Mark your calendar for American Painting Contractor’s Training Days! Attending a training day is one of the easiest and powerful ways to sharpen your skills and improve your business. Check out the 2012 tour dates below to see if one is in your area.

Click here for more information.

SHERWIN-WILLIAMS MAKES IT EASY TO PAINT COMMERCIAL CEILINGS & COMPLY WITH VOC REGULATIONS
New Low VOC Waterborne Acrylic Dryfall dries as it falls, so overspray can be swept away

CLEVELAND (May 16, 2011) ? Sherwin-Williams expands its line of dryfall coatings to include Low VOC Waterborne Acrylic Dryfall, a new commercial interior latex that dries as it falls, so paint overspray can be easily swept away — and it meets LEED, NC, CI and CS requirements.

“Painting high overhead surfaces such as ceilings and joists is challenging enough, but it’s especially tough to prevent the spray from getting on machinery, equipment and floors,” said Steve Revnew, vice president of product development for Sherwin-Williams. “Now, trade professionals needn’t give it a second thought with our new Low VOC Waterborne Acrylic Dryfall — the paint applies easily by airless spray and then dries rapidly before it even has achance to settle.”

Just spray away, then sweep away.

Under normal environmental conditions, this non-yellowing, low-odor acrylic dries to a removable powder from a height of at least 10 feet. Because it can be quickly swept or vacuumed away, there’s no need for strong cleaning solutions, helping to reduce cleanup costs.

Additional key benefits include:
• Flat, ex-shel and semi-gloss sheens apply easily to prepared metal, plastic, wood, masonry and drywall
• Excellent hide covers most surfaces in a single coat, saving material costs and minimizing downtime
• Retains its whiteness and light reflectance properties even when industrial fumes are present
• Results in a Class A flame spread rating when applied to a non-combustible surface
• Compliant with all current VOC regulations, as well as a variety of environmental requirements and guidelines

Sherwin-Williams Low Voc Waterborne Acrylic Dryfall makes it possible to paint in all kinds of production settings, and it is especially suited for exposed ceilings and overhead surfaces in commercial, warehouse and manufacturing facilities.

Ask Sherwin-Williams
For 145 years, Sherwin-Williams has satisfied the coating and color needs of builders, designers, specifiers, property managers and contractors. Sherwin-Williams provides fast, flexible, responsive local service and personalized, expert advice. More than 3,300 stores and 1,400 sales representatives make Sherwin-Williams North America’s largest single-source supplier of high-quality paints, stains, masonry coatings and brand-name wall and floor coverings. Visit sherwin-williams.com. For green solutions, visitswgreenspecs.com.

PRATT & LAMBERT PAINTS INTRODUCES HIGH-PERFORMANCE LINE OF INDUSTRIAL MAINTENANCE COATINGS

CLEVELAND – Pratt & Lambert Paints is pleased to now offer a full line of coatings for light to medium duty industrial applications. Since its founding, Pratt & Lambert has produced high-quality coatings that offer robust color aturation, easy application, an exceptionally smooth finish and solid durability. The company has paid the same meticulous attention to quality in the creation of these new coatings, which will serve most industrial facilities’ needs. The new line includes six product categories which satisfy most industrial maintenance and new construction applications:

• Primers
• Dry falls
• Enamels
• Epoxies
• Urethanes
• Floor coatings

Debbie Zietlow, Pratt & Lambert Paints product manager, says the new coatings were designed to provide a broad product assortment that met the real needs of facility maintenance managers, contractors, architects and specifiers.

“The industrial maintenance line was designed to provid outstanding performance features, including corrosion and chemical resistance, impact and abrasion resistance, superior adhesion and ease of application, as well as aesthetics,” Zietlow says. “Industrial facilities require top-grade products, and professionals can use any Pratt & Lambert industrial maintenance coating with confidence.”

Pratt & Lambert’s industrial maintenance line meets the needs of nearly any facility, including schools, offices, factories, restaurants and hospitals. Within those facilities, the broad range of coatings will serve countless applications, such as walls, lockers, floors, pipes, machinery and bathroom stalls.

Along with a full selection of basic, fundamental industrial products, Pratt & Lambert’s industrial maintenance line now offers innovations such as its Acrylic Pre-Catalyzed Waterborne Epoxy. Whereas conventional two-part epoxies must be mixed together and have only a limited pot life, this ready-to-use epoxy provides unmatched convenience and increased flexibility during application. Pratt & Lambert does offer conventional two-part water- and solvent-based epoxies as well, presenting facility managers with a number of options.

“Our top-quality line offers basic and innovative solutions to nearly any industrial maintenance application, and we’re confident that professionals will be pleased with these new additions,” Zietlow says. “Pratt & Lambert is dedicated to providing superior products, and industrial coatings are no exception.”

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About Pratt & Lambert
Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Pratt & Lambert remains the professional’s and discerning consumer’s first choice for superior quality paints. Pratt & Lambert manufactures a complete family of innovative paint products formulated to beautify, protect and add lasting value to homes and businesses. By constantly monitoring emerging technologies and raw materials, Pratt & Lambert continues to develop the highest quality paints.

From the Hyde Tools Press Release:

HYDE® Pivot Wand Now Available For Electric Pressure Washers!

SOUTHBRIDGE, MA – Hyde Tools, whose HYDE® Pivot Nozzle Wand for gas pressure washers took the 2010 National Hardware Show by storm, is now introducing an electric version of the wand. The new addition to the line comes with four connectors and fits virtually any major brand of electric pressure washer.

“This product represents a huge opportunity for independent retailers to capture add-on sales in the lawn and garden category,” says Corey Talbot, Vice President of Marketing and Product Development for Hyde and the product designer. “Electric pressure washers are among the most commonly purchased style by homeowners – and are also used by pros for many residential jobs.”

Adding a HYDE® Pivot Nozzle Wand to your pressure washer allows the user to step back, stay dry and reach into every nook and cranny without contortion. A simple slide handle pivots the nozzle as you work, allowing you to reach in, over, under or around obstacles and still keep a 90-degree angle to the surface for maximum power. The electric version is excellent for cleaning decks, house siding, cars and trucks, ATVs and many other areas around the house or worksite. Video of the tool in action can be seen at hyderewards.com.

At the 2010 National Hardware Show, the gas version of the Pivot Nozzle Wand received top honors, including gold awards for packaging plus a Retailers’ Choice Award for creative product design, problem-solving technology and excellent sales potential. That same technology was applied to the new tool, which was demonstrated continuously at this year’s show in May.

With this new addition, the Pivot Nozzle Wand line includes four different models designed for the most common pressure washer styles used by professionals and homeowners. These include:

• Item 28440: 40” chrome plated wand designed to fit ¼”-style gun fittings on gas-powered
pressure washers. Rated for 4000 PSI
• Item 28450: 40” stainless steel upgrade model for professional use
• Item 28430: 28” wand designed to fit M22-style gun fittings on gas-powered pressure washers. Rated for 3200 PSI
• Item 28420: The new 18” wand designed for electric pressure washers.
Rated for 2000 PSI

For sales information, contact your Hyde Tools sales representative, call Hyde customer service at 1-800-872-4933 for further information or visit www.hyderewards.com.

From the Modern Masters Press Release:

Introducing Modern Masters® Metal Effects Permacoat Xtreme™ Sealer

Sun Valley, CA – Modern Masters®, a leading manufacturer of high-end specialty paints and decorative finishes, is pleased to announce the addition of Permacoat Xtreme™ Sealer to its Metal Effects’ family of products.

Permacoat Xtreme is an all-in-one water base, clear, non-yellowing, protective sealer and topcoat. It is designed to work over Metal Effects Rust Activated Iron Paint, a reactive water-base paint which contains metal particles that when activated with Metal Effects Rust Activator speeds up the oxidization process creating the weathered appearance of Rusted Iron in a matter of minutes.  This innovative new clear sealer chemically arrests the rust finish, minimizing any further corrosion, and then self-crosslinks to create a weather resistant barrier.

Permacoat Xtreme will now allow painters to seal and topcoat in just one step, saving time and money. This new advanced product is available in four ounce, 16 ounce, and gallon container sizes.

Metal Effects is a specialty decorative painting system that recreates the timeless beauty of aged bronze, copper and other distinctive metal finishes. Other products in the Metal Effects system included primers; reactive water-base paints; activators that speed up the oxidation process; and clear sealers.

For additional information on Permacoat Xtreme or Modern Masters other decorative products and high-performance paints, visit www.modernmasters.com.

About Modern Masters®
Recognized as a leader in the development of innovative products for the decorative painting, faux finishing and the theme/entertainment markets, Modern Masters® is the number one supplier of high-end decorative and specialty water-base products worldwide. It’s high end metallic paints, Venetian plasters and other specialty finishes have been used at some of the most prestigious and high-profile properties around the world including the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Buckingham Palace and the Plaza Hotel in NYC. Modern Masters is based in Sun Valley, CA.