Commercial Painting for School Buildings
With many schools in the St. Louis area closed for the foreseeable future, it’s a good idea to take care of maintenance and upkeep that’s been deferred — including new commercial paint. Without students in the buildings, commercial paint contractors can easily and quickly complete the job, leaving your facility with a fresh, new look.
Investing in an interior commercial paint project can give your students and staff something exciting to come back to when they return to school. Not only does it give your building a new look, but the right paint can refresh high-traffic and high-touch areas that see wear and tear from everyday use. Look around: if the interior seems a little dated, new paint can transform the space.
When choosing a color palette, it’s important to think about the impact of your choices. The wrong colors could overstimulate students and staff, but the right colors could improve productivity, creativity, and offer a calming environment for everyone to do their best work. Here are some tips based on the space you’re painting:
- Classrooms – Stick to blue in the spaces where kids do the most learning. Blue can boost creativity, improve memory and mood, and even help prevent depression. White paint with an accent wall in school colors is also fun, and selective use of yellow can keep students alert and aware.
- Libraries – Green is great for library spaces. It can offer a calming effect and help improve concentration when learners are looking to buckle down and focus on studying.
- Gyms – Keep the action going in the gym with bright colors like red and deep pinks that provide stimulation and encourage physical activity.
- Cafeterias/lunch rooms – Orange is ideal in the cafeteria; psychologically it increases the appetite and creates a stimulating space.
- Administrative offices – Deep purple tones command respect and convey a sense of authority, something you want in the principal’s office.
- Hallways and lobbies – Get creative here! Show off school colors or use bright hues as the backdrop to the school’s logo to instill a sense of pride.
Working with commercial paint contractors is a smart idea for the exterior of your school as well. The professionals have access to equipment and the expertise needed to complete this project; things like scaffolding and commercial-grade paint finishes make a huge difference in the overall success of exterior painting. In fact, specialized finishes can offer protection against weather damage and even graffiti.
The benefits of working with professional painters also mean you’ll have access to a team that can perform each step of the process. A qualified contractor will offer the option of prepping the space with necessary repairs and furniture moving, color and finish selection, protecting the space from damage during the painting process, and clean-up services while returning everything to its original place. A good commercial paint contractor will also utilize zero VOC paint products, dustless sanders, and HEPA filters to maintain safe and healthy indoor air quality.
Whether you need interior or exterior painting for your school (or both) it’s important to know how to find the right contractor. When doing your research, be clear with the contractors about your vision, budget, and time constraints. Ask about previous experience and request to see a portfolio of other schools they’ve painted. Check on their certifications, licenses, and liability insurance, and don’t overlook the importance of a guarantee of satisfaction.
If you’re looking to take your school painting project to the next level, consider investing in wall coverings as well. Custom vinyl decals, fabric accents, and wall murals are all examples of non-paint features that can be professionally applied by the right paint contractors.
Once you’ve picked a team to work with, get your contract in order and include clear expectations for the project. Include these elements, at a minimum:
- Expected timeline/schedule
- Typical workday schedules for paint contractors
- Details about prep work and post-completion clean-up
- Any warranties that apply to the project
- Payment expectations and procedures for budgetary overruns
Don’t trust this important project to the cheapest commercial paint contractor or the first one you find in the search results online. When you’re ready to tackle interior or exterior school painting, reach out to the SmithPro Commercial Painting team. We can come in at night and during the weekends if it’s needed to help keep your team on task and productive. We’ll work hard to ensure you get a finished product that exceeds standards and gives students and staff an amazing space to learn and grow!
