Start the new year off right.

Well if you’re like most people this time of year you are spending a lot of time indoors. All this indoor living can get old if you haven’t renewed the colors on you walls.
This time of year is a great time to repaint the interior walls to add some new colors to you home. Sometimes you can just repaint your living room and really make a difference. You can also pick the room you spend a lot of time in.
I spend a lot of time in the kitchen so I really want my kitchen to wake me up with some bright colors.
For some reason we really don't understand why, some colors make us feel more upbeat, and some can make you feel not so upbeat.
I have found that some gold /yellow colors are great for bringing out a good mood. I really don’t mind some orange colors if they are the right tone, but only in certain rooms like the kitchen. Sometimes just the smallest changes in these colors will make a big difference. It’s kind of like tuning and old TV set, you’re either right on or way off.

If you would like some help updating the color in your home feel free to give me a call and I would be glad to help you out. I have been painting interior colors since 1993 when I started my business. www.JohnHowellConstruction.com

What tools I carry in my pockets.

The tools I carry in my pockets are the one's I really can't do without for sure.

1.Swiss army knife with a flat tip screw driver blade, bottle opener,leather punch that I use to put small holes in all kind of things, and a regular knife blade.
This one tool is the tool I really can't do without.

2. I carry a small scraper that is about 7 inches long with a 1 inch blade that I keep razor sharp, and yes I have cut myself on it before. This tool is great for removing old caulk,scraping paint,smoothing areas for painting.

3. I carry one three inch wornout oil brush for a dust brush.This comes in handy when your on a ladder up 25 feet and need to dust off something before painting.

4. One clean rag in my back pocket.

5.One utility knife with a new blade.

If your going to paint a house you need to get use to your tools, and remember to put them in your pockets.

I hope this has helped you.
John Howell

How about masking tape.

As a painting contractor, I go into homes where people have used masking tape thinking it would give them nice clean lines but really just made things look ugly.

So how do you apply masking tape so not to leave an ugly, messy job? Well first, start with a clean surface. Once you have cleaned the area, look to see if the area is smooth. If the area is rough, believe me you will never achieve a clean line. If the area is very rough, you would do better to cut the line in free hand. If you have a clean smooth surface, what you want to do next is apply the tape as straight as possible and with the least amount of pieces connected together. Now take a dull knife or metal tool of some sort and seal only the first 1/8 inch area closest to the line you want to leave. Reseal this tape line as you paint, because tape has a tendency to become loose after a few minutes.It is always a good idea to check your work as you go along to make sure the paint is not sneaking under the tape. If you have a rough area to mask sometimes it helps to run a bead of caulk over the area and smooth it out. Be sure to let the caulking dry for at least 48 hours before applying tape. Another good idea is pull the yape off before the paint dries. Happy painting.
John Howell

I want to try painting.

The best painting comes with a little bit experience and good bit of work.Everyone thinks painting is easy, but it is just like everything else. It is easy if you are experienced enough.
Well, you have to start somewhere.I think the best place for people to start is maybe taking on the bathroom. It takes a little more time to do, but everything is easy to reach.You will need a roll of masking tape to tape off the molding and drop cloth to cover the floor good. In a place like this it is easy to clean up if you make a mess. Make sure you get a good brush, and thin your paint a little so it will spread good. You got it made. So, go ahead and have fun. Just remember that if you spill any get it up before it dries and you will be fine. One gallon of paint will go about 300 sf so you should have enough paint to find out if you have what it takes to be painter.John Howell