Older homes possess a charm loved by many. While the history and unique details make them attractive to homebuyers, they also make repairs and repaints more challenging for pros. Each project requires astute problem-solving skills and knowledge of products and standards to ensure success.   Peter Schumerth, VP of Product Management, discusses four common problems and strategies to help you restore that old beauty.   Get RRP Certified   Lead-based paint might not be on the shelves anymore, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t hiding on the walls of older homes.   “Painting contractors disturbing the coating on any home that was built pre-1978 require a Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Certification*,” says Schumerth.   The certification ensures that those working on older homes and potentially dealing with lead-based paint are up to date on the latest rules and best practices surrounding testing, hazards, safety, containment, documentation, and disposal.   Properly Handle Mold and Mildew   Mold and mildew are not uncommon, especially in older homes. When you find the telltale signs of mold or mildew (discoloration, smells, peeling paint, warped substrate, etc.), first things first: Ensure the source of the moisture is fixed.   Next, it’s time to remove the mold and mildew.   “There are many ‘mold-killing primers’ out there,” says Schumerth. “This can create the perception that you can slap the primer on over the mold and mildew, and you are good to go.”   While the mildewcide in these products will help fight both in the future, you need to remove any mold and mildew present before priming. Remove mildew stains with a mildew stain removing product. Commercially available mildew cleaners will do the trick.     Assess the Current Coatings   With older homes, you do not always get to start with a fresh new palette. You can try to talk your clients into taking it down to bare substrate, but time and budget rarely allow that option. This means that each layer of built-up coating has the potential to affect your finished project, requiring additional consideration when choosing prep steps and selecting a paint.**   Start with a thorough assessment of the surface to check for adhesion issues. “You can do this by making a simple ‘X’ mark with a razor (cut as deep as you can and in multiple locations), then do the tape test,” advises Schumerth. “This test allows you to evaluate the integrity of the layers underneath.”   Paint coming up with the tape indicates an adhesion issue. Depending on how large an area peels, you’ll need to either spot sand and prime or do a full sand and prime to ensure you have a smooth, sound surface for your topcoat.   Choose the Right Paint   Each new layer of paint creates tension on existing coatings. Even if your topcoat adheres beautifully to the coating immediately beneath, you need the bridge between each coating below it to hold as well.   “For older homes, I recommend BEHR PREMIUM PLUS® due to its lower binder content. Higher binder and resin content can create more tension, causing additional adhesion stress on the coatings beneath it,” says Schumerth.   While older homes require knowledge and diligence from a pro painter, painting older homes can be a very rewarding and lucrative market.   To learn more about Behr’s products, contact your BEHR Pro Rep.   *This blog is for informational purposes only and contractors are responsible for complying with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations.   ** If you encounter significant mold, water damage, or structural concerns, consult a licensed professional to assess current conditions before proceeding. The guidance provided here is intended for general informational purposes only and may not apply to all situations.  

For homeowners, beautifully painted cabinets can be a great source of pride. For painting pros, they can showcase exceptional skill, product knowledge, and attention to detail. However, these projects are notoriously unforgiving, especially when steps are skipped or improper products are selected. Check out this list of pro tips to ensure you and your crew are prepped to do the job right.   Customer Prep All jobs start with excellent prep, and the first prep step is fully understanding the expectations, current conditions, and potential challenges. Start by finding out the level of finish that the customer expects.   “It depends on what the paying customer wants. You’ll choose different products depending on whether they want a factory finish or a basic repaint to spruce up the cabinets,” says Ed Edrosa, Senior Product Manager for Behr Paint.   Many contractors offer an array of products and finish levels, so the customer can choose an option that meets their needs and budget. If you only do high-end projects and are unwavering in your quality standards, create a strong qualifying process to identify the prospects who can afford your level of work.     Before giving an estimate, inspect for defects that could add additional prep work to the project. High levels of grease, dents/holes, mixed materials, and wood species that require grain filler are a few examples of things to look for. Prepare for sneaky challenges that often pop up once the project is in process. Many contractors recommend a clause in the contract that addresses how unforeseen challenges will be handled.   Job Site Prep A well-planned job site helps the job move along efficiently, ensures that everyone stays safe, and that everything in the home stays clean and damage-free.   Overspray: Since most cabinets will be sprayed, all surfaces not being sprayed should be properly covered to protect them from overspray. Ventilation/PPE: Properly train crew members and ensure use of appropriate PPE. Set up your site for proper ventilation and air filtration. Lighting: Good lighting is critical to ensure that nothing is missed during prep and you can quickly see any imperfections in the coating that need attention. Transportation: If you are taking drawers and doors off-site to a shop, don’t forget to wrap and secure them to protect the items from damage.   Surface Prep Grease and oil are common in kitchens, and they wreak havoc on paint. Begin with a good old-fashioned cleaning. Grease cutters like Dawn dish soap, TSP, and, in tough situations, denatured alcohol are good go-tos. Inspect and scrape the cabinets, and clean all their nooks and crannies.   Sanding strategy and primer choice are situational. Generally, a three-coat system with a scuff sand before each coat will give you a quality result. Follow these steps:   Sand Prime Sand Coat one Sand Coat two   Remove dust with a vacuum cleaner after sanding, and wipe all surfaces with a wet rag or tack cloth.   Choose a primer that is formulated for your specific situation. For instance, if you are painting enamel over previously painted cabinets, “our BEHR® Kitchen, Bath & Trim Stain-Blocking Primer & Sealer will do the trick,” says Edrosa. This primer blocks medium-to-heavy stains and is perfect for properly prepped glossy surfaces. However, if you are working on something like melamine cabinets, it’s better to use a bonding primer like BEHR Interior/Exterior Bonding Primer for its high-adhesion qualities. Paint “Not every paint can be used on cabinets,” warns Edrosa. Even once old grease is removed, the new coating needs to hold up to future grease. “The oils soften the paint film, so if you don’t use the right paint, you can end up with something that looks good, but you’ll get a callback in a few months because the paint is softening and accumulating dirt.” Cabinet paints are formulated with special resins designed to resist grease and prevent staining. While it is possible, it’s rare to see a successful cabinet job that doesn’t use spraying as its primary application method. “Technique plays a big part in a beautiful and lasting result,” says Edrosa.     Before spraying, always strain the paint to remove impurities that can clog the tip or spray debris with your topcoat. It’s best to apply two thinner coats as opposed to one thick coat.   Build a System It might seem impossible to create a system that handles the wide array of substrates, expectations, and challenges that come with painting cabinets, but if you establish standard operating procedures around what you see most and build flexibility into contracts for unknown unknowns, you can take a lot of stress out of the job.     Set your standard offers and price, and only take on those gnarly jobs when you are sure you are ready for them (and up-charging for them).   Cabinets, while more challenging than a lot of other repaint work, are popular and lucrative projects. It’s worth the time and effort to become known for your excellent cabinet work.   To learn more about Behr’s cabinet products, contact your local BEHR Pro Rep.  

Keeping jobs running on schedule, failure-free, and under budget is the goal of any paint professional, so it’s vital to use every available resource. One valuable ally you should never overlook is your Pro Rep, who can help you with anything from troubleshooting coating issues and product selection, to getting discounts and finding prospective customers.     Behr Pro Reps spend years mastering the BEHR® product portfolio, including application methods and proper selection. They also dedicate themselves to understanding end users, many of whom are (or could be) your customers too. Behr Pro Reps understand the needs and challenges of our customers across our audience segments, including pro painters, architects, designers, property managers, and facility managers. Hear from three Behr Pro Reps who share their top tips for pros on the job.   1. Proper Prep is Critical. Erik Miranda has been with Behr for five years, including three years in the field working directly with pro painters. Most of the problems I see stem from improper prep or product selection,” says Miranda.   It’s painting 101, but it always bears repeating (pun intended): Fully and properly prep the surface. If you find that you have a coating failure, reach out to your Behr Pro Rep. Together, you can review each step in the process to see how the problem originated and create  a plan to fix it.   2. Know When You Can/Can’t Use Paint-and-Primer-in-One. Another issue that Miranda noted is improper use of paint-and-primer-in-one products.   Always keep in mind that the paint-and-primer-in-one products are for specific circumstances,” said Miranda. “With a brand-new surface, a primer is still needed to seal that surface before applying a topcoat.”   Paint-and-primer-in-one is a great choice for a surface that is properly prepared, like an interior repaint. The increased solids mean better coverage without the use of a separate primer.     However, if you are dealing with a surface like new drywall, wood, metal, or areas you’ve patched, take the extra step of priming to ensure that the surface is ready for the topcoat.   It takes a little bit longer, but at the end of the day, it's going to provide the customer with a more foolproof job,” says Miranda.   3. Working With Your Rep Could Mean More Business. Nicole Higgins is an Architectural and Design Rep for Behr in Atlanta, GA. She spends her days meeting with designers and architects to educate them on the perfect BEHR products for their projects.     You might wonder what that has to do with pro painters.   My biggest role with pro painters is to funnel them opportunities,” says Higgins.   This makes her an excellent and valuable resource for painting contractors with whom she works,   Once a project is specified with Behr, I help bridge the gap between the design side and the execution side by identifying professional painters and contractors who are qualified to bid on the work. This gives painters access to high-value commercial opportunities they might not otherwise be aware of.”       Because of this symbiotic relationship, Higgins generates new opportunities for pros while Miranda ensures those same pros are using the right products leading to on-time job completion.   We really work together as a team to present a complete portfolio of what Behr can offer. We don’t just help with paint orders, we generate and create projects,” says Higgins.   4. Take the Behr Pro Challenge. If you haven’t tried BEHR® Paint before, you might qualify to give it a test run.   If you have a painter who only wants to use one of our competitor’s products, we can provide an equivalent BEHR product to test in an adjacent room. This way they can paint one room with the competitor’s product and then one room with the equivalent BEHR product and then form a judgment,” says Higgins. “This challenge is very successful in persuading customers to choose BEHR Paint because they see our product quality firsthand.”       The Behr Pro Challenge not only allows painters to test out a new product, but it also allows you to better understand the true value of the products you select.   The Behr Pro Challenge was introduced to show the value of BEHR Paint, but you have to measure the true cost,” says Mario Garita, National Account Manager for Property Management. Contact your local Behr Pro Rep for more information.   5. A Higher-Grade Paint Can Save Time and Money. Garita has worked for Behr for 26 years, and today he works closely with multi-family property managers—both existing and new construction.   Garita points out the importance of measuring the true job cost and not just cost-per-gallon.   A lot of times we end up proving that a higher quality product is actually cheaper,” says Garita.   For instance, if you paint two rooms and the first is painted with an entry-level product that costs $10 per gallon, and it takes seven gallons to get a good finish, that would be $70. But if you painted the second room with a mid-level paint that costs $15 per gallon, but got full coverage using four gallons, the cost is only $60. In addition, you have a lower labor cost when applying four gallons compared to seven.   That’s where we have to educate our customers. You may pay more for the product, but you’ll use less product, representing an overall savings,” says Garita.       Working hand-in-hand with your Behr Pro Rep grants you access to a valuable resource that can save you time, money, and even help you get more business.   Learn more about what your Rep can do for you and your business here.