Pesach Preparations – Painting, Polishing and Priming
Contributed by: Hylton Sher – H.L. Painting
As the spring approaches, many of us are actively planning or working on painting our homes. Just in time for Pesach, our friends at H.L. Painting, professional painting contractors with over 33 years of experience in Israel, have put together a list of household painting and cleaning tips.
Do-it-yourself?
When it comes to Pesach preparations, we need to do thorough and intensive cleaning of upholstery and carpets, maybe deep steam cleaning of appliances to make them kasher for Pesach, we may have to get rid of winter mould or paint and refresh our homes. If we have the time, we can do some of it ourselves but getting a professional to do the job will be faster and will ensure better results for the long-term.
Estimates & Price Quotes
- Our very first suggestion is to get price estimates well in advance. You need adequate time to compare, decide and of course actually have the work done in time for the Chag.
- Don’t get more than three estimates. You can get totally confused by the costing techniques used in different businesses. We cannot stress enough how important it is to get a written quote. When discussing your requirements, make absolutely sure that the contractor writes down all the information and your specifications so that when you receive the estimates, you are comparing ‘apples to apples’ and not ‘apples to oranges’.
- Never employ a contractor who hasn’t given you a written professional estimate no matter how attractive his price may be in comparison. You don’t know what you are getting, work-wise, material-wise, time-wise or anything else. The contractor must retain a copy and you must be given the original. That way there can almost never be a discrepancy between what you requested and what you received.
Painting Preparation Tips
If you decide to paint your home you need to consult with an expert first. A reputable paint shop or your contractor will advise you. Give them some indication about the scope of the job; whether you intend to paint interiors or exteriors: just walls, or ceilings as well, perhaps the carpentry and woodwork; cupboards, shelves, doors and frames. Your contractor or paint advisor can help you make decisions about quantities, paint quality, special paint techniques and finishes, they can give colour advice, and suggest equipment and materials like rollers, brushes or paint sponges, tools for filling holes and cracks and other necessary items. Think seriously about your requirements. It’s easy to get confused. There is a myriad of ‘stuff’ available and you don’t want to spend your hard-earned cash on wrong or unnecessary purchases.
Choosing Paints for your Home
- When it comes to paint, don’t buy cheap!! In the long run, cheap paints will produce poor results. Instead of applying two coats of top quality paint, you will find you need to do a third coat in order to get a good finish (more paint, more time, more money).
- Generally speaking, Policid, which is a white synthetic lime wash is used on ceilings as it helps to reflect light downwards into the room itself, which creates a greater feeling of spaciousness.
- Some people prefer to paint walls and ceilings the same colour. Make sure the colour you choose is not too dark as this tends to create a ‘cave’ with a closed-in effect.
- New technology paints make cleaning easier without damaging the finish. Eco-friendly paints and non-toxic paints are popular for nurseries and children’s rooms. If mould is a problem (common in Israel homes), discuss this with your contractor so he can offer you a long-term solution.
- Use good Acrylic paint for walls and select colours which compliment your furnishings, artwork, floor tiles light sources etc. Alternatively, if you are looking for bold colour effects, you may require more than two coats of paint to get even coverage and the desired effect.
- Paints that have special finishes are quite popular these days but they have to be applied in a very specific way. A experienced and professional contractor is likely to produce a better and more resilient result.
Avoid the Mess & Keep it Clean!
We have much cleaning to before Pesach and having to deal with paint mess is just added stress.
Make sure you buy covering materials for floors, furniture etc. There is nothing worse than finding spots of paint all over floors, furniture and any other surfaces which were not intended to be painted in the first place.
Remember, a good contractor will clean up before he leaves.
Wishing you a Chag Pesach Kasher VeSameach!
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