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SEPTEMBER 2017

FEATURES 31

Could Your Estimating Process Be Hurting Your Sales? Painters agree that there is an art to accurate estimating, and it’s one that can take time to pass on. Is the time eaten up by estimating processes, and training, costing your business in the long run? By Megan Headley

36

Vol. 94, No. 7

COLUMNS 6

From the Publisher: Are You a Peaker or a Climber? By Andrew Dwyer

8

Online Contents Have you seen the important news, tips and info at PaintMag.com?

14

Speaking With PDCA: The Power of Hashtags PDCA has some tips to help your business stand out on the competitive social media landscape.

“That Ain’t How We Always Used to Do It”

16

From the Field: What Are You Looking At? It’s tough to teach a critical eye to a new painter, but it’s a critical technique needed to gain mastery of the trade. By Scott Burt

Sound Business Management: 18 Stop Avoiding Accounting

40

Every painter has his or her own way of doing things, but the ones who accept new ways of doing things may have an edge over their peers.

Stopping these simple financial mistakes right now can help you fine-tune your business practices and increase your cash flow.

By Erick T. Gatcomb

By Monroe Porter

How It’s Made, Paint-Style Have you ever wondered how researchers create the unique properties in today’s most innovative paint options? APC talked to industry leaders about their R&D, and the high-performing results.

Decorative Touch: Painting With Kids 22 Those who can, do; those who are truly brave, teach kids how to paint. This column shares how to build skills in youngsters. By Victor DeMasi

24

Heart of Faux: The Tree of Life The Marshall Cancer Center in California needed a skilled muralist to transfer a poignant tradition to its new cancer center. By Katie Fitzgerald

On the Cover: Photo courtesy of Lyons Painting & Design.

4 September 2017 • APC

DEPARTMENTS

Contractor’s Tool Bag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 The Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Advertiser Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

WE KNOW THAT EVEN WHEN THE JOB IS DONE,

THE WORK ISN’T.

At Sherwin-Williams, our job is to make your job easier.

mys-w.com

ProDiscounts™

ProBuy®

PPC Magazine

@SWPaintPros

Learn more at your local store or visit sherwin-williams.com/pro ©2017 The Sherwin-Williams Company

Pro e-newsletter

Paint Pro Alerts

From the Publisher

Are You a Peaker or a Climber? was a wee tot of 24 when I joined APC and its then sister publication, the chemistry-laden American Paint & Coatings Journal. The owner wanted me to immerse myself in paint, so to speak. So he sent me to a local meeting of the Federation of Societies for Coatings Technology. Yeah, buddy! It was a group of paint scientists, and my boss told me to “go network.” And just like that, he kicked me out of the nest to mingle with people twice my age and with thrice my knowledge. You should know by now that I don’t need to have a point to tell a story. But this story does have a point: networking is routinely suggested but infrequently achieved. Why is networking so highly regarded? Because it can expand our thinking and challenge our habits. Why don’t we do it more often? Because it requires humility and mindfulness and who has time for that? For my 20-something self, networking with those paint nerds was difficult. (And as I’ve said before, “paint nerd” is a compliment.) You know what my take-away from that evening was? “That was difficult!” That’s right. I was too young to appreciate the opportunity. I focused on the pain and not the gain. But now I’m twice as old and thrice as smart … and I love networking! My advice today: do as I say, not as I did, and embrace networking. To really get the maximum benefit from your effort, let’s first nail down its purpose. Networking is not merely to socialize, it’s to learn. Learn from another’s experiences, both the positive and negative. If you’re doing all the talking, you’re not networking!

I

Here are some tips: • Don’t ever convince yourself you’re too busy to network. If you do, then you’ve lost sight of your professional purpose. • You can network in countless ways: face to face, on the phone, via text, and most definitely via social media. • Don’t know who to network with? Sign on to APC’s Facebook or Twitter and read through some comments. Reach out to someone who resonates with you. They’ll be flattered you chose them! • Heck, in a pinch you can network simply by listening to a podcast. Go to Paint Radio or iTunes or Soundcloud and find a small business podcast. • Social media is a tremendous resource. You can quickly scan through many comments and isolate the people you, again, “resonate” with. • Set up a time for a 15- or 30-minute chat with a fellow contractor. Talk about the season, hiring, work load, job satisfaction, everything. You’ll walk away with new ideas and sharpened focus. The day you think you can’t learn from anyone is the day you’ve peaked. And I never want to peak. I just want to keep climbing ...and meet awesome people along the way.

6 September 2017 • APC

Publisher Andrew Dwyer Editorial Emily Howard, Editor-in-Chief 4340 East-West Highway, Suite 300 Bethesda, MD 20814 [email protected] Megan Headley, Managing Editor [email protected] (540) 735-5196 Scott Burt, Senior Editor Editorial Advisory Board Jeff Winter, The Sherwin-Williams Co. Jeff Spillane, Benjamin Moore & Co. Darylene Dennon, Solid Energy Inc. Todd Pudvar, Prep to Finish Peer Review Group Dan Brady, Dan Brady Painting & Wood Restoration Randy Fornoff, MTS Painting Nichole Lovett, Harmony Haus Rodney Paglialong, Wall-Pro Painting Tony Severino, Professional Painters Dave Siegner, Siegner and Co. Jeff Stein, Blue Door Painters Advertising Sales Andrew Dwyer, Publisher (719) 471-7230 [email protected] Robert Scarola, Sales (813) 639-7062 [email protected] List Sales Michael Costantino InfoGroup (402) 836-6266 [email protected] Production Office 4340 East-West Highway, Suite 300 Bethesda, MD 20814 Senior Advisor Frank Finn

Andrew Dwyer Publisher, [email protected] APC: AMERICAN PAINTING CONTRACTOR (ISSN 003-0325) is published monthly, except bimonthly in January/February, July/August and November/December, by Columbia Books Inc.; Corporate, Advertising, Production Offices: 4340 East-West Highway, Suite 300, Bethesda, MD 20814; Tel: (202) 464-1662. For subscription information, call toll-free (800) 791-8699 or go to www.paintmag.com. Editorial Office: 4340 East-West Highway, Suite 300, Bethesda, MD 20814. Annual Subscription Rates: United States $40.00; International $51.00. Two-Year Subscription Rates: United States $63.00; International $86.00. Single Copies: United States $6.00; International $9.00. November/December Buyer’s Guide; United States $36.00; International, Canada and Mexico $52.00. Periodical postage paid at Richmond, Virginia,

APC SEPTEMBER 2017 Volume 94, Number 7

and additional mailing offices. Copyright 2017 by Columbia Books Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval systems, without written consent from the publisher. The publisher does not warrant, either expressly or by implication, the factual accuracies of articles or descriptions herein, nor does the publisher warrant the accuracy of any views or opinions offered by the authors of said articles or descriptions. APC: AMERICAN PAINTING CONTRACTOR is a registered trademark of Columbia Books Inc. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to APC: AMERICAN PAINTING CONTRACTOR, P.O. Box 71625, Henrico, VA 23255.

Production & Graphic Designer Jennette Gormley www.paintmag.com For subscription inquiries or customer service, please call (800) 791-8699. Cover printed on 10% PCW recycled paper. Text printed on 7% PCW recycled paper.

C HEC K

OUT WHAT ’ S ON

PAINTMAG . C OM TRENDING STORIES IN PAINT NEWS

WHAT’S NEW ON PAINTTV THIS MONTH Where contractors go to see industry and product videos.

Need training videos for your crew members? Interested in seeing demonstrations of products before you buy them? Check out PaintTV for helpful videos that can improve your business — especially during slow periods.

APC’S WEEKLY E-NEWSLETTER

Are you up on the painting industry’s latest news? If not, sign up for your free subscription to Paint News at www.paintmag.com. Below are some of the most-read news, tips and events from our weekly enewsletter. Click on Paint News at www.paintmag.com to learn more.

WHAT’S BEING READ ON PAINT NEWS? Occupational Licensing Legislation Could Impact Painters in 10 States Sen. Mike Lee has introduced the Restoring Board Immunity Act to help states reform their occupational licensing regulations.

HITTING THE AIRWAVES

APC

Paint Radio: Check Out Our Podcasts content for APC Publisher Andrew Dwyer and Editor-incontractors Chief Emily Howard have interviewed a wide on the go. variety of the painting profession’s top experts and contractors. Next time you’re thinking of killing time listening to the radio or your iTunes, check out Paint Radio to hear what the painting industry is talking about.

California License Board Sting Nets Unlicensed Contractors New to the painting business? This sting presented a good reminder to make sure your licensing and workers comp are in order. Paint Companies Settle With FTC on Charges of Misleading Consumers Benjamin Moore, ICP Construction, YOLO Colorhouse and Imperial Paints have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they deceptively promoted products as emissionfree or containing zero VOCs. Building Evacuated Due to Floor-Coating Fumes Don’t forget to read those material safety data sheets, painters. The evacuation of two buildings in Manchester, N.H., on July 31 may have been the result of the application of a new floor coating in an area that should have been thoroughly evacuated.

APC’s mobile-friendly digital edition gives you access to APC anytime, anywhere.

8 September 2017 • APC

The Importance of a Sales-Ready Website Potential customers may easily pass you by if your website is lacking these two simple elements: ease of use and easy-to-find contact information.

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*Compared to other 3M spackles. © 3M 2017. All rights reserved. 3M is a trademark of 3M.

Contractor’s Tool Bag Sherwin-Williams App for Pros Sherwin-Williams unveiled its latest tool for painting professionals seeking ways to work more efficiently: the all-new Sherwin-Williams PRO app. With the new app, professional customers have faster access to money-saving offers, product details, online account information, store locations and more. Pros who have already set up an online account profile can use the app to access purchase history, invoices and statements, as well as to make payments. In addition, the new app allows for quick access to data sheets and an enhanced paint calculator for cost estimates. Later this year, the new PRO app will enable online ordering. The new PRO app replaces Sherwin-Williams’ ProBuy+ app, and all ProBuy+ users are encouraged to download the PRO app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Scuff-Resistant Paint Benjamin Moore has introduced Ultra Spec SCUFF-X, a first-of-its-kind, one-component interior latex paint engineered specifically to resist scuffmarks in high-traffic, commercial environments. The manufacturer says SCUFF-X provides superior scuff-resistance to two-component coatings, without the strong odor, pre-mixing, short pot-life and application difficulties associated with similar products. The proprietary scuff-resistant technology minimizes repainting, retouching and cleaning, while offering easy application, low odor and quick drytime. The low-VOC formulation is eligible for LEED® v4 credit and is CHPS certified. www.benjaminmoore.com/SCUFF-X

10 September 2017 • APC

Contractor’s Tool Bag Waterborne Alkyd Enamel Paint Pratt & Lambert® Paints’ new Aquanamel Waterborne Alkyd Enamel provides professionals and consumers the convenience and ease-of-use of a waterborne coating with the application and performance of an oilbased paint. Aquanamel cures to a hard, durable finish while flowing and leveling like a traditional alkyd, minimizing surface imperfections. With excellent brush, roll and spray applications, it can be used on many surfaces, including cabinets, doors and trim. The formula also allows for easy cleanup with just soap and water, no solvents required. Aquanamel is available in three finishes: Satin, Semi-Gloss and Gloss. www.prattandlambert.com/proproducts

Color Palette The PPG PAINTS™ brand has unveiled a new Frank Lloyd Wright color palette in celebration of the world-renowned architect’s 150th birthday. Based on a palette developed by the architect in the 1950s, the color collection has been updated by PPG’s color experts in collaboration with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. The palette is full of earthy neutrals meant to elicit thoughts of lavish greenery, serene bodies of water and rich woods. Colors that are new to the palette include Moth Gray, a brown-gray blend that works well with granite and trending metals; Violet Verbena, a chameleon-like mix of violet, gray and blue that emulates the verbena flower and works well with neutral materials; and Antiquity, a classic butterscotch beige that ties in yellow-based woods used in many Wright-inspired designs. Interior stain colors round out the earthy palette, including DEFT® brand colors such as Golden Oak, Spanish Oak and Pickling. These durable stains add a vital piece to the Wright décor story, highlighting the natural wooden elements that he used frequently. www.ppgpaints.com

AMERICAN PAINTING CONTRACTOR • September 2017

11

Contractor’s Tool Bag Hybrid Cordless or Corded Sanders Festool has introduced three new “hybrid” sander models: the delta-shaped DTSC 400, the 5-inch ETSC 125 and the rectangular RTSC 400.   Each model provides the same functionality as its corded counterpart but with hybrid power options so that it can be used cordless or corded. The new sanders are balanced with an ergonomic battery that provides up to 30 minutes of run time at full power. Each sander has an idle engine speed from 6,00010,000 RPM and includes the manufacturer’s integrated Jetstream® dust extraction technology. www.festoolusa.com

Dust Control for Narrow Spaces ZipWall has released an addition to the FoamRail Span™ Mini Tapeless Seal, an adjustable rail that extends up to 4 feet and tightly seals a dust barrier without tape. This new addition to the ZipWall® Dust Barrier System is a complement to the longer FoamRail Span™ adjustable tapeless seal, which extends up to 8 feet. The FoamRail Span Mini is designed to construct a dust barrier that fits just about any space, especially in situations where users need less than 4 feet to complete a tight seal. This product snaps onto any ZipWall spring-loaded pole and seals a dust barrier in seconds. Once attached, it pushes the barrier against the ceiling, floor or wall, preventing dust from escaping the work area, without the use of ladders or tape and with no damage to the surface. The Span Mini is reusable, cost-effective and ideal for small spaces in both residential and commercial jobsites. It can be used with negative or positive air, and is a must-have for restoration, healthcare renovation and any construction project requiring dust control for protecting people outside the jobsite.   www.zipwall.com/foamrail

12 September 2017 • APC

We

e r e h t u o y t e g know how to

and project ls o to r lo o c l a n ts, professio c u d ro p ty li a u q to deliver the ™ S T IN A With high P G P P n count on a c u o y , e s ti r e p x e successful. u o y e k a m t a th s result

LEARN MORE AT PPGPAINTS.COM/PAINTER. The PPG Paints Logo is a trademark and the PPG Logo is a registered trademark of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc. © 2017 PPG Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Speaking With PDCA

The Power of Hashtags Standing out in the social media arena By Christine O’Connell

n today’s media landscape, it is nearly impossible to market your business without using social media. Not only are customers relying on review services like Angie’s List and Yelp to find businesses for the product or service they need, but they go to social media to do their research as well. People actually tend to take what they find on social media very seriously; in fact, most business selections are made based on social media findings.

I

CREATING COMPETITIVE UNIQUENESS

The dilemma for business owners is how to be unique in an ocean of competitive

Find out what hashtags can be used to attract customers in need of your services by checking out PDCA on Twitter.

Speaking With PDCA uniqueness. This is where the power of hashtags comes into play. So what is a hashtag? A hashtag is an ingenious way of condensing loads of information on the internet into groups of topics where a specific topic (product or service) can be easily found without creating information overload. You might be wondering what a hashtag looks like: it is a word preceded by the pound sign (#). If a customer was looking for a painter to repaint her daughter’s room in a bold plum with metallic trim, she might search Instagram, Facebook and Twitter using these hashtags: #metallictrim, #plumpaint, #boldpainter, #uniquerooms.

Bring PDCA into your online conversations with this hashtag.

HARNESS HASHTAG POWER How can a business use a hashtag to give itself power on social media? The concept is easy. In the same way the customer uses the hashtag to search for specific products and services, the business owner displays his or her work and uses hashtags to display projects in specific categories. The key is to find out what hashtags attract the customers in need of your services. If you specialize in faux finishes, you definitely want to consider using the hashtags #fauxfinishes, #faux and #decorativepainting in most of your posts. To figure out what different hashtags apply to your work, simply go to the search bar of the social media platform you are using and type in the hashtag you know applies to your product or services. From there you can click on the different pictures that come up and see what other hashtags relate to the hashtag you want to use. Remember, the more hashtags you use, the more reach you will get. This can be a good or a bad thing. The trick is to find the happy medium of what hashtags attract the customers you want for your specific services. Are you a PDCA member? Follow us on Instagram at pdca_national and use the hashtag #pdcanational to have your work featured! Let us show you the power APC of hashtags! Christine O’Connell is the outreach coordinator for PDCA. PDCA provides training and networking to help painting contractors build better businesses.

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AMERICAN PAINTING CONTRACTOR • September 2017

15

From the Field

What Are You Looking At? Training Tips: The importance of the critical eye By Scott Burt

et’s face it, we are the most profitable and customers are the happiest when painters get the details right the first time. Yet teaching painters to inspect their own work while they are doing it is one of the most challenging aspects of helping them improve in quality and efficiency. It’s hard to teach the critical eye. It takes time to develop in a new painter, and it is even harder to teach more experienced painters who don’t have it. The best of us are craftspeople who insist on top results every time. We aren’t paint installers. Any other painter is average. We want precise results in the least amount of moves. Processes that include unnecessary labor are not a sign of craftsmanship. True craftsmen seek to waste no motion, to get every step right the first time and performed in the most efficient way. Simple and efficient processes win every time. Still, efficiency can be a very subjective thing. Many painters think they are efficient, but really aren’t. In the customers’ eyes, it’s not just the results that have to look good, but also the way it’s done. Our job is to make painting seem effortless, and always done beyond expectations in terms of both customer experience of our service and the results we leave behind. This all starts with a clear understanding of the surfaces on which we work and the products being used. Surface inspection—the painter’s eye— applies to every surface at every stage of prep or finishing. A good eye for prep, filling, sanding, caulking, priming and substrate cleanliness is just as important as a good eye when it is show time.

L

WHEN THE PAINT GOES ON

Often, painters brush more than they have to on a given task, so teaching them about product “lay down” is important.

16 September 2017 • APC

It takes experience to achieve a sensibility for how paint lays off of a brush, but painters who understand the importance of lay down are on the way to mastery of their craft.

This requires product awareness and education: painters need to know how their product works, and this can of course be different from one day to the next. There is also variation from one product to another. I find that too many painters spread all

products with pretty much the same technique. In reality, how you spread product is, unique to each product. This pretty much applies across the categories of products. Having a sensibility for how paint lays off of a brush comes with experience, and painters who are aware of

From the Field

its importance tend to accelerate the learning curve. Crew leaders are challenged to coach painters on the “eye” of painting because it is one of the subtle and ultimate synergies in painting … it requires high-level skill and knowledge. Sometimes painters are out of balance on those characteristics. Sometimes they stagnate in the knowledge of their own skill and experience. Sometimes they just “get” brushing, but have no ideas or interest in product. True mastery means creating balance, pushing to achieve new knowledge and a true understanding of APC the science behind the craft.

It takes experience to achieve a sensibility for how paint lays off of a brush, but painters who understand the importance of lay down are on the way to mastery of their craft.

Scott Burt is a paint contractor and educator at Prep to Finish. He enjoys communicating with paint contractors and can be reached via paintertrainer.com.

NEXT GENERA ATION TECH HNOLOGY HOOK & SAND MUL LT TI-HOLE OLE E VA ACUUM CUUM DISCS S F OOL -PR OOF D ESI G N F I T S A N Y R A N D O M O R B ITA L S A N D IN G M A C H IN E – G U A R A N T E E D ! The revolutionary Norton ProSand Multi-Air Cyclonic hook and loop vacuum discs raise the bar in power sanding with a precision laser-cut, spiral-hole design that provides maximum dust extraction for a cleaner work environment with fewer disc changes and greater productivity.

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AMERICAN PAINTING CONTRACTOR • September 2017

17

Sound Business Management

Stop Avoiding Accounting Simple Financial Mistakes Contractors Should Avoid By Monroe Porter

ew contractors have a strong financial background, and many do not like accounting. However, there are simple procedures and financial logics that can help contractors avoid negative financial situations. By understanding some of the simple errors contractors make, you can better protect yourself and position your business.

F

STOP WORRYING ABOUT CASH How much cash is in the bank can be a misleading factor when studying the health of a business. Cash makes us feel good, and the value of having cash is deeply ingrained in our psyche. As a kid, if you made a few bucks mowing a yard or

running an errand, it was great. You had money to spend. Business does not exactly work this way. Just because we have cash on hand does not mean the business is making money at that moment. Every business needs cash. However, cash is more of a business tool than an actual measurement of success. You need cash to pay your bills and keep the business going, but cash is not necessarily a measure of profit. A good example of this is when contractors gear up in the spring. The business is making money but much of the actual cash is being eaten away by payroll, material bills, etc. Then in the fall, many contractors gear down for the winter. They may actually lose money in December but have plenty of cash on hand because they are collecting receivables from past work with no money going out.

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18 September 2017 • APC

Cash on hand might be compared to pulling a trailer. If you are doing everything right, it is always following you. If you charge the right price, make a profit and collect your money, cash follows your business effort. You can pay taxes on a cash statement if that is what your accountant advises, but use an accrual statement for financial review. An accrual statement shows all costs including accounts receivable and accounts payable to show a true profit. A cash statement only shows what you have paid and collected. In fact, be sure to enter accounts payable into your accounting system as the bills come in. Even if you do not have enough money to pay the bill, it is still there to show a true profit or loss. Don’t merely use your accounting system as a checkbook and only make entries when paying bills. Try to keep your finan-

Sound Business Management cial records as current as possible. Don’t put customer deposits into sales when you put deposits into the bank. Show them as a negative receivable or a liability. Deposits represent money you owe the customer until work is actually performed. This is a little complicated, but it is vital to creating an accurate statement. You also don’t want to spend your customer’s money and then not have the money left to do its job. If you do repairs, you must either price the time and material with a minimum

charge or, if quoted, build enough into the repair quote to cover sales cost. No matter how you calculate sales expenses, it costs a minimum of $100 to run a sales call ($50 an hour times two hours is $100). So how can you quote a $100 repair? You can’t. And this gets even more complicated. Suppose you only sell 50% of the repairs you estimate. Now you need $200 to recover the job you won and the job you lost. If you must give estimates, make sure you build something into the quote to cover sales costs.

WATCH YOUR STAFFING Internal theft continues to be a problem with contractors. Through the years, we have found that over 10% of our customers experienced embezzlement, and less than 1% had a fire. Yet most contractors are insured for fire but not theft. The cost of this insurance varies greatly from state to state, and you may want to “bond” your bookkeeper or office manager, but bonding only applies to the person you have bonded. You want to talk with your insurance person about what options are available in your state. Most banks today do not want to send you a copy of the checks. Pay more for this service and have the banking and credit card statements sent to your house. There are lots of ways for employees to steal, but writing checks and charging items to your credit card is the easiest way to take advantage of you. Look to crew size and don’t over-staff jobs. A few years ago, we had a customer roof identical apartment buildings and track costs. The only factor that impacted production costs was crew size. The smaller the crew, the fewer hours it took to roof the job. We have contractors that join our networking groups that have six or seven people in an install crew. We tell them to drop one person, and the production tends to take the same amount of time.

TRACK PROFIT MORE ACCURATELY Have a monthly financial meeting each and every month. At the meeting, review your profit and loss statement, balance sheet, accounts payable, accounts receivable, sales, closing ratios and backlog. Want better accounting records? Then use them. As you ask questions and explore the data, it will become more and more accurate. Financial discipline and understanding are imperative to running a business. Just because you don’t like to do something doesn't mean you have an excuse not to do it. I don’t like to go to the dentist, but I still go. APC Monroe Porter is president of PROOF Management Consultants, a company specializing in seminars and business consulting for contractors. He is also the founder of PROSULT Networking Groups, developed to help noncompeting contractors. He can be reached at (800) 864-0284 or [email protected]. For more information, visit www.proofman.com. 20 September 2017 • APC

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Decorative Touch

Painting With Kids How to build skills and create a group mural By Victor DeMasi

idsummer, I usually get a little slow. No, not in my thinking—in my work schedule. The past five years I’ve filled a week teaching a mural class for youngsters 8-13 years old at the local art guild. The project offers a refreshing change of pace, although not in terms of stress, because a pack of youngsters brings a lot of energy. But this connects me with a group with which I generally have little contact—and with their parents, who have houses. It’s good for my spirit, and good for business. The final product also makes for good community visibility, advertising, social media and the like. The kids typically come in clueless as to what they’ll accomplish. Most of them have never painted anything. They’re mostly blank slates, and their lack of attitude allows the professor to engrain his methods—hardly the experience I’ve had over the years in adult workshops. At the end of the week, no one is more surprised with the incredible mural then the students—except perhaps the parents.

M

Student draw studies of floral subjects before mixing colors and experimenting in paint with various brush types. 22 September 2017 • APC

Students fan, each beginning to take ownership of portions of the roughly laid out chateau.

A SAMPLE WORKSHOP I run a tight ship. They have to clean up everything. The work site can easily become a mess-terpiece, with the boss staying late to police the slop. Not my idea of fun. I sell them a small brush set at the outset, and they learn to keep their tools clean. By the time they get to sharing my tools, a level of respect has been instilled. Following is an outline of the course-

Studies of Monarch butterflies are transferred to the mural, as one of the final steps of detailing.

work. I offer this as an example, if you fancy doing a similar gig. Thorough planning is a must, and all materials must be on hand at the start because there’s no running out to the paint store. Day 1: Students are introduced to brushes, technique and cleanup, as well as mixing tints and shades. They will apply a base coat to the mural area, grid the wall and scale up a drawing I provide. Day 2: The drawing is transferred to the wall with low-stick tape and masking of different parts of the mural. There is an introduction to glazing, then students glaze the wall, remove the tape, and add highlights and shadow on stone. Liner brushes are used. Day 3: Students will glaze sky with clouds and glaze distant fields. Aspects of perspective are explored, and students are introduced to floral, including a study of plant specimens. Students start applying flora on the walls. Day 4: Students complete floral elements, detail roof tiles and complete other miscellaneous detailing around windows, doors, etc. An overview of wood patterns is discussed, and students begin graining columns and baseboard. Day 5: Students get a take-home sample, 28 by 24 inches on railroad board, which reviews all the steps. They also are introduced to the monarch butterfly with a live

Decorative Touch

At the class’ end, the students are excited to point out their individual efforts and highlight group triumphs. Photo courtesy of Mary Harold.

specimen, and studies of monarchs are done with small brushes for fine detailing. Butterflies are added to the mural, with final detailing over graining.

THE UPS AND DOWNS OF GROUP BUILDING Enthusiasm builds the first day when kids get to base coat with mini-rollers.

Studies of monarch butterflies are transferred to the mural as one of the final steps of detailing.

They love rolling. Scaling up and drawing the chateau gets tedious, and after extensive tape trimming and work protecting the stone, ardor begins to fade and attention drifts. I have them line up against the walls and spread out so I can watch what every one is doing. There’s no fooling around allowed, as antics can quickly spread to the whole herd. Trimming the tape with snap cutters offers an opportunity for a bloody accident, so I pick one of the more mature students for the task and have my college student intern monitor closely. After the glazed stone is detaped the project really starts to take shape, and the excitement special to the discoveries of youth begins to build. The kids now own the mural, and the conversation becomes one of constant suggestions about what to add and frequent questions about what we are doing next. Glazing the sky and distant fields becomes a lesson in perspective, when clouds are added in removal technique and they fade to the horizon, and fields shrink in size relative to the distance. The messiness builds as the week goes on, and I typically find batches of dripping paint and brushes almost dry and ruined. I

may raise my voice and threaten to leave them to finish the project on their own. My histrionics buy a modicum of orderliness. Studies for graining, flowers and butterflies are made by first doing drawings of the actual materials, as studies from nature. Color mixing and small brushes are used to make samples on paper. When the artists are satisfied with their efforts, they take their samples to the wall. The silence often is deafening as they detail their masterpieces. The final day ends when parents are allowed to enter and the children excitedly point out their individual efforts. By now they are a team, a step so necessary in creAPC ating a group mural. Victor DeMasi is the 30-year owner and operator of Monarch Painting in Redding, Conn. He teaches workshops frequently on decorative painting and faux finishing and can be reached at (203) 448-0106 or [email protected]. To view Victor’s work and workshop schedule, please visit monarchpainting.com or www.houzz/pro/victormonarch/monarchpainting.com. His book, “Designer Faux Finishing,” is available on Amazon.com.

AMERICAN PAINTING CONTRACTOR • September 2017

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Heart of Faux

The Tree of Life Art Connects Cancer Patients With Hope and Renewal By Katie Fitzgerald

ost of us know someone who has battled cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 40% of adults are diagnosed with cancer at some point during their lifetimes. Worries and fears are part of the process for a patient. Hope, and the appreciation of life and beauty, must be a part of that process as well. This is one goal of the Marshall Cancer Center in Cameron Park, Calif., which not only treats the physical aspects of cancer but also strives to help patients and their families with the emotional impact of diagnosis and treatment. The center had a tradition of having patients write their name and date of remis-

M

sion on paper leaves, then affixing the leaves to a paper tree on the wall. When the center moved to a larger facility a few years ago, the staff wanted to honor that tradition at the new location. The idea of a tree mural began to grow. When center staff began asking if anyone knew of an artist for the project, the local arts council pointed them to Sheri Hoeger of Art to Live By. Hoeger was already involved with Images of Hope (IoH), an organization that provides art therapy and support to those affected by cancer. In addition to teaching classes at IoH, Hoeger had lost two siblings to cancer. Her sister was treated at the Marshall Center, making this a very personal project for her. The team decided against adding patient names to the leaves of the tree

mural, as the names would be too difficult to see. The names of the patients from the original leaves were stenciled on a framed panel, with space reserved for those to come who might wish to be included.  Sheri came up with the idea for The Tree of Life, with the leaves progressing across the tree through different seasons to represent the circle of life. Each season is represented by the type of leaf that most symbolizes that season, from cherry for spring to oak for summer, maple for fall and holly for winter.

SYMBOLIC ELEMENTS About the mural design, Hoeger says, “The animals symbolize earth, air, fire, water and spirit. The metallic gold that dances through the branches symbolizes

The Tree of Life mural by Sheri Hoeger is a symbol of hope and renewal at the Marshall Cancer Center in Cameron Park, Calif. 24 September 2017 • APC

Heart of Faux our connection to one another and to something greater than ourselves.” In particular, the little crab in the roots of the tree on the left holds special meaning, as it represents Hoeger’s sister, who was treated at the Marshall Center. Her sister was a beachcomber, and she loved to pick up shells. She was also one of those women who change clothes multiple times a day, so the little crab that finds something new and pretty to wear seemed to fit. And Hoeger likes to think that when her sister passed, she slipped out of her shell into something even more beautiful.  As Hoeger worked, she connected with patients who were in treatment during the weeks she was there. Many of them would check on her progress from one visit to the next and comment or chat with her about it. “I believe that it makes their circumstances just a little easier to bear to be greeted by something beautiful that was created just for them,” Hoeger said. IoH and the Marshall Center sponsored

26 September 2017 • APC

Progression of the deer element in the Tree of Life mural.

Patients continued receiving treatments as Hoeger worked on the mural, so they had a rare opportunity to chat with the artist.

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Heart of Faux the mural. Hoeger also significantly reduced her fees so the center could afford the mural and future additions.

CREATING THE MURAL

This cute little crab holds special meaning, as it represents the sister Hoeger lost to cancer.

The background for the mural was painted with an off-white eggshell-sheen interior paint. Hoeger drew leaves, branches and animals on the wall with watercolor pencil. She shares that this step made her a little nervous, as she could

only see about a 6-foot section at a time before the pastel of the pencil became imperceptible with distance. Hoeger used Proceed Slow-Dry Acrylics—with their low-viscosity medium—for the actual mural, which gives a watercolor-type drift in places and clings to the holes in the wall surface. The combination of Proceed products also provided the open time necessary for pulling the leaf veins out with a rubber nib tool. Hoeger applied layers in transparent washes using three basic colors: Hansa Yellow, Pthalo Blue and Alizarin Crimson. She added some Titanium White to the blossoms and to a few of the animals. Hoeger prefers working with a very limited palette, as it gives her a great range while maintaining continuity throughout. She mixed and applied the colors as she went so there was natural variation in the colors. This mural was completed in the fall of 2016.  APC

The detail shows leaves with the paint pulled out with a nib tool to create veins in a subtractive process. To the right of the leaves is the outline of the owl in watercolor pencil.

This column spotlights charitable projects championed by members of the International Decorative Artisans League. Author Katie Fitzgerald owns A Fine Finish and works in the San Francisco and Monterey Bay areas. You can find Katie’s blog at www.anartistichome.com. To see Katie’s work, visit www.afinefinish.com. You can contact Katie at (831) 419-2748 or [email protected].

28 September 2017 • APC

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That’s It!

estimating

Could Your Estimating Process Be Hurting Your Sales? Painters discuss the pros, and cons, of putting software over the art of estimating By Megan Headley

They say experience is the best teacher, and that certainly holds true when it comes to estimating. Most experienced painters in the field today mastered estimating through years of practice, and they train their estimators the same way. It’s the trial and error approach, says Patrick Miller, the owner of Patrick Miller Painting in Long Beach, Calif., who wrote a software tool called The Paint Estimator. “I have made plenty of errors in my 25 years of doing this,” he acknowledges. “However, they have slowed down quite a bit over the years.” AMERICAN PAINTING CONTRACTOR • September 2017

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estimating While even software writers argue that this “old school” approach to estimating can have greater accuracy than software solutions, software does have its share of advantages. For an industry plagued by low-priced, fly-by-night competitors and a shortage of skilled laborers, estimating software might display enough advantages to earn it a second look.

Secure the Sale One of the biggest drawbacks to traditional estimation comes when painters don’t recognize the value an instant, professional estimate can have in closing the sale. “It’s not just about making a number. Estimation software is an integral ingredient in maximizing sales,” says Glen A. Morrison, president of the paint estimating software company ScutterWare in Brighton, Colo. “Estimation is essentially a sales function. Why else prepare a bid?” In this regard, Morrison says, estimation software can be a big contributor to successfully closing sales. “Handwritten forms don’t impress anyone. People expect more nowadays, and understandably so. They expect to see professionalism, and they want options,” Morrison says. It was this understanding—that your potential customers are calling around for other options rather than negotiating on your price—that drove Josh Abramson, owner of ALLBRiGHT 1-800-Painting in Valencia, Calif., to develop One Step Estimating. “I hated the way that most people, including us, estimated, and I really wanted to fix what I considered a very broken system,” Abramson says. He developed his system in 2005 to simplify the process and provide customers with an instant result. As Abramson explains, the typical process looks like this: You tour the home or building with the owner, measure or eyeball the measurements, and scratch

“Estimation is essentially a sales function. Why else prepare a bid?” - Glen A. Morrison, ScutterWare down some notes on your legal pad. The next step would be to take those notes back to the office, come up with a quote and send over a typed proposal to the client. That delay can pose big problems in competitive markets. “You didn’t talk about the price or anything important to the person requesting the estimate. You’d send over the proposal via fax or email and you never got a chance to talk to them. They look at the bottom line—that’s all they look at—and they think, ‘that’s too high, I’m not even going to call them back,’” Abramson says. As Morrison points out, “One bid number will never appeal equally to all customers, because each customer has a different set of desires, expectations and motivations.” And if you’re not able to get an instant sense of that person’s motivations, you’re missing out on the opportunity to sell your customer on what the high bid will get them. Maybe your customer wants to know that you’re using a better-quality paint than the next guy. Maybe they need to compare a few testimonials to realize they’re paying more for reliability. Maybe they simply need to know that the low quote is only possible from a company that isn’t licensed or insured. The point is, if you’re sending over a quote after you leave that jobsite, you don’t get the opportunity to explain why you’re worth the quoted cost. “It was frustrating for us,” Abramson recalls. “We were the company that wanted to do things right. Not everybody wants to do that, so when our bid would come across it would be much higher than the guy who was just trying to make ends meet. So when we would compete against that guy through a fax or email document

“To be scalable, you can’t depend upon that one individual as your estimator. You can’t build an organization around a person—you have to build it around a system.” -Chad Lyons, Lyons Painting 32 September 2017 • APC

it was hard, because a lot of people didn’t see the difference in quality.”

Improve the Teaching Process Many experienced painters argue that an estimating program cannot achieve the accuracy of a repaint estimate that they can get simply by eyeballing a job. “I think this does hold true,” Miller says. “I have yet to find [a painter] that estimates by measuring the surfaces. Many of them can just look at something and know how long it should take based off their own experience.” The challenge is that it takes years to gain this expertise. In other words, software isn’t just helpful in closing the sale—it can help your new hire close that sale as well. Chad Lyons, owner of Lyons Painting, Pousbo, Wash., didn’t come up through someone else’s organization, and he wasn’t a second-generation painting business owner. Even so, it took him a while to realize the biggest drawback to the “eyeball it” method of estimating isn’t necessarily accuracy— it’s that it’s not easily scalable. As Lyons’ business grew from the $1 million to about the $2 million mark, he found he had to overhaul the organizational structure and create new systems for estimating and budget management. “To be scalable, you can’t depend upon that one individual as your estimator,” Lyons says. “My estimator has been with me now for 14 years, and we estimate almost exactly the same. But you can’t build an organization around a person— you have to build it around a system.” For Lyons, this has meant knowing the production rates, and formatting them in a way that allows him to send them to someone who may not know his method and still hold that painter to a standard of performance. “It’s not just textbook; there is an art to estimating,” he says. But he’s found that there still needs to be a standard method of creating an estimate that can be easily scalable across the organization— whether that method uses software or not. Abramson has found that standardizing processes through One Step Estimating has transformed the training process at ALLBRiGHT.

estimating “It takes years and years for someone who has been in the industry, in the field, to really learn how to estimate and know how much time a job will take,” Abramson points out. But with a plug-and-play method of estimating, that process can be sped up significantly. Abramson offers this case in point: “We hired an AT&T sales rep, someone who sold phones and knew nothing about painting. Within a year he became our top salesperson, selling more than $1 million without mistake, because he could be consistent in estimating, just like I can be, and all he had to know how to do was count and measure.” The advantage of simplifying the estimating process, Abramson adds, is that you can focus on hiring people for their sales savvy. “If you can count the windows and measure the front of the building and put the details of what you’re seeing into [our] program, it automatically tells you how much time and material you need. Now you just have to sell to the customer based upon their needs. If you’re good at that, you’ve got a really good combination,” Abramson says. This can be a powerful solution for companies that see a skilled labor shortage as one of their biggest challenges.

So What’s the Right Solution? There are a number of estimating options on the market now from which painters can choose. “Ten years ago, there were only six to 10 software companies with offerings to this industry. Now there are three times as many,” Morrison says. “Use of estimation software by painting contractors (by our informal observations) is up five-fold in the same period. More and more contractors are incorporating estimation software in their business operations. Those that do are moving ahead; those that don’t are falling behind. This stratification process is already well underway.” The challenge is that new programs continue to be developed to get closer to the level of accuracy that estimators are able to achieve from their preferred old school method of estimation. As Morrison himself points out, “Software companies are just like people: most are average or less, some fair, and a few 34 September 2017 • APC

“The problem I’ve found with all estimating software is that they all treat one square foot as the same as every other square foot.” - Randall Reese, LVX Painting are actually good. In the case of paint estimation, the ‘good’ are pretty scarce.” Morrison breaks down the options like this: “Most programs available today are simply quoting systems, spreadsheet hybrids or 30-year unitizing approaches. Most lack any real power, tend to be rather inflexible, are fairly cumbersome to use and are categorically unable to address the broad range of situations that routinely face estimators. All of which leads to inaccurate and unreliable outcomes, or at times renders them altogether useless.” The option that most benefits you also will depend on the type of work you’re doing, and a program designed for estimating a residential repaint won’t meet your needs if you find yourself in talks with a GC about new construction work. And in some cases, the learning curve for software can prove just as challenging. “I use estimating software that is pretty accurate, but I’ve also put some time in to get it that way,” says Christian Militello, owner of Militello Painting & Powerwashing in Ambler, Pa. “The first software I used was too bulky.” As he has tested products, Militello also has found that “most software is missing pre-loaded production rates for you to tweak.” When Erick Gatcomb, owner of Erick T. Gatcomb Painting and Design in Hancock, Maine, tested an estimating application, his reaction was to be “glad I do things the hard way. After punching numbers into the computer, we came up with a figure that would have killed me. I would have lost my shirt on that job. Best I can figure, the software didn’t have the nuances necessary for achieving an accurate estimate. After all, a square foot here is rarely identical to a square foot there, and substrate uniformity is generally a myth. Factor in unknowns (you never know what you might find when you remove wallpaper) and things can get dicey,” he adds. “The problem I’ve found with all estimating software is that they all treat one square foot the same as every other square foot,” agrees Randall Reese, owner

of LVX Painting in Newport, Ky. “The better versions allow you to input modifiers for different kinds of substrates. But the real problem is that there is no field to allow one calculation for cutting edges and another for rolling the main areas.” Like many other painters, Reese found himself building his own spreadsheet to get the results he wanted. “It also has a height modifier to account for ladder moves,” Reese says of his solution. “This works pretty well, although every time I try to hold the painters’ feet to the fire and make them responsible for meeting these time estimations, they insist that there are still not enough variables to account for all their situations,” he says. For Gatcomb, getting an accurate estimate is all about accounting for those variables. “Honestly, my tried and true method is to consider who I will have on the job, and then, knowing their strengths, calculate the time it will potentially take for each person to perform the task, at hand,” he says. “You know, sort of like, ‘Dwight could first coat that in five hours and probably do the second coat in three and a half. Factor in a little cushion for the unforeseen and we’ll say 10 hours for that wall.’ Figuring it by the hour or day sounds like a daunting task but after years of doing it that way, I’ve become surprisingly efficient at it.” Gatcomb is quick to point out, “I’m not averse to technology (I use my smartphone every day for work purposes).” But, as with any investment, estimating software should be saving time and presenting clear benefits. Gatcomb likely isn’t the only painter thinking “if it ain’t broke, why fix it?” The challenge is recognizing what your competitors are doing and what new options are available, so you can get a better sense of whether or not your methods APC are “broke.” Megan Headley is the editor of APC Magazine. She can be reached at [email protected].

“That Ain’t How We Always Used to Do It”

Remembering an old-school painter working in an ever-changing trade By Erick T. Gatcomb

T

oday I learned that Fuzz McHue died. Someone told me he passed away in his sleep over the weekend. I don’t imagine many people outside of downeast Maine would know him, but Fuzz was a local painter and quite a character … and he was a friend of mine. He had his pilot’s license and he used to land his single engine Cessna at a local “airport” (essentially a couple sheds beside a dirt airstrip in the woods) when he was working in the area. He’d unload his tote of brushes and tools from the hand-painted plane and have one of his laborers pick him up on the way to the jobsite. It was a wonder he was able to scale 40-foot ladders with such ease at 72 years old. He 36 September 2017 • APC

was a rare breed, one of those old-timers who carried a flask in the pocket of his coveralls, chain-smoked to beat the Devil, and could seemingly tell a dirty joke to any client and receive only laughter. He was a busy man, and I subbed for him a couple of times when I was first starting out. One job he subbed out to me was some interior work in an early 1900s farmhouse. The new owners wanted all the pistachio green-painted doors and trim stripped down to bare wood. As you might have guessed, every bit of paint in that house tested positive for lead. He showed up one day while I had a door on sawhorses, using my infrared heater to make ease of the job.

“What’s that thing in yer hand?” he asked. I showed him the device, explaining that the two infrared bulbs heated to about 400 degrees, making the paint bubble and let loose its hold on the door. He laughed. I mean, hysterically. “That ain’t how we always used to do it,” he finally said as he walked to his ancient Dodge van. He came back a moment later with a blowtorch and proceeded to lay flame to the door, using his 5-in-1 to scrape back countless layers of paint. There was smoke, there was lead vapor, and there was a not-unpleasant smell. And all the while, Fuzz was bent over the door, squinting against the lead

vapor, with the smoking cigarette dangling from his lips. Old Techniques Work for Old Windows A few years ago, I hired on an older guy in the middle of summer. I explained what needed to be done and I explained how I wanted it done. The first couple days went alright, but tension quickly built between us. I couldn’t understand why—I’m a genial guy, and he was one of the nicest, most sincere people I’d ever known (and I’d known him for many years). One day I arrived at the jobsite and he was painting exterior windows. I’d previously explained that these were fancy new windows, some sort of expensive tempered glass that had to be imported, so I wanted him to do the tried-and-true method of carefully painting onto the glass a ’steenth of an inch. Instead, he was slapping the paint right to the windows, practically painting every inch of glass. I quietly took him aside to discuss it and he blew up.

I again explained that these were very exotic windows and, though I had no previous experience with them, the architect himself told me that scraping them with metal would create scratches. “Well, that ain’t the way we always used to do it!” he snapped. I suspect there were several issues at play. He probably took offense at someone half his age telling him how things should be done for that particular job. After all, he’d been painting longer than I’d been alive, so I’m sure it burned him a bit. And he was one of those Old Dogs who found perfection in the techniques of yesteryear. As I tried to explain to him, the old way was fine … for old windows. Old windows didn’t expressly warn you against scraping them with metal. I know several people who damaged tempered glass by scraping it with metal objects. Call me crazy, but I far prefer to learn from other people’s costly mistakes. Insurance premiums are high enough without making a claim to replace x-

number of windows, especially when they’re some architect-specified imports that cost 20 grand each. It Was All New Once We human beings are largely products of our past; it’s by our past that we gauge our current successes and failures. History is important to us because we don’t want to repeat doomed results. When we hit on something that works, we tend to stick with it, sometimes to our detriment. This is an ever-changing world, and the painting and decorating industry is no exception. “The way we used to do it” might be outdated at best, dangerous or deadly at worst. I can think of several things that wouldn’t make it onto the list of “ways we used to do it.” How about wearing masks when sanding drywall? I attended an excellent lead training class and the instructor seemed to fear two things more than lead: aluminum and silica. After trying to scare

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"We human beings are largely products of our past; it’s by our past that we gauge our current successes and failures... When we hit on something that works, we tend to stick with it, sometimes to our detriment." me off of canned beer and grilling on tin foil (not so successful), he discussed joint compound at great length and tried to scare the holy residual silica dust out of me (very successful). Dust masks are still seen as emasculating for much of the male population, but there’s nothing unmanly about wanting to get as many years out of your life as you can. Use that newfangled gear they call PPE. Lead paint is another one. Everyone used to sand it or scrape it or torch it or whatever, but only a fool won’t look for a way to deal with lead that’s safer to himor herself, the homeowners, and the neighborhood. We’ve now got affordable chemical strippers. We have infrared heaters, which are met with mixed reviews. (It may take longer, but figure that into your estimate and you can minimize the danger of lead dust without losing money.) We also have impressive shrouded tools able to remove the lead paint while meeting every standard and recommendation from OSHA. Then consider the simple things that we take for granted that were once seen as new-age toys. Like the drywall banjo, for example. I know a painter who was involved in apartment complexes in the 38 September 2017 • APC

Southwest, years ago. The crew he was working on spent several years finishing thousands of apartments in various complexes. He got the chance to try a drywall banjo, which was relatively new to the trade. So new, in fact, that they were allegedly only available from a local tool rental facility. He managed to get one for a week or so and he said it was a game changer. He was almost doubling his productivity, yet the old-timers on the crew degraded him for using it. He said they treated him like some sort of pariah, a lazy hack who needed “a machine” to do his taping for him, despite the fact that he was completing more footage and less waste than they were. It was an advance in taping technology, but the stalwarts refused to embrace it because it wasn’t “the way we always used to do it.” Why Drive With Your Sand Wedge I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t like change. But business gets an exemption from my resistance to change. I believe in being industrious, but you can’t be industrious if you are clinging too tightly to the old ways. That’s a fruitless endeavor. Techniques change. Rules and regulations change. Technology changes, as do

the tools of our trade. Being fluid is the key to success. I think I’m a fine painter, and I know anyone I hire on or subcontract work to is good at applying paint. I’m also open to new ideas. I’m not afraid to ask questions, and I tend to heed advice from fellow tradespeople who have been there and done that. The first time I saw an infrared heater in action was when a gal was using one on a jobsite. Like Fuzz, I inquired about it. Unlike Fuzz, I didn’t laugh when she explained how it worked. I made a note to look into them, and I ended up buying one a few weeks later. One of the guys who got me started in the trade was a highly skilled painter who owned probably 50 3-inch brushes but nothing smaller. The old-school painter told me, “If you can’t do it with a 3-inch brush, you got no business painting.” And he could do it, believe me. Windows, tight baseboard corners, cutting the edge of cornerboards up to cedar shingles, etc. He could do it all, and he only did it with a 3-inch Purdy. Later, I did a couple side jobs with another painter who owned brushes of every shape and size, and he didn’t hesitate to pull out a 1.5-inch angled brush when

the job called for it. One day, he asked me why I was painting this impossibly small molding with a wall brush and I relayed the mantra I’d had pounded into my head day after day: “If you can’t do it with a 3inch brush, you got no business painting.” Instead of finding it noble, he laughed. Like Fuzz, he laughed hysterically. “You don’t have to make your job harder just to prove you’re a good painter,” he said. “Skill isn’t about doing everything with one tool. It’s about having 100 different tools and knowing just which one is right for the job. A good golfer doesn’t show off his skill by using only a sand wedge on each hole.” The moment he said that, I became a lot less green. I was suddenly willing to try every new invention, every gadget, every upgrade, every improved product I could get my hands on. And you know something? I’m glad I did. No One-Size-Fits-All Here Not a lot is press-fit, one-size-fits-all in

the painting industry. What works for me may not work for you. You ask a carpenter here in Maine about stud spacing and his answer will be the same as that of the builder from Slocomb, Ala.: 16 inches on center. But you ask the painter in Maine what exterior primer to use and I’ll bet you a dollar against a dog biscuit his answer will be different than the painter from Slocomb. Industry standards mean a whole different thing in the painting and decorating trade. Try to keep an open mind when planning projects. There’s nothing shameful about asking questions of fellow tradespeople. Myself, I’ve long looked to American Painting Contractor for inspiration and ideas. Yes, each issue has great information, and of course they spotlight new products that appeal to me. But you know what always gets me? The spring TOP JOB Awards issue. I have seen so much ingenuity in the pages of the TOP JOB issues. I’ve used tips from pros that I never even thought of, and they helped

me to successfully complete a job on schedule and under budget. Sure, some of the secrets revealed in the pages “ain’t the way we always used to do it,” but that’s what makes them even better. We have but a limited time on this Earth, and we’ll spend a great deal of it chasing a paycheck. You’ll forgive me if I embrace change and try to make that chase a little easier any way I can. As for ol’ Fuzz McHue, he was one of the good ones. I’m sure he landed his plane on some silver cloud, jumped out and immediately started selling St. Peter on freshening up the paint and gilt on those proverbial gates. And knowing Fuzz, he probably took a nip off his flask, pulled out his blowtorch and got right to work “the way he always used to APC do it.” Erick Gatcomb is the owner of Erick T. Gatcomb Painting and Design in Hancock, Maine, and a founding member of Gatcomb Enterprises.

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How It’s Made, Paint-Style The Latest Paint Technology—And How It Works Have you ever wondered, as you mull over the latest features available from your paint manufacturer of choice, just how these paints can accomplish so much? After all, today’s paint products do far more than simply look good. They’re also taking yesterday’s formulas and giving them a spin to make your job easier than ever, keeping offensive chemicals and microbes out of your customers’ homes and businesses and reducing maintenance for end users in amazing ways. APC talked with a number of paint manufacturers about some of their leading products and the science that goes into bringing you these unique new products. While these innovations are awesome on their own, there are a number of other innovative new technologies looking to use paint in entirely new ways.

Benchmarking and Field Testing to Transform Your Prep and Cleanup Behr points out that every new product development is based on a customer demand. The most significant contributions toward product development come from painters themselves, as requests will determine whether the manufacturer’s R&D pros begin adapting a broadly used formula or turn to an emerging technology. From there, researchers set out to address the total need through formulation. It’s a process that could take months, or years, depending on the starting place. Because field trials are the determining factor in whether the formula solves customers’ needs, this is an extensive part of the development process. Once a formula is customer-approved, it is commercialized and made available across the distribution network. Take the company’s most recent addition under the Behr Pro brand, for example. The company developed a high-performance pre-catalyzed wall epoxy (PCWE) for high-traffic and severe-duty interior walls. PCWE was designed to meet customer requests for exceptional adhesion, hardness, chemical resistance and block resistance to best serve commercial and high-traffic environments. PCWE also is very low VOC. In producing this and other products, Behr conforms not only to professional industry standards such as Greenguard, Master Painter’s Institute, California High Performance Schools and others, but also regularly works with external testing facilities to systematically benchmark products to competitors. This helps the company monitor shifts in the competitive landscape while ensuring it maintains a position of quality.

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Applying Automotive Staying Power to Residential Paint Deconstructing Molecules to Eliminate Odor Sherwin-Williams packs a lot of punch within a can of Harmony paint. The company’s paint developers deconstructed carbon molecules to create the “odor eliminating technology” that helps the product neutralize and dissipate ambient odors of organic origin, such as pets, cooking and smoke. The company looked beyond traditional formulations to create a zero-VOC formula that it says can actually help improve indoor air quality in occupied spaces, whether in new or existing construction.  As Sherwin-Williams explains it, the paint’s formaldehydereducing technology transforms airborne aldehydes into water molecules and harmless inert gas, reducing these VOCs from potential sources, including insulation, carpet, furniture and fabrics. Additionally, antimicrobial agents inhibit the growth of mold and mildew on the paint film and related bacterial odors, addressing these issues from the outset.  A third-party laboratory’s testing backs up the manufacturer’s research, and GREENGUARD GOLD Certification supports claims of low chemical emissions into the indoor air during product usage. 

PPG’s recently launched PPG Timeless® interior and exterior paint and primer in one incorporates the automotive-grade ultraviolet (UV) and gloss-retention technology used by leading automotive manufacturers. The paint formula was specifically designed to resist color fading on exterior surfaces and provide added protection for the surface. The product’s gloss retention ensures that the paint keeps its sheen and looks new, even years after application. The formula also includes a number of other technologies, so the paint doesn’t just stay looking good but is easy to wash and scrub; resists chipping, flaking and cracking while providing a mold- , mildew- and algae-resistantcoating; and uses a high-build formula to help hide minor surface imperfections.

Retooling Formulas to Repel Scuffmarks Benjamin Moore’s latest product introduction was specifically developed in response to a unique problem. The company recognized that high-traffic commercial environments such as hallways, stairwells, lobbies and retail fitting rooms require constant maintenance and upkeep due to frequent marks, stains, scuffs and impact from people and equipment traffic. The best solution has been to paint these high-traffic environments using highly scrubbable coatings—such as pre-catalyzed epoxies, waterborne catalyzed epoxies or two-component coatings— that were developed to withstand repeated washing. The paint manufacturer set out to create a new solution, one that would reduce maintenance by repelling scuffmarks in the first place. Ultra Spec SCUFF-X is a one-component scuffresistant paint designed specifically for high-traffic commercial environments. While the manufacturer won’t offer details on the proprietary scuff-resistant technology, it does say that it provides superior scuff resistance compared with two-component coatings and offers long-term durability, easy application, low odor and quick dry time.

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The Future Properties of Paint Paint can do some pretty amazing things, but the powerful performance found in paints today may be nothing compared to what the future holds. Consider the following innovations currently in the works.

Spray-Paint a Touchscreen Researchers at Carnegie Mellon are working to scale up touch input systems and have hit on paint as a potential strategy for creating a screen out of something slightly larger than a smartphone—like your wall. Electrick is the researchers’ solution for creating an electric field on any surface. By applying an electrically conductive paint or coating, and adding electrodes that track finger movement, the team has found they can turn virtually any surface into a touchscreen. The kicker? The team was able to create its touch-sensitive surfaces using materials already available. They experimented with a carbon conductive paint from MG Chemicals designed for electrostatic discharge and RF shielding, covered by various spray and latex paint topcoats. The team ultimately created a touchscreen out of a desk, a 4- by 8-foot sheet of drywall, a guitar, a steering wheel and a number of toys. Touchscreen Play-Doh anyone?

Paint Gains Super Strength and Other Super Powers

Painters Turned Solar Power Installer Interested in adding solar panels to your roof? Why not just paint your roof or walls with a coating that can generate energy for your home? A unique formulation created by researchers at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, doesn’t work quite like solar panels. Instead, the solar paint absorbs sunlight and water vapor, then splits those water atoms to create hydrogen, the cleanest fuel available. The paint is a combination of titanium oxide—the white pigment already typical in wall paint—and a newly developed compound that acts like silica gel. Unlike silica gel (the small sachet used to keep your food, electronics and other goods dry), the new material is also a semi-conductor. The blend is a sunlight-absorbing paint that produces hydrogen fuel from solar energy and moist air, and could convert a brick wall into an energy-harvesting surface.

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What do you get when you add graphene—the strongest material known to science—to a lime-based paint? A product that could be a game-changer for paints, even if the world’s first commercially available graphene-infused paint is currently only sold in the UK. Graphene fibers within the Graphene Co. unique paint are corrosion-resistant; 200 times stronger than structural steel; 1,000 times more conductive than copper; and provide greater flexibility without damage compared to common coatings. Plus, the addition of superconductive graphene to the familiar lime-based formula leads to paint that can improve the thermal regulation of buildings, reports Dezeen. The paint, in effect, enhances insulation by slowing heat’s transfer through walls. Improved thermal regulation means energy savings, by requiring less heating and air conditioning. The paint is also environmentally friendly in some unique ways. It doesn’t emit VOCs or odors—and it also absorbs carbon dioxide. As the paint cures, and over its lifetime, each square meter of Graphenstone paint absorbs 120 grams of CO2 from the local environment. Additional benefits of graphene— including antibacterial properties, breathability, durability and pliability—are being explored for healthcare applications. APC

Welcome to The Wall. Here you can find cool stuff, including marketing tips, funny customer blunders and projects from APC readers. Got some cool stuff of your own? Just email [email protected]. Don’t forget to check our Facebook page for even more updates on The Wall.

What’s Your Backlog? “Most painters in Denver are booked out eight months to a year minimum right now, and we have GCs—local and out-ofstate—calling and literally begging us to give them bid numbers for projects because they can’t find anyone to do the work.” -Gina Tumbarello Koert, Shamrock Painting

“Booked (from August) through the end of October. … We are pretty much referral based (75%), and into our fifth year in central California, after 23 years in Washington, therefore homeowners are okay to wait a few months—but we can lose them if we wait much longer.” -Judy Baughman, Preferred Painting “Five months out at least in central Kansas.” -Carl Diggs, Empire Painting

“Booked 15 months out in Central New Hampshire.” -Errol Towers, Towers Drywall & Painting

“Five months out for us in Catskills, N.Y. We’re scheduled from (August) until about the end of December. We have already scheduled exterior work for the spring of 2018. This is normal for us.” -Thomas Kellogg, Kellogg’s Painting

“Five months out in Mississippi.” -Ryan N Jamie Moore, Moore Painting & Pressure Washing

“August in Westchester County, N.Y., we’re getting ready to shut down for winter.” -James Badillo, Exquisite Painting Plus

Before Hurricane Harvey had moved out of Houston, construction experts were pointing out that the high need for new homes has potential to create a major backlog in the already booming building market. But Houston isn’t the only area where painters will be facing big backlogs of work. APC polled painters via email and Facebook on their backlogs. This is what they’re seeing around the country:

“One month out with 100 guys near Philadelphia.” -Kevin Nolan, Nolan Painting “Two months out in Southwest Virginia and Northwest North Carolina.” -Shaun Berrier, Berrier’s All Around Home APC Medic

AD INDEX 3M www.3m.com See our ad on page 9.

Diamond Vogel www.diamondvogel.com See our ad on page 26.

IPG www.itape.com See our ad on page 2.

Adrian Steel www.adriansteel.com See our ad on page 14.

Dumond Chemicals (800) 245-1191 www.dumondchemicals.com [email protected] See our ad on page 3.

Norton Saint Gobain www.nortonconsumer.com See our ad on page 17.

AllPro www.allprocorp.com See our ad on page 20. Corona Brushes (800) 458-3483 www.coronabrushes.com [email protected] See our ad on back cover. Crawford Products www.crawfords.com See our ad on page 25.

Festool www.festoolpaint.com See our ad on page 21. Full Circle (866) 675-2401 www.fullcircleinternatioinal.com See our ad on page 37. Home Depot www.homedepot.com See our ad on page 33.

ProLuxe www.perfectwoodstains.com 1-866-SIKKENS See our ad on page 27. Sherwin-Williams www.sherwin-williams.com See our ad on page 5.

PDCA (800) 332-7322 www.pdca.org See our ad on page 35.

ShurTech www.shurtech.com See our ad on page 15.

PPG www.ppgpaints.com See our ad on page 13.

Trimaco www.trimaco.com See our ads on pages 7 and 29.

Progressive Group www.progressive.com See our ad on page 18.

Wooster www.woosterbrush.com See our ad on page 19.

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