Painters and Paperhangers
The finish on walls, ceilings and trim is done by painters and paperhangers, often the same contractor. Painting is a series of steps that can occur either after everything is done or during the building process. It is common to have the painters come in and prime all the new walls and do a finish coat before cabinets are installed. This cuts down on dust and is much easier than painting around finished cabinetry. Before priming the painter should caulk all joints between painted trim and walls, repair any dings or dents in walls and fill any nail holes The quality of this prep work will be a good indicator of the quality of the finished job.
A good prep job can mask poor trim work while a bad one can ruin even the tightest carpentry. Done carefully, this stage of the painting makes each successive one easier and better. After prep and priming, trim is painted with two or more coats of a washable paint usually with an eggshell or semi-gloss finish. One coat is never acceptable no matter what the paint manufacturer may claim. A single coat will not hold up to washing, wear and time and even the most meticulous painter seldom covers in one coat. Ceilings follow trim and then wall paint finishes the job. You should plan on having the painter back at the end of project for touch-ups or do it yourself.
Skilled painters don’t slop paint on windows, always lay their brush strokes or trim in the direction of the wood’s grain and clean up thoroughly after the job. An experienced painter is not a messy painter because they know that the more paint that splatters the more likely they’ll paint something they don’t want to. Insist on the use of enough canvas drop clothes to cover everything that doesn’t get painted. Canvas stays put and stops spills and spatters well.
Paperhangers
Wallpaper is usually hung after the trim is painted and cabinetry installed. The paper hanger covers the primed walls with a special sizing compound and then hangs the paper. The final step is trimming out outlet and switch covers with paper and doing detailing like borders.
