Consumer Reports on Paint

Consumer Reports is an excellent source for consumers to find good quality products. When it comes to reports on specific paint brands, we are not quite convinced that their results are always the best for each of our clients. In short, it really depends on where a homeowner lives and the overall climate. We've seen certain products that Consumer Reports rate medium actually end up out performing #1 ratings. Also not all quality paints on the market are tested. Typically the big players are on the Consumer Reports list: Cabot, Behr, Glidden and Sherwin Williams. 

So just remember, if a painting company has been around the paint industry for quite some time and knows a lot about paint, they should be able to give you better advice. In Maryland, Hallco has had excellent results with Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore products. The two top exterior product's we've used have been Sherwin Williams Duration and Benjamin Moore Aura. You really can't go wrong. Oh, and for decks, we have a special product that will probably not be on the Consumer Reports list in the near future, but it is simply an amazing product! Learn more about the special Deck coating.

Hallco specializes in home painting, home improvement, and painting ideas. We're here to help you.

Painting Project in Chevy Chase MD

Hallco Enterprises is wrapping up a power wash and repainting job in Chevy Chase MD. We power washed last last week and are applying a prime coat and a finish coat of Benjamin Moore's premium exterior finish, Aura. Aura is one of the most expensive paints on the market but has excellent bonding and a long life. We specialize in power washing, also called pressure washing, as well as home improvement and home painting. Call us if you need help painting a house or painting a room.

When Is The Best Time to Paint The Exterior of a House in Maryland?

Painting a home's exterior in mid-Maryland or D.C. can be done typically from the beginning of March through the middle of November. Hallco has actually painted a number of exteriors in December and early January, but only when there is a warm front. Sherwin Williams paint company has made a paint called Duration that can be applied to most exterior surfaces down to 35 degrees. So basically, if the temperature is above 35 degrees, you can typically paint exterior wood surfaces and some non wood surfaces, such as stucco or concrete.

If the weather is really humid and the temperatures are close to 100, we'd suggest waiting a bit til the humidity and temperatures drop. But, Sherwin Williams again has a product called Resilience that works in more "humid" or damp climates. My suggest is to try to avoid a very hot and humid day!

If you have a question about painting, let us know. We can answer your questions about home improvement, painters, interior paint, power washing, your painting ideas, painting a room, sheetrock repair, and painting a home.

Exterior Painting in Darnestown MD Near Germantown

Hallco Enterprises was recently asked to do a challenging chimney paint job located in Darnestown near Germantown, MD. The clients had a delicate and slanted roof, making walking on it impossible. They also had a well landscaped yard with delicate grass. Hallco's only choice was to use an 80 foot boom lift to paint several of our client's chimneys. We used Sherwin Wiliams Loxon Masonry Primer and Sherwin Williams Duration Exterior Satin as the finish. The Loxon primer is the best product to use for chimney surfaces, and the Duration is Sherwin Williams top grade exterior paint. 

We will be doing a number of small painting projects in the near future, but the challenging chimney project was high priority. We specialize in home improvement through interior painting, exterior painting, pressure washing, wallpaper removal, sheetrock repair, and color selection.

How To Dispose of House Paint in Montgomery County

Below is a webpage that helps homeowners who live in the Montgomery County Maryland area use up, dispose or recycle their house paint. If you have a specific question about how to dispose of your paint or would like Hallco Enterprises to do this for you, please let us know. We'd be happy to help. Always use environment safety when planning any home improvement, interior painting, exterior painting, power washing, or wallpaper removal.

Montgomery County Website on Disposing of Paint 

House Painting in Frederick MD

In between the quick thunderstorms we've seen the past few weeks, we at Hallco continue to paint both interiors and exteriors. This is just a reminder that now is a great time to get your exterior siding and/or trim repainted before the fall and winter months set in. We can still paint in the fall, but you know how busy the fall can get! Many clients like to have us change colors and freshen up their interiors before Thanksgiving and the Christmas holiday season begins. So, if you are thinking about painting the exterior of your home before the summer ends, Hallco can still fit your painting project in our schedule. 

Oh and don't forget about Hallco's Painter for a Day. For just under $500, you can have Hallco touch up or freshen up select areas of your home's interior or exterior services. To learn more about our popular program, view our Painter for a Day page. Hallco is also available for planning painting related home improvement, interior painting, exterior painting, and power washing.

Your Price Is Too High | Painting Contractors in Maryland

Comparing painting estimates can be a daunting task, especially in this economy. Painters are consistently at war to get work, so they try cutting their prices. However, in order to cut their prices, they have to find a way to cut overhead. Sometimes, this is a good thing: cutting "off the fat." But some contractors will cut overhead in a way that is not helpful to homeowners. They might cut back by paying their employees less, using cheaper paints, cutting out their contractor insurance, or by doing less preparation. The final option, less prep, is an easy one to overlook, because sometimes it might take 6 months or a year to realize the paint is failing.

If you are the type of person who wants a quality and long lasting job, we'd suggest the following before hiring a painting contractor:

1. Select 2-3 paint companies to receive bids from.
2. See if the company answers their phone or responds to an email quickly.
3. When they schedule an estimate, make sure the estimator arrives on time or calls if he or she is running late. 
4. When the estimator arrives, ask yourself, "Do I like this person?" Do I trust this person and his/her company?" If so, proceed with them.
5. When you really feel comfortable with an estimator and have done your homework (checked references, insurance, licensing and credentials) invite that estimator back to discuss their proposal and bid. In some cases, you might find two companies you really like. That's ok. Talk to them both and select a company you know will do the job you will be happy with for years to come. This is the tough part, because price may be a factor with a better company. We at Hallco call this the "Price vs. the Cost" comparison! Do you want a better price or value (better cost). Do you feel a company will do a better job and respond to your needs in a timely fashion? Do you feel that company will be around in 5 or even 10 years if it is time to repaint? Sometimes the cost of a paint job is based on how long they will guarantee the work and how thorough the preparation is during the project. Answer the preparation and how long the job will take, and you'll get a pretty good idea which company has the "better price tag." 

If you happen to live in the Frederick, Gaithersburg, Howard County and/or D.C. Metro areas, we'd be happy to discuss your next painting job with you. If not, we hope the above information is helpful. Hallco is your trusted painting contractor for planning painting related home improvement, interior painting, exterior painting, color selection, painting ideas, and power washing.

Commercial Painting Project in Urbana MD

Hallco Enterprises recently finished the interior painting of a well known government building in Urbana Maryland. Hallco was awarded the project because of the type of paint we were using, our employees who would do the work, and their passed experience with Hallco. We completed a number of projects when the building was new which included drywall painting and epoxy floor coatings. 

The government building just added two more major projects for us to complete: 1) The exterior cleaning and power-washing of their facility and 2) The refinishing of all their exterior furniture and electric charge stations. The benches, signs and trash centers will all receive an automotive finish product, which will be completed off site. 

PDCA Painting Golf Tournament and Fundraiser

Last week, Hallco Enterprises took part in the Annual Painting and Decorating Contractors of America (PDCA) Golf Tournament for the local Washington DC Metro chapter. The annual event helps raise money for the PDCA local chapter, the Nations largest painting association. The PDCA helps with the continuing education of professional painting contractors in business, painting skills, preparation and product knowledge. Ted Hall, Hallco's president, has been heading up the fundraising efforts for well over 10 years. This year, he helped raise close to $5,000, and over the years, Ted has helped raise over $40,000 for the chapter. 

Ted also uses the PDCA Golf Tournament to treat a few of his long time painting clients. 

Serving the D.C. Metro areas as well as Frederick and Howard County, Hallco Enterprises is your trusted residential and commercial painting contractor for planning painting related home improvement, interior painting, exterior painting, color selection, painting ideas, and power washing.

An Alternative Solution to Trex For Decks

No matter where in the country you live, if you own a deck that is paintable, the maintenance can be costly. Typically, a clear finish or stained deck needs to be recoated every 1-2 years to keep its "new" look. If you wait any longer, the cost goes up and the look is never the same. If you end up with a solid body stain, you still need to recoat every 2-3 years on a horizontal surface. Because of the ongoing maintenance wood surfaces need, non wood products have become so popular for decks and rails the past 10 years. Companies like Trex and TimberTech have created some beautiful and long-lasting products. However, replacing your deck and rails with these products is very costly. We love these products and recommend them. However, not everyone has that kinds of money, and some of our customers like real wood!

Hallco Enterprises, located in Clarksburg MD, is always on the look out for better products to use on wood surfaces. We recently came across a product that we feel just might do the trick. Are you familiar with Rhino lining that you've seen on truck beds? Typically it is a black and durable finish? Well, believe it or not, this same type of coating is NOW available for decks and rails. This product bonds so tight to the wood surface and can last more than 10 years before needing to be recoated. The product withstands all sorts of harmful elements including snow and salt. Now, this coating is a little more tricky to install than house or deck paint, which makes it more expensive. However, it is affordable and cuts way down on maintenance cost. The bottom line is this, if you are familiar with Rhino Lining or the truck bedliner coatings, just imagine the same product on a deck. It is almost bullet proof. We tried scratching the product, and it did not leave any marks. 

So, if you'd like to learn more and get an estimate to see if this product is right for your deck or wood rails, send us an email. Serving Frederick, Gaithersburg, Rockville, Potomac, the D.C. Metro and all of Howard County Maryland, Hallco Enterprises is your trusted residential and commercial painting contractor for planning painting related home improvement, interior painting, exterior painting, color selection, painting ideas, and power washing.

Painting Project in Glenelg MD

Hallco Enterprises, recently completed a small, yet challenging project for the United Methodist Church of Glenelg. We were ask to repaint the vertical wood trim on the churches entry tower. The color was not current, and the paint was peeling. Hallco's job was to closely match the wood trim to the reddish-color aluminum on the new doors and windows. After the color was matched, our painters began the sanding and cleaning and primers. We used two coats of Sherwin Williams Duration as the finish product. SW Duration is the highest grade of paint offered by Sherwin Williams Paint and can be applied down to 35 degrees F. 

The UMC of Glenelg was happy with the work we performed as they have called our team back for more exterior repainting work. Hallco also worked within the UMC's budget. We gave them itemized pricing for a number of different projects. As the budget allows, Hallco continues to paint. 

Serving Frederick, Gaithersburg, Rockville, Potomac, the D.C. Metro and all of Howard County Maryland, Hallco Enterprises is your trusted residential and commercial painting contractor for planning painting related home improvement, interior painting, exterior painting, color selection, painting ideas, and power washing.

Charity Exterior Painting Project for The Barnesville School

The Barnesville School recently had an exterior painting project need. A section of the school was showing quite a bit of sun damage and paint failure. The owner of Hallco Enterprises Inc, Ted Hall, sends his two children to The Barnesville School, and quickly volunteered his paint company to paint the damaged areas. 

Hallco Enterprises, the DC area's professional painting contractor, donated 32 hours of labor to repair and paint the sun exposed areas. They used a premium Duron paint (Weathershield Acrylic Flat Exterior) that was donated by Sherwin Williams/Duron.

Serving Frederick, Gaithersburg, Rockville, Potomac, the D.C. Metro and all of Howard County Maryland, Hallco Enterprises is your trusted residential and commercial painting contractor for planning painting related home improvement, interior painting, exterior painting, color selection, painting ideas, and power washing.

House Painting and Repair Project in Fulton MD

Before

After

Hallco Enterprises was recently awarded a project in Fulton Maryland to replace rotten woodwork. The wood fascia boards were getting exposed to the sun and getting water intrusion. Hallco's skilled carpenter and painter replaced the damaged woodwork carefully with a PVC material and apply several coats of premium paint. The PVC products, such as Trex or Azek, hold up quite a bit better in our east coast environment and will not rot. In the end, a homeowner will never know the wood is not real wood once it is painted! 

Whatever your home repair or painting needs, Hallco would love to provide you with a free, no obligation consultation. Serving Frederick, Gaithersburg, Rockville, Potomac, the D.C. Metro and all of Howard County Maryland, Hallco Enterprises is your trusted residential and commercial painting contractor for planning painting related home improvement, interior painting, exterior painting, color selection, painting ideas, and power washing.

House Painting Services in Adamstown MD

Hallco Enterprises, Adamstown MD's premier painting company, specializes in painting fine homes. If you are looking for a painting company you can trust, give Hallco a try. You will meet with our owner Ted Hall, who will schedule a free estimate with you to discuss your painting needs. Besides being on time to his appointment, Ted will also advise you on ways to save money on your next painting project. Ted's painters are very skilled in both interior painting and exterior painting along with most paint and wood related  or drywall repairs. 

Now that the weather is nice and warm, consider freshening up the exterior of your home. Hallco works for discerning homeowners who are busy and want a reliable paint company. Serving Frederick, Gaithersburg, Rockville, Potomac, the D.C. Metro and all of Howard County Maryland, Hallco Enterprises is your trusted residential and commercial painting contractor for planning painting related home improvement, interior painting, exterior painting, color selection, painting ideas, and power washing. Call us at 301-831-3679 or email us. 

Free Paint Offer for Montgomery County Residence

Hallco Enterprises, Montgomery Counties' premier painting company, is offering Free Paintˆto new clients now through April 15th, 2010. If you have a house painting project and you live in Gaithersburg, Rockville, Germantown, Potomac or other parts of Montgomery County, contact us today for a free consultation.

How it Works

1. Schedule an appointment with our owner, Ted Hall by emailing or calling our local office: 301-831-3679
2. Ted will arrive on time, discuss your project and create a written proposal with his recommendations
3. The price will be calculated to include Labor only during this special offer period. Don't worry, we'll only use premium paint too!
4. Once you agree on the scope of work and price, Hallco will schedule the painters to begin work, usually within 1-2 weeks. 
5. Once the job is completed, your project will be backed by a 5 year warranty: inside or out. This is the best warranty you'll find. 

Serving Frederick, Gaithersburg, Rockville, Potomac, the D.C. Metro and all of Howard County Maryland, Hallco Enterprises is your trusted residential and commercial painting contractor for planning painting related home improvement, interior painting, exterior painting, color selection, painting ideas, and power washing.