The News

New primer makes easy work of difficult surfaces

T Sherwin-Williams recently introduced the next generation of its Extreme Bond Interior/Exterior Primer, designed to provide greater scratch resistance, water sensitivity, hide and adhesion to hard-to-stick surfaces.

The waterborne urethane-modified acrylic solution is ideal for use with hard, slick and/or glossy surfaces that are otherwise difficult to prime. The bonding primer applies in one coat, dries quickly, and is compatible with a variety of topcoatings—including epoxies and urethanes—making it ideal for kitchen cabinets, tile, glass panels, plastics and PVC piping, wall laminates, aluminum, fiberglass, and varnished woodwork. Plus, due to the coating’s strong adhesive properties, sanding may not be necessary for clean, paintable surfaces. SherwinWilliams.com

Ladder safety training

T As part of the 5th annual National Ladder Safety month

celebrated in March, the American Ladder Institute launched an extensive media campaign promoting free training available on their website. Covering the proper selection, care, and safe use of all ladders including stepladders, single and extension ladders, articulated ladders, and mobile ladders, the training features a pretest, media-rich video demonstrations, and a final safety test to earn your certificate of completion. LadderSafetyMonth.com

Paint on, game on

T When Austin FC takes to the pitch for its first game in June 2021, most eyes will be on the action—but it’s likely one fan’s gaze will be cast a little higher.

A project manager with Cherry Coatings in Austin, TX, Joelyn Parker oversaw the painting of all the exposed steel in and outside the stadium. “Originally, we were brought on to paint the welds and abutments but, when the primed and coated steel arrived pretty banged up, it was obvious that we had a much bigger job on our hands.”

Crews of up to 10 pros, including a foreman and field manager, spent nearly 11 months applying 500 kits of Sherwin-Williams Envirolastic 940 LV, a dual-component polyaspartic coating, to the beams. “As much as we could, we brushed and rolled from the ground, but a lot of the work was done from a boom lift. Then there were the small and tight spaces where the boom wouldn’t fit,” recalls Parker. “In those instances, we called on our aerial specialists to walk the beams—we’re talking 160' up in the air—and apply the coating. I’ve got nothing but respect for those applicators, and am really proud to have played a hand in such a significant project for the community and the company.” CherryCoatings.com

Sherwin-Williams launches Living Well collection

T With a goal of making coatings do more than add color to a room, Sherwin-Williams has created a new product collection featuring two interior products. SuperPaint with Sanitizing Technology keeps walls sanitized 24/7 by delivering ongoing antibacterial action that kills 99.9% of certain bacteria on painted surfaces and remains effective for up to four years. SuperPaint with Air Purifying Technology contributes to improved indoor air quality, breaking down unwanted odors and reducing VOCs from potential sources like carpet, cabinets and fabrics. Both products are available in 11 curated palettes featuring Sherwin-Williams top-selling shades. S-W.com/living-well

Protect gutters, protect yourself

T If you’ve ever scratched or dented a gutter on the job or felt your heart skip a beat when a ladder shifted underneath you, then you’ll immediately understand the appeal of Ladder’s Little Helper. Made in the U.S. from lightweight polypropylene and lined with anti-slip rubber, this multipurpose tool prevents sideways ladder movement, while at the same time preventing damage to gutters. Simply place it from the ground with a pole, position your ladder between the guides, and you’re ready to get to work safer and with less risk of damage to customers’ property. LaddersLittleHelper.com

Houzz and Benjamin Moore partner on new visualization tool

T Houzz has partnered with Benjamin Moore to embed its color portfolio in new visualization tools within

Houzz Pro, its all-in-one business management and marketing solution for residential construction and design professionals. As part of this engagement, Benjamin Moore provides paint colors for the Houzz Pro 3D Floor Planner and Mood Board tools. Using the Houzz Pro 3D Floor Planner, pros can enter specific wall dimensions and ceiling heights, resize windows and doors and select any Benjamin Moore color to create accurate 3D interior schematics in walkthrough and dollhouse views. Free trials are available at Houzz.com/pro

Work just got more rewarding

T Pratt & Lambert Paints recently launched its first-ever

loyalty program designed exclusively for independent professional painting contractors. The only offering of its kind, the Pratt & Lambert Pro Contractor Rewards Program enables pros to earn cash rewards on their paint purchases in the form of a reloadable debit card.

Pros who accrue more than $500 in the company’s paint purchases within 30 days of registering for the program can upload their receipts to the website to earn a $25 reloadable debit card. Future purchases earn additional rewards, delivered via the reloadable card, with a maximum of 50 gallons qualifying for rewards each calendar month. Products qualifying for the program include all the company’s interior and exterior brands and finishes. To learn more and register, visit PrattAndLambert.com/prattprorewards

Cabot introduces sample stain program

T In an effort to help pros better serve their customers, Cabot has introduced a sample stain offering. Available in half-pints (enough to cover roughly 19 sq. ft.), sample stains in Australian Timber Oil Colors (Natural, Honey Teak, Mahogany Flame and Jarrah Brown) as well as three tintable opacities: semi-transparent, semi-solid and solid with 100 colors options. Samples are available wherever Cabot stains are sold.