Picking a colour for those Cabinets ?

If your undecided picking a colour for those cabinets
try Sherwin Williams and ICI Colour Cards in
Off-Whites...or mix two colours for an effective
two tone scheme !!!

Strip and Refinishing Project using Dumond Smart Strip : Burlington Orchard

Project: Rehabilitate Aged Brown Painted Cabinetry
Finish Chosen: S/G Lacquer
Colour: SW 7002 Downy


We picked up 25+ doors and drawers from this
client late last week and completed this project
Aug 28/2014 in time for the tiling to be done
by the client. !

Removing multiple layers of a heavy acrylic coating
from existing oak cabinetry to prep for refinishing...
we are amazed at the efficacy of Dumond's Smart
Strip System with covering paper. The cover paper
assists with dwell time and allows the stripper to
remain active and not dry out too quickly. We
are removing 3 coats of existing finish, plus
a previous burgundy/mahogany stain that
had a varnish clear coat on top.

Cabinets required 5 passes for a maximum film
build of 9-10 mils with a nice and durable
semi-gloss sheen chosen for maximum mar
resistance and cleanability (family has 3 dogs !).

We not only repositioned new 3" spaced hardware
but we also custom cut a new end panel in
maple veneer which is a big upgrade over the
existing builder particle board for the dishwasher
panel.


Great thanks to the Dann's for the project !

Look for our booth at IWF Woodworking Show Atlanta

Colorscapes Painting & Cabinetry will be
exhibiting at the IWF show in Atlanta,Ga.
Aug 20-23,2014....drop by and see the latest
in cabinet refinishing techniques.

Hope to see you there !

Budget Considerations: Champagne vs Beer....

We often get asked how we can deliver a pleasing

result at the low prices we charge.

Here's the answer:

1. We keep a low overhead on our business - we don't have

    a 50,000 sqft facility rent to pass on. We are small and

    like being small because it gives us control over pricing.

2. We consider your budget: Is this a cottage reno where

    you want to keep prices low or a pending staging....we

    try to "partner" with the client to meet a challenge that

    suits us both.

3. We never gouge...I've heard some firms charge 7-10,000

    and as much as 15,000 to spray refinish 35 cabinet doors

    and kitchen...Are you kidding me ? New cabinetry from

   Kraft Maid and Schuler as well as IKEA can be had for

   as little as 105.00 per lineal foot. Why would a client pay

   for upcycling old when they can have brand new at less

   than that price ?

4. We sleep better at night and stay busier knowing we have

    to chase the rabbit ie. some money and provide a good

    value for the client, that does not break their budget.

5. Low staffing - we don't have an army of mouths to feed, in

    fact the trend nowadays is for 1 and 2 man painting companies

    that do excellent work. Who can afford to carry multiple staff

    in this economy....only the industrial painting contractors who

    are doing schools and airports, bridges etc.

6. We've already achieved alot of success...we don't seek the

    unobtainable or crazy dreams some people have, we are

    pragmatic, efficient and easy to get along with.

Booking for Late Sept, Oct and November.

Just a quick reminder, we take in on average
8-15 calls a week for painting work, the key
is to book in with your deposit if you have
been quoted that way we can schedule
the work and gather supplies for the project.
We will not start any project without
a "good faith" deposit. It helps us avoid
the tire kickers and of course, competing
paint firms doing competitive intelligence...

At current we have two weeks open in
September, 1 week in October and 2 weeks
in November.

Two-Tone Kitchen !

Colours: ICI White Pearl and Stonington Beige (Two-Tones)
Finish: Becker Acroma AkvaTopp 50 Sheen
Previous Finish: Espresso Builder Stain/Clear

Clients originally contacted us because of
difficulty cleaning cabinetry without leaving
residues on the dark Espresso finish, they
also sought to make the cabinets more
closely match the new glass tile backsplash
and brighten things up a bit, as the kitchen
was fairly dark during the day....


From the dry rack to completed kitchen with
almost no dust in your home from sanding !!!

Having experimented with many types of shop racks
(Richelieu/Venjakob etc.) we still find we get the most
use out of our spruce drying rack which can hold
over 50 doors in a space confined to 5 foot by 3 foot.

Wood racking does not damage a curing door because
it is softer than structural steel and less prone to sticking.

You'll notice we tag all of our cabinet doors on the side
end so that we know which pass it's on (3rd or 4th coat)
and where it belongs in a kitchen sequence. T1, B1. K1 etc.

We think our quality control in finishing rivals that of the
big automated cabinet companies, I have seen my share
of automated machines go off-kilter and usually these
machines do not own a set of "eyes" to catch misses
and low spots.

Great thanks to the Jacksons for the project !

Cottage Colours 4.0/Client Assist and an Accent Wall

A Project with a Million Dollar View !

Accent Wall: Jack O' Lantern
Main Walls: Amber Waves
Trim and Ceiling:  Cloud White CC-40
Mixed in ZERO Voc Benjamin Moore
Ultra Spec 500...

We have been assisting one of our VIP clients
with a cottage project update, adding some
nice accent colours and getting some R & R
in at the same time !

There are some cottages that can add years to your
life, this is one of them !

Great thanks to the local Benjamin Moore Dealer
Scott's Hardware Lion's Head. We love the
back rollability of the UltraSpec 500 Low VOC,
its not as thick as the Aura and is better suited
for contractor applications. Aura is a bit
overkill as far as acrylic coatings technology
goes, both in price and rheology package, its
too thick and sets up way too fast in a normal
application environment. I've rolled most of
the best from SW, Ben Moore and ICI and can
tell you Moore's needs to tweak this product
to make it more applicator friendly.

Great thanks again !
ColorScapes

Skim Drywall Repair After Moisture Detection

Quick project photo of our repair
work after assisting client in
detection of a high moisture
read  behind the tar paper
in the wall....

Moisture meters come in handy,
this wall actually helped solve a riddle
the homeowner had with trying to
determine why moisture was
entering the substrate behind
the drywall...a 31% reading
indicated something was drastically
wrong and required tear out repair
to diagnose a fix....

Garage Door Repair : Weather Related Blistering/Failure Repair for Client

Garage Repair
Products Used: Zinsser 1-2-3 (Galvanized Steel Panel Door by Stanley)
Topcoat: Aura Benjamin Moore Satin Exterior
Colour: Custom Palm Springs Tan (ICI Colour)


This is common in colder climates where you see
ice and snow accumulate by doors and entrances.
After the winter we had (35 yr record snowfall and
cold temperatures), moisture and ice can cause
considerable damage that goes beyond warranty
considerations. Remember, an average coating film
thickness is thinner than a human fingernail and is
expected to elongate and contract as much as 180%
during its lifetime.

We stand behind our preparation techniques and application
skill and knowledge of how wood and steel reacts to exterior climate
conditions, we always recommend the best product for the
project, however we cannot control a 5 year envelope
of weather conditions. Repaint cycles on exteriors in Canada
averages anywhere from 24 to 36 months as we do have
the most aggressive temperature variations in the Northern
Hemisphere. 40 below in winter and almost 40C in summer...!

You have to look at exterior coatings as sacrificial in nature, they
protect the underlying substrate and will eventually fail themselves,
however they have succeeded in protecting that surface in decaying
or aging prematurely. Doesn't matter if your spraying a tank farm
with high end epoxy/polyurethane topcoats for a 10 year duty
cycle or you are spraying exterior window sills and jambs...the
fact is the COATING is providing protection to the substrate
and that is its core function.

Shop Finishing Turnaround Times : 14 to 18 days

We still offer great turnaround times on our shop
finishing and refinishing of cabinetry and small
furniture items. 14 to 18 days on large cabinetry
projects is standard and allows time for cleaning,
sanding, priming, sandback and 4 coat finishing.
Don't forget we also plastic wrap each
cabinet door prior to delivery and re-install each
door back where it belongs.

It takes time to reveal a nice result, anyone telling you
that they can turn your kitchen around in 6 days is
skipping steps and probably going to do a job
that will not last. We have corrected hundreds
of kitchens that were not primed or sanded,
had all kinds of overspray on the hardware,
appliances and even the hardwood floor !


Colorscapes has been refinishing kitchens for
over 25 years, starting in East Oakville working
for WhiteHall Homes, a luxury design-build
company that won the GTHBA builder of
the year award in 2008. We learned the right
way to do things, of course the products weren't
as good as they are today, and HVLP finishing
equipment really did not exist back then as
compressor technology was very primitive
back then, you did not see contractors lugging
around 80hp Sullair or Gardner Denver tow compressors !

The tools are better now, the products are better, and
we can't wait to see what Becker Acroma is working
on for exterior wood and millwork that can offer
the same mar resistance and durability as their
interior millwork product lines...

Inquiries about Cabinet Refinishing on those old
golden oak or aged finish cabinets at:

905-802-6099

Tragic News for the Paint and Renovation Industry: Craig Lowe

We were saddened to learn of the loss of one of our
brothers in the painting industry, Craig Lowe.

Craig as many people know, was an HGTV
regular with Mike Holmes from Holmes on Holmes
and spent countless hours educating the DIY sector
with paint tips and great quality work.

I had the opportunity to meet and work with
Craig years ago on a large phase painting
project at a condominium tower in Etobicoke.
He actually encouraged me to escape the corporate
world once and for all and redouble and
rebuild my business and for that I cannot thank
the man enough. Like alot of contractors, Craig
was wise beyond his years and will be missed.

Craig was pursuing his passion for scuba diving
off the coast of Cape Breton,N.S.  Our
thoughts and condolences go out to his
family during this difficult time.