“Latex” is the term that is associated with water-based paints. Oil-based paints used to be more popular. However, water-based paints became available in the 1950s, and were easier to use and clean up. This, coupled with stricter viscosity regulations on oil-based paint, caused water-based paint to become the preferred type of paint. It is recommended to use water-based paints in most cases, except if you are painting the trim, doors, and especially porch floors. Latex is very convenient, but has a hard matching the toughness, resistance to dirt, and glossiness that oil-based paints naturally provide.

What if your home is made of stone? When choosing a paint for masonry, brick, or stucco, it is necessary to choose a paint that can breathe. Acrylic paints are ideal for this, but since cement has a high pH, you will also need to use an alkali-resistant primer. Lime or mineral paints can be used instead of acrylic paint. Lime paint is comparable in price to acrylic paint. Mineral paint lasts significantly longer than either of the other two paints (two coats can last 50 years). However, it is also very expensive (around $90 per gallon).

We at GreenWay know that you want a certain look, at a certain price. All of our paint is low viscosity, which means it’s healthier for you and your family. We will work within your budget to achieve the look that you want. If you need a Cincinnati painter, contact us for a free estimate today.

Plans other than lawn grass tend to require less water, chemicals and energy than maintaining a lawn, so can be a much more eco-friendly option. It may seem hard to make this transition, especially if all of your neighbors are sporting the green lawn look. Replacing your green turf with good, high quality plants might not be intuitive. However, it will ultimately require less of your time, and can be much more attractive in the end.

If you do decide to switch to the turf-free landscaping, take some time to evaluate which plants you will want to have in your garden. Shallow rooted plants will require more watering. Annuals will need extra attention in the summer. It might be easiest to keep the high maintenance plants all in one section, separate from lower maintenance plants. That way, when you water the plants, it will be easier to remember which ones need more water.

Just as important as selecting the plants that go into your lawn is maintaining them. It’s important to avoid over-watering, both for the health of the plants and the environment (not to mention your water bill!). If you see water running off the surface, then you know that you are watering the plants too quickly. If there is rain in the forecast, then hold off on watering. It is best to water plants during the evening hours or in the early morning. Avoid watering plants during the hottest part of the day, as water will evaporate more quickly.

During a heavy rain, a homeowners first concern is frequently basement flooding. A flood can mean damage to paint, drywall, furniture, carpet–the list goes on. To prevent disaster in your home, remember the three Gs: Gutters, Grade, and Greens.

• Gutters: It is very important to keep your gutters clean, especially in the spring and fall when leaves and other objects tend to clog them up. Remember to clean your gutters at least twice a year. If you live in a heavily wooded area, you may need to clean them more often. You may also want to buy extenders for the spouts so that the water will drain further away from the house. It is ideal to have the water drain at least 4-6 feet from the house.
• Grade: Make sure the soil around your house is at a proper gradient, with the soil sloping away from your home. The point is that you want rain and other water to drain away from your home, not towards it. If you make sure the soil slopes downwards at least 6 inches over a length of four feet from the wall, no significant amount of rain should be able to drain towards the house.
• Greens: Greens as in trees, that is. Certain species of trees, such as the silver maple, have an extensive root system. Such trees are beautiful to behold. However, you don’t want one too close to your house. The roots could grow in, break up the walls of your foundation, and cause further leakage. Make sure trees of this size are at least 10-15 feet away from your home.

Many of you have already begun your spring house cleaning, some of you haven’t. In any case, this is a great opportunity to clean out what allergens are already in your home and to prepare to keep the oncoming ones out.

To keep a home allergy free, it would be ideal to have blinds in every window. However, some women (such as myself) would never like that look.  If you insist on having curtains instead, it might be a good idea to get the type of curtain that you can machine wash.  Be sure to wash them more frequently in the spring and summer, when you usually begin to open the windows more. You can also clean curtains and drapes with a vacuum cleaner attachment.

Keeping the air in your home free of allergens can be a real challenge. Remember to replace the air filters in your heating and air conditioning system.  If you buy a traditional, older style filter, you will need to replace it about once a month. Newer style high efficiency filters are available, and only need to be replaced about once every three months. Another way to remove allergens is by investing in a room air filter. Air filters excel in capturing pollen.

However, while air filters will capture airborne allergens, they won’t be able to do anything about the allergens which have already settled in your carpet. That’s why it’s so important to vacuum on a regular basis–at least once a week. In fact, one of the most important appliances you can have at this time is a high quality vacuum cleaner.  In order for vacuum cleaners to pick up allergens, they need to have a HEPA filter. This filter can pick up particles as small as 0.3 microns, which should take care of most allergens.

Finding out what you’re allergic to is key. You may be allergic to mold, dust, dust mites, pet dander, pollen, or a combination of things. Hay fever is also very common this time of the year. Since it is important for us all to get a good night’s sleep, you should tackle the bedroom as the number one target for your allergy removal efforts. If you are allergic to dust mites, consider investing in an dust-mite-proof cover for your mattress and pillow.

Furthermore, if your home is covered in wall-to-wall carpet, consider removing it or having it removed, especially in the bedroom. Allergens tend to congregate in the carpet, and walking across carpet stirs up those allergens. Not only will removing carpet help you to breathe easier, but you may even find you expose some beautiful hardwood floors. If you have pets, it will be easier to clean up after them with uncarpeted floors. If you find that you don’t want to rip up the carpet yourself, this is one of the many services that GreenWay Painting has to offer.

Another tidbit that you may find surprising regards doormats. Placing a doormat before and after a door will trap outside allergens, keeping them from being tracked into your home. If you have guests over, kindly ask your guests to remove their shoes so that your home will stay allergy-free.

This is all for Part 1, stay tuned for Part 2.

Usually when it comes to exterior house painting, people stick with darker shades of blue. Many of these closely resemble the more neutral gray. Older homes look good with stormy hue blue, spruce blue, or even pewter. Blue also works well for homes that have a stone foundation, especially Victorian homes.

If your home is painted a shade of gray, painting the shutters marine blue is a great way to liven it up a bit. These colors complement each other well and at the same time provide enough contrast to stand out. They also work well together when used on the shutters of a warm-colored house, such as a red brick one. Another option is crème-colored trim, which makes blue and gray “pop” with color.

With smaller homes you may be able to try out brighter blues. Powder blue, aqua, and turquoise stand out and can look great on small houses. You can always tone down these bright colors with more muted shades on the shutters or trim. Or why not really go for it and choose a color on the opposite side of the color wheel from blue for the perfect complement. For instance, if you pair powder blue with a salmon orange, you’re sure to make a bold statement.

If you’re looking to spruce up your home this spring or summer, it’s never too early to start with an estimate. Give a call to a Cincinnati painting contractor you trust. (Greenway will give you a free estimate at 513.405.7048.) Whether you’re looking to paint trim, the shutters, or repaint the entire house, the sky’s the limit.

You don’t have to pick the boldest yellow color. There are many different shades of yellow. For instance, you may choose a neutral creamy yellow. Such a color has a similar neutral appearance to a beige or cream, and is subtle, faint, and beautiful.  Buttercream is another beautiful but subtle color, slightly more bold than a neutral yellow. Of course, if you want to go all out with Fiesta flare, sunflower yellow is your best friend.

Red accents in the form of trim, or even an accent wall, make a good match for a yellow kitchen and will further liven up the space. Or you could go for bold accents with your dishes, towels and other kitchen essentials. If you’re not into red, white or espresso cabinetry will enhance the boldness of the yellow and showcase any accents. In general, keep darker shades towards the bottom, and lighter shades towards the top.  This will create a balanced yet bold look for your kitchen.

Yellow is just one example of a great color for a kitchen. What color is your kitchen painted right now? Do you like it?  Would you want a remodel? Why or why not?

Lets’s say that attic of yours currently acts as an old storage room. If the walls are slanted, this is because of the roof. If you have the budget, you can do magnificent things like raising the ceiling to add skylights, or building cubbies or cabinets into the wall. Skylights add a lot of natural light to a room.

If skylights and the like are beyond your means, perhaps you can at least finish the drywall so that the rafters are not showing. This will allow you to paint the walls to transform your room. White paint greatly accentuates the openness of a room. Keep in mind that if you keep lighter colors on top, and darker colors towards the bottom, the room will appear lighter. You can choose your own colors or contact a Cincinnati painter for a professional and free consultation.

For more tips on optimizing other rooms, stay tuned for more posts.

A quick interior paint job can do a lot to transform a space. In order to make a room appear bigger, you can use white paint. To add color, paint a colorful striped pattern or border toward the top or bottom of the room, depending on the look that you are trying to achieve. Good colors to select in your pattern include blues, reds, greens, oranges and browns. To make a room appear even bigger, you can use big bubble mirrors, which are perfect for children, and which can be purchased at Restoration Hardware (they’ve got a location in Cincinnati’s Kenwood Towne Center).

If there is no linen closet in the bathroom, some alternate solutions include getting a cabinet with shelves, buying cabinets or cubbies, or having them installed in your bathroom. Such a job may seem like a chore in the beginning, but in the long run it is the best thing that you can do to provide storage for your bathroom. Keeping toys and linens off the floor is priceless and can only bring you peace of mind. For extra flare you can even paint the interior of the cubbies the same color as the stripes in the border. Not only will this look, sharp but it will tie in the colors for a fun but bold statement.

Changing one detail at a time will slowly transform your entire bathroom. With a new bathroom transformed by a new color scheme and paint, who knows—maybe your child will be the one requesting bath time in the future!

A cluttered laundry room in complete disarray is not conducive to a good frame of mind when taking care of chores. Consider installing shelves, which will make your laundry room look more open. Not to mention that you can place your detergents and bottles up there. You might also find it easier to organize items on your shelf. You can place small items in bins and baskets, minimizing the cluttered look. There are plenty of great places around Cincinnati to find attractive, organizational containers, such as the Container Store and Ikea.

An alternative to shelves is cabinets. It really doesn’t matter what you choose, but the point is that you need to decide on a system that will help you to stay organized. If you like a more open look, you can stick with shelves. If you like the look of having everything put away, with no clutter showing, then you may prefer cabinets. You have to decide for yourself which is more attractive. You might also think about installing a hanging rod to hang up your clothes. You can make a hanging station from a curtain rod and two plant hangers that will hold up the curtain rod, or you can buy a kit at Lowe’s, Home Depot, or Ikea.

With so many options to choose from, the sky’s the limit when redesigning your laundry room. You may actually find that you want to do laundry!