Painting a rental single color
Rental Property Investor · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2019 · 530 posts · 511 votes
Painting a rental single color
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Handyman · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2018 · 5k+ posts · 13k+ votes
6yOriginally posted by @David Lee Hall, III:
I have typically done 3 color schemes in my rentals (ceiling Lowe’s Maintenance Paint, walls S-W On the Rocks, trim S-W Pure White). I just purchased one that is a step down in level and rent rate and am looking at doing a single color scheme for the first time (S-W Alabaster) to save on labor. For folks that have gone the single color route, how do you do sheen selection? Do you do everything flat? Satin? Semi-gloss? Do you do flat on coat 1 and then add gloss for the second coat on walls and trim but not worry about cutting in perfectly? Obviously aside from minor material cost savings the biggest reason is to save labor on all of the cutting in, which I feel would likely be moot with 3 sheens.
Well here's what we ran into, David:
You by and large need white trim if you're going to do cheap vinyl replacement windows, any sort of easy quarter-round on the floor. Is it possible to do otherwise? Certainly. It just costs more.
We've almost completely switched back to gloss oil paint for the kind of extensive foursquare trim in the houses we prefer. Brush-applied Rustoleum thinned with Penetrol on a shellac or oil-based primer will endure abuse beyond all others. Will it look good? It will look good enough.
We like bright white flat ceilings, too. It takes a lot of coats to get there, but this will often hide imperfections.
But for the walls, you should to with darker colors that go on easier and are.much easier to touch up. White flat is what I would love to do, but it's just not practical. I've tried it and been screwed with it more than once.
Bathrooms get semigloss light blue, kitchens get this semigloss light orange/salmon color that we like, living areas get a light gray that doesn't fade easily.
Over time, you see the white oil paint, anywhere it's in the dark and not exposed to sunlight , with yellow and darken. We're willing to live with this.
The gray touches up very nicely. So does the blue. The salmon color, not so much. But you can scrub the hell out of those semigloss finishes from good paint companies.
We don't tint primer. Painting sequence always has trim done before walls and after ceilings. That way, you only have to worry about one go-round on the cutting in. Stick with the good Purdy brushes on your cutting in. Draw a flathead screwdriver around the perimeter of a ceiling and in the joint between trim and wall before painting to get a good, thick indentation in plaster ane drywall to help you cut in. If you need a finer line than the flathead, use a razor utility knife. It goes a lot faster and is more precise.As soon as you brush-apply a cut line, run a miniroller within half an inch of the wall and eliminate all but the absolutely necessary brush strokes.
27 Replies
- Omaha, NE · Member since 2020 · 611 posts · 665 votes6y
So this is exactly what we debated on our rental. I'd seen and been part of several conversations regarding single-color-paint-schemes, and I liked the look and idea of doing it, but after talking with my brother-in-law who owns a successful painting business, and my father, who owned a successful painting business, I decided to abandon the single color scheme.
The primary reason behind our choice was what you mentioned. Trim, at least, needs to be semi-gloss or it won't hold up to cleaning and high-touch. A second, and less labor-intensive reason was that having ceilings that matched walls and trim make the space feel cheaper, and even though our rental isn't in an A neighborhood, we want to give our renters a feel that they're renting the nicest place in a neighborhood.
- Handyman · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2018 · 5k+ posts · 13k+ votes6y
Originally posted by @David Lee Hall, III:
I have typically done 3 color schemes in my rentals (ceiling Lowe’s Maintenance Paint, walls S-W On the Rocks, trim S-W Pure White). I just purchased one that is a step down in level and rent rate and am looking at doing a single color scheme for the first time (S-W Alabaster) to save on labor. For folks that have gone the single color route, how do you do sheen selection? Do you do everything flat? Satin? Semi-gloss? Do you do flat on coat 1 and then add gloss for the second coat on walls and trim but not worry about cutting in perfectly? Obviously aside from minor material cost savings the biggest reason is to save labor on all of the cutting in, which I feel would likely be moot with 3 sheens.
Well here's what we ran into, David:
You by and large need white trim if you're going to do cheap vinyl replacement windows, any sort of easy quarter-round on the floor. Is it possible to do otherwise? Certainly. It just costs more.
We've almost completely switched back to gloss oil paint for the kind of extensive foursquare trim in the houses we prefer. Brush-applied Rustoleum thinned with Penetrol on a shellac or oil-based primer will endure abuse beyond all others. Will it look good? It will look good enough.
We like bright white flat ceilings, too. It takes a lot of coats to get there, but this will often hide imperfections.
But for the walls, you should to with darker colors that go on easier and are.much easier to touch up. White flat is what I would love to do, but it's just not practical. I've tried it and been screwed with it more than once.
Bathrooms get semigloss light blue, kitchens get this semigloss light orange/salmon color that we like, living areas get a light gray that doesn't fade easily.
Over time, you see the white oil paint, anywhere it's in the dark and not exposed to sunlight , with yellow and darken. We're willing to live with this.
The gray touches up very nicely. So does the blue. The salmon color, not so much. But you can scrub the hell out of those semigloss finishes from good paint companies.
We don't tint primer. Painting sequence always has trim done before walls and after ceilings. That way, you only have to worry about one go-round on the cutting in. Stick with the good Purdy brushes on your cutting in. Draw a flathead screwdriver around the perimeter of a ceiling and in the joint between trim and wall before painting to get a good, thick indentation in plaster ane drywall to help you cut in. If you need a finer line than the flathead, use a razor utility knife. It goes a lot faster and is more precise.As soon as you brush-apply a cut line, run a miniroller within half an inch of the wall and eliminate all but the absolutely necessary brush strokes.
- Investor · Palm Springs, CA · Member since 2020 · 9 posts · 8 votes6y
Hi David,
When you’re doing all one color it’s even more important to distinguish with sheen. I use Dunn-Edwards velvet for walls (please note that while stains wipe off, it’s easier to do touch ups with eggshell), flat for ceiling and semi gloss for trim. Here’s a helpful description of different paint finishes.
- Rental Property Investor · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2019 · 530 posts · 511 votes6y
I agree with everyone that sheen is important - Especially for cleaning trim. It is also one reason I consider a higher sheen on walls if doing the single color scheme.
@Jim K.
Thanks for the detail. Also - love the updated head shot in the respirator. Do you stick with the 3 color scheme across all class of rentals? Just curious if you would do the same scheme on an A versus a C neighborhood?I also agree about the durability of oil on trim, however I have been happy with S-W Solo as it comes out hard and is similar to SuperPaint on price. (Please note that I get a significant MSRP discount on my S-W purchases) Emerald is great from a water-based standpoint, but is a lot more pricey and I have not been able to justify buying it for use in my properties outside of one 120 year old banister.
I might consider doing a cool blue for bathrooms to break things up a tad, pretty sure I would not go near a salmon color though! Do you do your gray walls in the living spaces in semi-gloss or stick to eggshell/satin for these?
I should also ask where you get your cheap vinyl windows? :-) I have always just done American Craftsman (Home Depot) or ThermaStar (Lowe's) depending on which store is closing to my job, but truth be told I would think I could find something at a more contractor/landlord friendly price but haven't done well in locating someone yet. (My fault for lack of for not trying hard enough.)
- Handyman · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2018 · 5k+ posts · 13k+ votes6y
Originally posted by @David Lee Hall, III:
I agree with everyone that sheen is important - Especially for cleaning trim. It is also one reason I consider a higher sheen on walls if doing the single color scheme.
@Jim K.
Thanks for the detail. Also - love the updated head shot in the respirator. Do you stick with the 3 color scheme across all class of rentals? Just curious if you would do the same scheme on an A versus a C neighborhood?I also agree about the durability of oil on trim, however I have been happy with S-W Solo as it comes out hard and is similar to SuperPaint on price. (Please note that I get a significant MSRP discount on my S-W purchases) Emerald is great from a water-based standpoint, but is a lot more pricey and I have not been able to justify buying it for use in my properties outside of one 120 year old banister.
I might consider doing a cool blue for bathrooms to break things up a tad, pretty sure I would not go near a salmon color though! Do you do your gray walls in the living spaces in semi-gloss or stick to eggshell/satin for these?
I should also ask where you get your cheap vinyl windows? :-) I have always just done American Craftsman (Home Depot) or ThermaStar (Lowe's) depending on which store is closing to my job, but truth be told I would think I could find something at a more contractor/landlord friendly price but haven't done well in locating someone yet. (My fault for lack of for not trying hard enough.)
I've stuck with full gloss on trim, after trying semi-gloss, with oil paint, I get better results. I still paint ceilings flat white. But I've acceped satin in the living areas as a scrubbing convenience, and semi-gloss water-based paint in kitchens and baths. In A or B-class rentals...I think you know where I am, David. Hard to find a strict A or B-class property in the elderly buildings of Munhall, Homestead, Greenfield, Squirrel Hill. But I'd stick with it, because it's what I know. Probably go flat on larger living area walls.
It's always American Craftsman for us when I can get the right size. I vasty prefer them to the Lowes windows.
Good luck to you!
- Rental Property Investor · Jersey City, NJ · Member since 2011 · 1k+ posts · 876 votes6y
Flat white ceilings, eggshell BM Superhide Navajo White on the walls (light beige), and a semi gloss warm white on the trim. Original color was Behr Swiss Coffee, but I've tried various better paints mixed to match. I think full gloss trim is just too much, especially on 100 year old moldings. I now use this suite of paint in every room in every unit so I don't have to think about it.
- 6yElise Bickel TauberBusiness MemberReal Estate Agent · Cranberry Twp · Member since 2017 · 384 posts · 198 votes
We keep all of our trims and ceilings white. Walls an off white/grey tone. We recently changed to sherwin williams as they have a great color match tool that if we need to repaint just one wall between tenants they can do a slight tone charge to compensate for the wear or fading. We have been sticking to a semi-gloss recently as well.
- Rental Property Investor · Jersey City, NJ · Member since 2011 · 1k+ posts · 876 votes6y
Originally posted by @Elise Bickel Tauber:
We recently changed to sherwin williams as they have a great color match tool that if we need to repaint just one wall between tenants they can do a slight tone charge to compensate for the wear or fading. We have been sticking to a semi-gloss recently as well.
How does that color match work? Do you peel a chip of the old paint and bring it in to be scanned? Our crappy old walls would look terrible in SG.
- Investor · NW Florida · Member since 2018 · 32 posts · 6 votes6y
Let me ask you ask a question first: Do you notice the subtle difference in color and or sheen level here between the walls and ceilings?
- Investor · NW Florida · Member since 2018 · 32 posts · 6 votes6y
The resolution of the photo was reduced so the contrast is not showing like it does in the original photos. Its actually the same color and sheen on the ceiling and walls. However, one would swear its two different paints. That is because the light hits the ceiling at a totally different angle than the ceiling.
We almost always use all white which is really hot right now - although we did this in 2012. Also, we always use the same sheen and color. when using white You can decide if it looks cheap. We think it looks upscale and the market has responded with record prices per square for the neighborhoods we've been in.
We save a lot of time and expense not cutting in all those ceilings.
- Rental Property Investor · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2019 · 530 posts · 511 votes6y
@Mark Davidson Not from that picture.
- Rental Property Investor · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2019 · 530 posts · 511 votes6y
@Mark Davidson when you do that do you do EggShell for everything? From the looks of it, it doesn't look like semigloss. FWIIW your place is a lot higher scale than anything I own.
- Investor · NW Florida · Member since 2018 · 32 posts · 6 votes6y
Let me try again. The first picture below has a ceiling paint on the ceiling that is different from the wall color that was done by a flipper. The second picture (bedroom) is across the street from the first one and we did the ceiling and walls the same color and sheen.
- Investor · NW Florida · Member since 2018 · 32 posts · 6 votes6y
For both sheen and color, rental versus flipping requirements are different. Subtle contrast is elegant. Forget all that making it pop crap or shiny sheens leftover from ten years ago. Subtle contrast is elegant.
We used Benjamin Moore Matte on the bedroom walls and ceiling above. It has a little reflection because it is one up from flat. It is scrubbable, but I'd be hesitant to use it on a rental. I'd go one level up on the sheen level and one level up (shinier) again on the trim.
- Investor · NW Florida · Member since 2018 · 32 posts · 6 votes6y
The original first picture (living room) was all eggshell yes except the trim which was one sheen higher. Just remember the trade off, eggshell is easier to clean but shows more imperfections. Let the condition of your walls and your ability to patch be your guide.
- Investor · NW Florida · Member since 2018 · 32 posts · 6 votes6y
One of the biggest lessons I've learned is to almost never take advice on design from contractors. They're the ones recommending putting victorian oval window or craftsman doors on 50s ranch homes for instance - unnecessary ornamentation and completely the wrong era.
By the way, great choices on the white paint colors. I'm not familiar with On the Rocks, but using SW Pure White on the exterior of my personal residence. It has no weird undertones but is not stark. Alabaster is very, very close to the BM white we use on the two projects I posted above. Notice it works in a mid century modern or a cottage.
SW Alabaster is a warm color but goes with your tenants colors whether they're gray or beige and I'd only use latex so I wouldn't have to fool with oil. It may be better, but not worth my trouble. Its a personal decision.
I'd go with whatever sheen SW says is one or two levels up from flat on the walls and ceilings and one up from there on the trim, but all in Alabaster. So maybe Eggshell with Satin or Pearl for instance. Everyone has different names. I wouldn't necessarily go with Semi Gloss on the trim, especially if you have those fake woodgrain six panel doors everyone loves. Those in semi gloss look like what they are, poor quality knockoffs of the real thing.
- Rental Property Investor · Sioux Falls, SD · Member since 2015 · 9k+ posts · 18k+ votes6y
You shouldn't need to do just one color. It is actually pretty boring looking in my opinion. That being said in a D class property, it may be easier to just do off white on everything. In a normal situation, ceiling and trim do not require repainting as often. We have wood trim in most our properties and there is a wipe on touch up or colored wood putty touch up that works amazing. Ceilings I generally never need to touch. I use SW paint on the walls, it cleans well and touches up easily.
- Investor · Richmond, VA · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes6y
The smartest thing we've done regards to paint is pick 1 paint color.
"I didn't pick your rental because you walls were white"-- said no tenant ever.
Trim/walls/ceiling--everything is the same, semi-gloss white. It doesn't just stop inside.. need to paint anything outside, such as railings or exterior trim-- it's all the same color! We never stress about remembering the color, or having stuff go to waste! We do C/D properties. We actually just go through with a sprayer, can easily paint an entire inside of the house in 1 day!
People pick rentals based on location and price. We do this, it and saves us a ton of time/money/stress, so we can offer cheaper rentals, everyone wins. If you're doing A/B rentals, does it give you a nicer warm/vibe to have the greige, sure of course.. but if you're doing anything lower than a B rental, it makes so much more sense to do all one color!
It's also about scale, if you have under 5, it's not hard remembering stuff... if you have 20, 30, 40+... don't kid yourself, 1 color is the way to go!
- Real Estate Agent · Ogden, UT · Member since 2017 · 57 posts · 165 votes6y
@David Lee Hall, III
Your only options are eggshell or satin. Any type of gloss looks terrible on the ceiling, and flat on walls and trim doesn’t look great either.
I think someone already mentioned this, but if you use the same color and different sheens, cutting is much easier. You can barely tell if the lines aren’t perfect.
- Rental Property Investor · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2019 · 530 posts · 511 votes6y
@Stefanie Jensen Thanks for the feedback. Cutting in is one of the things that left me considering this over my traditional scheme. My most recent purchase is a cape code with those lovely trapezoidal ceilings in the bedrooms and due to the rounded plaster, not going single-color was going to be tricky.
- New Bern, NC · Member since 2017 · 246 posts · 173 votes6y
@David Lee Hall, III
We use Sherwin William's Duration paint for everything. Goes on great. We always do white semi gloss for trim and satin for walls. We pick one neutral wall color to paint throughout, usually some variation of beige. Exact color varies based on flooring we have chosen or if we are keeping existing flooring and color of kitchen cabinets. We frame bathroom mirrors with wood frame casing with white instant hold glue to give the bathrooms some style.
- Contractor · College Station, TX · Member since 2015 · 113 posts · 38 votes6y
@David Lee Hall, III
Sorry if this is super late. About 40% of what we do is flips/investment properties. In every home we contract in for our clients, we always suggest doing a flat white (we use promar200 extra white in flat finish) and we use the color pediment in eggshell also by Sherwin Williams in the PROMAR 200 product line.
While cutting in is a chore, for dollars spent vs value received, I believe this is a huge bang for your buck. Personally, I believe it gives the impression of taller ceilings and less ‘institutional’ feeling rooms. Especially in apartments. We chose pediment as a color, because it blends with browns well enough and also fits the neutral pallet for more modern styling as well.
Cabinet paint is a can of worms I’ve lost roughly $8,000 this year alone, but this is off topic.
This is our set up for all clients, investors or home/business owners alike:
-Ceiling is flat, extra white PROMAR 200
-Walls are eggshell, in client choice color PROMAR 200
- Trim/doors/cabinets are semi-gloss, client color choice (go to is extra white) in the Emerald product line.
(***Note: Emerald is EXTREMELY hard drying paint. Very hearty. Satin finish will leave a slight texture, no matter how good the painter. It’s really nice but it is different.)
-Bathrooms: Semi-gloss everywhere (mainly for homeowners/business owners) to help repel water in our SUPER humid climate.
Lots of great advice here! I’ve lost a tremendous amount of money on paint mishaps this year alone, so I felt like dropping my $0.02!
Alabaster is the current color of our residence right now. Very pretty and looks great against and extra white ceiling like ours.
Good luck! Such good advice in this thread.
- Investor · US · Member since 2017 · 71 posts · 80 votes6y
I have shifted to single color for wall to ceiling to save time cutting. It works for a light, slight off-white satin. I also save on material by having primer tinted to the color and then using SW super paint for a single coat over that. Coverage is very good with this method. I still like to use a semi gloss in white for trim. Lighting creates the illusion of different colors between ceiling and wall but not for trim.
- 6yElise Bickel TauberBusiness MemberReal Estate Agent · Cranberry Twp · Member since 2017 · 384 posts · 198 votes
Originally posted by @Johann Jells:
Originally posted by @Elise Bickel Tauber:
We recently changed to sherwin williams as they have a great color match tool that if we need to repaint just one wall between tenants they can do a slight tone charge to compensate for the wear or fading. We have been sticking to a semi-gloss recently as well.
How does that color match work? Do you peel a chip of the old paint and bring it in to be scanned? Our crappy old walls would look terrible in SG.
It is a little tool you take with you to the job site and sync with your phone. It grabs the colors from the tool (looks like a little almost laser). No taking a paint chip with you or anything. It's been really nice!
- Rental Property Investor · Jersey City, NJ · Member since 2011 · 1k+ posts · 876 votes6y
Originally posted by @Elise Bickel Tauber:
Wow, pretty cool! Do you think it's accurate enough to match "hanger holes" touch ups on faded paint?
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