<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
    <channel>
        <atom:link href="https://www.okotoks.com/blog/2017-09/rss/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
        <title>Real Estate Blog</title>
        <link>https://www.okotoks.com/blog/2017-09/</link>
        <description></description>
<item>
    <guid>https://www.okotoks.com/blog/how-to-pick-the-perfect-paint.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.okotoks.com/blog/how-to-pick-the-perfect-paint.html</link>
        <author>justin@justinhavre.com (Justin Havre Real Estate Team)</author>
        <title>How to Pick the Perfect Paint</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 



When it comes to paint, there’s a lot of different choices. For someone painting for the first time, it can be overwhelming to walk into a hardware store and find dozens of different types of paints. To make painting easy, here are all the different types of paint and how to best use them. It's a fun way to refresh your home's look, and it has a great ROI for home sellers looking to spruce up their place.


Primer


Many painting guides will say a wall should be painted with a primer before putting colored paint on a wall. This is because the primer will help cover old paint and create a blank surface for the new paint so the old color doesn’t come through it. Recently, it’s become common to find paints with the primer already mixed in to help cut down on the amount of work it takes to paint a room.


Latex-Based


Latex-based paints are the most common in hardware stores. When painting, they dry faster and cleans up far easier than oil-based paints when spills happen, and the color won’t yellow over time. Latex-based paints are also better for the environment, and they don’t have strong fumes. However, latex-based paints have a tendency to need more than one coat, and it can sometimes swell the grain of wood, which means it will require sanding between coats.


Oil-Based


Oil-based paints are less common than latex-based, but they do have some advantages that make them worth finding for certain projects. When painting a wall that has been damaged by cigarette smoke, oil-based paints will cover nicotine stains far better than latex-based paints. Oil-based paints also have a tendency to only need one coat, and they take longer to dry, so it leaves more time to work. However, oil-based paints have fumes that can be overwhelming, the paint itself is more likely to crack and fade over time, and it special actions need to be taken to dispose of extra paint.


Interior and Exterior


Interior and Exterior paints are the most straightforward of the bunch. Interior is for painting walls inside a home, and exterior is for painting things outside a home such as wooden decks and siding. Exterior paints should always be sealed to protect them from weather damage. There may be extra considerations for exterior paint if you live in Downtown Okotoks due to the higher traffic of vehicles.


Finishes


There are typically five different types of finish that can be applied to paint to change how it looks when it’s dry. They are as follows:




Flat or Matte: This finish has no shine to it and is the least durable finish of the five. Because it’s easily damaged, it’s best to use this sort of paint in a low-traffic rooms 


Eggshell: This is one of the most popular finishes for general painting. It’s moderately durable and has a slight shine, but not enough to be distracting


Satin: This is both moderately durable and shiny. Satin finish is good for high-traffic areas like kids’ rooms and living rooms


Semi Gloss: This finish is quite durable and has a lot of shine. It’s best used in rooms like kitchens and bathrooms that are at risk of water damage


High Gloss: This is the most durable paint as well as the shiniest. It’s best used on trims, cabinets, and doors because it tends to show blemishes on walls




Picking the right paint can help bring a room to life, and following these tips can help anyone pick the perfect one for their project. When looking for paint, don’t be afraid to ask a hardware store’s paint attendant questions if confused or interested in a second opinion.


 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 15 Sep 2017 09:54:21 -0600</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
    <guid>https://www.okotoks.com/blog/three-ways-to-take-care-of-lead-paint-removal.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.okotoks.com/blog/three-ways-to-take-care-of-lead-paint-removal.html</link>
        <author>justin@justinhavre.com (Justin Havre Real Estate Team)</author>
        <title>Three Ways to Take Care of Lead Paint Removal</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 
Lead based paints are a health hazard. For industrial or residential structures built between 1950 and early 1970s, chances are the paint on the structure is lead based. Health and environmental experts have in the past pinpointed the health effects of exposure to lead which can range from minor annoyances to potentially being deadly. The EPA has great resources for more detailed study at https://www.epa.gov/Lead.


In a bid to adhere to the regulations and protect their employees, industries have embarked on a mission to remove the lead-based paints from their structure. It’s however important to realize that lead paint is not like your ordinary everyday paint; this one is a dangerous paint which requires special care in dealing with the removal as well as federal regulations regarding getting rid of it. 


Wear protective gear


It is common to hear people say that a mask is the only thing you need when removing the lead paint from your structure. When it comes to lead, a mask is not sufficient; you need industrial certified and proven safety gear. Lead is a dangerous metal and exposure to it in any way can turn out hazardous. Make sure that you research the best protective hear on the market that will protect yourself in working with lead paint.


Control the lead dust


While you have the protective gear in place while working with the lead paint, it’s not a guarantee that everyone around you is safe. Lead dust, if potentially inhaled, has some serious lead poisoning effects, especially to the surrounding populations of children and pregnant women. The best way to control the dust is to work at one structure at a time and, if possible, seal the paint before embarking on removal.


When sealing &amp; painting over lead paint becomes a necessity, our proven and patented product will treat paint containing lead when applications remain on walls in an industry-leading Paint-it-on Leave-it-on® Formula If removing paint from those walls is necessary, lead dust is effectively rendered as non-hazardous and safe for removal.


Safety begins with you


To avoid lead poisoning, you should not eat, drink, or smoke during the job. It is possible to take the lead concentrated clothing from the factory to your house and hence expose your family to lead poisoning. Before leaving the site, you should dispose all the overalls and treat your clothing and surrounding areas with a special HEPA-filtered vacuum cleaner.


This post was provided to us by ECOBOND®. To learn more about how ECOBOND® - Lead Defender® can help, visit www.EcobondPaint.com, view our lead paint treatment video
 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 12 Sep 2017 14:40:10 -0600</pubDate>
</item>
    </channel>
</rss>