It's a great time to live!

It is so easy to get focused on all the negatives in the world today, but I want to draw motivation and inspiration from that which is changing for the better. Not to put my head in the sand, but rather to take stock of the blessings we walk in.

We are living in an unprecedented time. There is a growing awareness and care for things that really matter. People are looking past their own needs and wants to those beyond themselves. I had lunch with someone this week who said, "I have all I need or want, now I am working toward been able to travel to other countries and build kitchens for orphan's in South America." Not only is this a long term goal for this man but a short term reality. In the United States and around the world purpose is being released and it is the purified American dream. It is a dream that we will be strong enough to reach out in relationship and friendship and empower someone else.

How does all this affect a painter or someone just wanting a paint job? It affects us all because we have choices. Simple choices in paint can affect live in both the short and long term. I remember the day's of feeling ill from smelling oil based paints all day. It is the simple things in life that can change the world. Their is a power and peace in respecting others. None of us have it all together, but we can take little steps toward our goals. In this age of opertunity we can make a difference.

Reaching My Goals- When?

Personal Thoughts:


Keep your long range vision!
Some days I feel like I am so far away from the picture of my vision. It helps me to look back and see where I have come from. I may never arrive, but I am on a journey none the less. It is a incremental journey. So many things seem so far out of reach. As I look back at where I was ten years ago I am amazed at where I am now. Ten years ago I was painting my way through college at ten to fifteen dollars an hour. It is hard to keep in mind the successes when you look in the mirror at only the things that are lacking. Each day is filled with juggling challenges, some to victory and some to apparent defeat.


I have come to accept myself and my weaknesses. So now that I accept that it's OK to not be perfect I can start to move forward from where I am. This is so important in my life whether it is my personal life, business or working toward being more green in our practices. The most important thing is to have a vision and get on the road. I can't wait until I have it all together.

How to get ride of all that extra paint?

This is a question I have to deal with on a regular basis. I just heard a story of a painter dumping all his old paint into a neighbors dumpster. It is extremely important for us to find a soloution to this problem. I have not found a solution that I am fully satisfied with yet. These are some of the ways that I am working towar an solution.

1. We try to buy a little less than I think I need at the start and adjust quantities based on how much paint is being used.
2. We keep extra paint at our customers home so that we can use it later for touch up.


3. We remove all primer, clear coating, and other commonly used products so that we can use the extra on the next project.
4. I have donated extra paint to my Local Habitat for Humanity and a local YMCA. (Churches, and other community centres are also good options)

I would like find way to recycle paint.

Water Based Stains

Send your vote to paint suppliers and learn how to use waterbased stains succesfully.

I started painting houses when I was a fifteen. Working for a high end paint company we had our very specific right ways to do thing and wrong ways. Being brought up in the painting profession this way I have had some opinions that needed to be challenged. Last year I started using water based wiping stains when ever possible. The world didn't end. My customers didn't fire me. In fact a home owner/customer we recently worked for liked the staining job we did with all water based products more than the oil based stain in his previous (identical) house.

Painters, home owners, and paint suppliers give water based stains a chance. It works differently, but I believe that in time you will prefer it.

How to effectively use water Based Stains?
(traditional drawbacks and how to overcome)

1. Waterbased stains Dry quickly sometimes causing overlaping marks.
2. Waterbased stains tend to be more like a glaze then a stain and can cover more then you want creating a one dimensional look.

Some possible Solutions:

1. Use a waterbased pre stain. We have to make our own by thining a waterbased clear coat.
2. The pre stain can be colored to create more depth and take some of the green out as shown below with this poplar door.

Benifits

I recently walked into one of our jobs and could not smell any paint. The whole house was stained and looked great and there was no stain smell. I felt like I could just take a deep breath and feel good about what we had done.

1. Smell
2. Dry Time
3. Water clean up
4. Better work environment