New Trim - Old Windows?

The Painter Says: Getting new window trim to blend with old windows is a challenge that most people are not qualified to tackle.

We recently encountered windows that were stained too dark, like a mahogany and the maple trim around them was done with a lighter stain. We were able to prime and enamel the old part of the window to match the natural color of the maple. Then we took a gel stain and created a natural grain look to match the maple. You would have thought it was all maple.

PW: So what you are saying is that you "painted" the window itself and then cleverly created a "wood" look that matched the new window trim. 

Painter: One of our areas of expertise is make existing windows match new wood trim. For example, pine is used in many windows. We can take new cherry wood trim that surrounds the window and blend the pine windows into the cherry trim. From a five foot distance you wouldn’t know it’s not all new finishing.

PW: I'm impressed, but then again, - you had me at hello. (Oh, that was cheesy! My kids are going to groan!)

Now show me the money!

Holiday Season Kitchen

The PW Asks: How can people prepare for the holidays?

The Painter Says: Holiday season is freshen-up time. Now is the time to paint the kitchen because everyone likes to stand around and enjoy that room as well as the dining room.

Lead Based Paint Concerns

The PW Asks: What have you learned about precautions and issues surrounding the contamination from lead-based paint?

The Painter Says: The easiest way to deal with it is to encapsulate it. There are special encapsulation primers that have a thick mil to go over the top of oil based paint which is what lead-based paint was made of. The primer will seal it right in.

PW: FYI to our readers - Signet Painting is a Lead-Safe EPA Certified Firm.

Thanksgiving Thoughts from the Painter

The Painter Says:

I’m thankful for family and work. If you've got work, you've got work. It isn’t always about how much you get it’s about who you spend it with. 

Go Vikings!

Home Interior Design Changes Over 30 Years

The PW Asks: What have you seen change the most since you began in the painting business?

The Painter Says: Styles have come full circle in the past 30 years from dark woodwork which used to be mainly oak, to the current design statement of accenting rooms with different wood species and different finishes. Rooms are individually accented with wood trim and cabinetry in different shades the way pieces of clothing are accessorized. We see a variety of woods being used in homes such as Cherry, Alder, Maple and Walnut. We also see a paintable grade of wood trim used such as Poplar, Maple, Birch or pre-primed substrates. And wood tones are mixed, for example, a light crown piece around a darker cabinet.

Married 28 Years Ago Today

Happy Anniversary to Us!


1983 - 2011

Got "Ugly" Window Sills? Stained from Moisture?

The PW Asks: What can you do when the wood under your window gets gray or blackish?

The Painter Says:

Condensation occurs in the winter from the glass sweating and then freezing on the window sash and jamb. It then breaks down and lifts the finish, causing wood to mold and deteriorate.

Remedy: We remove the old deteriorated finish from the window and the sash and where the moisture has begun to lift the finish. We apply wood bleach if it has turned black from mold or mildew. Then we apply a light stain to blend with the existing finish and a couple of coats of an oil polyurethane brushed up a little onto the glass to bond with the glass so that moisture can’t penetrate from the back side of the window sash again, and rot the bottom of the window.

This is not a do-it-yourself task, it requires a skilled craftsman.

PW: Have you had “Ugly” Window Success?

Painter: Very good! Very good success. We help people catch the window sash rotting situation before they go bad and the finish is peeling and the wood is graying. Maintaining the bottoms of windows gives people more longevity out of the windows rather than replacing them.

PW: Do a lot of people replace their windows from not catching the situation in time?

Painter:  Replacing happens a lot so it is worth having them protected.


PW: Besides the condensation on the glass, are there other issues involved with decaying window sash?


Painter: Yes. The windows were probably sprayed with a cellulose lacquer. Think of a sponge. That is the chemical make-up of a cellulose lacquer which is very common on the market to be used in new construction because it is cheap. We always use a vinyl undercoat and a post-catalyzed lacquer. It costs more and makes all the difference. The new construction homes finished by Signet Painting over the past twenty years do not have this "ugly" stained window sash problem.

Smelly Paint and Paint History

The PW Asks: What changes have you seen in paint since you began in the business?

The Painter Says: Paint has improved a lot in the last ten years. It has improved in ability to give coverage and to be a low VOC (volatile organic compound, non-smelly) product. Acrylic based products have really improved, whether it be wood finishes or wall.

PW: Why do people like non-smelly paint?

Painter: A lot of people are sensitive to odor. It bothers them and they get stuffed up or sick. Most of those sensitive to paint already have issues so it bothers them (and they’re just wimps) – kidding! It’s been a plus now that the low VOC products have become comparable to the more standard paints. You have to realize that chemicals are what make paint products work so well, and when the manufacturers started stripping those chemicals out, they didn’t work so well. But now I believe we'll see new VOC-free paints and finishes that will be able to outperform some of the old, more chemical laden products.


PW: For the "chemistry" wonks - here's an interesting study: link to regulations and VOC study

The Painter's Favorite Kitchen

The PW Asks: What does your favorite kitchen look like?


The Painter Says: One of my favorite combinations for new kitchens is alder wood cabinetry stained a golden earthy brown. This wood species tends to hold brown tones very well. And then I like a painted enamel trim coming up against it. For example, a center island in alder with a painted base trim going around it.


PW: Unfortunately, the Painter's fave kitchen is so cutting edge that I can't find a photo to accurately represent it. But here's a shot of an alder kitchen with a painted center island:

Kitchen Design Idea - Tin Ceiling

The PW Asks: Have you done anything interesting in a kitchen lately?

The Painter Says: Yes, we painted a newly installed tin ceiling with a light enamel color. The cabinets were a natural cherry wood.  

Opining on the Vikings

The Painter Says: Its a pathetic season.

It's a good year to rebuild. Get those rookies out there. Let them learn something.

And P.S. - They should be thankful they have a dome!