Cutting in is my favorite part of the job.

I LOVE MY JOB!!!

I  really can’t say this enough, but today was especially allowing. I was finally able to begin the application stage of my Bluff Park job. So, after a week’s worth of weather-dodging and 3 hour days, I finally put some shine on this dull gem.

The day began easily enough, with a bright natural shine sneaking through my windows and Third Eye Blind blaring through my iPod player. My roommate wanted to help me this week and I obliged because it’s always easier having one man on the ground to dip your paint roller. Well, naturally, he was up before me and ready to go as I was stumbling to the bathroom.

Up and at-em! We stopped at Wally World for some bananas and Clif Bars (my favorite energy food), and were on the site by 9:30.

The Green House

I’ll give you a little background. Over the past 2 weeks, I’ve been using spare hours of days during which the weather was neither freezing nor wet to get this house prepped. To begin, every eave was fraught with serious peeling and cracking. I’m not sure whether it’d even been caulked before! For the peeling problem I used a Zinsser product call Peel Stop to glue the edges of the scraped surface down to the wood. Then I primed and sealed it down with a Zero VOC primer. This is the most basic way to achieve a proper substrate. In addition, the house has metal windows which were caulked with a non-paintable silicone based caulk. So I had to convert that surface to a paintable latex. I used a Low VOC Dap product called ALEX 230 Ultra.

This should give you an idea of what I was up against.

So with this problem solved I was finally able to get down to business. Now, it’s funny, during the summer time us painters play a little game called “Chasing the Shade.” It’s pretty simple; You just try to stay in the coolest spot possible while still maximizing efficiency. Well, in the wintertime, we do exactly the opposite; we chase the sunlight! For this house, in the morning the sun hits the right side, so we hit it first. As it turns out, we were able to get the hardest part out of the way right away – this is the tallest side and it’s got an annoyingly placed, though beautiful and peaceful, tree right up close. In truth, I like this tree because it’s fun to climb. There’s one spot where I have to plant my ladder between it and the A/C compressor, and although it forces the ladder up a bit too straight, it gives it a nice and safe cradle while it presents a perfect transitional stepping spot right where I need it. Painters can usually climb anything…

We finished the right side today and finished the cut-in stage of the rear, so tomorrow we’re going to roll the inner area to start. Well, maybe… If it’s too cold I might have to chase the sun. But anyway, I left my roller wet to avoid clean-up time and conserve water, so everything will be ready to go when we get there.

In my next post I want to go into greater depth about my process for getting a wall covered. I’ll try to teach you some strategy the will make it easier to attack this do-able, but challenging job. For now I want to leave you with a not-so-deep moral story for your painting soul.

Here is a wall mid-process.

My roommate has worked with me a couple of times but, like every amatuer, he’s encountered the Painter’s Learning Curve. I’ve given him basic technique instruction, which he’s picking up slowly but surely. But there’s one thing that I noticed today that I think anyone, painter or not, can benefit from. As he was brushing, he was using strokes that seemed to be of a close-to-decent speed, but the results just weren’t there. He had the motion, but the paint just wasn’t going on the wall. His issue was that he wasn’t pressing down forcefully enough. He wasn’t using his tool; His tool was using him.

So I asked to borrow it and I proceeded to show him how it’s done. I loaded the brush and illustrated that he must push down as hard as he can, almost to the ferrule, to get the paint out and on. In so many words, I said, “You cannot be weak. You have to show the paint who’s boss. Your strokes must be strong!”

This has 2 (or more) applications, one for paint and one for life. You cannot be afraid of what lies before you. You must strive to preserve quality, but you must also do it on your own terms. You must master your life. Remember, surrender to nothing which you choose to conquer.

Until next time, stay strong and you cannot go wrong.

Jesse Chambers wrote a piece last month for Birmingham Weekly in which he pondered what it means to be “green.” He notes that, with all the debate and name-calling go around, it really just boils down to one fact: Mother Earth will have the last word! We may believe that we’re being efficient by taking the immediately economic route, but such short-range illusion will eventually give way the long-term reality that we must protect our environment as we protect ourselves. It’s in our own self-interest. I agree with that statement, but I will offer you my own reason for acting with an environmental consciousness. I believe that everything is connected. I believe that every action creates a reaction that will eventually cycle back to myself. I cannot escape myself as long as I exist. Maybe one day I won’t exist, but it will not be due to my own actions (at least that’s the goal.) And maybe this attitude will put me in the clear spiritually, but at least it will put me in the clear ethically. Basically, I like to live my life in the flow of the moment. This means that I am existing as one with my surroundings, so that I play off of it in a type of dance. While I do this, however, I am seeing myself as greater than just my physical body. I am existing as part of the connected universe. I am a Birmingham, AL painter with 15 years of experience in residential and commercial, exterior or interior home renovation. Everyday, I am seeking ways to improve my sustainability quotient. For instance, I engage in water conservation methods when performing clean-up on my tools. I use eco-friendly tools and I specialize in no and low VOC paints. I’m also affiliated with a local paint manufacturer by the name of BLP Mobile Paints (who by the way make AWESOME PAINT!!!) I operate a high mileage vehicle that I am in the process of tuning for energy efficiency and/or alternative fuel. Ed from Element Garage is working with me on that. And, while I’m in someone’s home, I’m always taking precautions to be as unobtrusive as possible while securing the top results demanded by my clients. And I perform many other services as well. I invite you to shoot me an email to ask me any questions or give me any ideas which you believe could help us protect ourselves. Thank you. :^] If you’re a green company or a green blogger we would love to exchange links with you!

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Shades of green is an eco-friendly painting company that provides quality home services. If you are looking for a Birmingham painter and all around handy man contact Justin today! Get ready for spring and make that neighbor jealous, have the hottest deck in the neighborhood!

We do:

finishing, home, interior, exterior, trim, doors, repair, sheetrock, drywall, mudding, cracks, residential, caulk, caulking, molding, eaves repair stain, commercial, painting service, Birmingham painting service, window installation, sheetrock repair, drywall repair, door installation, interior painting Birmingham, exterior paint Birmingham, crown molding, base molding, deck staining, gutter cleaning, and other services.

Contact us today for a painting quote in Birmingham!

Safe From the Elements

Green Business,Birmingham

There’s a place you can go, where everybody knows your name… j/k

Hey, listen! I take both my cars to Element Garage, located at 441 University Blvd in Birmingham. I don’t do it because the business is run in an environmentally-friendly manner, although I will admit that this was the initial reason. And I don’t do it because they specialize in performance imports, although my Prelude would say otherwise. :^]

No, I do it because of the way I’m treated when I go in. If I have a problem, Edwin gives me the lowdown worst-case scenario. And then he tells me how we’re gonna save as much time and money as possible. In my opinion, having a good relationship with a mechanic is one of the most valuable things you can have. You need someone to have your back when it comes to something that’s really hard to comprehend. He’s my vehicle’s doctor and my ally.

Anyway, enough of the love-fest. Go get your ride rigged like you need it

Start Slideshow »Photo Credit: Heeb Photos/EStockphoto

ELLE DECOR Travels to Birmingham

Birmingham, AL really is a unique city. There are so many individuals and cultures who have imprinted themselves upon its collective personality that sometimes a struggle for identity erupts. It is now a place in transition, but with such a foundation of history and beauty, it stands poised to benefit from a few positive advances.

ELLE DECOR has published a feature in its Jan/Feb 2010 issue that showcases the quaint charm of this metropolitan area, as viewed from an outsider whom can appreciate what the South has to offer.

Photo BY Johnny Chandler MediaChandler