Sign Restoration and Painting in West Chester, Pa.

When you think of John Neill Painting, you probably think about painting the interior or exterior of your home, but did you know that we can paint just about anything? From mailboxes to outdoor furniture, and even a totem pole, our team of artists and craftsmen have the skills and expertise to handle specialty projects as well. Most recently, it was sign restoration and painting at Cannon Hill, a twenty-two acre farm in Chester County.
Our carpenter discovered the original sign in the garage while completing repairs on the exterior of the house. He mentioned to the West Chester, Pa. homeowner that our team could replicate the sign that had fallen from it’s post long ago (the original was beyond repair). Using the original as a template, a new sign was fabricated and passed along to one of our craftsman for painting and hand lettering. Once complete, the sign was returned to its original location at the entrance to the property, much to the delight of the homeowner.



 
 
 

Front Door Refinishing

One thing you might not know about John Neill Painting & Decorating is that we also do front door refinishing in Philadelphia and The Main Line. If your front door is looking a little dull, you may want to consider having it refinished this summer so it will be sound and properly protected before the colder months arrive. Depending on the condition of the door, it may only require cleaning and applying a fresh coat of varnish. If the door gets direct exposure to the sun however, stripping, staining and applying 2 coats of marine varnish may be the best option. This was the case for these two doors in Gladwyne, PA and Chestnut Hill, PA, and I think it’s safe to say the results are stunning. Let our team of craftsmen update your front entrance with the best and most durable products on the market.

 
 
 

Exterior Stucco Color Change in Haverford, Pa.

After 41 years in business, there are still times when we’re completely amazed at how much something as simple as a color change can transform a house. We are sometimes asked, can stucco color be changed? Absolutely! Take a look at this exterior stucco color change job we did in Haverford, PA. The first step in this process was to remove the shutters for repair and painting in our shop. Next the house was pressure cleaned to remove all dirt and debris to create a clean surface for the new stucco color. Thirty gallons of StoCoat® Lotusan® exterior masonry coating* were applied to the exterior of home, and once complete the shutters were reinstalled. With updates to the exterior landscaping as well, this home has undergone a complete makeover in just under a month and is ready to welcome family and friends all summer.
 

* John Neill Painting only uses the finest products available for each substrate that is to be painted. For stucco we use StoCoat® Lotusan® Lotus-Effect® technology.
Dirt particles are unable to hold on the leaves of the lotus plant and simply flow off with the rain droplets that fall on the plant. The Lotusan® exterior coating possesses a high water-repellent surface similar to that of a lotus leaf. Its microstructure has been modeled on the lotus plant to minimize the contact area for water and dirt. The surface additionally offers enhanced hydrophobic properties.
 The problem with conventional exterior paints is that the soiling of the façade becomes increasingly visible over time. On weather exposed sides in particular, microorganisms find an ideal environment for colonization in the form of adequate moisture and nutrients from the dirt deposits. With the Lotus-Effect® technology on façades, water and dirt flow off immediately. The façade remains dry and attractive.
StoCoat® Lotusan® featuring a pronounced self-cleaning effect:

Very high level of water and dirt repellence after drying of the coating.
Highly resistant to soiling, pronounced self-cleaning effect.
Resists the growth of mold, mildew, and algae.
Excellent weather and chalk resistance, UV-stable.
Ideal for new construction and recoat projects over stucco and fiber cement board substrates.
High water vapor permeability.
Available in virtually any color.

Wallcoverings in Commercial Office Buildings

Did you know that we can remove and install wallcoverings in both residential and commercial spaces? Modernize your workspace with updated wallcoverings for commercial office buildings in Philadelphia and The Main Line by John Neill Painting & Decorating. Over the past few months, we have completed two commercial projects in Villanova and Devon, installing wallcoverings in the stairways and common areas of two office buildings. While the first project was pretty straight forward, the second included three different wallcovering selections, which were then installed in a specific pattern. In both spaces, the newly installed wallcoverings create a clean, but interesting backdrop in what would otherwise be an often overlooked, but heavily used area of the building. If you have a space in your home or office that could use some freshening up, our team of color experts and craftsmen are only a call or click away.
 

APC Top Job Award 2016 – Philadelphia

APC Top Job Award Philadelphia 2016 goes to John Neill Painting & Decorating!
We were honored to be selected as one of the top painting companies in the country as a part of American Painting Contractor Magazine’s 2016 Top Job Awards. While this was not a small project by any means, it was a highly rewarding one, which allowed our craftsmen to utilize a wide variety of skills including; faux finishing, decorative painting, and hand varnishing. Read the full story on the APC Website, and remember, no job is too big or too small for our career craftsmen.

The Story Behind “Simply White” – Benjamin Moore’s 2016 Color of the Year

2016 Color of the Year Backstory: Last week we hosted a designer luncheon along with Benjamin Moore to discuss color (of course) and the current trends in the painting industry.  While some may think that “Simply White” was not truly a “color”, after hearing the story of how Benjamin Moore’s research team arrived on this choice, we all walked away with a deeper knowledge of how the color trends emerge each year.
After traveling the world observing trends and looking for patterns, the new Louis Vuitton Foundation building in Paris left the biggest impression on the Benjamin Moore team. Being compared to a ship with billowing sails, the light and airy feel of the space led them to consider white for 2016, but with over 250 whites in the Benjamin Moore collection, deciding which white was the “right” white was still a difficult task. Staying in the mindset of the artistic world, and drawing from the Frank Gehry design, they imagined the life of various artists and set out to create the perfect backdrop for a traditional painter as well as a digital designer, and all of those who fall in between.


One of the keys to successfully using white to create a backdrop is to vary the tones and sheens of the paint. Pairing Simply White with Ballet White or Mascarpone creates subtle variations in color while leaving an overall freshness in any space. Using a high gloss finish on trim along with a matte finish on wall can also break up what could otherwise become too monotone when using one white throughout an entire space. Simply White also creates the perfect backdrop for more bold colors such as Black Ink, Patriot Blue, and Ravishing Red. The more we learned about white, the more we all realized that “white is not just white”, and the final conclusion of the Benjamin Moore color team was that white truly is an essential color in all decorating palettes. Whether your goal is to create a completely neutral backdrop or infuse a pop of color into a room in your home, choosing the right white to achieve your goal is just as important as choosing any other color. Here’s to white finally getting the credit it deserves as an integral color in home decorating.

Spring Cleaning and Exterior Pressure Cleaning

Pressure cleaning in Philadelphia & The Main Line is another of a long list of quality services offered by John Neill Painting & Decorating. Does your spring cleaning list include the exterior of your house? We wash our windows, wash our floors, and even wash the lovely coat of green pollen from our cars, but we often forget that the exterior of our house could benefit from a good cleaning as well. Aside from just freshening up the appearance of your home, pressure cleaning every few years also removes build up of algae, mold, and mildew, extending the life of your paint job. Most houses can be washed within 1-2 days with very little disruption to your daily routine. Other areas that can also be pressure cleaned include patios, walkways, stairs, and pool surrounds. Here’s to a clean start this Spring!

 
 
 

The Colors of Spring

Spring is finally here and the flowers are all starting to bloom. As mother nature begins to awaken from winter and spread color across the earth, why not join in the fun? Here are the top 2016 spring colors. You can expect to see them in clothing and accessories before they make there way into home accents. And with Benjamin Moore’s selection on Simply White as their color of the year, these fun colors are a great way to brighten up a neutral space without making a huge commitment. Happy Spring!!

 
 

Water Damage and Drywall Repair

Water damage – these are two words that homeowners never like to hear. Unfortunately water poses the greatest single threat to both the interior and exterior of your home. The most common interior issue we encounter is drywall damage to ceilings (and sometimes walls) due to a bathroom leak.
Thankfully, our team of craftsmen can repair drywall on both ceilings and walls to blend seamlessly with the surrounding area. If you have water damage in your home, the first step is to call a plumber and make sure that the source of the leak is properly addressed (we can recommend one if needed). Once the issue has been resolved, give us a call and we’ll be happy to take care of the repairs and painting so you can get back to more important things, like the peak  Cherry Blossom viewing, March Madness, and the start of the golf season.

 
 

Meet Our Painting Craftsmen

At John Neill Painting & Decorating, we don’t hire painters looking for a job, we hire painting Craftsmen looking for a career. Our Foremen have been with us for an average of fifteen years and all have over twenty years of experience in the painting industry. Many are husbands and fathers, and some are even grandfathers too.
As a family owned business serving Philadelphia & the Main Line, we know the joy that comes from being able to provide for your family while doing something you love, and are thrilled that in building our business, we made this possible for our employees as well.
Maintaining our focus on family has also helped us to deliver the professional service with a personal touch that we have become known for throughout the Main Line and surrounding Philadelphia area.
When was the last time you had a pleasant experience with a contractor working in your home? If you can’t remember, maybe now would be a good time to introduce yourself to the John Neill Painting Experience, and join our list of satisfied customers.
“Your men did a fantastic job and we hardly knew they were here. No loud music, no cigarette butts outside the back door, no messes left behind (all of these have happened with other painting contractors). They were unfailingly polite and pleasant. We will definitely recommend your company and call you again for future projects.” – Julie Schroeder, Wynnewood Pa