Front Porch Stair Replacement in Chestnut Hill, Pa.

After over forty years in business, many people are still unaware of the additional services offered by John Neill Painting & Decorating. A prime example of this is a front porch stair replacement we recently completed. This project included the removal of the existing stairs (which were beyond repair), pouring a new concrete footer at the base of the new stairs, installing new stringers, treads, and risers plus a new railing, and finally, painting the new stairs and front porch.

If you have a project at your home that involves multiple trades (ie – carpentry, masonry, painting, etc), give us a call and let our team of craftsmen handle it all from start to finish (and with much less work on your end in dealing with multiple companies). ?

“Your carpenter did a wonderful job rebuilding the front porch. He was very detail oriented and took great pride in his work.”

– Carol Strasbaugh, Chestnut Hill, Pa.

Exterior Carriage House Restoration in Chestnut Hill, Pa.

If time has gotten away from you and you now require a little more than just a standard repaint, you can rest assured that our craftsmen can handle the job. We are currently in the process of completing three such projects in Chestnut Hill, one of which is an exterior Carriage House Restoration project.

The project featured here is the restoration of a carriage house. After a thorough pressure cleaning, our carpenters repaired and replaced rotted fascia board, trim boards, window frames and siding in preparation for the painting. Next, our team of craftsmen tackled the exterior of the carriage house, with extensive prep work being completed before oil priming and applying two finish coats of paint. The front entrance was also given a brand new look with the use of the Fine Paints of Europe in a high gloss finish.

2016 Color Trends & Finding Your Signature Palette

2016 Color Trends: While we report on the Color Trends every year, they are just that – trends. When it comes to updating the colors in your home, incorporating current colors can be fun, but figuring out your signature style and using your favorite colors throughout your home is often a better way to go.

This year we shared the “2016 Color of the Year” from the top three companies in the painting industry. Pantone (the world leader in all things color) stepped out of the box by selecting not one, but two 2016 Colors of the Year – Rose Quartz and Serenity. If you’re not a fan of pastels, the lesson to be taken from this selection is that traditionally “warm” colors can be paired with “cool” colors and coordinate beautifully.

Sherwin Williams also took a different approach to 2016 color trends this year, opting to create “Color Stories” in place of choosing one particular color. Using the terms passionate, fresh, vintage, and indulgent as their starting point, they have created four color palettes that are sure to speak to both the bold and adventurous as well as more traditional homeowners.

Benjamin Moore also chose to go in yet a different direction, and while they did select a single 2016 Color of the Year – Simply White – some question whether this was truly a “color” selection at all. Whether or not you believe that white is a color, what they have done is sparked the idea of starting with a blank canvas. Freshening up any space with a base coat of this creamy white is almost like hitting the reset button in your home. With a clean backdrop, it is much easier to re-imagine what other colors you would like to incorporate into your home, and they have provided some beautiful accent colors in their full color report to assist with this as well.

Ultimately, the best place to start when considering a new color palette for your home is with an open mind. Look around when you’re out and about and take note of the colors that catch your eye. Or if you’ve been saying “I’ve always wanted to paint the [ fill in the blank]…” maybe now is the time to go for it. Believe it or not, of all the things that you could “change” in your home, the color on your walls is one of the easiest, but also most impactful. And when you’re ready, our color experts are always here to help you make your final choice with complete confidence.

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.

John Neill Painting & Decorating Voted “Reader’s Choice” as the Best Main Line PA Painting Company for 19 consecutive years

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.

Interior Finish Carpentry – Taking Care of the Small Details

Interior finish carpentry in Philadelphia & Main Line is among the many quality services provided by John Neill Painting & Decorating.

While the first thing you may notice when walking into a room is the wall color or a piece of artwork, if you’ve lived in the house for some time, you’re more likely to notice the little things that aren’t “quite right.” In this case it was a few vents on the floor that stuck out like a sore thumb, detracting from an otherwise beautiful room. And after growing tired of looking at them any longer, this Haverford homeowner gave us a call to come up with a solution.

After measuring and purchasing solid wood replacement vents our team of carpenters and painters cut them down to size and applied stain to match the existing finish of the hardwood floors before installation. Now they blend much more seamlessly with the space. Sometimes it’s the small details that make the biggest difference.

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.