With painting in Winnipeg and around southern Manitoba well under way, we at Winnipeg’s #1 Painters would like to share some of our favourite products that we’re using this year.
Watching a painter work, it may not be obvious that there’s some advanced technology flowing from the bristles of her brush onto the wall. But stop and think about it for a moment: What imparts that vibrant colour? How are acrylics suspended uniformly in water? Is there really titanium in there? How does paint bind together to form a hard, durable surface? And what allows it to flow and level, but also to adhere and cure?
Make no mistake, paint represents a triumph of human ingenuity. And that ingenuity remains at work, refining and improving. The result is a spectacular array of products, each as different from each other as the various surfaces that they protect. Wading through this collection of competing and complementary products go we, Winnipeg’s #1 Painters, our clothing saturated and dragging us under like the weight of a metaphor taken too literally, only to rise again in brilliant technicolour, flush with the knowledge of the right product for each situation!
And here they are.
Superpaint
Time and again, Superpaint has proven itself a consistent performer. Both its exterior and interior versions deliver great looks, durability, and versatility. This product is advertised as a paint and primer in one, which we’ve voiced reservations about before. We still prime most surfaces we paint, no matter the product . But that does mean that it provides excellent coverage, which makes it a great choice for colour changes. Superpaint also comes at a solidly mid-range price point, where it’s easily best-in-class, making it an easy choice for a go-to paint.
Superdeck
Keeping with the “Super” theme, this Duckback creation provides excellent solid and semi-solid stains for all exterior wood surfaces. Solid and semi-solid stains are a great choice for preserving older wood surfaces that are showing their age or that already have a failing coating. With proper preparation, Superdeck products last. Besides being super for decks, as their name suggests, we’ve also had great success using Superdeck products on wood siding, and it’s a standout performer on older clapboard and cedar shake exteriors.
Glacier
Sansin is a Canadian company specialising in high-end wood stains. We use a lot of their products, from stains to clear coats. Glacier is an exceptional, non-yellowing interior clear coat that is as difficult to work as its results are stunning. But with the right work, it delivers a fine satin finish like no other. In fact, we even won a Sansin contest in 2016 for some of our interior stain work, using both Glacier and Sansin’s Zero-VOC stain.
Aura
A wise man (Winnipeg’s #1 Painters’ own Biya Joba) once said, “You can’t go wrong with the best.” He was referring to Aura, Benjamin Moore’s flagship interior paint. Aura does not come cheap, but its results look suitably luxurious to justify the price. When in doubt, go with the best.
Sherlastic
This elastomeric paint from Sherwin Williams provides an excellent solution for problematic exterior masonry. This is a high-build paint, meaning we spray it on thick. The upshot of this is that it can bridge cracks in stucco and other masonry surfaces. Sherlastic also stretches and displays excellent internal cohesion, so it can resist future cracking. These features present an enormous upside for owners of older masonry homes: Walls that are as waterproof and air-tight as they’re supposed to be.
Harmony
Sherwin WilliamsHarmony has a near-miraculous list of features: Zero-VOC, odour absorbing, anti-microbial, and it provides a scrubbable surface. Why does any of this matter? VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are irritants, greenhouse gasses, and in some cases even toxic. In short, they’re bad, and not having bad things is good. Harmony even takes its commitment to being free of VOCs a step further, by using Zero-VOC tints.
But wait, there’s more! Harmony’s odour absorbing ability traps not only the smell of your roommate’s feet, it also soaks up some of those toxic VOCs (formaldehyde) that various products (glues, mostly) used in the construction of a home will release. The upshot is that Harmony not only doesn’t release VOC’s, it actually reduces ambient VOCs. Add to this heroic streak the scrubbability and anti-microbial powers of Harmony and it’s clear that this is the Charles Bronson of paints–you can clean it up for a chicken dinner and it’ll still take out the trash.
Unlike Charles Bronson, however, Harmony is appropriate for children, people with allergies, and anyone with a conscience. This makes it a fine choice for an array of spaces, from schools to kitchens.
This list of materials is far from exhaustive, but if you like the sound of some of these products, don’t hesitate to drop us a line or request a quote. We’ll be happy to help you out with all of your painting needs.