The Best House Siding

PW Asks: Which siding type holds its finishes the longest? 

Painter says: James Hardie siding. With other types of siding, light colors don’t absorb the sun and fade like darker colors.

My Suburban My Self

I have a '92 Suburban that we got in 1997. It doesn't see much road time anymore but it always makes the trek up to the lake cabin once a year, towing the boat. A few summers ago it started blowing tranny fluid out the rear end and all over the boat when it was towing, but we finally got that fixed. There is nothing like that Suburban. Besides a bit of Minnesota rust, it is the most comfortable vehicle to ride in. It has a "bench" front seat. That alone, makes it a collector's item. I can sit cheek to cheek with the Painter - that just doesn't happen in today's models.
I think I might make the Suburban my retirement home. I could put a mattress in the back, and a mini-frig and microwave in the middle, and I could take visitors in the front.
Did I just say "take visitors"? Oh my gosh, that sounds like an old lady.
I may be closer to retirement than I realize.

Not My Suburban - But Funny

What color schema do you recommend for exterior window trim?

The Painter says: For most houses, a color that is found in the roof or brick. If the structure of a house has its own aesthetic appeal then you don’t want to make it too busy by accenting the window trim.

The Painter's Wife Asks: The Painter Answers: Exterior Home Colors

The Painter’s Wife Asks: What are your suggestions for color on the exterior of a home? 

Painter says: The front door is a focal point so use an accent color. I suggest blending the garage doors with the body color; otherwise they become the focal point (unless you have wood stained garage doors).

 

Weathering the Storms Together

Rarely are two days alike during the four distinct seasons we have in Minnesota.  Everyone speaks fluent weather. We must know our cardinal directions to distinguish the wall cloud in the West from the harmless cumulonimbus in the East. Knowing the temperature in January doesn’t help us dress appropriately unless we also know the wind chill factor. Going green does not mean eating a healthy diet, recycling the beer cans or using the VOC free paint. It also does not mean “we’re in the money!” It means the sky says to hit the basement before that wall cloud crushes the beer cans.

All of this potential for severe weather and change means that our kids start to cry if they see raindrops. Hail is a scary thing to grow up with. The first time a child sees it bouncing off the sidewalk while peering out the window and hears it ” tinking” off the roof like marbles, they think the house is crumbling, or worse, that the sky is falling.

It’s an unpredictable world and with storm sirens wailing in the background, it doesn’t feel safe. The business climate for many painting contractors has been volatile for several years. We rarely see two days alike. We’ve developed new vocabulary unheard of before the storms. Terms like price sensitivity and cash discount.

Here at Signet Painting we understand these concerns of our customer and we have developed a cash discount program to help out. We do this without compromising our integrity as a tax paying employer of insured and trained professional painters. We hope to give more of our customers an opportunity to ‘hit the basement’ with some fresh paint while the storms of the economy blow over. Together, we can all emerge better.

What Popular Minnesota Wood Species Is This Door?

Did you guess oak?

You would probably be correct except that it is a trick question. This is a metal door - like the kind of service door commonly leading out to one's garage. It started out plain and white. This graining technique was applied by one of our craftsmen in our shop in Eagan - ready to be delivered to a delighted homeowner.

Anyone can paint?

Maybe, but this is one example of the professional difference. The painting trade assocation likes to put it this way, "Picture it Painted Professionally!"

Can you spy the Painter's Wife?