Patching and Plastering Electrical Work

 There are a lot of electrician jokes circulating and a couple of them involve a carpenter, like what do you call an electrician who tries to work as a carpenter? A bad electrician. In reverse, what do you call a carpenter who tries to work as an electrician? A shocked carpenter. We at Paintworks are fond of the one that goes: Why did the electrician wear two jackets when painting a room in his house? Because the instructions said “for best results, put on two coats.”

Mind you, we maintain a very healthy respect for electricians. We don’t want to mess around with wiring and electrical currents. Our carpenters and painters love building, renovating and painting, restoring walls and ceilings and, yes, tidying up after electricians have neatly rewired something. In this home, we were charged (ha!) with patching and repairing holes after electrical outlets were moved.

The end game in a small project like this one is to make the wall look like it had never been disturbed. With little pieces of drywall, some tape, plaster and paint, plus expert workmanship and experience, the task was accomplished. Not only does the wall look great, but also we mounted the TV set, so these folks don’t need an extra piece of furniture to hold it.   

Beautiful newly plasterer and polished walls to showcase professional photos.

Close up view of beautiful walls.

NYC Apartment Skim Coating 

There are lots of ways to incorporate a homey atmosphere into your residence. Rugs, window treatments and furniture come to mind. But the personalization of space, that unique décor element that speaks volumes about the homeowner, might just be how one treats the walls. The options are nearly limitless for paintings, prints, fabric, mirrors, metal art, maps, shelves, plates, sconces, whiteboard, the television and – drum roll – photos. One of our recent clients is a professional photographer, and she wanted to showcase some of her work at home, but not on crummy, rough, uneven, peeling walls with ceilings to match!

We scraped off lots of loose, old paint and plaster before smoothing the surfaces with multiple skim coats of plaster, sanding between each one. After applying an excellent bonding primer, our team painted a polish plaster coat. This final layer provides a smooth, uniform texture which is durable and naturally waterproof. While it can be tinted, this lady opted for the cleanliness of white so her photos capture full attention. We took a few photos of our own so you can see the difference, though not close to professional standards of photography, we know.

The hallway walls when we arrived on the scene.

Ceilings needed serious attention, too.

Big wow and round of applause for these walls!

Final paint coat drying

Flushing Plastering Contractors

It’s time for action when the living room walls are cracking, paint is peeling and the aesthetics of the space is simply no longer bearable. While the debris that piled up might not have measured in actual tons, it sure seemed like tons of peeling paint and plaster being removed from these pathetically-worn walls. Once free of splintered paint and plaster, we applied a professional, quick-drying, oil-based, bonding primer. This product assures adherence by the new plaster which then takes on new primer and the final paint coats.

Plastering walls may look easy, but it takes a steady hand and keen eye to apply a smooth coat with nary a ripple or bulge. One of our master plasterer/painters, Luis, is seen here deftly spreading the plaster compound to craft a new, flat, smooth, wall surface. It’s a nice room with a little arch detail in the doorway, and everyone is pleased as punch that it’s once again a comfortable, functional space.  

Watching plaster dry

Expert tradesman hard at work

Making progress

Getting started

In the beginning

AFTER Plastering and Painting

BEFORE Painting

Painting Over Dark Accent Wall

There are accent walls that add an element of interest to a room and accent walls which simply do not stand the test of time. Having grown weary of this unusual dark accent wall, the residents here asked us to paint over it to seamlessly match the rest of the space. We understood right away why they might want this deleted, so to speak, and our team set out to cover the dark brown and match the wall space to the soft light neutral already present.

 The right tools for the right job make all the difference in efficiency and results. Selecting high quality rollers and brushes with the most appropriate nap and size is step one. Primer is a must in going from dark to light, and again the quality and kind of primer impact the process and the outcome. Our team is experienced with all the tools of the trade and assemble everything that suits each job before beginning. Then with the expert touch of a craftsman and knowledgeable sequence of tasks, the crew deftly gets the job done. These folks are no longer blinded by an eyesore of a wall and can enjoy the monochromatic spaces with ease. 

Transforming Walls with Holes to Smooth Sleek Surfaces

While no one seems sure how the Lincoln Square neighborhood in Manhattan got its name, one family was very sure about wanting their condo walls refreshed before moving in. They called us at Paintworks to repair, plaster, sand and smooth out copious holes in the walls left by the previous owner. We get excited about these kinds of things because of the dramatic improvement that results after spackling, drying, sanding, inspecting and repeat as necessary to achieve a smooth surface ready for professional painting. Blending a Harbor Gray 50/50 with white created a sophisticated soft pewter as the perfect accent to white trim. Ceiling edge molding that extends down several inches always expands the perception of space above, and deeper sea gull wing gray Roman shades embrace gray being the new black in interior charisma.