inPAINT
®
THE MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONALS | JUNE 2018
OUR 2018 SURVEY RESULTS ARE IN! The brands pros trust most
+
Pros on their go-to primers How brush manufacturers are meeting your needs June 2018 | inPAINT
1
Click. Buy. Paint. Order From Your Local Store Online. Anytime. mySW.com
For more information visit sherwin-williams.com/pro
Š2017 The Sherwin-Williams Company
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3M.com/ProPainterSafety DIY/HOME USE: Use ONLY in non-harmful environments. OCCUPATIONAL/HAZARDOUS USE: Use under an OSHA regulated respiratory protection program. WARNING: Limitations apply; MISUSE MAY RESULT IN SICKNESS OR DEATH. See product packaging and insert, or call 3M in U.S.A. at 1-800-243-4630. In Canada, call 1-800-267-4414. © 3M 2018. All rights reserved. 3M and Cool Flow are trademarks of 3M.
June 2018 | inPAINT
3
CUTTING IN
“ Experience is a master teacher, even when it’s not our own.” —Gina Greenlee, author
N
obody likes getting older but I’m here to tell you that it has some perks. This summer, inPAINT turns five years old. In those five years, we’ve had the opportunity to connect with and interview roughly 500 industry professionals across the country and share their experiences and wisdom with thousands of other pros who read the magazine. When we first started out, it wasn’t easy to get pros to talk. But now, five years and 27 issues into our run, we’ve gained some traction with and appreciation for our pro-to-pro approach to content. It’s very gratifying to not only have readers reach out with ideas for articles or raise their hand to be interviewed, but to also participate in our annual Survey (see page 16). As always, this Survey was both confirming and revealing. For example, 54% of this year’s respondents cited ‘finding qualified workers’ as their biggest business challenge. No big surprise there (and might we suggest you turn to page 15 for some thoughts on hiring strategies). But there was a surprise in learning that 47% of respondents said they don’t use any online platforms to promote their business. (Trust me when I say we’ll be digging a little deeper to find out how that strategy is working out for those folks.) Regardless of whether you find yourself shaking your head in agreement with or amazement over the choices of the pros who participated in the Survey or contributed to an article in the issue, the beautiful thing is that they got you thinking. Our sincere thanks to the pros who helped shape the past five years’ worth of content. And if you’re new the publication, you can find their contributions to some of those articles at inPAINTmag.com. Click on the inPAINT Article Index tab at the top. Cheers!
Amanda Haar Amanda Haar Managing Editor, inPAINT
2018 EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Ciro Affronti Operations Manager/Field Supervisor, Affronti Property Solutions, LLC
Cliff Hockley President, Principal Broker CCIM, CPM, Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services
Steve Burnett President, DYB Coach
Doug Imhoff Owner, Imhoff Fine Residential Painting
Darylene Dennon Owner, Solid Energy, Inc.
Mike Kelly VP & General Manager, Crestwood Painting Scott Lollar
4
inPAINT | June 2018
Nick Slavik Owner, Nick Slavik Painting & Restoration Co. Art Snarzyk Owner, InnerView Advisors, Inc. Michael Stone President, CertaPro Painters, Ltd.
PUBLISHER Edward McAdams MANAGING EDITOR Amanda Haar DESIGN Carl Bezuidenhout CREATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR Cindy Puskar SOCIAL MEDIA Jillian McAdams
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Stephanie Conner Meghann Finn Sepulveda Brian Sodoma
EDITORIAL amanda@inPAINTmag.com ADVERTISE 602-296-5391 ed@inPAINTmag.com SUBSCRIBE inPAINTmag.com/subscribe inPAINTmag.com
This issue’s contributing experts Josh Abramson ALLBRiGHT 1-800-PAINTING Chuck Cline The Wooster Brush Company Jon Cox, Sr. Proform Technologies, Inc. Michael Dinh Wolf Paint Supply Co. Don Goddard All About Paint, LLC Dave Kenealy L.A. Painting Services, Inc. Roland Kolilias ArroWorthy Davis Kyle Master Painters Institute Bill Loepp Shamrock Painting, Inc. Marcelo Orchon Purdy Marge Parkhurst Painting by Marge, Inc.
publishing group REM Publishing Group LLC 8924 E Pinnacle Peak Rd Suite G5 #575 Scottsdale, AZ 85255
Jason Phillips Phillips Home Improvements Art Snarzyk InnerView Advisors Jeff Sommers ESP Painting Mike Stuempfig Two Day Painting
©2018 REM Publishing Group LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of content in any manner without written permission by the publisher is strictly prohibited. Opinions expressed in signed columns and articles do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. Publisher assumes no liability for any damages or loss of any kind that might arise from the use, misuse or inability to use the materials or information contained in this publication. All material and information appearing in this publication is distributed and transmitted ‘as is,’ without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, and is subject to the terms and conditions stated in this disclaimer. 6
inPAINT | June 2018
Michael Waksman Corona
CONTRACTOR ROUNDTABLES Contractor-to-Contractor. No Pressure. No Competition. PDCA’s contractor members run successful businesses and recognize the value of collaborating on problems and sharing industry knowledge every month. You are invited to share your problems along with your ideas for innovation and growth. FIND A CONTRACTOR ROUNDTABLE New Business Roundtable Small Business Roundtable Tipping-Point Roundtable Million-Dollar Roundtable Million-Dollar+ Roundtable
businesses businesses businesses businesses businesses
1-to-5 years old under $500K revenue $500K - $1M revenue $1M+ revenue $5M/$10M+ revenue
Paint ED is PDCA’s Education Center to train painting contractors across the globe. Educational resources include Podcasts, Ask-a-Peer Networks, Contractor Roundtable Discussions, Accreditation, In-depth Training videos, and much more! See everything PDCA has to offer from member-exclusive content to FREE contractor resources at PDCA.org/PaintED
Not a PDCA member? Call 1-800-332-7322 or visit PDCA.org for more. June 2018 | inPAINT
7
CUTTING IN
inPAINT® June 2018
CONTENTS FEATURES
16
What’s New in Brush Technology
20
Pro Picks
26
The inPAINT Interview
32
Results of the 2018 inPAINT online survey
Tools for discerning pros
6 pros on primers
Woman-owned painting business
26 DEPARTMENTS 10 The News Industry ins and outs
34 Tools of the Trade What’s in today’s professional toolbox?
14 Trends A fast look at the forces at work in our industry
36 Upcoming Events The what, where and when of the industry’s leading events
15 Trend in Focus Strategies for attracting new talent
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inPAINT | June 2018
39 Bottom Line Choosing environmentally conscious products
Photo Courtesy of Sherwin-Williams
Survey Says
Recycle your leftover paint? Yes, you can!
PaintCare has set up more than 1,700 convenient drop-off locations in eight states and the District of Columbia where you can recycle leftover house paint, stain, and varnish for free. Most locations are at paint retailers. PaintCare is the non-profit product stewardship organization established by the American Coatings Association to represent architectural paint manufacturers. We work to provide environmentally sound and cost-effective paint recycling programs in states with paint stewardship laws or those that pass such laws in the future. FIND A DROP-OFF LOCATION NEAR YOU:
www.paintcare.org • (855) 724-6809 CALIFORNIA | CONNECTICUT | COLORADO | DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA MAINE | MINNESOTA | OREGON | RHODE ISLAND | VERMONT
THE NEWS
FLOATING WORLD TURNS HEADS T Since 2015, MarijampolÄ—, Lithuania has been home to MaLoNY, a gathering of artists, musicians and designers from MarijampolÄ—, London and New York. And every year, the artists in the group create murals on buildings throughout the city. One such mural is Floating World (shown here), which was designed and painted by Ray Bartkus, an American-Lithuanian illustrator and the mastermind behind MaLoNY. Bartkus says the 55' x 37' mural was intentionally painted upside down so as to create a right-side-up image reflected on the adjacent body of water. The project was completed in stages, with the background color applied by professional painters from the area and the reflective mural completed by himself and a group of volunteers over the course of five days. The water-loving figures were completed using approximately 10 gallons of acrylic latex. Throughout the project, Bartkus had the luxury of examining the work in progress from a helicopter and correcting any issues that were emerging. To view more MaLoNY murals, visit RayBartkus.com > street art
Time Tracking Goes Biometric T From punch cards to fingerprints, time tracking has come a long way.
The latest innovation from mJobTime Corporation, makers of mJobTime tracking software, includes fingerprint recognition technology. With literally the touch of a finger, employees can now clock in and out via their smartphone and tablet. The technology eliminates the possibility of employees clocking one another in or out. The initial app will roll out for iPads and iPhones, with Android devices following later this year. mJobTime.com 10
inPAINT | June 2018
Titan Introduces High-Stamina Airless Spray Gun T Titan recently introduced the RX-Apex, its newest airless spray gun, designed with residential and
commercial painters—and high-performance protective-coatings contractors—in mind. Featuring Titan-exclusive ergonomics and the ‘All-Day’ trigger system, the required pull force is 30% less compared to competitive guns. The only direct-feed airless gun with a built-in free-flow swivel, the RX-Apex is highly maneuverable. Plus, the Infinity Packing system doubles the life of the gun and makes rebuilding as easy as reversing the seat and changing the ball. The Titan RX-Apex works with any brand of sprayer with maximum pressure ratings of 5000 PSI and comes standard with the industry’s best-performing Titan TR tip and in-line filter assembly, if desired. TitanTool.com
•
Behind the wall backer plate
• •
Dries 5X faster/3X stronger* No shrinking, cracking or sagging
*Compared to other 3M™ Spackles ©2018 Home Depot Product Authority, LLC. © 3M 2018. All rights reserved. 3M is a trademark of 3M.
June 2018 | inPAINT
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THE NEWS
Sherwin-Williams Deepens Partnership with Lowe’s
T Earlier this year, Sherwin-Williams
3D PRINTING TAKES HOME-BUILDING TO A NEW DIMENSION T 3D printing has officially become the next big thing. As in ‘big as a house’ thing. Using a giant 3D printer, San Francisco-based Apis Cor has begun building homes, often in less than 24 hours. The machine, which resembles a large crane, pours layer upon layer of wet concrete to construct walls and partitions on-site. Contractors then install windows, doors, roofing, etc. and, lastly, apply a fresh coat of paint. To get a glimpse of the future, watch the cool video of the first home being constructed by a mobile 3D printer in just 24 hours: Apis-Cor.com
Quelle Coloure? C’est la Question.
announced it is making Lowe’s the sole distributor of its popular paint brands Minwax, Cabot, Thompson’s WaterSeal, Krylon spray paint, as well as Purdy paintbrush brand outside of Sherwin-Williams stores. Like all other products available at Lowe’s, these newly added products are eligible for all discounts and special pricing offered through the company’s Lowes for Pros program. LowesForPros.com
?
TParis’ iconic Eiffel Tower is due for a repaint. But before the work on the three-year project—which will require roughly 60 tons of paint and cost $317 million (including an extensive refurbishment)—can begin, a color needs to be chosen. The Tower, which will celebrate its 130th anniversary in 2019, was originally painted a reddish-brown in 1889 to resist showing potential rust. Just three years later, it was painted ochre-brown, and a mere seven years after that was painted five colors in three shade tones from yellow-orange at the base to light-yellow at the top. Next it was painted yellow-brown, then a brownish-red and finally, ‘Eiffel Tower Brown,’ as it has stood since 1968. The Tower is repainted every seven years with the next repainting slated to begin in October. Hopefully they’ll settle on a color in plenty of time to get the 60 tons of paint mixed and delivered. 12
inPAINT | June 2018
Cut My Spray Production Time in Half? Yes, Please. THyde Group has introduced a first-of-its-kind dual-head airless spray tip extension that allows pros to paint twice as fast, with better coverage. Designed by an aerospace engineer using the highest-quality aircraft aluminum to create a lightweight, durable, easy-to-clean extension, the HYDE Dual Head Tip Extension features two tips spaced 6" apart. The unique design creates a spray fan that’s twice as wide as the fan from a spray gun or single-tip extension. Because the tips are offset, the second tip follows behind the first, creating a ‘perfect pass’ with a feathered overlap. The result is greater speed and better first-coat coverage. Plus, when cutting in tight areas where a wide fan is not needed, either of the tips can be turned off, converting the Dual Head into a single-tip extension. HydeTools.com
Specify on the Go With AzkoNobel Design 2.0 Photo Courtesy of Carnegie Mellon University
TFollowing the launch of their Design app for the iPad in 2017, AzkoNobel has introduced Design 2.0 that lets architects, designers and specifiers research and create a full coatings specification for a project on either an iPad and iPhone. The app’s updated color selector provides more consistent and accurate color rendering and, for example, products with a textured finish now have a texture representation displayed in the app. Users can browse hundreds of colors and textures to find the most suitable coating for their design. The color selector also enables users to capture an image using their Apple device, or upload an image from their photo library, then match any selected color by scrolling over the image. Users can browse hundreds of colors and textures to find the most suitable coating for their design. Chosen colors can then be built into a personalized color card and emailed directly to clients. Users can drill down to find full data sheets, test reports, and property characteristics for each coating’s range and finish. The app also lets users check real-life examples of projects where their selected products have been used. To download the app, search AkzoNobel in the Apple store.
“And on this wall, I want to control my entire house.” T Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and Disney Research have found a way to transform ordinary walls into ‘smart walls’ using a conductive paint and an electrode system that make the surface interactive. Referred to as Wall++, the interactive wall is created by applying the paint in a grid pattern to the wall and then overlaying it with electrodes, which can be painted over with any standard topcoat. Once activated, the Wall++ can detect electronic devices and appliances and respond to human touch and gestures. With the wave of your hand you can do anything from dimming the lights to turning off the television or lowering the volume on a stereo. The current range for detecting devices and appliances is currently 10.' However, developers are confident that with some fine-tuning, the range will extend to 65' within a few years. In addition, they’re optimistic that same fine-tuning will help lower the current price tag of $1.85 per sq ft. Check out the video: yang-zhang.me/research/Wall/Wall.html June 2018 | inPAINT
13
TRENDS
Wood for the Win According to Home Innovation Research Labs, wood has become the most popular flooring for the main living areas, surpassing both carpeting and tile. In fact, over the past 13 years, both solid and engineered hardwoods have steadily increased in popularity while all other materials have plummeted (carpet) or made very modest gains (ceramic tile). Flooring Installed in Main Living Areas, New U.S. Homes 2016 Solid Hardwood
24.6%
Carpeting
22.8%
Engineered Hardwood
20.9%
Ceramic/Porcelain Tile
17.3%
Vinyl Tile/LVT Laminate Vinyl Sheet All Others
6.0% 3.7% 2.9% 1.9% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
June Is Busting Out in Color Here’s how five paint manufacturers captured the colors of June: Snow in June Valspar VR080E
Sweet Spring Rodda 0432
Spring Has Sprung Benjamin Moore CSP-835
HGTV will release 766 hours of new, original programming featuring hundreds of home renovations in 2018. For comparison, HGTV’s original programming hours will eclipse the Food Networks’ 650 hours of new culinary eye candy, and Investigation Discovery’s 650 hours of likable people being murdered. SOURCE: RealityBlurred.com
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inPAINT | June 2018
According to a survey, 83% of homebuilders and remodelers believe that homeowners are willing to pay more for a home that integrates healthy design features. The same homebuilders think at least 1/3 of the population, in general, would pay at least 5% more, with owners 55 or older being more likely to pay even more than that. SOURCE: Dodge Data & Analytics Report; Green and Healthier Homes; Engaging Consumers of All Ages in Sustainable Living, 2015
SOURCE: Home Innovation Research Labs’ 2016 Annual Builder Practices Report on Flooring in New Homes
Good News! Home Improvement Is More Popular Than Murder
Green Begets Green
THE HIGH COST OF A BAD HIRE The Society for Human Resource Management estimates that it costs
$3,500 to replace an $8 per hour employee.
HELLO-NO!
June Berry Behr 640D-5
June Day Sherwin-Williams SW6682
In 2017, Federated Insurance handled 6,170 claims attributed to ‘inattentive driving.’ Of those, 25% involved a mobile phone.
TREND IN FOCUS
Now Hiring: Millennials New Strategies for Attracting New Talent
A
ccording to Art Snarzyk of InnerView Advisors Inc., it’s a painters’ market. “The truth is, talent is scarce,” says Snarzyk. “Talented paint pros are a limited commodity and smart employers are holding on to them. If you place your same old ad for a painter these days, you may attract people, but chances are, they’re folks that other companies weren’t looking to retain.” It’s about more than money While the lure of stable employment was often enough to attract talent in the past, Snarzyk notes that millennials are a different breed. “In just a couple of years, millennials will make up more than 50% of the workforce,” says Snarzyk. “You need to be looking for ways to connect with them that go beyond money. They want to know that you value what they value, that you care about them, and that they’re going to have a good quality of life. They want to feel not just employed, but connected.” Not business as usual Making that connection may require some adjustments to business as usual. “It’s essential to change the way you advertise for talent,” says Snarzyk. “Forget hours and skills. You’ve got to talk about what’s great about the industry and your company.” ALLBRiGHT 1-800-PAINTING founder Josh Abramson couldn’t agree more. “We now hold group interviews, talking to 10–15 candidates at a time,” says Abramson. “We don’t do a lot of prescreening; we just bring them in and tell them our story—who we are, what we stand for, our values, what we’re looking for, and all the things we offer.” In the 20-minute presentation, Abramson also talks about real career paths in the company. He adds, “I want them to really understand that our company exists to be the best place they ever worked. And I’ll ask field supervisors to tell them about their own career path in the company so they understand we’re for real.”
Test for integrity At the end of the presentation, Abramson turns the tables and ask the candidates a few key questions. First, he asks them to share a strength and weakness. Second, he asks them to state if they’ve ever been in a situation where a coworker asked them to cover for them when they were late, and share what they did in that situation. His final question involves a scenario. He says, “I tell them to pretend you’re the crew leader in charge of time cards on a job. One guy shows up 10 minutes late and says, ‘Don’t tell the boss. I’ll be in trouble.’ Now before you answer, I want you to know that the day before, this same guy worked all day in the hot sun, sanding. He never complained and did the work when others wouldn’t do it. What do you do?” For Abramson, he’s looking for someone who is sympathetic but still notes the infraction. “In the case of the person who says they’d let it slide, that’s a bit of an integrity flag for me.” Proof of interest and competence At the end of the session, Abramson makes one last request of candidates. “I ask them all to take out their phones and note my email address. I tell them that before 5 pm that day, I want to have an email stating if you want to come work for us, why, and what you have to offer us. This not only demonstrates interest, it shows me they can follow simple directions.”
“ It’s not that [millennials are] job hoppers; it’s that they simply have more opportunities than any of us did.” —ART SNARZYK, INNERVIEW ADVISORS
Feed the feedback need Noting that the average job tenure for millennials is 2.8 years, Snarzyk says, “It’s not that they’re job hoppers; it’s that they simply have more opportunities than any of us did. If you want to keep young recruits, plan on providing lots of feedback—and not just when things are bad or at review time. Letting millennials know that you value their contributions and that they’re a valued part of the team will go a long way toward keeping them happy and on your team.” June 2018 | inPAINT
15
SURVEY SAYS
RESULTS OF OUR
2018 SURVEY Last month, we again reached out to 40,000 print and online readers of inPAINT magazine and asked about their business challenges, how optimistic they are about business growth, and which brands they prefer. Pro feedback is regularly used by manufacturers to drive innovation and develop products and services that address specific needs. inPAINT also uses it to help shape our content to ensure we deliver topics that are relevant and on point.
16
inPAINT | June 2018
TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED IN OUR SURVEY inPAINT understands your time is valuable and thanks all participants for your insights. The following survey participants were randomly selected from all respondents to each receive a $50 Visa gift card:
Paul Carey Carey Painting, LLC Newburgh, IN Joel Hamberg Joel Hamberg Painting, Inc Portland, OR Scott Macbeth Precision Painting dba Rehoboth, MA Randall Reese LVX Painting, LLC Newport, KY Eric Stalter Rock Solid Painting Modadore, OH
ABOUT THE PARTICIPANTS To help you better appreciate the survey responses, we asked all participants to answer some questions about their businesses. For these questions, respondents could select more than a single answer, thus some percentage totals exceed 100%.
Referrals
82%
Website
40%
Online Services
26%
Brochure/Fliers
18%
Print Advertising
13%
Other
16%
What are your biggest business challenges?
Who are you? Commercial & Residential Painter 32% Residential Painter
28%
Remodeler
15%
General Contractor
11%
Commercial Painter
5%
Property Manager
5%
Other
4%
In which business segments do you work the most? Residential: Single Family
80%
Residential: Multifamily
24%
Commercial: Office
11%
Commercial: Retail
7%
Other
Which marketing channels do you currently use?
13%
Number of employees? 1–5
76%
6 – 10
13%
11 – 20
3%
21 – 50
2%
51+
6%
Finding qualified workers
54%
Time management
25%
Finding new business
16%
Estimating
13%
Managing expenses and payroll 12% Managing a staff/crew
9%
Winning business
9%
Other
10%
Which online platforms do you use? Facebook
47%
18%
13%
Yelp
10%
9%
YouTube
9%
7%
None
47%
Over the next 12 months, what are you planning in terms of growth? Flat
18%
< 10%
18%
10% – 15%
38%
16% – 20%
10%
> 20%
16%
June 2018 | inPAINT
17
SURVEY SAYS
Preferred Paint Sprayer
THE RESULTS
Preferred Stain
PRO READERS’ GO-TO BRANDS Editor’s Note: For the purpose of this survey, product lines and brands such as Glidden, FrogTape, Sikkens, etc. are included under their manufacturer’s name, with a few exceptions. The ‘Other’ category includes all brands receiving a response of less than 5%.
18%
Sherwin-Williams
19%
Honda
17%
Cabot
10%
DEWALT
10%
Behr
8%
Graco
6%
Benjamin Moore
8%
Simpson
6%
PPG Paints
8%
Other
Other
Preferred Tape 65%
GMC
26%
26%
Dodge
13%
9%
Other
28%
Wooster
18%
Behr
16%
Corona
PPG Paints
10%
Other
Other
10%
Other
6% 10%
Preferred Roller Purdy
15% 8% 14%
Preferred Primer
60%
Wooster
18%
Other
22%
Preferred Sanding Equipment Festool
27%
DEWALT
13%
Makita
13%
Sherwin-Williams
24%
PORTER-CABLE
11%
Zinsser
24%
Other
KILZ
22%
Benjamin Moore
10%
PPG Paints Other
inPAINT | June 2018
8% 12%
33%
ShurTech
66%
Benjamin Moore
Ford
3M
Purdy
PPG Paints
18
Preferred Work Vehicle
21%
17%
43%
26%
Benjamin Moore
Behr
14%
Mi-T-M
Preferred Brush
46%
Other
21%
43%
Sherwin-Williams
23%
Preferred Pressure Washer
Sherwin-Williams
Preferred Exterior Paint
63%
Titan
Minwax
Other
Preferred Interior Paint
Graco
36%
KNOWLEDGE
THE ULTIMATE POWER TOOL Subscribers to inPAINT have access to information and insights, including peer recommended products and services, that can help shape the future of their business. In fact, 70% of this year’s survey respondents indicated they made a purchasing decision based on an article or ad they saw in inPAINT magazine.
Stay in the know. Subscribe. Only subscribers are guaranteed to receive every issue, so lock in your FREE subscription and get all that inPAINT offers. inPAINTmag.com/subscribe
SO PRODUCTIVE
YOU WON’T BELIEVE IT’S LOW PRESSURE.
TR1 HIGH EFFICIENCY AIRLESS™ TIP Perfect for large residential and commercial applications. Go to TitanTool.com/tr1hea
June 2018 | inPAINT
19
THE LATEST IN
BRUSH TECHNOLOGY Manufacturers Work Hard to Deliver on Pros’ Demands
Photo Courtesy of Wolf Paint Supply Co.
An artist by trade, Jon Cox, Sr. understands the importance of having the right tools for the job. That’s why the founder of Proform Technologies, Inc., which manufactures Picasso paintbrushes, also values the input of other professionals when developing pro-grade brushes. BY BRIAN SODOMA
I
n fact, he very much enjoys talking shop with paint pros who are passionate about which brush they prefer to use and why. One style may hold and release paint just the way one painter desires, while another painter may counter those claims with how a different brush can do the job better. Yet, another painter still may argue that it’s the bullet-proof nature of another brand that they admire. Through the years, Cox has heard all the reasons why a brush makes the grade for paint pros, but he’ll still continue to hit up other pros for a conversation to help him inform his practice. “I think [research] is why we have that loyal following with painters,” he added. It’s a practice many other manufacturers embrace, too. Here’s a look at some of the innovations Picasso and other manufacturers are bringing to the table, making the pro’s everyday paintbrush even better.
Picasso combines ergonomics and innovation Cox got into the business chasing the ergonomic market in 2001. Unfortunately, while he made a fantastic ergonomic brush—tested and verified by paint pros themselves, along with a university ergonomic facility—he was selling to a market that really wasn’t looking for an ergonomic tool.
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inPAINT | June 2018
NEW
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DUNN-EDWARDS CORPORATION (888) DE PAINT® (337-2468) | 4885 East 52 Place, Los Angeles, CA 90058 ND
Dunn-Edwards®, The #1 Choice of Painting Professionals®, (888) DE PAINT® are registered and/or trademarks of the Dunn-Edwards Corporation. ©2018 Dunn-Edwards Corporation. All rights reserved. June 2018 | inPAINT
21
“People just didn’t understand ergonomic design,” he said. “It’s like you needed someone there at the point of sale to explain it.” After mixed sales results on his first effort, Cox did some product exploration. He knew there was plenty more to discover when it came to brush technology. After some tinkering, he developed a new acid-dipped brush using PBT (polybutylene terephthalate) filament, which really put Picasso on the map with pros. PBT filament is designed to maintain stiffness in hot, humid environments and is solvent resistant, making it easy to clean. It had long been used in makeup brushes. “We thought ‘it lays out great with makeup, so why not with paint?’” he said. Cox later introduced an oval-ferrule, angled-tip combination that was new to the market, as well. Through the years, he has also paid close attention to the design of Picasso brush knots, making sure the cavity near the center of the brush effectively eliminates liquid buildup without annoying drips. Cox is always working to improve the knot/ferrule area of the brush, he says. While Picasso hasn’t seen any major advancements in the past couple years, he’s far from stagnant when it comes to improving the product. His current research involves experimenting with unique plugs inside the knot in order to better guide the paint to one side of the tip or the other.
Up the volume with Purdy Other manufacturers are also continually innovating and launching new product lines. Earlier this year, Purdy, which has been in the brush-making arena for TOP: Ergonomic Picasso brushes maintain stiffness in hot, humid environments. MIDDLE: The Purdy XL High Capacity brush is designed with more filament for increased pickup and release. BOTTOM: The Wooster Gold Edge brush is a lower-cost option that allows greater control when working with thicker coatings.
Available in all Sherwin-Williams stores today, the XL High Capacity can also be found at other Purdy retailers starting this July.
Wooster goes for gold Chuck Cline, brush development and manufacturing engineer with The Wooster Brush Company, offered some insights about the 165-year-old company’s newest offering, the Gold Edge paintbrush line. Gold Edge is a lower-cost option, Cline noted, similar to the company’s popular Silver Tip brushes, but the new model brings what Cline refers to as ‘a firmer feel.’ Gold Edge is designed with its combined white and gold CT polyester filament for added rigidity, allowing a user more control while working with thicker coatings. “Some professionals even feel that a firmer brush allows them to be more efficient on the job,” Cline said. The new line also offers an “exclusive tipping process that allows for reduced resistance for improved layoff with all paints, enamels, varnishes and polyurethanes. Overall, Gold Edge performs far better than its price point suggests,” Cline added. “When compared to other brushes available at its current price point, painters may swear that they should be paying roughly 30% more for the type of performance that Gold Edge delivers.” The Gold Edge line comes as a result of Wooster’s constant communication with coatings manufacturers who are always on the lookout for materials that work well with the latest coating formulations. The company also relies on its district managers around the country to tap pros for field-testing opportunities. “Members of our free Wooster Painters Program are often randomly selected to test new products out in the field and provide feedback,” Cline added. “Many of the changes that occur to new and existing products happen as a result of listening to the voice of the professional painter.”
ArroWorthy, all about filaments nearly a century, launched its XL High Capacity brush line. It comes with a stadium-shaped ferrule and is designed for greater production with the help of more filament, increasing the pickup and release of a coating, explains Purdy Product Manager Marcelo Orchon. “This would help a pro with any painting surface. A perfect example is when cutting in around a doorframe or trim, these brushes greatly reduce the need to go back and forth to the bucket, as they not only hold a lot of paint, they also release it evenly,” Orchon added. All Purdy brushes are made with lightweight alder wood handles—the long, skinny rattail, the squared-off fluted, and the thick, round beavertail, as well as short styles—each to fit the variety of painting styles and pro preferences. “Because the ferrule of the XL High Capacity is larger and wide, the beavertail handle is used, as it fits firmly in the palm for a comfortable feel and balance,” Orchon added. 22
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For ArroWorthy, in the brush-making industry since the early 1960s and makers of the popular Rembrandt series, developing the best filaments that can handle a variety of coatings is always the goal, says Roland Kolilias, a VP at the company. The Rembrandt’s popular semi-oval sash has been a hit with pros for years. The line’s NYLYN polyester filament brings a solid blend of durability and great pickup and release for a wide range of coating types. Its Finultra line with extra-long NYLYN filament, later released, has been known to deliver a superior finish with low-VOC paints, in particular. ArroWorthy recently released its ORO line with its proprietary CHYLYN filament, which has “similar characteristics to Chinex and natural bristles,” Kolilias noted. The new line is touted for all latex or oil/alkyd paints and stains, and its easy cleanup. Chinex, a filament developed by DuPont, is a nylon synthetic bristle known for its balance between ruggedness and performance.
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“ Many of the changes that occur to new and existing products happen as a result of listening to the voice of the professional painter.” — CHUCK CLINE, THE WOOSTER BRUSH COMPANY
BELOW: The ArrowWorthy ORO line is touted for all latex or oil/alkyd paints and stains. BOTTOM: Corona Performance Chinex series extra long brushes were designed to hold more paint.
Corona goes long Recognized as a brush manufacturer for painters with discriminating tastes since the 1950s, in the past year, Corona launched its Performance Chinex series extra long brushes, which come in two styles. Its Atlas model is a square-edge wall brush and the Express is an angular sash brush. “This was something we had been working on for some time,” said Michael Waksman, marketing director for Corona. “We felt we should expand our popular Chinex line with some new workhorse brushes that feature a longer trim length to hold more paint, saving painters even more time on the job—while still providing the Corona quality they’ve come to expect. Getting that extra trim length while maintaining the firm flex was a challenge, and we’re proud to say we got it.” Waksman said his company’s research involves taking into account pro input from a variety of locations. A trend in one area of the U.S. may not hold true for painters elsewhere in the country, he has found. “Different painters are going to want different features in their tools. A lot of times it is regional,” he said. “Painters in certain areas want particular filaments, or perhaps a firmer or a softer brush, and that is largely dependent on the climate and seasons of that area where they operate their business.”
A lone ‘Wolf’ brand It’s bold to venture into a market where so much expertise is already available. When it comes to paintbrushes, there are companies with more than 100 years in the business and others with decades of research and experience to pull from, so getting into the game now might seem intimidating. However, every manufacturer shares the same need to evaluate its value proposition. When developing a less-expensive line, at what point has the quality been compromised too much in the name of attractive 24
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pricing? And at what point is a quality product simply too expensive? These are the questions every manufacturer faces, and also what drove the brush company, Wolf Paint Supply Co., into existence. The company is turning one year old this summer, says Michael Dinh, Wolf ’s brand manager. Wolf is attempting to attract a new wave of painting professionals by offering a brush at an attractive price point that still looks and feels like the Picassos and Rembrandts of the world. The thinking is to offer something comparable in quality to the major manufacturers that is 25–30% less expensive, Dinh said. Wolf brushes include SRT nylon-poly filament, flag tips, and a built-in reservoir for good loading and release. The copper-finish ferrule on its BETA Pro series is both attractive and sturdy, and the company uses natural beechwood for its handles, and also offers some smaller, ergonomically friendly handles. “We were really focused on having a paintbrush with high absorption and retention with a durable ferrule that keeps the bristles in place,” Dinh said. “The feedback we’re getting is that the brush has good balance and there’s not a lot of hand fatigue, which we love to hear.” Wolf has gone with the direct-to-consumer approach by selling its product online, which is not a common way for the painting professional to shop, but Dinh said the company is working out deals with distributors and retailers to get its pro-grade brushes into hardware stores and other channels soon. The company has found momentum in Canada and the UK and is hoping to translate that into more sales in the U.S. “Right now, our main goal is to get it into more hands,” Dinh added. “We want to make a brush everyone is proud of and wants to keep. Something they’d be proud to display on their tool wall.” And let’s not forget—something professional painters are passionate about. -
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PRO 6 pros on the primers PICKS they lean on
Photo Courtesy of Sherwin-Williams
A good primer does a lot for you. It seals your surface, blocks stains, and helps give you even color when you paint. Depending on the substrates you’re working with and their condition, you might have several different go-to primers. So we asked six pros with a range of specialties which primers they prefer to work with—and why:
OUR PROS
1 2 26
DON GODDARD All About Paint, LLC AllAboutPaint417.com
DAVE KENEALY L.A. Painting Services, Inc. Facebook.com/LApainting
inPAINT | June 2018
3 4
JASON PHILLIPS Phillips Home Improvements PhillipsHomeImprovements.com
BILL LOEPP Shamrock Painting, Inc. ShamrockPaintingInc.com
5 6
MIKE STUEMPFIG Two Day Painting TwoDayPainting.com
JEFF SOMMERS ESP Painting ESPPainting.com
▲
Sherwin-Williams PrimeRx Peel Bonding Primer goes on with a milky look but dries clear and, with a heavier hand, helps even out the surface.
MIGHTY
POWERFUL | VERSATILE | RELIABLE
1
DON GODDARD
For Don Goddard, owner of All About Paint, LLC in Springfield, MO, interior work is the core of his business. He has three go-to primers, depending on the task at hand. For walls and ceilings, he uses PPG Paints PVA Interior Acrylic Latex Primer. “I had another brand that I really liked until my rep introduced me to the PPG PVA,” Goddard says. “It is $1 cheaper per gallon and does a great job. It has a good consistency and doesn’t separate.” For cabinetry, he likes Zinsser ALLPRIME Oil-Base Primer, Sealer & Stain Blocker. “It has a quick dry time; it dries to the touch in 40 minutes and can be recoated in two hours,” he notes. “Plus, it’s good at blocking stains. We’ve never had a failure with it.” If he needs to block a lot of tough stains or if he’s working with a wood that has a lot of knots, like pine, he likes SherwinWilliams ProBlock Primer, which is oil-based.
THE BRAND YOUR CONTRACTORS WILL ASK FOR BY NAME
“If we have some stubborn stains, we like [Sherwin-Williams White Pigmented Shellac Primer]. The synthetic shellac primers, for the purpose of blocking out smoke and odors, don’t perform as well as the natural. We learned that the hard way.” —JASON PHILLIPS, PHILLIPS HOME IMPROVEMENTS
2
DAVE KENEALY
Based in the south suburbs of Chicago, Dave Kenealy handles mostly residential interior projects, including insurance work. The owner of L.A. Painting Services, Inc. (named after his oldest daughter, Lauren Ann) has had his business for 22 years. In that time, he’s tried various primers, and currently turns to Zinsser products. He likes Zinsser B-I-N. “I like it for the better drying time than the water-based primers,” he says. B-I-N boasts a 35-minute drying time (re-coat in two hours) and helps seal up fire and water damage. And he likes Zinsser Cover Stain Oil-Base Primer when dealing with exterior wood jobs that require scraping and priming. The product, he says, also helps prevent any tannin and bleeding.
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June 2018 | inPAINT
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“ Primers are one of the most overlooked components of a paint job.” —JASON PHILLIPS, PHILLIPS HOME IMPROVEMENTS
3
JASON PHILLIPS
“Primers are one of the most overlooked components of a paint job,” says Jason Phillips, who started Phillips Painting in 1997, now known as Phillips Home Improvements, and focuses on residential repainting in the Dallas area. “Typically, what we’re dealing with on interiors is water stains, so we need something that’s going to block those out,” he says. His go-to products are Sherwin-Williams FastDrying Primer and their Multi-Purpose Latex Primer. Both, he says, are great for covering stains and giving you a good surface to work with. “If we have some stubborn stains, we like a natural-whitepigmented shellac,” he adds. “The synthetic shellac primers, for the purpose of blocking out smoke and odors, don’t perform as well as the natural. We learned that the hard way.” His pick is Sherwin-Williams White Pigmented Shellac Primer. For exteriors, Phillips, who works mostly with wood and wood-composite substrates, turns again to the Fast-Drying Primer. And for priming over rust (such as on window lintels), he recommends Sherwin-Williams KEM KROMIK Universal Metal Primer. “It’s a red oxide primer,” he says. “There are oxide primers in white, too, but I use the red because it’s easier to tell if your painters used the right primer.”
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4
BILL LOEPP
Shamrock Painting, Inc. in Denver specializes in office/ commercial painting, and their primer picks are substrate-dependent, says Bill Loepp, the company’s Director of Operations. Their most commonly used primer for drywall is the Sherwin-Williams ProMar 200 Interior Latex Primer, a PVA primer that he says is great at hiding flaws to give a smooth surface. Touch-ups are easy, too, he notes. “Most of the metal we paint comes to the project shopprimed,” he says. “But if not, we like Sherwin-Williams KEM KROMIK Universal Metal Primer. It’s really good for protection from moisture, it’s rust-inhibiting, can be topcoated with epoxy or urethanes, and it’s easy to sand down for a smooth substrate.” When a client has a need for a high-performance coating with lots of durability—such as exposed beams in a loft space or an industrial setting—his painters like Sherwin-Williams Macropoxy 646, a polyamide epoxy, for its durability, adhesion, fast dry time and high-build properties. One thing, Loepp notes is that it’s important to monitor your re-coat window, and “be sure to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on when to recoat, and follow the systems put together by the product manufacturer.”
“ I like [Zinsser B-I-N] for the better drying time than the water-based primers,” It boasts a 35-minute drying time (re-coat in two hours) and helps seal up fire and water damage. —DAVE KENEALY, L.A. PAINTING SERVICES, INC.
Photo Courtesy of Zinsser
5
6 JEFF SOMMERS
MIKE STUEMPFIG
Jeff Sommers, owner of ESP Painting in Portland, OR, has a few primer picks for his residential re-paints and other projects. His No. 1 primer for exterior work is XIM Peel Bond, a high-build, water-based bonding primer/sealer. “I like it because it has a nice, thick body to it, and it helps smooth out scraped edges,” he says. “We have a 5-gallon bucket in every van.” In select cases, he might also turn to XIM Peel Bond’s Trim Magic. “It’s a high-build, water-based bonding primer and can be applied extra thick to fill cracked paint and smooth out rough windowsills.” For a lot of interior work, the Sherwin Williams High Build Primer is his primary choice, which is perfect for filling in minor drywall damage. “And if we’re going to paint trim or cabinets, I like Benjamin Moore ADVANCE Primer,” Sommers says. “It dries fast and powders up when you sand. And it’s low odor so to not disrupt the household.” -
For five years, Two Day Painting has served homeowners in southeastern Wisconsin. For a lot of exterior projects, the company uses SherwinWilliams PrimeRx Peel Bonding Primer. “There are a quite few cedar homes in our area,” says Mike Stuempfig, who handles commercial development for the company. “The wood is in various degrees of deterioration.” This deterioration affects a paint’s ability to adhere. The product, he adds, goes on with a milky look but dries clear and, with a heavier hand, helps even out the surface. Plus, he notes, it stays flexible under the topcoat. For nonporous, non-penetrating surfaces, such as synthetic sidings, metal, plastics and even laminate cabinets, the team likes Sherwin-Williams Extreme Bond Primer. Both primers, he adds, are water-based, meaning an easy cleanup and low odor.
Help Pick Our Pro Picks for 2019 We’re in the planning stages for 2019, including what we’ll feature in Pro Picks. If there’s something you’d like to see featured, let us know. We’ll do our best to find pros willing to share their top picks and opinions. Email: amanda@inPAINTmag.com and type ‘Pro Picks 2019’ in the subject line.
PRO PICKS
PRO PICKS:
WORK VEHICLES: CUSTOMIZABLE, DEPENDABLE
PRO PICKS:
FIVE PROS WEIGH IN ON THEIR TOP EXTERIOR PAINTS BY STEPHANIE CONNER
1 CHRISTIAN MILITELLO:
OUR PROS
1 2 26
JOHN ORGILL Biddeford Painting BiddefordPainting.com
MATTHEW PISAENO Pisaeno Painting & Construction, LLC MattPaints.com
3 4
JEFF EBERTS Wallmasters (517) 317-3907
SCOTT MILLER Capital Painting & Decorating, Inc. CapitalPaintingInc.com
5 6
STEPHEN LYON Perspective Painting (774) 545-5832
OUR PROS: 1 CHRISTIAN MILITELLO
JEFF SOMMERS ESP Painting ESPPainting.com
inPAINT | April 2018
Militello Painting & Powerwashing, LLC MilitelloPainting.com
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inPAINT | May 2017
2 KURT DWYER Burnett 1-800 PAINTING BurnettPainting.com
3 RYAN MUNN
Greenleaf Painters, LLC GreenLeafPainters.com
4 JOHN PEEK
Peek Brothers Painting PeekBrothersPainting.com
inPAINT | June 2018
FIVE PROS ON THEIR FAVORITE CONCRETE STAINS
1 JUSTIN STOLBA
Nick Slavik Painting & Restoration Co. NickSlavik.com
Complete Concrete Systems CompleteConcreteSystemz.com
30
2 DAN DIGRAZIO, JR. 3 TOM LOPATOSKY 4 JOSH MCBRAYER R & R Coatings, Inc. RandRCoatingsInc.com
LOPCO Contracting LopcoContracting.com
MC’s Painting & Decorating, Inc. MCsPaint.com
BY STEPHANIE CONNER
David Stovall & Associates DavidsFloors.com
10/11/17 6:21 PM
OUR PROS:
OUR PROS
1 2
5 DAVID STOVALL
inPAINT | Oct/Nov 2017
Rusted metal roofing, high-traffic stadium floors, and tile that needs recoating; these are just a few of the project types that the pros featured in this issue’s Pro Picks had to contend with in the recent past. Read on to learn which specialty coating they turned to to tackle the challenge and get the job done right.
Ah, summer. Time to pull out the Adirondack chairs and kick back on the deck. That’s where you come in. Homeowners who want to ensure their decks are in tip-top shape rely on professionals who understand which products work best on a given substrate and know how to apply them for maximum durability. Here, six professionals share their go-to deck coatings and discuss their attributes.
OUR PROS:
5 NICK SLAVIK
FOUR PROS WEIGH IN ON THEIR FAVORITE SPECIALTY COATINGS
6 pros on deck coatings that deliver appearance and durability
Concrete is no longer a boring surface to be covered—or ignored. Indeed, stained concrete has grown in popularity for outdoor surfaces, as well as interior floors and countertops in both residential and commercial settings. We asked five pros about their go-to concrete stains. Across the board, they noted that acid staining—while providing a beautiful finish—presents additional challenges in terms of safety and cleanup. They recommend looking into acetone- and water-based products. Here are their favorite product lines:
Photo Courtesy of 2017 Sikaeld Scofield Sika Scofi
InPaint_Oct-Nov_2017_FINAL.indd 30
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PRO PICKS
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MICHAEL BENNETT Michael Bennett Painting (443) 386-5455
DALE HERRINGTON Premium Deck Restoration, LLC PremiumDeckRestoration.com
inPAINT | May 2018
3 4
CHARLIE BLIGHT Blight Built BlightBuilt.com
SAM REUTER Painter Pro PainterPro.co
5 6
1
RODRIGO VASCONCELLOS Palette Pro Painting & Renovation Inc. Palette-Pro.com
BESI JANOVA Alpine Painting & Sandblasting AlpinePainting.com
3 ANTHONY FORESTO
DAN BRADY Dan Brady Painting & Wood Restoration DanBradyPainting.com
Arenas, Parks & Stadiums Solutions, Inc. APSSolutions2012.com
30
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2
WALT JOHNSON W.E. Davis Co. WEDavisCo.com
4 JOEL HAMBERG Joel Hamberg Painting JoelHambergPainting.com
6 PROS RECOMMEND EXTERIOR PAINTS
1 BESI JANOVA:
With a focus on commercial work, the family owned and operated Alpine Painting & Sandblasting in Paterson, NJ, has been in business since 1975. Repaints are a big part of the company’s work, and specialty coatings have come in handy for a few specific needs, says Besi Janova, a commercial project estimator for the company. “We recently did a project where we had to recoat tile,” he explains. The Alpine team identified a special bonding primer—Rust-Oleum’s XIM Advanced Technology UMA Bonder—followed by a topcoat. XIM is known for its bonding primers, particularly for surfaces like porcelain, tile, glass, Formica, and others that are hard to paint. Available in white and a tintable base, the product works for interior and exterior jobs and is low VOC and low odor. “We’ve used that bonding primer for many years,” Janova says. “It’s worked very well for us.” Another recent project the company worked on involved rusting corrugated overhead decking. “The customer didn’t want to pay to get it sandblasted,” Janova explains. “So, we needed something that was going to hold back that rust.” For situations like this, the company’s painters like Sherwin-Williams Opti-Bond Multi-Surface Coating, a single-coat, rust-inhibitive alkyd finish designed for ceilings and overhead expanses. It dries quickly, Janova says, and is resistant to corrosion. “We met the customer’s needs and saved them money, too,” Janova adds.
Exterior paint jobs need to be able to stand up to the elements—from bright sun to high humidity to freezing rain. And homeowners don’t want to have to repaint every few years, so a durable paint is a must. As a painter, you’re on the lookout for products that resist cracking, flaking and fading, and are easy to work with—all within your and your customer’s price point. We asked six pros for their opinions on the best exterior paints. Here’s what they recommend:
OUR PROS
1 2 30
RYAN TOELKES Neighborhood Painting KCNeighborhoodPainting.com
MIKE SHAFFER Five Star Painting FiveStarPainting.com
inPAINT | Feb/Mar 2018
3 4
LYNNE FIRMENDER The Painted Lady’s Paint Service (203) 732-0479
RON CHADWICK Kentucky Brush Custom Painting (270) 202-9434
5 6
JAKE SCHAERER Swiss Painting SwissPainting.com
CHRISTINE DA SILVA The Larkin Painting Company, Inc. LarkinPainting.com
Photo Courtesy of Behr
HOMEOWNERS TAKE PRIDE IN THEIR HOMES, and when they hire you for an exterior painting job, they’re looking for a painter who understands that—and uses high-quality products. Exterior paints need to stand up to the elements; resist mildew and dirt; retain color; and last for years without blistering, flaking and peeling. We asked five pros about their favorite exteriors paints. Here’s what they had to say:
Photo Courtesy of Ford Motor Company
You think a lot about the tools and materials you need for your jobs—pressure washers, sprayers, brushes, paints, stains and specialty products. But what about the vehicle you drive to the jobsite? Obviously, a reliable truck or van is critical to ensure you get to work, but there’s more to it than that. We asked six pros for their opinions on what works for them and how to make the most of a work vehicle. Here’s what they had to say:
Sherwin-Williams Emerald Exterior Acrylic Latex is the go-to paint for Christian Militello, owner of Militello Painting & Powerwashing, outside of Philadelphia. With more than 15 years in business, Militello does mostly residential work with some small commercial projects in the mix. “I like the Emerald,” he says, “because it’s self-priming.” While painters might commonly use an oil-based primer before painting, that’s not necessary with this paint, Militello says. “The Emerald has extreme adhesive properties,” he says, noting that the paint’s cross-linking technology creates an extreme bond for exceptional durability and coverage. It’s a higher-end product, he acknowledges, but it’s worth the spend. The Emerald resists blistering, peeling, fading and dirt, and contains antimicrobial agents to help prevent mold and mildew. Plus, because you typically won’t need a primer, you won’t spend time doing that extra coat, Militello notes. But, he advises, be sure to let the paint to dry for 24 hours between coats. “Following the directions on the can and giving proper dry time,” he says, “is what’s going to give the product the best chance to do what it says it can do.”
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THE inPAINT INTERVIEW PROFESSIONAL PAINTER
Achieving Success as a Woman-Owned Painting Business How the evolution of the industry has empowered entrepreneurial women BY MEGHANN FINN SEPULVEDA Marge Parkhurst has been painting since the age of 13, when she would accompany her father, a general contractor, on various jobs after school and during the summer months. She continued working for her father throughout high school. Fast forward 34 years, and Parkhurst has created and maintained a lucrative painting business that focuses on both commercial and high-end residential work in northwestern Connecticut. Today, Painting by Marge, Inc. is a small, woman-owned, fully insured and licensed business with a crew of six employed painters. Not traditionally an industry for women-owned businesses, she faced some challenges along the way, but her ability to identify issues and the resourcefulness she applied in finding solutions earned her not only life-long, satisfied clients but a loyal crew. 32
inPAINT | June 2018
Q
When did you start your painting business?
I was in high school when I had a dream of owning my own painting business. Not only did I love painting, but I enjoyed working for myself. I earned enough money to pay for my college tuition and obtained a degree in teaching, which is the career path I thought I wanted to take at the time. For a few months after graduation, I was a substitute teacher, then realized my true passion was painting. In 1984, I established Painting by Marge and became an incorporated business in 1992. Our logo is a pineapple, which is a symbol for hospitality and has been well-received by our clients and the community.
Q
What challenges have you faced?
Once I decided to pursue painting as a profession, I began by completing projects for family and close friends. I never had a problem finding work and became so busy that I had to start hiring staff. Early in my career, I had an all-female crew who were eager to learn the skills required to prep and paint. It did become challenging at times, however, to maintain project deadlines because most of my crew were also moms who needed to be home when their child was sick or had a day off from school. As a solution, I hired a babysitter who was available to watch all of our children at my house so that we could stay on schedule. As a mom of three, I also had to make some adjustments, such as always scheduling work within 10 miles of my home so Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be nearby if my children needed me, and I did all of my estimating and paperwork in the
afternoons from my home office, so I could be there when they got off the school bus. Over the years, the business continued to grow so I eventually added more crew, consisting of both women and men. I was surprised when I noticed my clients approached my male employees instead of me if they had a question or concern. At the time, I think the nature of the industry was very male-dominated so it made sense, but I quickly discussed the issue with my team and instructed them to politely redirect clients to me. Another thing I learned is that, in order to be successful as a woman in this business, you must dress the part. I’ve found that I need to show potential clients that I can do the work. So instead of wearing professional business attire to bid a job, I wear painters pants and a company t-shirt.
Q
How has the industry evolved in regard to embracing women?
I think home improvement shows have really shed light on the number of women who are actively involved in this industry. I believe women who own a painting business have the unique opportunity to really connect with their clients on a personal level because it’s often the women clients who are the ones at home greeting the painter and communicating about the job. I’ve found that [my female] clients feel comfortable working with me and trust me and my team of painters. But I still show up to every job and always check in with my crew so I can communicate with my clients, provide progress updates, and discuss any issues that may arise. While there are a lot more women in the industry today than I think are known, I often wonder if women don’t choose this profession because they don’t think it’s a job they can easily do. I couldn’t disagree more. It’s a skill that can be learned with good mentorship and training.
Q
What do your clients like about your company?
Up in this part of Connecticut, there are large estates that are 5,000 square feet and above and are owned by young professionals who work in New York or New Jersey, just a few hours away. These old, historic homes are mainly only occupied on the weekends, so these homeowners are looking for contractors who are highly dependable and extremely trustworthy. They rely on me to send pictures of their projects so they can stay well informed. Not only do I develop good working relationships with my clients, but they often become personal friends—and clients for life.
I think homeimprovement shows have really shed light on the number of women who are actively involved in this industry. I also offer a four-year warranty on all residential jobs and I maintain all of my clients’ houses. If there is any damage to the home as a result of bad weather or if I notice something needs to be fixed, I’ll reach out to them. This usually generates more work because I’m often asked to paint on the interior or exterior of the home while I’m there.
Q
How do you prepare bids?
Q
What do you have planned for the future of your business?
When I was raising my children, I spent a lot of time late at night working on bids. I needed something to generate estimates faster, so I came up with an idea to launch a computer program that would allow me to enter all the specific job information and produce an estimate. I contacted a software developer who used that vision to develop the Painter’s Estimating Program (PEP). I trademarked the business and marketed it to other painters. A few years later, I sold the business to the programmer I hired who helped me work on the program. He has made some great updates and improvements to the software. I still use PEP to this day to accurately prepare bids for my clients. My crew also has access to the software and can look up important details including the products and materials, number of coats required, and hours budgeted and currently spent on the job .
I’ve always said that I’ll stop working when the job is no longer fun. I’m still enjoying it, but I’ll be 65 in August and have started to think about retirement. My plan is to sell the business to one of my employees (I’m grooming two of them) to make sure my clients continue to get a really good paint job from crews who really pay attention to detail and have integrity and sincerity for the job. Toward that end, I’ve stopped spending so much hands-on time at every job. I still check in on each one but I now mainly focus on providing bids to new clients. I’m fortunate to have a great team and am thankful for a dependable crew who have significantly contributed to our success. -
MARGE PARKHURST is the owner of Painting by Marge, Inc., a premier residential and commercial painting business that is recognized as a ‘Woman Owned Small/Minority Business Enterprise’ by the State of Connecticut. Parkhurst is also an active member of the PDCA. PaintingByMarge.com
June 2018 | inPAINT
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TOOLS OF THE TRADE
Photo Courtesy of Titan Tools 34
inPAINT | June 2018
What’s in today’s professional toolbox? 3M™ SecureFit™ 400 Safety Eyewear This eyewear is designed with the pro in mind to bring you exceptional performance, comfort and durability. Equipped with our innovative 3M™ Pressure Diffusion Temple Technology, these safety glasses fit comfortably over your ear while providing a secure fit, so you can focus on the task at hand. The pliable arms flex to fit nearly every member of your crew, while soft-touch nose pads and ear piece inlays deliver all-day comfort. 3m.com/SafetyProducts
FrogTape® Brand Painter’s Tape FrogTape® is the only painter’s tape treated with patented PaintBlock® Technology. PaintBlock is a super-absorbent polymer which reacts with the water in latex paint and instantly gels to form a micro-barrier that seals the edges of the tape, preventing paint bleed and producing the sharpest paint lines possible. And now, FrogTape® Multi-Surface features a new adhesive specially formulated for hard-to-stick-to paints and surfaces while still delivering the same 21-day removal. Save time and get the sharpest paint lines possible with FrogTape®. FrogTape.com
3M™ Extreme Hold Duct Tape With its double-thick adhesive layer and strong scrim, this tape has maximum holding strength for the toughest jobs*. And it stands up under challenging conditions inside and outdoors. The waterproof backing resists moisture for a long-lasting hold, so it’s perfect for repairs, bundling, reinforcing and patching. Brought to you by 3M, revolutionizing the duct tape category with a premium line of products that delivers strength and versatility. *As compared to 3M heavy duty tapes 3M.com/DuctTape
June 2018 | inPAINT
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UPCOMING EVENTS
ADVERTISER INDEX 1-800-PAINTING 800Painting.com Page 40 3M 3m.com Pages 3, 5, 11 & 35 DUNN-EDWARDS DunnEdwards.com Page 21 GRACO Graco.com Page 38 HABITAT FOR HUMANITY Habitat.org Page 31 MILEBUG MileBug.com Page 29 MI-T-M MiTM.com Page 27 PAINT CARE PaintCare.org Page 9
What, Where & When
4 10 5 9 2
8
1
7
3 6
JU NE 1
13–16: Apartmentalize, San Diego, CA naahq.org/apt-inpaint
2
14 & 15: 2018 East Coast Builders Conference, Nashville, TN ECBCshow.com
3
23–26: BOMA 2018 International Conference & Expo, San Antonio, TX bomaconvention.org
JU LY 4
27 & 28: 2018 PDCA Residential Forum Advanced Shop Talk, Minneapolis, MN pdcaresidentialforum.org
S E P TE M B E R 7
11–13: 21st Century Building Expo & Conference, Charlotte, NC 21buildingexpo.com
8
19–21: 2018 PDCA Commercial Forum Conference, White Sulphur Springs, WV pdcacommercialforum.org
O C TO B E R 9
AU GU ST 5
6–9: 2018 NPMA National Education Seminar, Chicago, IL npmaconferences.org/NES
6
16 & 17: Southeast Building Conference, Kissimmee, FL SEBCshow.com
9–11: Remodeling Show l DeckExpo, Baltimore, MD remodelingdeck.com
N OV E M B E R 10
7–9: DBIA’s Design-Build Conference and Expo, New Orleans, LA dbia.org
PDCA PDCA.org Page 7 SHERWIN-WILLIAMS Sherwin-Williams.com Page 2 SHURTECH FrogTape.com Page 35 TITAN TitanTool.com Page 19 TOWER SEALANTS TowerSealants.com Page 25
Increase your knowledge. Build industry connections. Grow your income.
The Remodeling Show and DeckExpo have co-located to create the residential construction industry’s premier event. This two-show event boasts an unmatched conference program, networking opportunities, and a lively expo floor featuring the latest tools, products and services, plus live building clinics and product demonstrations. To register, visit remodelingdeck.com
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inPAINT | June 2018
The magazine created for professionals just like YOU inPAINT magazine delivers engaging and informative articles on the latest industry news and current trends. This is the kind of information that can set you apart from your competitors, and make your job easier and more profitable. Stay informed by subscribing now.
TO KEEP RECEIVING inPAINT MAGAZINE, SIMPLY SUBSCRIBE. ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FREE. To subscribe, visit inPAINTmag.com/subscribe
60 YEARS OF GETTING THE JOB DONE. This year marks the 60th anniversary of our first airless sprayer. While we’re taking time to celebrate this milestone, we’re also pushing forward because we know that you are too. Our obligation is to equip you with the most advanced, dependable and jobsite-ready airless sprayers in the world.
THAT’S THE GRACO COMMITMENT. LEARN MORE AT graco.com/60yearsairless
MADE IN THE USA WITH GLOBAL COMPONENTS
©2018 Graco Inc. Form No. 344350A 6/18 Printed in U.S.A. Product covered by issued and pending patents, see graco.com/us/en/patents.
BOTTOM LINE
Choosing Environmentally Conscious Products
W
hen choosing an ‘environmental coating,’ consideration should be given to both the impact the product has on the environment during initial application, and the performance and duty cycle of the product itself.
Let’s start with VOCs A lot of attention is given to the VOC levels in coatings but the VOC level, by itself, is not the entire story when it comes to a product’s environmental impact. Products with lower-VOC levels can provide good benefits such as helping to reduce harmful emissions that cause damage to our ozone layer, and minimizing the impact on the indoor air quality where applied can help alleviate discomfort for individuals who are sensitive to these compounds.
Green performance The industry has continued to adapt to progressive reductions in the allowable VOC levels in coatings. This has led to some amazing advancements and new technologies in the market. Products with little to no VOCs, and that maintain the same properties and performance as traditional higher-VOC products are now more available. The Master Painters Institute (MPI) has a heritage that dates to 1899 and is mandated by both the U.S. and Canadian governments to test and approve products prior to use in government construction projects anywhere in the world. MPI standards are also referenced in more than 80% of specifications for commercial projects in North America. MPI recommends Extreme Green (X-Green) options for many architectural/commercial performance categories. X-Green products are required to meet the same performance requirements of the category, and are also required to have up-to-date independent emissions certification in compliance to CHPS (Collaborative for High Performance Schools) guidelines. Putting the focus on performance first will guarantee that the
product application will go smoothly and the finished coating will require less maintenance, having a lower impact on the environment.
Specification, application, maintenance When planning a job with sustainability and environmental impact in mind, it is important to look at more than just the VOC level of a product. These are some areas of consideration that will help to create a sustainable process with a more environmentally positive effect: ■■ Application methods with high transfer efficiency reduces the amount of paint wasted during application ■■ Researching the environmental impacts of the product and looking at what options are available ■■ Choosing products that have a longer life span to reduce the frequency of recoating and maintenance ■■ Working to reduce waste on the jobsite and finding sustainable ways to dispose of the waste
Life cycle and cradle-to-grave analysis Serious negative effects on our air, soil and water can also result from manufacturers simply getting the raw materials from their source to market. Manufacturers address these factors in Environmental Product Declarations, reports that examine the impacts of a product throughout its entire life cycle in terms of energy costs and generated waste. As the industry moves toward a more environmentally conscious future, these documents are undoubtedly becoming very important resources. Finding a high-performance, long-lasting product should be the first priority, once the options that meet the requirements of the application have been identified. The next step should be comparing the direct environmental impact of the product and the manufacturing process. The easiest way for the end-user to have the largest positive impact on the environment is to choose products that will have the longest useable life span or duty cycle to reduce the total amount of material in the waste stream.
DAVIS KYLE is the director of business development for MPI. A 35-year veteran of the industry, he is a strong advocate for standards and education to improve the paint industry. For more information on MPI Green Performance categories, visit MPI.net or call (888) 674-8937.
June 2018 | inPAINT
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