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Repainting your place with high-end finishes will certainly elevate its look. When it comes to wood, staining is not different. It can higher your house’s pricing point, or if selling is not on your radar, provide a whole new look to your place. Wood is everywhere. In windows, doors, trims, family rooms, libraries, and in one of the spaces that became extremely popular in the last years: home offices. There’s a reason, or many, for that. It lasts generations. Restored and restained wood, might last an eternity.

Although the list of benefits for getting your wood stained is extensive, this is a service that requires not only the right skills but attention to detail, the right equipment, and wood knowledge. For more information about popular species of wood and how stain reacts to each one of them, check out this article from Minwax.

Sanding & Chemical Stripping: this is the first step of a wood staining process. Sanding is done until the polyurethane/lacquer/old stain is completely removed. This step needs to be thoroughly done to get the pores of the wood prepared to receive any new stain.

Wood Bleaching: the process of bleaching wood is recommended for the ones who want to lighten up the color of stain in very dark woods. If your piece of wood is blotchy or discolored, bleaching wood is a great way to prep it for a new stain. According to the owner of Level Five Painting, LLC. Jorge Aurichi, this is a complex process. It can only be done correctly and without causing any damage to the wood by well-skilled and trained professionals.

Cleaning & Neutralizing: once the wood’s been sanded or if it has been through a chemical stripping process, it needs to be cleaned or neutralized before the new stain is applied.

Pre-stain Wood Conditioner Application: conditioning wood is a process of applying a layer of finish that helps achieve a more uniform and desirable result. Please note that not all wood requires wood conditioner. That’s why is important to only trust reliable professionals when restoring wood.

Faux-finishing: faux-finish can be the solution if you have composite, not wood. This process allows decorative paint finishes to be used on surfaces to replicate the appearance of other materials, such as other species of wood. For example, it allows white surfaces to look brown or even darker.

Wood Staining: as briefly mentioned above and the first thing to keep in mind before starting any staining process is that each wood absorbs the stain differently. Staining is a complex process. Not all painting contractors can offer or get done correctly. Staining wood includes a full comprehension of how to treat each type of wood. Take the example of Pine. Staining pieces done with Pine requires attention to detail and an elevated level of craftsmanship. A staining process done incorrectly in more sensitive wood species will cause it to be blotchy. It can waste your money, and time, and destroy the look of a wooden piece.

Protecting the Wood: After the staining is done, Aurichi always recommends applying 2-3 coats of polyurethane (oil-based or water-based).

Need a Painting Contractor?

Now that you know what to look for when it comes to wood staining and why you should get yours restored, always keep in mind to only trust reliable professionals. Level Five Painting, LLC. offers excellent wood staining service and our team is ready to answer any questions as well as plan your next interior painting project. If you are interested in getting an estimate from us, fill out this form or reach out by phone or email.

Paint finish trends come and go, however, some hit us harder than others. High-gloss is one of them. The maximum level of sheen in paint products is here to stay. Not only because when applied well, the high-gloss finish provokes that jaw-dropping effect, but the light reflected off it is more than luxurious, it’s a statement.

There are many paint finishes to choose from. If you are not familiar with them, click here to read our free guide with all pros & cons of paint finishes. The paint finish is the amount of sheen in the paint. A high-gloss finish is also known as the “glass-like sheen” because its sheen is the closest to 100% – the higher among other finishes. It’s super durable and different from other glosses, it can be used not just on wood, but also on walls and ceilings. The latest trends involve high-gloss being used on ceilings, walls and front doors, powder rooms or half bathrooms, and dining rooms.

No matter many how pros high-gloss products have in their favor, the cons list can require attention. It’s well known that the higher a sheen level of a product is, the easier is to show all imperfections on the painted surface. Almost impossible to accept touch-ups, high-glosses require extreme precision, attention, training, expertise, and care from any painting professional.

Although high-gloss products can be the key to completely transforming any room, if you are thinking about having a room painted with a high-gloss finish, it’s important to not only invest in highly skilled painting experts but also in the best products currently available in the market. Below is a list of the best brands, selected by the owner of Level Five Painting, LLC. Jorge Auricchi.

Fine Paints of Europe: one of the most popular high-end brands among painters and interior designers. Fine Paints of Europe has been offering luxurious high-quality & lasting products for over 32 years. With high-glosses coming from Holland, the brand produces a “mirror-effect” high-gloss that’s the closest to 100%.

• Similar to other high-glosses, Fine Paints of Europe products demand a very meticulous preparation. This is not a brand to mix and match. It’s important that if your idea is to have any part of your residence or commercial space painted with Fine Paints of Europe, that all products including the ones in the preparation are from the same brand. On the Fine Paints’ website, it’s recommended the use of Swedish Putty, an oil-based knifing filler skim coat for the perfection of substrates, or Brushing Putty, an oil-based primer.

Visit Fine Paints of Europe’s website here. Our recommended product (Hollandlac Brilliant 98) can be seen here.

Farrow & Ball: with a high-gloss product that offers 95% sheen, Farrow & Ball’s Full Gloss line is washable/wipeable, and quick drying. Different from Fine Paints of Europe’s high-glosses, Farrow & Ball’s products are not only water-base, but also resistant to water, flaking, peeling, and color fade for up to six years if applied in accordance with their product advice sheets, which can be found on their website.

• Although the drying time of Farrow & Ball is shorter than Fine Paints of Europe: 2 hours and recoat in 4 hours, on the cons side, Farrow & Ball has only pre-determined colors, and is not suitable for use on exterior plastic surfaces or decking.

Visit Farrow & Ball’s website here. The Full Gloss line can be seen here..

.L. Campbell and Milesi: Malthough the focus of this article is high-glosses, two other types of products that can achieve even higher sheen levels are the conversion varnishes and lacquers. If your idea is to have as much sheen as possible on the surface, both product types can offer higher sheen than Farrow & Ball and Fine Paints of Europe high-glosses.

Even though the painting process of conversion varnishes and lacquers is similar to high-glosses when it comes to diligence, the drying time is one of the biggest pros of these products. While a Fine Paints of Europe high-gloss product takes up to 14 hours between coats, conversion varnish coats can be painted in an interval of 45 minutes to 1 hour. Our most recommended brands for both products are M.L. Campbell and Milesi.

M.L. Campbell’s POLARION™ Interior Clear is a GREENGUARD Certified two-component acrylic polyurethane that offers non-yellowing performance and a full range of sheens. With a formula designed for interior wood surfaces that are exposed to moisture, heat, and household chemicals, it offers a hard durable finish.

Milesi’s Polyester Coatings features excellent filling power and shrink resistance. Because of their high dry residue, they have extremely low VOC emissions. It’s perfect if your goal is to achieve a total glossy closed-pore surface with exceptional surface hardness.

Visit ML Campbell’s website here. The POLARION™ Interior Clear can be seen here.

Summer is here! With a new season among us some home improvements, painting services and interior design trends can help us give new life to our homes, increase their value, and make your investment worth more than ever!

Explore three of the most popular home trends of Summer, 2021 according to the owner of Level Five Painting, LLC., Jorge Aurichi:

Trend #1 – Pool Decks: With clear skies and warmth invading our days, pools offer the best way to enjoy the season. The ultimate way to renew your backyard area and give new life to your pool is by investing in reliable pool deck services. Level Five Five is offering pool deck services done with two options.

• By renewing pool decks with Elite Crete Systems products we have a chance to give a new life to plain grey concrete decks. This service can add decorative coatings to decks that create an authentic look and feel of stone, wood, tile, and even wood planks. These pool deck coatings are available in any color combination, offer non-slip when wet, are cost-effective, and can be installed pre-construction or post-construction.

• By renewing pool decks with H&C Acryla-Deck with Cool Feel Technology we have a chance to offer protection to bare concrete or previously painted surfaces. This product is designed to reduce the temperature of concrete surfaces exposed to UV rays by up to 20 °F.

Trend #2 Wallpaper: 2021 is the year of wallpaper. As a key trend for this Summer, wallpapers are now more technological than ever. According to Aurichi, wallpaper installations are the top estimate requests of the season for Level Five Painting, LLC. From a wide range of types, patterns, textures, and material made, wallpapers nowadays are not used to cover wall imperfections but to decor any ambient. In 2019 Level Five predicted the comeback of wallpapers and here you can read more about this home improvement asset.

Trend #3 Furniture Refinishing:Similar to cabinet refinishing projects, Level Five Painting, LLC. is now seeing a rise in furniture refinishing requests. With our spray booth and investment in excellent professional training, we are qualified to refinish and paint any furniture of your desire. Choose from a variety of faux and decorative finishes, high gloss, lacquers, or invest in an upholstery renovation. Our team is ready to meet your needs. See here for one of our furniture refinishing projects done with a faux finish (chalk glaze technique).

Need a Painting Contractor?

Contact Level Five Painting, LLC. and we can help you have any of these trends applied directly to your home. From providing a dependable estimate, to responsibly prepping your house, to executing a flawless job that ends only when you are completely satisfied, we are the best painting contractor you will find in Boston & Metro West Areas.

You want to hire a painting company that provides interior house painting services, however, are worried about your furniture, wall hangings, ornaments, and other items of your house that can be damaged during a painting job? This article gathers all information you need to know to learn:

1. The right way to protect a house before starting a painting job
2. What to expect from a reliable painting crew
3. Why preparing a house is the most important part of an interior painting service
4. What happens when a house is not prepared correctly

Analyze the Space: a reliable painting company will always start any project by analyzing all corners and details of the room they are about to start the service in. This process has the objective of finding paint spots or marks caused by previous painting teams. It’s important not only to identify these spots but also to inform the client they exist. This is the best and most honest way to certify the quality of the current painting service you are having and assure no extra cost to fix mistakes.

Moving Process: the second step consists of moving furniture around the room according to the scope of work. This allows the interior house painting contractor to have enough space to maneuver and avoid the risk of damaging furniture. Similarly, electronics, appliances, wall hangings, and other ornaments also need to be removed in order to not obstruct an interior house painter when painting the room.

Covering Process: everything that’s not supposed to be painted needs to be covered. Floors need to be covered with special paper. Plastic and/or bubble wrap goes around furniture and other appliances and ornaments. Trims, baseboards are also part of the protection plan in case of not being in the painting plan. Doors are covered to control the dust in the room. If doors are in the scope of work, detailed attention goes into covering doorknobs, brackets, and other door elements.

Prepping Cabinets: the prepping process of cabinet painting services is even more thorough. When painting cabinets, the interior painting provider needs to pay even more attention to detail since it requires more items to be protected in order to provide an undamaged painting job! When having a painting crew responsible for renovating your cabinets, make sure that trims, ceilings, walls, craw moldings, doors, and baseboards are covered if these items are not part of the scope of work.

Benefits of Prepping a House: protecting client belongings and prepping the job site is a fundamental step in any painting project and should be expected from any reliable professional interior painter. Every client deserves a responsible team that will detailed protect their house.

What Can Happen In an Unprotected House? projects that are not protected properly can cause more harm than good. Paint stops on furniture or floor can cause the client to spend over their budget to fix a poor painting service. A talented, respectful, responsible, and professional painting crew such as Level Five Painting, LLC. will always provide a spotless job!

Need a Painting Contractor?

Contact Level Five Painting, LLC. for impeccable painting service. From providing a dependable estimate, to responsibly prepping your house, to executing a flawless job that ends only when you are completely satisfied, we are the best in Boston & Metro West Areas.

Do you know how to pick the best painting contractor to transform your home? Check out the best tips and tricks that will transform you into a contractor expert!

1. Reliable Estimate Process: an excellent painting contractor will efficiently schedule a meeting with you. In this meeting, the contractor will go over all your needs, project details, ask if you have a contract with an interior designer, and explain the painting process itself. A good painting process starts with a detailed estimate meeting. An accurate quote is based on how much information is passed between the contractor and the prospect. If a painting contractor provides you with a quick estimate without asking you for details and paying attention to your concerns and needs, you most certainly will have to deal with unpleasant surprises, which always means that you will have to pay more than what you expected!
2. Clear Communication: if you accept the proposed quote, a reliable contractor will continue the initial interior painting process by requesting the paint colors and finishes for ALL elements in the room. It’s extremely important to go over all colors, not only the colors that will be used on your walls. Once you are aware of all the products used in every little part of your property, such as ceilings, accent walls, trims, etc., you won’t have to deal with delays later on. Clear communication the indicator that a painting project can be scheduled.

1. Logistics: once an interior painting project is scheduled, a reliable contractor will go over ALL needs and its logistic. The speed of the painting process will partially rely on the transparency of your communication with the painter. Details such as if your project will require a portable toilet, or if the contractor’s employees will need to enter and exit your property using a specific door are completely necessary to be communicated before the paint is starts to be applied to your walls.
2. COVID-19 Guidelines: amid the COVID pandemic, no painting companies should start a project without sharing its COVID-19 guideline with clients. It’s both yours and the contractor’s responsibility to go over the CDC’s guidelines and make sure it will be strictly followed by the workers you are allowing in your property.
3. Walkthrough: on the first day of work a dependable contractor will conduct a walkthrough in the project area. Is during this process that final details and needs are re-evaluated and communicated with the client. This process ensures no surprises throughout the painting project and avoids extra costs.
4. Preparation: an excellent painting process needs an outstanding prep. Trusted contractors must cover all furniture and install an adjustable dust barrier to protect not only your family members but also your belongings. Only after these steps are done, the detailed process of patching and caulking is allowed to start.

1. Painting Process From Beginning to End: a painting process starts from the top to the bottom. First, the ceilings are painted, going over the trims, then the walls receive the paint products. After the room is completely painted, it’s the contractor’s responsibility to conduct a quality control inspection and proceed with the necessary corrections. A final cleaning needs to be done in order to deliver the project to the client.
2. Seal the Deal: after the cleaning is complete, a final walkthrough is conducted again, this time the client has a chance to see the project and evaluate the job done. To seal the painting process, reliable contractors will follow up via email or phone to make sure the client is 100% satisfied and if there’s anything else that needs to be done based on the provided estimate.

In the middle of a world of uncertainty brought by the COVID-19 outbreak, Level Five Painting, LLC. is making sure our team is taking extra steps to continue keeping our employees and clients’ safety in the first place. In a challenging time to all, we are monitoring up-to-minute COVID-19 information and updates. As an organization committed to wellness and excellence, we will continue to operate responsibly providing a safe environment for both our clients and staff. By following all Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) steps, we are assuring our crew is properly trained and healthy while our client’s homes are protected.

We understand that some clients prefer to cancel their projects or postpone their conclusion dates. For those who will prefer to continue their projects schedule normally, our company will make sure to accommodate all requirements to keep everyone’s safe. If clients prefer to not have any contact with our crew, Level Five Painting, LLC. is open to coordinate project details with transparency, follow our clients’ preferences while continuing a safe work. Our contact line is always open to anyone at (617) 869-9446 and contact@levelfivepaintingllc.com .

Knowing the risks of COVID-19, Level Five Painting, LLC. is taking specific steps and precautions to keep our team safe not only while is working in our clients’ projects but also when they are at their own homes. Our company conducted a small training with all our crew in our office last Friday (March, 13th). We showed all of our employees the risks and complications originated from COVID-19 contamination. We talked about how to prevent the virus and the steps to avoid getting sick.

Steps Being Taken By Level Five Painting, LLC. to Ensure Safety:

1. Temperature Measurement: Every morning, Level Five Painting, LLC. is measuring the temperature of all our employees before they go to the job site. Employees who present any symptoms of COVID-19 contamination, such as fever, will not be allowed to work. Those will be sent either to their homes or to a primary care office to get proper treatment and care. L evel Five Painting, LLC. is prohibiting any employees who present any symptoms of cold and regular flu (Influenza) to come to work. As far as we know, none of our employees have tested positive for COVID-19.
2. Indirect Virus Transmission: For the time being, our employees are discouraged to shake hands and play with clients’ kids and pets. Our goal is to avoid spreading COVID-19 to all – employees, clients and our community, as people can carry and transmit the virus without showing any symptoms .
3. Photo ID Badge: To ensure transparent and easy communication, all our employees are carrying their photo IDs badge while working in our clients’ houses. If clients need to communicate with anyone working on-site, they will know their names and roles. This will help our company to streamline communication between our crew and our clients.

1. Clean and Disinfect: EPA-registered household disinfectants are being used in our clients’ houses multiple times every day during this outbreak – with the exception of clients who are allergic to a specific cleaning product (substitutions can be made). Our team is cleaning all surfaces in every project multiple times throughout the day. At the end of every single day that we are working in our clients’ houses, our team will disinfect doorknobs and main surfaces with 70% alcohol. If clients prefer, we can also provide portable toilets – this way, our employees will not be using our clients’ bathrooms.
2. Gloves and Face Masks: Our team is fully equipped and wearing latex gloves and face masks at all times while working in our clients’ projects. Our goal is to avoid any type of contamination and to keep our employees as well as our clients safe.

While we coordinate steps to ensure our community’s safety, Level Five Painting, LLC. would like everyone to remember that we are a small business. As part of our history, we support our employees, therefore their families depend on our business to have a comfortable, dignified and honest life. At this moment of uncertain and tough decisions, we ask our clients and partners to continue helping and collaborating with the job we do on a daily basis. Since the situation is complex and things are evolving rapidly, we will continue to keep our communication open with everyone that has any questions or concerns. If our plans change, we will let everyone know. Be safe!

The founder of Level Five Painting, Jorge Aurichi, spoke to the magazine Wellesley Hills Living. He talked about his experience with interior and exterior painting projects in the past decade. The article will be featured in the January 2020 printed issue. Our team shares with you the completed article here. We just wanted to say thanks to the N2 & the Wellesley Hills Living teams for giving us a chance to be featured in the first issue of 2020.

Level 5 Painting has been around for five years, and their reviews are stellar, correlating to Jorge’s mission. Johanna, a local resident, recently used them for a project. “Dealing with Level 5 has been an excellent experience,” she began. “They do fabulous work and are neat, polite, and meticulous. Jorge and his team are fabulous to work with. They are all very respectful of your home. They did everything in my new house that I asked for and more. They were very fast and accommodating with all my additions to the work I initially hired them for…I would never hire anyone else. Pricing is very fair for the professional, perfect job they do.”

Level 5 can complete any job, big or small, and is experienced and interior and exterior work. But where this company really shines is in the details. They always deliver sharp lines, clean trim and will even wallpaper or refinish cabinets. The entire crew is highly skilled, so that way they can ensure that a job is truly done right. “When we do painting and plasterwork, we make sure that it is the best,” explained Jorge. “We don’t want clients to see lumps in patching; we are perfectionists. I work on quality control. If the patching isn’t to my standards, then we have to re-do it. I’m very proud of the work that my team does. I want my clients to know that I’m even pickier than they are about the quality of work. I want only five-star reviews for our company.”

Level 5 depends entirely on word of mouth to develop its customer base, and Jorge makes sure that his reputation is always stellar. He and his crew carefully clean each day, and they’re happy to pick up calls during and after a job. “We’re perfectionists!” he laughed. For more information, visit http://www.levelfivepaintingllc.com/ .

Lead paint is still present in millions of homes. If your home was built before 1978, there is a good chance it has lead-based paint, and you may be exposed to it. In 1978, the federal government banned consumer uses of lead-containing paint. Lead from paint, including lead-contaminated dust, is one of the most common causes of lead poisoning. It can cause serious health issues, especially for children (less than 6 years old).

According to the a United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) , if the paint in your house is in good shape you, probably, don’t have to worry about anything. But sometimes, deteriorating lead-based paint (peeling, chipping, chalking, cracking, damaged, or damp) is a hazard and needs immediate attention. If your income matches the restrictions, you may be able to apply for the “Lead Paint Safe” program in your city and get assistance to control lead hazards in your house unit.

Although this is a very serious problem, nowadays, you don’t have to spend tons of money in order to be safe. If your house still contains lead, you don’t need to hire a “deleading” service. You just need to choose a certified company that can works where lead can be found. By renovating your unit, you are making sure your walls are encapsulated and it will be extremely hard for your family to get in contact with lead.

Although our team can’t remove lead from your house at the moment, our crew is certified by EPA with the “Lead-Safe Renovation for Homeowners” license, which means every single employee of Level Five Painting, LLC. can help you if lead can still be found in your house, in case if you live in Massachusetts and/or Rhode Island. Is extremely important to emphasize that a renovator’s intent is never to permanently eliminate lead paint hazards or make a “lead-free” claim about a home, building, or structure. The “Lead-Safe” renovation service is an option that fits your pocket and offers another layer of protection.

Currently, homeowners that face lead issues in their houses but don’t pay enough attention to this problem, end up hiring painting companies that are not licensed which can cause bigger and even more expensive problems in the future. By hiring “professionals” that can’t prove any “lead-safe” certifications, you and your beloved ones are exposed daily to risks of lead-poisoning, by inhaling and/or eating it.

If you need help protecting your house, contact us. Our team is ready to help you. Call us at (617) 869-9446 or e-mail us at contact@levelfivepaintingllc.com . Here you can download the EPA Contractors Lead Safety During Renovations brochure.

Following Winter and preceding Summer, Spring is one of the most beautiful and pleasant seasons here in Massachusetts. The Spring Equinox 2019 is around the corner, starting on March 20th, our team is ready to complete the most inspiring exterior projects during the days when the sunset occurs later and the trees are blooming. That’s why we selected some of our exterior painting projects to share here. We hope you can get inspired and start thinking about getting your next project done with our crew.

Spring and Summer are the busiest months for painting contractors. The best way to guarantee your exterior painting project done during the next season is to schedule it before the Spring starts. Our schedule is currently open and we are looking forward to making your house looks even better. Check out our selection of exterior painting projects done in the last season:

This is a project painted in Peabody (MA) with “Cinnamon 2174-20” paint from Benjamin Moore . The Amish star was painted with metal effect paint (copper) and the borders of it were painted with patina (copper as well). Both products are from Modern Masters Inc.

This exterior project was done with excellence in Roslindale (MA). The siding was painted with “Gray Owl OC-52” while trims were painted with “Simply White OC-117” and “Onyx 2133-10” from Benjamin Moore.

This stunning project was completed in East Falmouth (Cape Cod), MA. These walls were painted with “Arborcoat Exterior Waterproofer – Clear (320)” and trims were painted with “White PM-2”, both from Benjamin Moore .

The decks are an important part of exterior projects. In this one located in Brookline (MA) our team did a power washing, restaining and repainting its trims.

Your garage deserves more this Spring. Get inspired by these shutter doors well painted with “Black Forest Green PM-12” from Benjamin Moore . The walls were painted with the color “Montgomery White HC-33”, also from Benjamin Moore. This project was done in Needham (MA).

Every winter we have a huge offer to our existing clients and the new ones. The coldest season of 2019 will not be any different. Between the month of January and March, everyone who decides to sign a contract with us to paint two rooms will get the bathroom labor for free. The client will only pay for the paint costs. It’s the perfect opportunity to transform your house and get ready for the new year.

Terms and conditions: the work must be scheduled until March 31st, 2019 and the rooms must be the minimum size of 12ft. x 12ft. The bathroom service must follow the same specs as the painted rooms. The bathroom service does not include wallpapers, special finishes, and mirrors. While signing the contract, remember, this offer is not valid with other promotions.

To get your project scheduled just contact our team, get a quote and enjoy!