Tom Sawyer Used Whitewash and Unskilled Labor

If you’re considering painting an interior in Vinings or an exterior in Smyrna or any painting project in the greater Atlanta area, it might be a good idea to take a moment and reflect on Mark Twain’s classic tale of white picket fence painting.

As punishment Tom Sawyer is tasked by Aunt Polly to whitewash the fence around her home, a job Tom abhors. But Tom being Tom cons a number of friends to actually pay him for the privilege of painting a section of fence. Tom’s only concerns were having enough lime based paint and unskilled labor to slap it on so he wouldn’t have to lift a brush.

That was good enough for Tom…is it good enough for you?

Probably not.

Paint and Painting

Everyone will get involved in painting projects at some point in time. However, good exterior paint can last 8 to 10 years and interior paint can go 4 to 6 before needing to be replaced. We don’t paint that often consequently we don’t have enough experience to readily judge the merits of one paint over another.

David Rivas of D&R Painting and Construction in Douglasville has been painting Atlanta area homes and businesses since 2003 and has extensive, real time knowledge of the paint brands and grades available. We thought it might be helpful to let you know what his go-to paints are. It’s important to note that David’s selection of paint is based on the customer’s objective and as a result he will end up using mid-grade to top of the line paints depending on the customer’s preferences.

• ProMar® 200 is a Sherman Williams paint that offers great coverage, comes in 750 different colors and is easily cleaned making it ideal for families with small children. It has a satin sheen which gives a deeper, richer color but it also shows any imperfections in the wall. If you’re planning to paint yourself you’ll want to spend the time to completely prep the wall ensuring that it has a perfectly smooth surface. There is a ProMor® 400 which is a slightly better grade but David’s opinion is that it doesn’t offer significant additional benefits to justify the additional cost.
• SuperPaint® Exterior Acrylic Latex is another Sherwin Williams paint and a popular selection for David because of its coverage and protection characteristics. It’s made with advanced resin technologies that provide superior adherence and color retention. It resists frost in the winter and is resistant to chalking, blistering and peeling during Atlanta’s hot and humid summers.
• High End Interior and Exterior Paints. Sherwin Williams has two premium lines Cashmere® and Emerald®. Both of these lines truly do take interior paint to the next level and provide an incredibly elegant, rich, silky smooth finish. The Exterior paint provides even more adhesion than SuperPaint® and adds stain resistance and resistance to dirt pickup. These paints are premium finishes and they come at a premium price. However given the finish and durability they can often be the better value over time.

That takes care of the paint now who is going to put it up? Tom Sawyer had a bunch of unskilled kids however; Tom didn’t invest much in his cheap whitewash and he wasn’t picky about the results. Keep in mind that preparation, the sanding and repairing of the surface, is the key to a successful paint project. Rolling or brushing on the paint is the relatively easy part.

The question becomes do you invest in the paint and then use amateur talent to put it up or do you hire a pro for professional results?

We think you know what the smart answer is.