries, clean your gutters and general spring cleaning. Here is a list of 15 items found at usnews.com that you should give some attention to that could save you time and money on repairs down the road. One item that we would add that’s not specifically on the list is pressure washing the exterior of your home. You may not need any exterior painting done yet, but a good washing can really make a difference in your home’s appearance and the longevity of your paint job. When you’re done, do a check for any rot that may need repairing, paying special attention to trim and fascia boards. Or, if you’d rather have someone else do that pressure washing, give Brooks Painting a call at 530-753-5074. Then, sit back in your lawn chair and enjoy spring!

Filed under: Homeowner Tips by Christina on April 5, 2013 8:43 am
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Whether you are looking at a gas, groceries, or clothing, it seems that there are always at least 3 different versions of the same product, with widely varying prices. This is just as true in the paint aisle: the variety of available paints is mind-boggling, and they range in price from $12 to $69 dollars per gallon. So what is the difference, and why in the world would anyone pay for the premium products when it is more than triple the price?

“You get what you pay for,” the old saying goes, and in paints, it is very accurate. Professional house painters agree that the price of paint is directly related to the quality of the raw ingredients it contains, and the better the materials, the higher the price. This means, then, that the more you pay, the better your paint will perform. Each paint manufacturer has higher and lower quality paints that they produce in order to be competitive in each market.

In residential painting, the quality of the materials is not immediately visible. For example, Sherwin Williams least expensive paint will be the same color and appearance as their most expensive when they are freshly applied. The differences become plain, however, in a surprisingly short time. Better paints will hold their color longer, resist scuffing and scraping better, cover in less coats, and reduce the frequency of paint jobs.

There are four main ingredients in all paint:

• Pigment: This creates the colors
• Binder: This causes the paint to adhere to the substrate (surface)
• Resins: These cause the paint film to harden, like a protective shell
• Solvent/Base: This is what makes paint a spreadable liquid. It evaporates as the paint dries

Each of these ingredients can vary in quality and cost, and the more money you spend on these materials, the longer a paint job will last. When customers seek a lower-cost product, the manufacturer must sacrifice the quality of some of these ingredients, and the paint will not perform as well. For example, Sherwin Williams produces some of the finest paints available, but their South West Builders product is designed for budget-conscious customers, and it costs about $12 per gallon. Because the pigments are not as good and the resins are cheaper, this paint will fade significantly in 4-5 years.

The bottom line for many customers is the overall price effect: will I save more by using a lower-cost product? The surprising answer is no!   When you hire a painting company, the paint is only 10% to 20% of the total project cost, so getting better paints will have only a slight impact on the overall job cost. However, the difference in paint performance could double the life of your paint, reducing the frequency of paint jobs. The cost analysis in this case clearly shows that a larger up-front investment can save substantial cash and headaches in the long-term.

For more information about specialized paint ingredients and premium paints call Brooks Painting who is a Davis-based painting contractor serving the whole Sacramento metropolitan region. We gladly service Sacramento County, Yolo County, Placer County, Eldorado County, and Solano County.

Filed under: Uncategorized by Jeremy on March 29, 2013 5:21 pm
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We currently started working for Hertz Rental car with JNT Construction. We’re excited to be painting several Hertz Rental locations in Sacramento, CA and surrounding areas. The new color scheme shown below is “Hip” and cool with attitude. Hertz Rental has partnered with Sherwin-Williams Paints on supplying quality products and making Hertz their own custom colors to give their new look a brand to recognize.

Many of the locations were due for a makeover and the new look has completely changed the visual appearance of a rental car company.  Hertz employees have been great to work for and very accommodating in the process of making these changes. Hats off! To JNT Construction for landing a great account, with supper people to deal with.

The new look is very Euro and sleek. You don’t even think your there to just rent a car. We painted the walls and doors with Sherwin-Williams Pro-Mar 200 low sheen. The new Hertz custom Yellow is a very brilliant color with a semi gloss finish for a glitzy look.

Filed under: Our Work by Kevin on March 22, 2013 8:43 am
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Inspired by Slate

We recently repainted an exterior of a home in Davis, CA and the homeowner wanted a complete change in color but had no idea what she wanted.  So, it’s an exterior…where do you start?  There are no furnishings or art for inspiration, just trees. How about that slate tile that leads you to the entry?  It was beautiful and had veins of purple, green and sienna.  A perfect inspiration.

We started with a deep green on the stucco body using Sherwin Williams Messenger Bag.  The fascia and gutters were painted Lanyard and went well with the tile roof.  We put Crescent Cream on the trim around the front door and on the massive trellis in the rear to lighten things up.  And finally, on the front door, we painted it with Bitter Chocolate, which looks like a very deep purple and greets everyone with rich color.

The end result was a complete transformation just as the homeowner requested with rich color and created a stand-out home on her street.  All inspired by the entry slate tiles.

Filed under: Our Work by Terese on March 15, 2013 9:08 am
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Nominations are open!

Brooks Painting is proud to support and give back to our community. This is our 7th annual charity paint giveaway. We’re donating up to $10,000 in time and painting services to a local person, family, or charitable organization. We want your nomination and your vote for this year’s recipient!
To nominate a person, family or charity organization, please click this link to the web page and then click the red button complete and submit the form. Be sure to include the following information: Your name and contact information, Your nominee’s Name, Their Contact information, and their story of what painting work they need done and why they deserve to be this year’s recipient.
Nominations close March 31, 2013. We will choose 3 finalists and voting will be April 1-21st.

We are excited to see who will be nominated this year. Who are you nominating?

2012 Recipient was the Yolo County Animal Shelter

Filed under: Community Service by Christina on March 7, 2013 10:18 am
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