Additional Products

Aura Bath & Spa

One of the toughest problems that people face before they start painting is how do you remove mold and mildew stains from your walls or ceilings. Never paint over the mildew because it will continue to grow under the paint, and that could cause your new paint to start peeling within a year or two. Don’t get discouraged. Mold and mildew are a common problem in many homes, and there are some simple steps that you can take to solve that problem.

1. Start by removing all furniture and objects from the room to be painted, or move it to the center of the room and cover with a drop cloth. Place a plastic liner and/or tarp on the floor. Wear goggles and long rubber gloves. You should also wear a facemask for protection.

2. Clean the wall with mild detergent and water to remove dust and dirt.

3. After the wall is dry, make a solution of household chlorine bleach and water by mixing a ¼ cup of bleach to one gallon of water (Four parts water to one part bleach).

4. Wipe wall with bleach solution and wait at least 15 minutes for it to dry.

5. Apply bleach solution again if necessary, and rinse with water when finished. For your safety, never mix bleach with ammonia or other household products that may have ammonia in them, because the mixture can cause dangerous fumes. You may also use a commercial product like TSP (Tri-sodium phosphate) to remove the mildew.

After the wall is clean and the mold and mildew has been removed, you can start painting. We recommend Benjamin Moore Bath & Spa Paint, a premium interior paint in a beautiful matte finish especially formulated for high-humidity environments such as baths and spas and optimized for hot, steamy, humid environments. With its proprietary Color Lock ® Technology, mildew-resistant Aura Bath & Spa Paint delivers remarkable, durable, and exceptional color with hues that are richer, truer, and retain their color and integrity.

Note: Image provided by The Rohm & Hass Paint Quality Institute.

How to Paint With A Roller

1. Quality of the Roller: The most important factor to consider when painting with a roller is the quality of the roller. Even if you use the best paint available (Benjamin Moore Aura®), you may not be happy with the results if you use a poor quality roller. Stay away from the bulk pack rollers and discount bins.

2. Applying Paint to the Roller: Avoid over loading the roller with excess paint. Cover the roller with as much paint as possible, but do not allow it to drip or run as you move the roller from the tray to the wall or ceiling. The key is to control the amount of paint on the roller, so after you dip the roller into the paint, roll it back and forth across the ridges at the top of the painter’s tray. This will remove the excess paint and help ensure that your roller is coated evenly with paint. In order to achieve a smooth, professional look, avoid putting to much pressure on the roller. This will eliminate heavy areas or roller marks. For best results, move the roller back and forth in a smooth, even motion.

3. How to Paint a Ceiling: When painting an entire room, start by painting the ceiling first. This way, if you get any drips on the walls there is no harm done since you will be painting the walls next. When painting a ceiling, cut in or mask off the walls first. Use an extension pole instead of a ladder. This will make your job go quicker, produce a smooth, uniform finish, and you will not have to constantly move the ladder around. Start in a corner of the room and roll slowly out of the corner and across the room about four feet at a time. Once you have completed a four foot section across the room, go back to the other side and begin again. Always roll from a dry unpainted area back into the wet paint.

4. How to Paint Walls: Before you start rolling the walls, cut in the ceiling, base, and corners and around windows and doors with a brush. When rolling walls, start in a corner--never start in the middle of a wall or ceiling. Start with a loaded roller about five inches from your cut in and roll into the corner, being careful not to hit the side wall. For a smooth and uniform finish, use an extension pole so you can roll from the base cut in to the ceiling cut in a single movement. Roll top to bottom in overlapping passes like narrow W’s. Work across the room. Keep the roller loaded with paint and always roll from an unpainted area back into the wet paint. Once you have completed a wall, follow the same process for each wall.

5. Roller Covers: Benjamin Moore offers professional roller covers that are shed resistant and designed to provide a smooth finish. For most surfaces, use the Benjamin Moore roller cover with the 3/8 inch nap. However, when painting a textured surface, use the ½ inch nap roller cover that Benjamin Moore designed to penetrate the cracks and crevices of a textured surface.

How Much Paint to Buy

“Planning is Important” -

Once you have chosen your product and colour, the next thing you need to decide is how much paint to buy. Ideally you want to have a little extra paint for touch-ups, but you don’t want to end up with too much left over paint, and you surely don’t want to run out in the middle of the project, so here are some steps that will help you determine how much you need.

The size of the room, obviously, matters.

So, get a tape measure and measure the width of each wall and its height. Multiply those figures to determine the room’s square footage. Then measure each window and door and multiply their width times their height to determine the square footage that doesn’t need panting. Finally, subtract those figures from the room’s square footage. This will give you the total square footage you will be painting.

To help you determine how much paint you need, Benjamin Moore has created an online paint calculator. Just fill in the measurements of the room you want to paint, and the calculator will show you how much paint you need for your project.

The condition and type of surface you are painting also matters. If you are painting a textured substrate you will require additional paint.

If you aren’t sure about the amount of paint you need or you have any other questions, our staff at Color Store Inc. will be glad to help you. Bring the measurements of the room you want to paint, and we will help you calculate how much paint you need and answer all your questions.

Exterior of Your Home

The following suggestions will help make any exterior painting project easier.

Preparation Tips:
• Place drop cloths under areas being painted to protect plants, patio furniture, etc.
• Check surfaces to be painted for cracks, depressions, and other imperfections and correct the problems as needed.
• Clean off dust, dirt, chalk residue, and mildew from surfaces to be painted.
• Prime surfaces.

Paint Application Tips:
• You can paint at surface temperatures as low as 40º F (5º C).
• Begin painting on the side of the house that will remain in the shade until you are done, as direct sun causes rapid drying.
• Work from the top down when painting shingle surfaces.
• Work from side to side for clapboard surfaces.
• Paint trim and window frames last.
• Allow paint to dry completely before touching up or re-coating.
• When you need to take a break, wrap brushes, rollers, and paint trays with plastic wrap to keep paint from hardening or developing a skin, and put the lids on open cans of paint

Cleanup Tips:
• Soaking brushes and rollers in soapy water loosens the paint and makes them easier to rinse clean.
• If there is a little paint left in the can once you’ve finished painting, let it dry in the can before disposing of it in your local can recycling center.

Cleanup Tips