A ceiling hand-lacquered with Fine Paints of Europe Hollandlac
The right finish can transform a paint job, according to Rick Holtz, owner of H.J. Holtz & Son Inc., the full-service painting, decorative finishes and wallpaper contractor founded by his grandfather in 1936. Holtz talks about trends in custom paint finishes and how to choose what’s best for your home.
R•Home: What’s the difference between standard paint and a custom finish?
Rick Holtz: When you pick a color from a paint company, you can choose from several finishes: flat, satin/eggshell, semigloss or gloss. Depending on the surface and what kind of look you want, a custom finish can be used for additional effect to make the paint stand out. Many people want a high-gloss custom finish; they want to make their walls look pristine and see more depth than what you can get from a basic paint job.
Venetian plaster hand-painted to mimic a stone wall
RH: Describe the process of applying a custom paint finish — how does it differ from applying standard paint?
Holtz: Custom finishes require more prep and coats of primer. Many have a higher sheen, so imperfections in surfaces are more likely to be seen, so we do more filling and smoothing of wood and wall surfaces prior to applying primer. Once we are happy with the surface, we apply multiple layers of primer to seal the fillers and compounds. Primers seal and provide a base of color so the finish coats go on smooth and sheen levels are even.
RH: What types of custom paint finishes are most popular today?
Holtz: High-gloss paint. I think the first time we did high gloss was back in 2005, and it hasn’t lost any steam. It’s still very popular for interior walls, furniture, ceilings, everything. Venetian plaster — it can burnish to a shiny finish or a more natural matte finish. We see a lot of that with chimney breasts. People also like lime wash, not to be confused with lime paint. We often use lime wash with brick surfaces instead of painting with a solid color. … It absorbs into the brick, showing off the brick’s texture.
RH: What advice would you give homeowners for choosing the right paint finish?
Holtz: There’s no right or wrong answer. The beauty of paint is that it can always be undone or redone, so don’t be afraid to go bold.
Custom Paint Terms
Lacquer vs. high gloss Both are glossy and highly reflective, but lacquer is the shiniest and gives a glass-like finish.
Venetian plaster Contains finely ground marble and slaked lime. The multistep finish process can burnish to a high shine or natural matte look.
Color wash The process of thinning paint with glaze to achieve a low-sheen faux finish
Lime wash vs. lime paint Lime wash is a whitewash paint finish that is mostly see-through, while lime paint is a full-bodied, thick paint with richer color texture.
Glaze Used to thin regular paint to achieve a translucency and color wash
Ombre A gradual color transition from a dark shade to a light shade, or vice versa
