Your home is your biggest investment and your personal sanctuary. Keeping it looking its best requires regular care and occasional refreshing. Two services that can dramatically improve and revive your living spaces? Professional house painting and hardwood floor refinishing.
If you live in Maywood, NJ or the surrounding Bergen County areas like Lodi, Saddle Brook, River Edge, Paramus, Elmwood Park, Garfield, New Milford, Hasbrouck Heights, or Edgewater – hiring skilled local painters and floor refinishers is the way to go. This comprehensive guide covers everything homeowners need to know about these transformative services.
We’ll dive into the processes, techniques, recommended materials, maintenance tips and more from an experienced pro’s perspective. You’ll learn the benefits of using experienced contractors versus DIY, get advice on proper preparation, explore options for finishes and aesthetics, and find out how to find reliable house painters and floor refinishing companies near you.
Let’s start with one of the most frequent questions homeowners have:
Why Hire Professionals for House Painting & Floor Refinishing?
While tackling painting or floor refinishing projects yourself may seem tempting to save money upfront, there are several compelling reasons to use experienced local contractors:
Experience & Expertise
Painting and floor refinishing are true skilled trades requiring specialized knowledge of materials, techniques, best practices and potential pitfalls to avoid. The years of experience and expertise of professional contractors results in flawless, long-lasting final products.
Time & Labor Savings
Large-scale painting and refinishing jobs are incredibly time-consuming and labor-intensive if done properly. Hiring experts means the work gets done efficiently while you avoid weeks or months of disruption to your home life.
Quality Materials & Equipment
Reputable contractors have access to premium paints, stains, sealants, tools and equipment that aren’t available for residential use. These top-quality materials produce superior finishes compared to what’s possible with homeowner-grade supplies.
Safety
Many painting and refinishing materials contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that require proper ventilation and safety gear like respirators. Professionals are trained in OSHA safety standards to ensure your family’s well being.
Warranties & Recourse
When you pay for craftsmanship, you get warranty protection should any issues arise after the job is done. Established businesses also offer recourse options if you’re not satisfied with the completed work.
Now that we’ve covered the key advantages of utilizing skilled pros, let’s take a closer look at what’s involved in interior and exterior house painting projects.
House Painting 101 – Interior & Exterior
A fresh coat of paint is one of the most cost-effective ways to completely transform the look and feel of your home’s interior or exterior. However, proper preparation and technique are absolutely critical in achieving professional, long-lasting results.
Interior Painting Process
- Preparation
Moving furniture, removing wall hangings, covering floors/surfaces, cleaning walls, repairing holes/cracks, removing hardware and more. - Priming
Applying a primer coat helps topcoats adhere better, cover evenly and last longer – especially over new drywall or patches. - Painting
Cutting in corners/edges carefully, rolling walls using proper extension pole techniques to prevent roller marks and achieve an seamless look. Multiple coats may be needed for complete coverage. - Finishing
Reinstalling hardware, cleaning up, touching up any missed spots for a polished look.
Exterior Painting Process
- Preparation
Cleaning by hand, pressure washing and/or chemical treatment to remove dirt, chalk, mold/mildew, loose paint and prepare new surfaces. Masking windows/surfaces, repairing wood rot or structural issues. - Priming
Using appropriate primer products to seal new materials like bare wood, achieving proper adhesion. - Painting
Carefully brushing and rolling exterior materials like siding, trim, doors, properly coating all surfaces. - Finishing
Removing tape/masking, cleaning up, addressing any spots that were missed.
Paint Types & Finishes
Interior:
- Flat/Matte – Hides imperfections well but is harder to clean
- Eggshell/Satin – Ideal for living rooms, bedrooms due to wash ability
- Semi-Gloss – Highly moisture-resistant for bathrooms, kitchens, trim
- Glossy – Very durable sheen for cabinets, doors, woodwork
Exterior:
- Flat/Matte – Basic exterior paint, not ideal for moisture
- Low-Lustre/Satin – Good balance of look and durability
- Gloss/Semi-Gloss – Most moisture-resistant and easier to clean
Pro Tips:
- Use highest quality paints from Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams etc.
- Lighter interior colors make rooms look larger and brighter
- Exterior colors should complement fixed items like roofing and brick
- Never skip preparation work – it leads to paint failure like peeling/bubbling
- Proper tools and techniques prevent brush strokes, roller marks and lap lines
Now, let’s take a look at the hardwood floor refinishing process…
Hardwood Floor Refinishing Explained
If your hardwood floors are looking worn, scratched, dulled or damaged, refinishing can restore their natural warmth and beauty. While a messy and labor-intensive job, professional refinishing done right can revive your floors to literally look brand new again.
Wood Floor Refinishing Steps
- Preparation
Moving all furniture, installing floor and wall protection, repairing any damaged boards that are beyond surface-level issues. - Sanding
Using heavy-duty floor sanders to grind off the existing finish and surface to “open up” the bare wood grain. - Edging & Details
Crews painstakingly hand-scrape and sand all edges, corners, closets and other areas the big machines can’t access. - Cleaning
Thorough vacuuming to remove all dust created during the sanding process before staining or finishing. - Staining (optional)
Applying a stain, if desired, to change the natural wood color and achieve different looks like honey tones, reddish hues, ebony and more. - Finishing
Applying polyurethane wood floor finish using speciality applicators to achieve an even, seamless final coat. - Curing & Replacing
Allowing the sealed floors to fully cure (usually 24-48 hours) before replacing all furniture.
Wood Flooring Types
- Solid Hardwood – Planks milled from real wood that can be refinished repeatedly over decades
- Engineered Hardwood – Composite core with a top veneer surface that can be refinished a few times
- Common Species – Red/White Oak, Maple, Ash, Walnut, Hickory, Bamboo
Options for Stains & Finishes
Floors can be stained in virtually any color, from natural muted tones to vibrant exotic looks:
- Natural/Clear
- Honey/Golden Brown
- Reddish-Brown/Chestnut
- Medium/Dark Walnut
- Ebony/Espresso
Common Floor Finish Options:
- Penetrating Oil Sealer (low luster)
- Water-Based Polyurethane (ultra clear)
- Oil-Based Polyurethane (amber tint)
- Moisture-Cured Urethane (commercial grade durability)
Proper Prep is Paramount
As with any job done by professionals, preparation makes all the difference in achieving long-lasting results:
- Replace any severely damaged, warped or squeaky boards
- Fill gaps between planks with wood filler, sanding smooth
- Ensure raw wood is properly cleaned before staining and finishing
Maintaining Your Newly Refreshed Interior Spaces
Once you’ve invested in expert painting or refinishing services, you’ll want to protect that like-new look through proper cleaning and maintenance. Here are some tips:
Maintaining Interior Painted Surfaces
- Use mild soap and water for cleaning – avoid harsh chemicals
- Touch up minor scuffs or marks with matching paint as needed
- Hang wall art, decor and fixtures properly to prevent damage
- Clean up spills immediately before staining can occur
- Consider repainting every 5-7 years to keep things looking fresh
Maintaining Hardwood Floors
- Use felt pads on all furniture legs to prevent scratches
- Place mats and area rugs in high-traffic paths for protection
- Vacuum regularly using hardwood floor attachment
- Dust-mop or damp-mop floors weekly with approved wood floor cleaners
- Never let spills or excess water sit on floors
- Have floors re-coated every 3-5 years with polyurethane renewers
- Full sanding and refinishing may be needed every 7-10 years
With regular care following professional recommendations, your interior can maintain that showroom look and feel for years to come.
Hire the Best House Painters & Floor Refinishers Near Maywood
If you’re ready to revamp your home in the Maywood area through expert painting, hardwood refinishing or both – hiring reliable local pros is crucial. Always take the time to research companies thoroughly:
- Check reviews, ratings and credentials
- Ensure they are properly licensed and insured
- Ask about their experience level and specialties
- Get detailed quotes that itemize all services
- Verify any product warranties and labor guarantees
While there are plenty of great painting and refinishing contractors serving Bergen County, it’s wise to do your due diligence. With skilled experts handling the job from start to finish, you’ll get flawless results that increase the beauty, value and enjoyment you get from your home for years.
There you have it – a comprehensive guide to professional house painting and hardwood floor refinishing from a contractor’s perspective. With this expert knowledge in hand, Maywood and nearby homeowners can make more informed decisions and end up with stunning living spaces.
