Beyond specifying the most appropriate paints and coatings, managers also must incorporate their choices into a list of important planning issues to ensure a project's success.
"Staffing and scheduling can be greatly impacted by the coatings chosen, particularly in occupied, or adjacent to occupied environments," O'Reilly says. "Work with water-base coatings wherever possible — which means they must work — to increase flexibility of scheduling while reducing exposure and inherent risk to staff."
Revnew advises managers to instruct workers to avoid the temptation to use just enough paint to cover a surface in order to hold down paint costs.
"Make sure you apply an ample amount of the coating," he says. "What we've seen over the years is that someone puts a lot of paint on the roller but then they keep rolling, and they're really trying to stretch that paint too far. It's good to keep a real good, wet edge. By doing that, you keep the roller covered nice and saturated with paint, and you're going to get good, uniform coverage. You're also going to maximize the paint and need fewer coats."
Though managers are tempted to plan as they always have for the time needed to carry out an application, they might need to rethink their traditional approach.
"For a typical latex type coating, in four to five hours, you can put a second coat on," Revnew says. "A lot of people will mask everything, apply a coating, and then wait until the next day to apply the second coat. But if the first coat is dry to the touch and you don't have a lot of wet spots, you can go ahead and put a second coat on."
While it might be tempting for managers to rely on tried and true in-house resources for planning painting projects, they also can lean on paints and coatings manufacturers for information.
"A key role of a paint manufacturer is having a dedicated paint maintenance specialist available to help guide facility managers in the paint selection process to meet the facility's maintenance challenges and can also provide an initial on-site consultation," says Jodi Pitchok with PPG. "Real success means partnering with a company who helps to keep your facility's downtime to a minimum, someone you can trust to provide the correct products and application tools when you need them and someone who provides effective solutions to your paint maintenance challenges."
The sooner managers fully grasp the impact of changes to VOC regulations, the sooner they can adjust their planning for future projects.
"Understanding the coatings you're using today, and understanding whether those coatings are going to be regulated or outlawed are important issues," Revnew says. "If you're using (oil-based) coatings, now is probably the best time to look for lower-VOC products or products that meet the most stringent VOC regulations.
"It's better to get ahead of the curve and understand where the coatings are going so when the regulations hit, you're not forced to change, so to speak."
Clearing the Air on VOC, Paints and Coatings
Paint Specifications Changes Offer Challenge to Managers
Choice of Paints and Coatings Key for Successful Project
