30 minute read
Trend in Focus
A five-star approach to review management
Given that 99% of consumers reported using the internet to find information about a local business in the last year,* there’s no denying the importance of reviews.
But as Jamie Pitman of BrightLocal, a dedicated local SEO platform notes, “Consumer habits and preferences are changing. If you want to make the most of reviews, you need to stay on top of where consumers are going and have a presence there.”
Facebook falling out of favor
According to Pitman, there’s been a diminishing trust in Facebook over the past few years. “Between bad actors and congressional hearings, people are losing faith in the platform. For the first time in the company’s history, its user base is shrinking. On top of that, how it handles reviews is a bit confusing. They had reviews, then they had recommendations, now they have some sort of hybrid. The system isn’t clear to consumers or to businesses. As a result, consumers aren’t leaving reviews like they used to and also aren’t valuing them as much.”
Google seizes the moment
As anyone who uses Google knows, the company is actively looking to build trust and help businesses leverage reviews. “Recently,” Pitman says, “Google introduced a new feature on its local pack. When you’re presented with a map showing businesses that match your search, if you roll over a business, a little snippet of a review for that business appears. It might include a key word from your search, which serves to boost your confidence in the business and in Google to deliver what you need.”
Making the ask
For 84% of consumers, reviews play an ‘important’ or ‘very important’ part in their decision when searching service businesses or tradespeople. “You could offer the best service in the world,” says Shawn Hill, community director at the reputation marketing software company NiceJob, “but if you don’t have reviews that say that, no one is ever going to know.”
Hill notes pros may be hesitant to ask for reviews, and may not know what to do with them once they have them.
“If you set expectations with the customer early that you’ll be looking for feedback throughout the project on how well your team is performing, it becomes a partnership aimed at helping you improve the customer experience. Plus, if an issue emerges, you have a chance to show how responsive you are.”
Hill says that makes it easy to ask for the review when the job closes. Try something like: ‘You’ve said so many nice things; I’d like to share them on Google,’” he says. “And you want to make is super easy for the customer to provide the review. Tell them you’ll send a link, and thank them for sharing their experience.”
TREND IN FOCUS
New biz leverages reviews to great success
Jaime Burkhard started Murfreesboro Painting in May of 2021 and has already earned 39 5-star Google reviews.
“As a new business, we felt the quickest and best way to grow was to prioritize reviews and the customer PRO TIPS experience,” he Finding the review link provided by Google is ‘clunky,’ Burkard created a says. “The best way custom link (murfreesboropainting.com/review) that drives customers to to get potential the same review screen. customers to NiceJob software includes a smart code that presents clients with all trust us was to let connected review sites for a business. other people tell BrightLocal provides a free Google Review Link & Place ID Generator: our story. We put brightlocal.com/free-local-seo-tools/google-id-and-review-link-generator reviews in front of prospects every chance we get. They’re on the front page on our website and we include reviews of similar projects, including photos, in every proposal.”
Throughout the job, Burkhard and his team are focused on creating the best possible customer experience. “That makes it easy to ask for a review as soon as the invoice is paid. I never ask for five stars; I just send a link and ask them to take 30 seconds to share their experience.” If someone is slow to respond, he’ll send a follow-up note a few days later, informing them of his referral program or asking if they’d be willing to take some photos of the finished space. “I don’t ask for the review but that’s usually sufficient to get one.” Murfreesboro Painting responds to every review immediately, often peppering their response with a project location or some details to boost SEO rankings.
Two pros talk ONBOARDING
Hands-on skills training is an integral part of Kennedy Painting’s onboarding program and is provided on a biweekly basis to all crew.
As talent becomes increasingly tougher to come by, the onboarding experience grows more important. When done well, it indoctrinates new hires to your company values and processes, makes them feel like a valued member of the team, and increases the likelihood they’ll stick around.
Here, two pros share what they’re doing to get new team members off to a strong start.
Organizations with a strong onboarding < process improve new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%. SOURCE: Brandon Hall Group, The True Cost of a Bad Hire
Operating in the St. Louis market since 1998 as the owner and operator of Kennedy Painting, Sean Kennedy has a lot of employee hiring and retention experience. In fact, in 2021 he received nearly 700 employment queries, which he successfully whittled down to 35 full-time team members.
The Kennedy Painting onboarding experience
For Kennedy, the onboarding experience begins at the interview stage. He says, “When we bring someone in for a conversation, we spend a lot of time discussing our company values and asking questions to see if their values are aligned with ours. It doesn’t matter if someone’s the best painter in the world. If their values and goals aren’t aligned with ours, it’s never going to work.”
Assuming he finds a fit, he’ll extend an offer contingent upon an individual passing an occupational health screening. Conducted at a local hospital, the screening ensures the individual can complete the task necessary to do the job and that they have no preexisting conditions that would inhibit their ability to perform.
For candidates moving forward, the next step in the Kennedy Painting onboarding experience is Boot Camp.
“We hold Boot Camps at our shop once a month,” says Kennedy. “All new hires attend the first day, which covers expectations for painters, safety protocols, the structure of the company, and most importantly, our interior and exterior set up and breakdown processes. That way, there’s no ‘I didn’t know’ excuses later. I also spend a lot of time sharing our company values and what makes us different. It’s important they appreciate who we are and how we present ourselves to the customer and community. If they’re not feeling it on day one, they probably never will. I think it’s best to figure that out early.”
For individuals new to the trade, a second day of Boot Camp covers basic skills including how to set up a ladder, how to roll out a wall, basic tools, what goes in a tool bucket, how to cut a tube of caulk and how to caulk, etc. “The real skills training will come on the job in the days and weeks that follow. We assign apprentices to a field supervisor and project leader who have them work through a set of skills over 90 days.”
During the first week, apprentice time is not billed to jobs, as they’re just there to learn. The crew leader checks in regularly and evaluates them for punctuality, attitude, and their ability to follow directions and learn. During the second week, the crew leader decides whether or not an apprentice will be moving on with the company or not. If so, a formal review is slated for 30 days and again at 90 days when the employee becomes fully vested, receiving insurance, PTO, and a 50% tool stipend.
From that point forward, employees are reviewed every six months, with their salary being adjusted based on where they fall on the company’s skill pyramid.
© Courtesy of Nolan Consulting Group, NolanCG.com
“Our best and longest-tenured employees are all products of our onboarding/apprenticeship program,” says Kennedy. “I think it’s because they come in without any bad habits, learn our ways, grow steadily with us, and recognize that there is a clearly defined path to advancement. Their success and ours really begins on day one.”
Woman owned and operated since 2004, S&S Painting has earned a solid reputation for itself in the Richmond, VA market. Focused exclusively on interior residential painting and color consulting, the company has grown from the original staff of two founders to a team of nine including owner and founder Stacey Spear, who shaped and honed the company’s onboarding process into something she now loves and trusts.
The S&S Painting onboarding experience
While Spear launched S&S Painting with a partner in 2004, it took four years until they made their first hire. “At that point, our onboarding and training consisted of learning at my side on the job. That was fine for one or two people but as we grew, we realized that approach wasn’t going to work.”
Spear’s first attempt at formalizing the process was to create a checklist of ‘must-teach’ items. “It was better than what we had been doing,” she says, “but it didn’t take long to realize we needed more than a checklist; we needed a program. And, as I got busier as an owner, I realized I shouldn’t be the one doing training.”
Today, when new employees report for their first day at S&S, they are embarking on a three-month training program, are provided a training binder, and assigned a dedicated trainer.
New employees at S&S Painting work alongside a dedicated trainer for the first month, learning the basic skills and company processes.
Spear explains, “The binder includes all the information they need to get started—how to download time card, calendar and work order apps, our policies and procedures, PCA’s Craftsmanship Operating Procedures, all the training materials and completion forms, and a copy of their year-end review so they’re clear on their goals. That binder goes with them everywhere.”
For the first month, the trainee works side by side with a dedicated trainer on jobsites. They review procedures and guide them through the necessary training, initialing their binder when different levels of training are completed.
At month two, the trainee is assigned to a team that doesn’t include their trainer. “The goal of month two is to work on their precision, teach them how to work within a team, and lessen their dependence on their trainer,” says Spear. “Throughout this month, they’re still completing any necessary training.”
At the three-month mark, they are once again paired with their trainer, who spends the next month pushing their production rate.
At the end of month three, they get a ‘room test.’ We assign them a room on a jobsite and it’s up to them to do it all—find the paint, read the work order, prep, paint, clean and inspect. The trainer then comes in for a final inspection with the goal of five fixes or less.
Spear says, “The hardest part about onboarding and training is knowing if a new hire is really ready to be turned loose on a job. With this approach, it becomes really clear how someone is doing. I like that I can walk on a jobsite and ask to see someone’s binder and see how they’re doing. The responsibility for their progress falls to the individual and the trainer. Plus, I can now see really early on if someone’s not getting it. Instead of hanging on to someone for months, hoping they’ll make it, I can turn them loose and the conversation is a lot easier because they can see they’re not where we need them to be. That works for me, the individual, and the team who, otherwise, might have had to carry the nonperformer for a while.”
—STACEY SPEAR, S&S PAINTING
In compiling this article, we shared each pro’s approach with the other and invited them to comment on what they liked about the other’s approach and what wouldn’t work for them. Here’s what they had to say:
Sean on Stacey’s approach:
I think Stacey’s approach is great and I really like the ‘test’ portion.
My main takeaway is that training and onboarding—well, all HR actually—changes as you grow. What works well for a 10-person shop needs to change as you grow into a 50-person shop. It has to become more detailed, and you need to involve more people than just the owner in the training and onboarding.
One challenge that owners face as they grow beyond what they can directly oversee is ensuring there’s consistency in the training. You want to be sure that everyone is learning the same things related to systems and processes so that one crew isn’t doing things differently than another. Plus, you want to maintain the same customer experience across crews. It’s critically important that your trainers or job leaders are on the same page with management and that there’s a system for making sure everyone is aware of any changes that may be taking place or are planned.
Stacey on Sean’s approach:
I 100% agree with Sean’s approach to emphasize goals and values up front. He’s absolutely right that even the best painter is a poor fit if you can’t align on those items.
I really like the concept of Boot Camps. We do a version of this ‘on the job’ as we don’t have a space set up for training in our shop. And I really love his thoughts on being thorough with training so as to eliminate the ‘didn’t know’ situation. That’s the phrase our training eliminates as well.
It’s interesting that he’s having success assigning apprentices to a field supervisor and project leader. We tried using the crew leader as the trainer but found that it was stressful and not always the best experience for the trainee. We have found that our team really likes having the immediate on-the-job training. It allows them to get right into the mix and see how things run at the job. I also like that he offers a 50% tool stipend at 90 days. That’s something to consider.
And I agree completely with his notion that a trainee’s success —and ours—begin on day one. -
RESULTS OF OUR 2022 SURVEY
TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED IN OUR SURVEY
At inPAINT, we appreciate that your time is valuable and thank all participants for their insights. The following Survey participants were randomly selected from all respondents to each receive a prize valued at $200 or more from our generous 2022 Survey sponsors:
Dunn-Edwards Store Gift Card
Gary Rosyski, California
Ames Research Store Credit
Colin O’Grady, Ohio
Purdy Painter’s Backpack & Roller, Brush, Frame Bundle
Dan Doroshuk, New Jersey
Tower Sealants – Caulk
Thomas Lusardi, Iowa
Mr. Speed’s Painting Tools 12 Pairs of Door Deckers
Jarrett Cronan, Massachusetts
Tower Sealants – Caulk
Nick Vinsick, Pennsylvania
Datacolor – Benjamin Moore ColorReader Pro
Marci Kugler, Nebraska
FrogTape Tape Bundle
Aaron Moore, Illinois
WE THANK OUR 2022 SURVEY SPONSORS
Last month, we again reached out to 35,000 online readers of inPAINT magazine and asked pros which brands they’re finding the most success with in a dozen product categories. This information is of interest to other pros who might be considering new options, and serves as a valuable resource for manufacturers, consultants and other industry service providers who are also looking to stay abreast of the ever-evolving needs of the pro.
ABOUT THE SURVEY RESULTS
In our survey, we asked participants to answer questions about their businesses. For some questions, respondents could select more than a single answer, thus some percentage totals exceed 100%.
WHAT IS YOUR AGE?
35 and under...........................................................................................4% 36–50.......................................................................................................25% 51+ ............................................................................................................71%
IN WHICH BUSINESS SEGMENTS DO YOU WORK THE MOST?
Residential: Single Family......................................................................87% Residential: Multifamily.........................................................................24% Commercial: Office .................................................................................22% Commercial: Retail .................................................................................14% Other........................................................................................................25%
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES?
5 or less....................................................................................................67% 6–10 .........................................................................................................12% 11–20 ........................................................................................................9% 21–50........................................................................................................7% 51 or more ...............................................................................................5%
YEARS YOU’VE OWNED YOUR CURRENT BUSINESS?
5 or less ...................................................................................................9% 6–10 .........................................................................................................14% 11–15 .........................................................................................................15% 16–25........................................................................................................25% 26 or more...............................................................................................33% I do not own a business.........................................................................3% At Mi-T-M, we pride ourselves on building mighty, damn good equipment. It’s what sets us apart from our competition. When you purchase equipment with the Mi-T-M name on it, you are buying dependable equipment that is designed, built, and tested by good people. Mighty. Damn. Good.
Made in USA
with Globally Sourced Components
www.mitm.com | 800-553-9053
Air Compressors | Air Compressor/Generator Combinations Air Compressor/Generator/Welder Combinations | Portable Generators Cold and Hot Water Pressure Washers | Jobsite Boxes | Portable Heaters Wet/Dry Vacuums | Water Pumps | Water Treatment Systems
SURVEY RESULTS: RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS
WHICH MARKETING CHANNELS DO YOU CURRENTLY USE?
Referrals ................................................................................................................................ 80% Website.................................................................................................................................. 42% Social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.)............................................................ 36% Print advertising (newspaper, magazines) ....................................................................... 14% Networking events............................................................................................................... 13% Online service companies (Angi, Houzz, HomeAdvisor, etc.).......................................... 12% Brochures/Flyers .................................................................................................................. 10% Other...................................................................................................................................... 17%
HOW IS YOUR USE OF GREEN PRODUCTS TRENDING?
Increasing.............................................................................................................................. 22% Holding steady ..................................................................................................................... 51% Decreasing ............................................................................................................................ 8% Never use them .................................................................................................................... 19%
HOW DO YOU MANAGE YOUR BUSINESS? (ESTIMATING, BILLING, SCHEDULING, ETC.)
Exclusively through digital tools/apps/software ............................................................. 11% Mostly through digital tools/apps/software..................................................................... 10% An equal mix of digital tools/apps/software and manual/paper .................................. 47% Mostly through manual/paper ........................................................................................... 26% Exclusively through manual/paper.................................................................................... 8%
OVER THE NEXT YEAR, WHAT ARE YOU PROJECTING IN TERMS OF GROWTH?
< 10%...................................................................................................................................... 35% 10% – 15% .............................................................................................................................. 49% 16% – 20% ............................................................................................................................. 9% > 20% ..................................................................................................................................... 7%
SOURCES YOU LOOK TO MOST FOR TRADE INFORMATION?
Websites................................................................................................................................ 82% Trade magazines/books ...................................................................................................... 69% Videos (e.g., YouTube).......................................................................................................... 45% Professional associations (e.g., PCA).................................................................................. 37% Online forums ....................................................................................................................... 29% On the jobsite........................................................................................................................ 29% Coworkers ............................................................................................................................. 26% Family and friends ............................................................................................................... 20% Online training classes ........................................................................................................ 20% Podcasts ................................................................................................................................ 16% Trade school.......................................................................................................................... 7%
OBSTACLES TO YOUR BUSINESS? (OTHER THAN STAFFING)
Getting products and supplies............................................................................................ 62% Time management/scheduling .......................................................................................... 45% Customer demands.............................................................................................................. 29% Estimating............................................................................................................................. 23% Winning business/not enough leads................................................................................. 23% Business management/financial worries ......................................................................... 13% Training.................................................................................................................................. 12% Estimate-to-close rate......................................................................................................... 12% Lack of access to industry information .............................................................................. 7% Regional business permitting/licensing requirements ................................................... 6% Unreliable equipment.......................................................................................................... 5%
What has been your best strategy to tackle the staffing shortage?
■ Work smarter: improve planning and scheduling ■ Recruit workers who speak Spanish only and can’t find their own work ■ Raised daily rate to keep demand under control ■ Work closer to home ■ Pay more for quality people ■ Pay good employees well ■ Offer training and advancement. Encourage pride and family. ■ Newspaper, employment office, word of mouth ■ Hire everyone I can, and weed out those that don’t perform ■ Selectively bid jobs requiring the least amount of personnel, and utilizing the collective experience of those in our employment ■ Complete rethinking of attraction and retention efforts ■ Facebook, Indeed, trade schools, service industry ■ Scale back and spread out jobs ■ Use subcontractors ■ Stick with local painters union ■ Work together with other companies
Stay informed with inPAINT® Stay informed with inPAINT ®
Teach to Fish eBlast “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” This wise adage served as inspiration for a new type of communication that offers industry professionals education and instruction to learn from—and build on. Here, we present an industry-specific question and invite an expert to share their insight.
Prepare to sharpen your skills.
online
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Our monthly e-newsletter delivers industryrelevant articles to your inbox—many expanding on our magazine articles—offering additional valuable content professionals find essential to continue to learn and grow. Stay informed. Watch for it monthly.
inPAINT eNewsletter
eNewsletter Our monthly e-newsletter delivers industryrelevant articles to your inbox—many expanding on our magazine articles—offering additional valuable content professionals find essential to continue to learn and grow. Stay informed. Watch for it monthly. Our monthly e-newsletter delivers industry-relevant articles to your inbox— many expanding on our magazine articles —offering additional valuable content To receive these valuable tools, subscribe to inPAINT magazine. They’re all FREE! inPAINTmag.com/subscribe professionals find essential to continue to learn and grow. Watch for it monthly and stay relevant.
Teach to Fish eBlast
Video To receive these valuable tools, subscribe to inPAINT magazine. They’re all FREE! inPAINTmag.com/subscribe of the Month
Here, we present an industryspecific question and invite an expert to share their insight. Prepare to sharpen your skills.
A picture is worth a thousand words. This communication delivers video instruction and product and service awareness via your inbox on a monthly basis.
PRO READERS’ GO-TO BRANDS
NATIONAL RESULTS
INTERIOR PAINT
Sherwin-Williams...................................................................................41% Benjamin Moore .....................................................................................29% Behr .........................................................................................................15% PPG Paints ...............................................................................................6% Other........................................................................................................9%
EXTERIOR PAINT
Sherwin-Williams...................................................................................41% Benjamin Moore .....................................................................................22% Behr .........................................................................................................17% PPG Paints ...............................................................................................8% Dunn-Edwards........................................................................................5% Other........................................................................................................7%
PRIMER
Zinsser .....................................................................................................25% Sherwin-Williams...................................................................................24% KILZ ..........................................................................................................24% Benjamin Moore .....................................................................................11% PPG Paints ...............................................................................................6% Other........................................................................................................10%
STAIN
Sherwin-Williams...................................................................................30% Minwax ....................................................................................................14% Old Masters..............................................................................................13% Cabot........................................................................................................12% PPG Paints ...............................................................................................10% Benjamin Moore .....................................................................................6% Other........................................................................................................15%
TAPE
3M.............................................................................................................55% ShurTech ..................................................................................................34% Other........................................................................................................11%
CAULK
DAP ..........................................................................................................37% Sherwin-Williams ..................................................................................21% Tower ......................................................................................................8% ALLPRO ....................................................................................................5% Other........................................................................................................29%
BRUSH
Purdy .......................................................................................................60% Wooster ...................................................................................................15% Corona .....................................................................................................12% Other........................................................................................................13%
ROLLER
Purdy .......................................................................................................42% Wooster ...................................................................................................27% Sherwin-Williams...................................................................................10% Other........................................................................................................21%
PAINT SPRAYER
Graco........................................................................................................69% Titan.........................................................................................................28% Other........................................................................................................3%
PRESSURE WASHER
Mi-T-M......................................................................................................30% Honda ......................................................................................................17% DEWALT....................................................................................................11% Simpson...................................................................................................9% Graco........................................................................................................6% Other........................................................................................................27%
POWER TOOLS
DEWALT....................................................................................................36% Milwaukee ..............................................................................................17% RYOBI .......................................................................................................13% Makita ......................................................................................................10% Festool .....................................................................................................10% Bosch .......................................................................................................6% Ridgid ......................................................................................................5% Other........................................................................................................3%
WORK VEHICLE
Ford..........................................................................................................44% GMC ..........................................................................................................28% Dodge ......................................................................................................11% Toyota ......................................................................................................8% Other........................................................................................................9%
REGIONAL BREAKDOWN
WEST
INTERIOR PAINT
Sherwin-Williams................................ 29% Benjamin Moore .................................. 25% Dunn-Edwards..................................... 14% Behr ...................................................... 11% Kelly-Moore Paints .............................. 11% Other..................................................... 10%
EXTERIOR PAINT
Sherwin-Williams................................ 25% Behr ...................................................... 19% Benjamin Moore .................................. 19% Dunn-Edwards..................................... 13% PPG Paints ............................................ 9% Kelley-Moore Paints............................ 6% Other..................................................... 9%
MIDWEST
INTERIOR PAINT
EXTERIOR PAINT
SOUTH
INTERIOR PAINT
EXTERIOR PAINT
NORTHEAST
INTERIOR PAINT
EXTERIOR PAINT
PRO PICKS
4 Pros share which deck coatings make their projects stand out
BY BRIAN SODOMA
AFTER
BEFORE
OUR PROS
1
JUSTEN MENESES
2 3
STEVEN EASTEP
Easy Stain Facebook.com/EasyStain16 4
JAKE HUBBARD
Painting the Northwest PaintingTheNorthwest.com
Depending on its age, wood type, exposures and level of use, a deck can look great with a fresh stain on it, but deteriorate quickly after the job is done. For pros, it’s a balancing act between beautifying for today and, in many cases, enduring as many harsh winters and brutal summers as possible. Pros operating in this niche have tried many products and found their preferred formulas for their job types and environment. Here, four deck experts around the country tell us which deck coatings they depend on and why.
1BRENDA FARLEY This Columbus, OH-based pro has been in the deck-restoration business for more than two decades. Several years ago, she came across Baker’s Gray-Away Wood Seal, and has found the product gives her the best oil-stain results she’s ever seen on fresh new decks and older ones too. The stain even offers lasting protection after the color fades, as it does over time.
“I tell my clients, ‘It’s a true oil,’ Farley explained. “It fortifies the wood and won’t peel once the color fades. You can even put water on the faded areas and it’s still going to bead in many cases.”
Farley also educates customers on how the coating works well as wood ages. As the pressure-treated pine or cedar decks she commonly works with get older, the wood cells expand so they absorb even more of the oil-based stain. Follow-up maintenance coats keep it looking great even years later.
If the deck has been painted with a solid stain in the past and requires another one now, Farley turns to Sherwin-Williams SuperDeck Solid Color Waterborne Exterior Deck Stain. On rare occasions, she encounters ipe, a dense, exotic South American hardwood that naturally resists stain. For that, she turns to Messmer’s UV Plus for Hardwood Decks, a product endorsed by her mentor, Everett Abrams, also known as the ‘Wizard of Wood.’
“I don’t work with ipe often, but it shows up sometimes. I’ve seen him do a lot of testing with Messmer’s and I’ve found it really makes the wood’s color pop,” Farley noted.
▲ Deck Escapes Staining & Beyond/Clear Water Prowash trusts Baker’s Gray-Away Wood Seal to protect both old and new decks from UV light damage and the elements. Plus, it is available in 29 color options to suit a range of tastes. 2 JUSTEN MENESES As the name of his company—Making All Things New Deck and Fence Care—suggests, deck and fence staining and restoration work make up about 80% of this Plattsmouth, NE-based pro’s portfolio. For Meneses, having confidence in a coating is absolutely critical to his livelihood.
He primarily deals with cedar, but also works with pressuretreated pine decks. His preference is to use a semi-transparent oilbased stain, if possible, to show off the wood’s natural grain. A few years ago, he came across Stain & Seal Experts Semi-Transparent Wood Stain & Sealer, and it has been his go-to for decks ever since. He occasionally uses the company’s semi-solid formula for a deeper, darker appearance that still shows off the wood’s natural characteristics with added UV resistance.
“It’s one of the best products out there on the market,” he said. “It’s an oil stain, not a solvent, so you get more pigment and better performance. I’ve used many other products and nothing stands up to what Stain & Seal Experts produces.”
If he’s working on a previously painted deck, Meneses turns to
Sherwin-Williams SuperDeck Solid Color Waterborne Exterior
Deck Stain, which he has found to be a durable option for his customers for years. On all jobs, he preps with a wood cleaner (preferably sodium metasilicate), pressure washes at the proper PSI, then applies an oxalic acid wood brightener for best results.
Baker’s Gray-Away Wood Seal is a deep-penetrating oil that repels water without film buildup. Courtesy of Deck Escapes Staining & Beyond/Clear Water Prowash
3STEVEN EASTEP Eastep is known in the Memphis, TN area for his ability to make all kinds of wood structures look new again. Today, he works with numerous deck, fence and wood product builders who hire him to give their creations their first stain. From there, he’s often used for maintenance recoats every two to three years.
For new decks, Eastep’s go-to formulation is Stain & Seal Experts Semi-Transparent Fence Stain & Sealer. He loves how the pigments still allow you to see the natural grain while providing excellent protection.
“With this product, you’re conditioning the wood. It’s an oilbased stain that’s not just going on the wood where it will chip, peel and fray, it’s going into the wood,” he explained. “We always suggest to customers, if you’re looking for longevity, go with a darker color, too; it has more pigments and more UV protection.”
Usually working with treated pine and cedar, Eastep also trusts Stain & Seal Experts for follow-up recoats as decks age, and he appreciates that it’s a low-VOC formulation that doesn’t have a strong smell and is safe to work with.
For older decks that require restoration, he turns to Flood Pro Series Solid Color Stain. Distributed by PPG Paints, the product helps him achieve the color preference and performance goals specific to each job.
“What’s unique about it is that it’s a stain strictly for wood, but you mix it like paint, so you can get any color you want,” he said. “And as it sits on the wood, its molecular structure allows it to expand and contract with the wood. It’s amazing how much it can stretch and expand without cracking.”
Easy Stain used Flood Pro Series Solid Color Stain, an advanced stain and sealant in one, to add a rich color to this deck and protect it from moisture and sun damage.
“What’s unique about [Flood Pro Series Solid Color Stain] is that it’s a stain strictly for wood, but you mix it like paint, so you can get any color you want.”—STEVEN EASTEP, EASY STAIN
Sherwin-Williams SuperDeck Semi-Solid Waterborne Exterior Deck Stain protects against weathering, while allowing the natural wood grain to show through. 4 JAKE HUBBARD This Arlington, WA-based pro relies on Sherwin-Williams SuperDeck Solid and Semi-Solid Waterborne Exterior Deck Stains for his customers. Hubbard says he has used the oil-based SuperDeck formulations in the past, but finds the waterborne’s performance is just as good. “I can get five to seven years on a job without a problem,” he said.
The decks in his region are primarily built with cedar, and with the heavy moisture they typically endure, Hubbard often has to do some restoration work, including board replacement, as part of job prep. SuperDeck allows for an even look with older and newer boards side by side.
“I roll two coats and after the first one is on, the second goes down super smooth. The absorption is very good and it looks great on all surfaces,” he added.
If a homeowner has a previously painted deck, he advises they use the solid stain. He also finds his younger customers tend to prefer the solid stain color variety, while older ones prefer the semitransparent look with more visible wood grain. “It’s interesting to see those different tastes, but that product gives us plenty of flexibility, so I can let them choose what they want.” -
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inPAINTTHE MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONALS | SEP/OCT 2020
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+Pros on exterior coatings 2 pros’ approach to the same bid
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+Interior coatings preferred by 5 pros
Sep/Oct 2020 | inPAINTWhat makes a paint tool right for the job
1
inPAINTTHE MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONALS | NOV/DEC 2020
SPECIAL SECTION How the industry is supporting the pro through products and services
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PROJECT No. 1
HISTORIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RESTORATION AND REPAINT
Location: Sarasota, FL
Paint contractor:
Jade Mailloux, president of Mailloux and Sons Time frame: 3 months Crew size: 8 people Equipment used: Lifts, pressure washers, paint sprayers
Challenges:
■ Maintain and honor the historic integrity of the building while ensuring optimal paint system performance ■ Required five-year product performance guarantee ■ Coating must withstand the environmental challenges of the coastal location
FLORIDA PAINTS COATINGS AND COLORS: Pro comment:
This historic restoration required full removal and replacement of all sealants around all windows, expansions joints and 90° intersections. The buildings were pressure washed and stucco repairs were performed along walkway ceilings and exterior walls, and finally everything was painted. Pull tests from our sealant partners at Pecora were also conducted to ensure products performed as designed in all construction joints.
Stucco, concrete, soffits and fascia:
AquaSeal Concrete & Masonry
Primer/Sealer 3692 Ultra Exterior Supercoat Satin 8220 in:
White (no colorant added)
Metal overhangs and doors:
Aquatra DTM Acrylic Primer 5350 Scott-Thane Interior/Exterior Acrylic
Urethane Gloss Enamel 7740 in:
White (no colorant added)
Steel stair railings:
Ironman Alkyd Metal Primer 5450 Induzi Industrial Polyurethane
Enamel High Gloss 5940 in:
White (no colorant added)
Wooden classroom doors:
Scott-Thane Interior/Exterior Acrylic
Urethane Gloss Enamel 7740 in:
0619 Honky Tonk Blue 0849 Lemon Peel
RUST-OLEUM COATING AND COLOR:
—TOM MICKINELL, PROJECT MANAGER, MAILLOUX AND SONS
Iron gates and decorative steel:
High Performance DTM Alkyd Enamel 7400 in:
High Gloss Black
FSU DOAK CAMPBELL STADIUM REPAINT
PROJECT 2No.
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Paint contractor:
C-Sharpe
CSharpe.com
Marlin Coatings
Facebook.com/Marlin-CoatingsInc-1653587761543496 Time frame: Winter through spring Crew size: 10–15 people Equipment used: Hydro demolition to remove previous coating
Challenges:
■ Required a 10-year coating system that could address the pedestrian traffic needs of the steel bowl while also protecting the exposed underside and supports from corrosion ■ Needed a coating light in color to ease the possible heat island effect, where
Tallahassee’s summers can create surface temperatures in excess of 130° F
HEMPEL COATINGS AND COLORS:
Underside of bowl:
NEOGARD 8500 BioDegradable Cleaner
Hempadur Mastic epoxy paint in:
Topside of bowl:
Jones-Blair Chem-O-Gard DTS
Primer in: Gray NEOGARD Peda-Gard System in:
Light Gray (no colorant added)
Safety markings and railings:
Jones-Blair Acrylithane HS2
Three-Coat System in:
Project background:
In late 2015, Florida State University began the stadium’s largest renovation project of the last decade with a goal for completion prior to the 2016 football season. The expansion project included the addition of 5,000 outdoor seats, 70,000 sq. ft. of air-conditioned Champions Club space, and 34,000 sq. ft. of covered rooftop terraces. Renovations included adding coatings to the top and underside of the stadium’s steel seating bowl.
FSU Gray
FSU Gold FSU Garnet
