Whats the optimum painting schedule.

9 years ago

OK so Painter and builder are having a bit of a disagreement here. We just got sheetrock up and finished today. Painter is ready to go.

The way the painter wants to do is spray a coat of primer and spray first coat of semigloss on the base and case trim, and the doors in the garage before trim is installed and doors are hung, and then do primer and first coat of colors on the walls. Then let the guys install trim and hang doors. Then do second coat on everything, then once the whole house is finished they want to be the last ones in and they will come and do final coat. After builder is done and house is finished, but before furniture is moved in. That way they can correct any screw ups or damage to the walls during install of everything else (cabinets, floors, etc) where they are still swinging ladders and tools and such through.

Builder wants all three coats on the walls done before trim goes up, and trim all painted before the trim is installed. Says its never pretty to have painting done after final stuff is installed as paint will get everywhere.

I have used this painter before and he is very tidy, and in fact painted my entire old house over the years and I never saw a problem. But builder doesn't like the time line, and being that this is my first new build I'm not sure at this point. I have worked with the painter as I said before, but this is my first house with this builder. He's a little set in his ways which is understandable. But Im concerned about paying my painter for all three coats upfront, and then having to have him come back and do touch ups after the house is done. IM more worried about that, then paint on my tile. But IDK as I say I'm new to this, first new build. The painters way is IMO the best use of his time.

Walls are egg shell oil based, trim is oil based semi gloss, and ceilings are flat oil based. So its all premium paint, and the painting alone is over 40k, so I just want to make sure were doing things right here. Basically its do I trust the builder and his subs to not scuff and dent up the walls and trim after painting is done, or do I trust the painter to not drip paint on new cabinets and floors after builder is done?

Also not sure who is "right" here as far as order of operations.

Thanks for any input!

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Comments (7)

User
9 years ago
The builder is right.

Where can you even find oil based paint anymore? I personally would not want it as it yellows and chips more than latex. A prime coat and two tops should be more than sufficient, then a touchup before move in.
RTawp1509
Original Author
9 years ago
Im not sure, My interior designer picked everything. She requested oil based as it looked "richer" as she put it. I honestly can hardly tell the difference between the styles of paint much less whether they are oil or latex based.
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nepool
9 years ago
Not sure who is right, but this is the order mine is being done in (as we speak):

Drywall
Primer on walls and ceiling
Finish Coat on ceiling
First Coat of Paint on walls
Install all doors (all pre-primed)
Install all trim (all pre-primed)
Paint (finish) Trim (painter protects floors and window Glass)
Second Coat of Paint on Walls

I have site finished wood floors and those will be sanded and stained AFTER finish painting. Painter will come back to touch up bases after sanding if necessary (likely minimal).

Now the painter did say if I had pre-finished floors, he'd want to prime and get the first coat of paint on the baseboards before they are installed. With site finished, any minimal spray will get sanded off- not the case with prefinished.
User
9 years ago
Instead of solvent-based alkyd paint I specify waterborne alkyd (Benjamin Moore Advance) on interior trim and waterborne acrylic on the walls.

Does the painter work for you or the general contractor?
User
9 years ago
Your interior designer is way behind the times. Modern paint technology has made good quality waterborne paint superior to oil. I like SW's Emerald.
War_Eagle
9 years ago
The painter WILL HAVE to come back after trim is installed to fill nail holes, etc... Plus the trim guys will have dirty hands, nail guns sometimes "spit" oil when shooting nail. So I would have painter at least prime trim, they install, then he will come back to finish.
sombreuil_mongrel
9 years ago
Where is all this trim going to be racked up while it dries for a few weeks? Three coats of oil will take an incredible amount of time to cure in a cold garage or basement. Paint less than fully-cured is very prone to marring. Three coats of anything, really. It is going to take a whole lot of space.
As a finish carpenter, I don't like to work with finish-painted materials; primer is fine. Most trim saws are aluminum, and it marks finished wood. There will be a lot of touchup, IMO very false to say "just fill the nail holes" and be done. Never seen that really work except on low-end flips.
There are always drips and fat edges on bench-painted work, and as a carpenter I have to deal with these; I scrape them off, get paint on my hands, and then the soft scrapings are on the floor and the freshly-exposed wet paint on the back of the board transfers to the walls as the crown or casing , etc., is positioned. If it's all the same color, less of an issue.
I would trust the painter to paint. His process is similar to what we prefer given personal discretion.
Casey