PAINTSQUARE BLOG POSTS

New Cladding Developments in Resin-Cast Shapes
By Karine Galla

The monochromatic, single-material building facade that dominated the look of commercial and multi-family residential buildings decades ago is no longer desired in today’s construction landscape.... READ MORE

Color in a Multicultural City
By Jill Pilaroscia

Does red mean strength, power, love? Prosperity, rage, death? Influences like politics, religion, myth, and language contribute to how cultural colors are perceived. ... READ MORE

Exploring Color Formulation: What Makes a Perfect Match?
By Jason Loehr, Global Product Manager, Datacolor

Raw materials shortages continue to impact the paint and coatings industry with no signs of slowing down. From unforeseen disruptions and price increases to transportation delays and extended lead tim... READ MORE

What Are Pressure-Sensitive Adhesives and Their Uses?
By Emily Newton

Pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) join two similar or dissimilar components together, either temporarily or permanently. If that sounds like a vague description, it’s because these products manifest... READ MORE

The Perfect Commercial Painting Lead Generation Guide
By Austin Houser

Every commercial painting business needs a steady stream of high-quality leads to be successful. Unfortunately, many businesses struggle in this arena until they invest in lead generation and grow, or... READ MORE

School Colors That Make a Difference
By Jill Pilaroscia

Most people agree that color can trigger a response – you love it or hate it. Color response is based on both positive and negative stored memories each of us have had during our lives... READ MORE

Is There a Paint Shortage in the US?
By Emily Newton

Construction materials have become increasingly harder and more expensive to obtain. Costs have risen by as much as 11.3% year over year in some areas, raising questions about where these price hikes ... READ MORE

Choosing the Right AWB Solutions for Different Environments
By Errol Bull, P.E., CSI - Architectural Engineer, Technical Services Manager

In this article, Errol Bull, Technical Director for GE branded silicones, explores the different types of AWBs — with a particular focus on the benefits of fluid-applied AWBs. Read on to discover how ... READ MORE

The Ultimate Guide to Mixing Antimicrobial Coatings
By Emily Newton

Antimicrobial coatings can provide products with built-in resistance to microbial growth, allowing them to disinfect their coated surfaces continuously. These coatings are used everywhere, from public... READ MORE

Smart Coatings Boost High-Performance Building Enclosures
By Karine Galla

What could be better than a high-performance coating for a building enclosure? How about a finish or coating system that delivers responsiveness and functionality for exterior surfaces over the life o... READ MORE

OSHA’s Top Regulatory Priorities… Other than COVID-19
By Eric J. Conn

OSHA has been quite busy the last few months on the rulemaking front, and it does not seem to be slowing down. Despite the fact that COVID-19 still sucks most of the air out of the room, over the last... READ MORE

How to Target New Homeowners Looking For Painters
By Austin Houser

One of the most important aspects of marketing for your painting business is audience targeting. When you identify key buyer personas you understand exactly what message your ads should send. One of t... READ MORE

Painting Contractor Social Media Marketing Strategies
By Austin Houser

As a painting contractor, you may have mistaken your business for a painting company. In reality, you’re actually a marketing company that paints. Think about it – without consistent, high-quality pai... READ MORE

Why Are High-Performance Polymers So Versatile?
By Emily Newton

Researchers and other professionals who work with polymers and similar materials are always searching for opportunities that improve processes and products... READ MORE

Multiple Planes of Adhesion: What You Need to Know When Selecting a Paint or Coating System
By Warren Brand

This is a blog not only about the risks associated with using multiple-coat paint systems, it is also a blog about being intellectually suspicious whenever someone is trying to sell you something.... READ MORE

The Role of Advanced Coatings in Integrated Design
By Robert J. Kobet, AIA

I am currently enjoying a new position in academia after 35 years of practicing internationally as an architect in the fields of sustainable design and development, high performance green buildings, L... READ MORE

A Look at Effective Quality Control Practices
By Alex Thrasher

Quality control programs and reporting are nothing new to the protective coatings industry. Manufacturers’ product data sheets and engineers’ and owners’ specifications make clear that surface prepara... READ MORE

Intent vs. Outcome in Project Purchasing
By Letsfixconstruction.com

Purchasing for construction projects isn’t like purchasing in our personal lives. When we buy things in our personal lives, we go to a store or go online, find exactly what we want and buy it. ... READ MORE

The Case Against Abrasive Blasting for Spot Repairs
By Robert Ikenberry

I’m not a fan of spot abrasive blasting for repairs on existing structures. Don’t get me wrong, I think that abrasive blasting is the best surface prep you can perform, but only if it’s on a complete ... READ MORE

Saving Customer Paint Data Can Drive Repeat Business
By Industry Professionals

The retail paint industry is evolving, but one thing that has remained unchanged is the importance of accuracy. Providing customers with the correct formula during their first visit is critical, howev... READ MORE

Not 'Equal,' Just Equivalent
By Letsfixconstruction.com

Specification marketing is second only to continuing education presentations as the most effective branding and marketing tool for construction product manufacturers. A product representative must be ... READ MORE

On Plane Crashes and Corrosion Mitigation Procurement
By Warren Brand

I’m fascinated by failures. Some would say obsessed. While Chicago Corrosion Group’s focus is primarily in the corrosion mitigation field, I study modes of failures from every conceivable industry.... READ MORE

Project Compaction: Not Just for Soil
By Letsfixconstruction.com

I sat through a pre-construction meeting via conference call today to go over the ins and outs of our upcoming flooring installation. This project will be a combination of a renovated facility, with a... READ MORE

Caution: Flooring and High Fly Ash In Concrete
By Letsfixconstruction.com

Is there a problem with flooring glued to concrete with a high fly ash content? Fly ash is the finely divided residue that results from the combustion of ground or powdered coal and that is transporte... READ MORE

Misconception Series—Drawings, Specs Are Complementary
By Letsfixconstruction.com

Recently, I was preparing a masonry architectural specification section for a remodel project. The project has an existing CMU wall that is to receive a small area of new CMU infill. It’s an exterior ... READ MORE

Floored: Advance Actions Assure Acceptable Conditions
By Letsfixconstruction.com

The flooring industry is constantly challenged by the same repeating issues: installing too early, wet concrete, non-flat sub-floors, sub-floor surface not prepared, heat not on, windows not in and la... READ MORE

California Lead Paint Ruling Deserves Review
By Industry Professionals

Significant First Amendment rights are at risk in a recent California Court of Appeal ruling. Within a few days we will know if the U.S. Supreme Court will review this ruling, or if the high court wil... READ MORE

Learning to Serve
By Warren Brand

When I started my corrosion mitigation consulting firm in 2010, I had one fundamental principle in mind: to do exclusively what is in the best interest of our clients, even above our own.... READ MORE

Developing Specifications With a Partner Firm
By Bob Bailey, AIA, CCS

Many firms find themselves at some point partnered with another firm on a project that might be a large project, an out-of-town project for one of the firms, or both. Often this partnership involves s... READ MORE

Is All of Construction on a Fast Track?
By Letsfixconstruction.com

While hosting a Let’s Fix Construction workshop at the 2018 AIA Conference in New York City, a theme struck me during a discussion after a team presented its real-world solutions to a question posed t... READ MORE

OSHA Proposes Changes to E-Recordkeeping Rule
By Eric J. Conn

After years of advocacy for change to (or the recission of) the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's controversial Obama-era rule to “Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses” (... READ MORE

Pre- and Post-Job Soil Sampling for Heavy Metals: What Do We Really Know?
By Kevin Guth

If we are going to rely on environmental sampling to measure impact associated with abrasive blasting and painting, we should use an acceptable and defensible sampling method. Moreover, we should use ... READ MORE

Why We Shouldn’t Try to Change the Image of Construction
By Letsfixconstruction.com

For as long as I’ve been involved in and around the construction industry, there’s been an underlying consensus that we need to clean up the public's perception of the industry.... READ MORE

Thermoplastics: The Genie is Peeking Out of the Bottle
By Warren Brand

You heard it here first, folks. Paint is dead. It just doesn’t know it yet.... READ MORE

Fire-Resistive Tests, Specs Challenge Industry
By Allen Zielnik

Certainly, the concept of integrated fire safety doesn’t rest only with the building material manufacturers, it also rests with the architectural community designing buildings and selecting materials.... READ MORE

The State-Federal OSHA Tug-of-War
By Eric J. Conn

A fascinating jurisdictional tug-of-war has broken out between federal OSHA and a few fed-OSHA-approved state OSH programs, in relation to OSHA’s Final Rule to “Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries ... READ MORE

Everyone Needs Coaching, Mentoring
By Letsfixconstruction.com

It is a growing trend for busy professionals to spend some time each week with a coach to help them organize themselves, tackle important issues in the appropriate order and generally do their jobs be... READ MORE

Fighting Ice with Specialty Coatings
By Allen Zielnik

Whether you’re a climate change believer or denier, the predictions are that our weather is changing, with more extreme fluctuations becoming the norm. If so, the question for our industry becomes: Ca... READ MORE

Repeat Violations: OSHA's Unlimited Look-Back Window
By Eric J. Conn

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit recently issued an opinion granting OSHA the ultimate leeway to characterize citations as "Repeat." The case involved a Repeat excavation-related OSHA ... READ MORE

Controlling Corrosion on Offshore Turbines with Coatings, Part 2
By Lee Wilson

There are a number of different turbine types and structural configurations and designs, and these all have an impact on the protective coating system applied.... READ MORE

Architects Have a Duty of Professional Service
By Letsfixconstruction.com

There is some misunderstanding, both inside the profession and among the population at large, about what architecture is and what architects do. The misunderstanding begins with popular cultural depic... READ MORE

Controlling Corrosion on Offshore Turbines with Coatings
By Lee Wilson

Corrosion is a major risk for offshore wind foundations: Its effects could mean costly offshore retrofit work, result in the loss of generation and expose operatives to additional health and safety ri... READ MORE

Get the Picture: Digital Cameras on Jobsites
By Robert Ikenberry

Digital cameras are wonderful tools today and every contractor should make images a part of every job file or project record. However, effective and efficient use of digital imagery takes some plannin... READ MORE

Things to Consider When Dealing with Submittals
By Bob Bailey, AIA, CCS

Submittals are the bridge between contract documents and construction. They are also a vital aspect of construction administration that the architect needs to handle well. This article offers a few po... READ MORE

Different Forms of Corrosion Require Various Coatings Systems
By Allen Zielnik

Globally, the corrosion of metals accounts for trillions of dollars in annual costs. Some environments, such as direct exposure to saltwater immersion or spray in marine shipping, and offshore applica... READ MORE

Are We Learning from Our Mistakes?
By Lee Wilson

Health and safety in the corrosion-control industry has always been a major priority for me. I have personally represented some of the world’s largest oil and gas companies, working on corrosion contr... READ MORE

In Favor of Mass Timber Construction Systems
By Letsfixconstruction.com

Unless you’ve been living under a rock lately, you’re probably aware of the growing interest in and use of mass timber as a construction system in increasingly significant (larger and taller) building... READ MORE

Tiny Houses: Emerging Trend or Passing Fancy?
By Robert J. Kobet, AIA

It’s important to note the interest in tiny houses as a viable housing alternative, and what has grown into a global tiny house movement, has been evident for at least 30 years.... READ MORE

Just Right: A Goldilocks Approach to Specification
By Robert Ikenberry

When writing a specification for protective coatings, too much can be just as bad as too little. What I mean is: Requiring a coating system with more capabilities than are really needed may not provid... READ MORE

OSHA Civil Penalties On the Rise Again
By Eric J. Conn

As of Jan. 2, civil penalties for workplace safety and health violations issued by federal OSHA increased again by two percent across the board. Although a two percent increase does not shock the syst... READ MORE

Polyurea Shows Promise Protecting Parapets
By PaintSquare Staff

University of Cincinnati professor Richard Miller has undertaken to determine what the best way to address spalling on parapet walls is, and whether a particular sealant or coating might be preferabl... READ MORE

Get Engaged: Visit Your Nation's Capital!
By Robert Ikenberry

Every member of the electorate needs to spend some effort to be informed about critical issues of the day, and that means not just watching a particular news channel or reading blogs from people you a... READ MORE

Going with the Flow: 7 Common Issues with Respirators on Blast Jobs
By Kevin Guth

Whether it is lack of training, general apathy on the topic from those impacted in the industry, or some other reason, the ball regarding compliance with OSHA respiratory protection requirements is be... READ MORE

Financial Safety: Insurance, Bonds, Warranties
By Letsfixconstruction.com

Construction insurance, bonds and warranties are among the most confusing and inscrutable matters requiring the everyday attention of everyone involved with design and construction. Consequently, it’s... READ MORE

Is It Time to Abandon the PEL Approach to Occupational Exposures?
By Kevin Guth

Let's face it: Our regulatory process to protect the health of workers is broken. This point is so obvious it has become axiomatic in the industrial hygiene and safety profession.... READ MORE

Reporting Inpatient Hospitalizations to OSHA: Common Misunderstandings and Mistakes
By Eric J. Conn

There are several nuances employers routinely miss that affect the determination of whether a hospitalization is actually reportable to OSHA.... READ MORE

The Misconception Series — Spray-Applied Fireproofing
By Letsfixconstruction.com

Fireproofing, as covered by this specification section, typically refers to an application of a spray-applied fire-resistive material (SFRM) to steel structural framing or decking, which then greatly ... READ MORE

Advice from a Wastewater Expert
By PaintSquare Staff

Kevin Morris, a 25-year veteran of the coatings industry, specializing in water and wastewater facilities, spoke with PaintSquare about his background in the industry and advice for others.... READ MORE

Exposure to Industrial Solvents: No Joking Matter
By Kevin Guth

Most painting firms that I have encountered concentrate their control efforts on protecting their employees from breathing hazardous chemicals in the workplace. They have comprehensive respiratory pro... READ MORE

Coating Condition Surveys: An Overview, Part 2
By Lee Wilson

A great deal of the coating condition survey is visual in nature, and for this reason, various standards exist for evaluating the extent of corrosion and coating failure.... READ MORE

The Misconception Series: Gypsum Board
By Letsfixconstruction.com

Misconceptions can be found across the spectrum, in every product category and in every MasterFormat number. I thought it would be fun and enlightening to ask my go-to reps in a wide variety of produc... READ MORE

Coating Condition Surveys: An Overview, Part 1
By Lee Wilson

I have always expressed my concerns in regard to the health and safety of offshore workers due to oil and gas leaks as well as structural failure caused by corrosion.... READ MORE

Understanding MIC (and the H₂S Connection)
By Warren Brand

Understanding run-of-the-mill corrosion on steel is complex enough. I remember my confusion when first learning about the interaction between an anode, cathode, metallic pathway and electrolyte.... READ MORE

What Does the Future Hold for Specifiers?
By Letsfixconstruction.com

In the last few years, it has been proposed that owners might benefit from hiring specifiers directly; it has even been suggested that specifiers might help owners choose architects. Specific aspects ... READ MORE

Can the US Stop the Worker-Safety Yo-Yo?
By Michael Halliwell

Seeing just how political workplace safety in the U.S. has become, one can’t help but wonder: Should safety be the plaything of politics? Are the lives of US workers really secondary to financial and ... READ MORE

Design Ventilation Flow Rates for Blasting Containments: Who Decides?
By Kevin Guth

There are potential risks associated with specifying design ventilation flow rates that outweigh the benefit of their inclusion in the project specification. There is a better way to achieve the desir... READ MORE

Looking East to Make America Great
By Robert Ikenberry

As anyone who works in construction knows, projects are built on cooperation, even though owner and contractor have very different priorities and interests. Politics is no different.... READ MORE

Wet, Dry, Other: A Surface Prep Primer
By Lee Wilson

There is a vast rage of surface preparation methods widely used within the industry today for pre-treatment of ferrous-based materials.... READ MORE

Specifying Joint Sealants to Maximize Performance
By Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates Inc.

The specification of joint sealants used as weather seals in building construction is as simple as choosing a sealant material from a manufacturer’s catalog, right? Well, maybe. ... READ MORE

OSHA Delays Electronic Recordkeeping Rule
By Eric J. Conn

In a dramatic, but not unexpected, move last month, OSHA suspended this controversial data submission requirement with no word on when—or whether—a new deadline would be set for the data submission.... READ MORE

Material Challenges in Historic Buildings
By Robert J. Kobet, AIA

Preserving and repurposing existing buildings is supported by most current green building rating systems. The U.S. Green Building Council’s “LEED for Neighborhood Development” and other LEED V4 buildi... READ MORE

Educating the Young Professionals
By Letsfixconstruction.com

I have become more and more aware of an area where our young professionals are being neglected at an extremely critical time. We need to fix this.... READ MORE

Correlation and Intent in Contract Documents
By Letsfixconstruction.com

Although it didn't seem like it at the time, one of the best parts of my CSI chapter's certification classes was reading the A201—not selectively, but the whole thing, beginning to end.... READ MORE

Dusting Off an Old Standard
By Lee Wilson

Coatings generally fail in direct proportion to their lack of adhesion. It’s rather simple, really, as the stronger the bond between a coating system and a substrate, the longer the coating will conti... READ MORE

Access, Access, Access: Reach Out and Hug a Bridge
By Robert Ikenberry

Just as realtors say, "Location, location, location," bridge-painting jobs should have a similar mantra: Access, access, access.... READ MORE

Extending the Service Life of Elastomeric Joint Sealants
By Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates Inc.

Elastomeric joint sealants are most commonly used in building construction as a primary (and sometimes as the sole) weather seal to prevent water infiltration, and air infiltration and exfiltration, t... READ MORE

Writing Specifications in a Vacuum
By Bob Bailey, AIA, CCS

A 19th century Scotsman said, “Do not isolate yourself. Be among men and things, and among troubles, and difficulties, and obstacles.” The quoted individual was never involved in building design and c... READ MORE

Trump's Budget and the Department of Labor
By Eric J. Conn

The Trump Administration submitted a blueprint budget for 2018 to Congress proposing $2.5 billion in cuts to the U.S. Department of Labor’s operating budget. ... READ MORE

Construction Costs Unknown
By Letsfixconstruction.com

When architects begin with the design concept as the primary driver, or if they have a personal “favorite move,” the client’s budget is already at risk. ... READ MORE

Containment: A Time to Think Ahead
By Robert Ikenberry

Typically, the two biggest costs for projects involving abatement of hazardous paint on complex structures are access and containment.... READ MORE

Relax with a Cool-Colored Wall, or Not?
By Jill M. Speegle

Color experts have long said the colors we paint our walls can affect our psyche and it appears some of those ideas are making it into the mainstream.... READ MORE

The Questionable Promise of Superhydrophobic Coatings
By Warren Brand

Imagine for a moment painting a surface that never gets dirty. Or one that’s perfectly cleaned whenever it rains or is simply rinsed down with water.... READ MORE

What Don’t You Know?
By Letsfixconstruction.com

In my humble opinion, the best way to fix something is to learn what you don’t know. Often problems are perpetuated simply because we lack a piece... READ MORE

OSHA's Slips, Trips and Falls Rule Revamped
By Eric J. Conn

On January 17, 2017, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s new Walking-Working Surfaces Rule took effect, updating OSHA regulations that have been in place for nearly a half century. ... READ MORE

Green Building Materials and the New Administration
By Robert J. Kobet, AIA

All of this begs the question of what impact these sea changes will have on the green building materials market, including those that comprise building envelopes, paints and coatings?... READ MORE

The Proper Use of Sealants on Weathering Steel
By Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates Inc.

Sealants used as weather seals on the exterior envelopes of buildings have been formulated to achieve tenacious bond to many building cladding materials that commonly include aluminum, steel, concrete... READ MORE

A Chilly Surface Prep Method Gains Steam
By Lee Wilson

What is stopping dry ice blasting from becoming a more prevalent method of surface preparation?... READ MORE

Delegated Design: Where Does the Buck Stop?
By Bob Bailey, AIA, CCS

With the increased use of delegated design in construction projects, questions have arisen over responsibility for and acceptance of the correctness of the design and the engineering... READ MORE

The Evolution of Protective Coatings and Applicators
By Kevin Coleman

At the same time coatings have advanced, the equipment to apply them has evolved as well. ... READ MORE

Coatings Scientist: Eye on Innovation
By V.C. "Bud" Jenkins

What I like most about the coatings industry is that it is never boring. Each day promises something new to learn that I didn’t know before. Even the ordinary work of mixing a lab batch to see what it... READ MORE

Are All Surface Prep Standards Created Equal? Part 3
By Lee Wilson

Why, when the joint standards supply so much more information, are specifiers still choosing ISO 8501-1 without stating the SSPC/NACE standards as equivalents?... READ MORE

Are All Surface Prep Standards Created Equal? Part 2
By Lee Wilson

How does a SSPC/NACE joint standard on surface preparation differ from the equivalent ISO standard, and why does it matter?... READ MORE

Does Paint Make the Drywall?
By Letsfixconstruction.com

When you think about painting drywall in commercial structures, everyone is a critic when it comes to appearance... READ MORE

Green Building: A Mission Uncertain
By Robert J. Kobet, AIA

On Friday, Jan. 20, Donald J. Trump will become the 45th President of the United States. With the exception... READ MORE

Are All Surface Prep Standards Created Equal? Part 1
By Lee Wilson

Some say the ISO standard for dry abrasive blasting is in need of a revamp. Is it? And what really makes a good standard?... READ MORE

Color Champion: Frank Stella
By Jill Pilaroscia

One of the most important artists of the last century, the formidable Frank Stella... READ MORE

Team Spec: Communication is Key
By Letsfixconstruction.com

Are you communicating with your specifier during construction administration? Are you, perhaps, a little afraid to tell your specifier about something that didn’t get built according to the spec?... READ MORE

The World’s Largest Movable Structure You’ve Probably Never Heard About
By Warren Brand

It’s called The New Safe Confinement (NSC). Picture a massive, movable hangar-like dome designed to cover the highly radioactive remains of the nuclear reactor at Chernobyl, Ukraine.... READ MORE

Steel Back Your Specification
By Letsfixconstruction.com

Many factors must be considered when a design specifies cold-formed steel framing members... READ MORE

Sandblast Nozzle Selection
By Patrick Harmon

When it comes to sandblasting, the blast nozzle you use is critical. Blast nozzle selection will impact how fast you can blast, how long you can blast before replacing the nozzle, and the volume of ai... READ MORE

Is Construction Broken?
By Letsfixconstruction.com

This project is named “Let’s Fix Construction,” which implies that construction is broken—or at least not operating optimally... READ MORE

5 Benefits of Building Enclosure Commissioning
By Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates Inc.

Despite this standardization and a growing history of proven results, many misconceptions and a general lack of understanding of BECx still plague the construction industry.... READ MORE

The 'Fatal Four' and Your Worksite
By Michael Halliwell

I recently took the time to look at the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration website for some of the commonly used statistics. To be perfectly blunt, the statistics were eye-opening. ... READ MORE

Assessing ‘arc’: Is it a Win?
By Robert J. Kobet, AIA

Before I get into the discussion of the U.S. Green Building Council’s new technology spinoff organization called “arc,” I must provide you with some background. ... READ MORE

OSHA’s Anti-Retaliation Recordkeeping Rule, Part 4
By Eric J. Conn

Following the enactment of this controversial rule [the Recording and Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illnesses regulation], eight industry groups and companies—among them, Associated Builders and... READ MORE

Color Benefits Schools
By Jill Pilaroscia

The school environment is a clear example of how color shapes human experience and behavior. Unfortunately, many public-school color choices are relegated to administrative and maintenance staff.... READ MORE

Normalization of Deviance
By Warren Brand

It brought down both Space Shuttles, is responsible for the disaster at Deepwater Horizon and is an insidious issue for many corrosion mitigation failures.... READ MORE

Construction Needs a Fix
By Letsfixconstruction.com

Our biggest challenge comes from working in a bubble. It comes from only seeing things from the perspective of our own discipline. It comes from lack of knowledge of how other disciplines work and whe... READ MORE

OSHA’s Anti-Retaliation Recordkeeping Rule, Part 3
By Eric J. Conn

OSHA has expressed particular concern with the supposed chilling effect and retaliatory nature of employee incentive programs used by many employers across industries.... READ MORE

OSHA’s Anti-Retaliation Recordkeeping Rule, Part 2
By Eric J. Conn

The new “workers’ rights” anti-retaliation provisions of the updated Recording and Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illnesses regulation add language to 29 C.F.R. §§ 1904.35 (employee involvement) ... READ MORE

Ways to Get Motivated in a Coatings Career
By V.C. "Bud" Jenkins

Motivation can be described as recognizing a need for something and then taking steps to achieve that need. This can be anything, since each individual is different, but it is very human to want to ch... READ MORE

OSHA’s Anti-Retaliation Recordkeeping Rule, Part 1
By Eric J. Conn

OSHA’s recent reform to its Recording and Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illnesses regulation has created quite a stir for employers.... READ MORE

Tips for Testing Paint Colors
By Barbara Jacobs

Perhaps you are a painting professional who has just been asked for the thousandth time, “How will it look?” ... READ MORE

No Two Alike
By Amy Gibson

Have you ever been in a class or a training session with an individual who asked too many questions? How about with an individual who knew everything about everything? ... READ MORE

The Good, the Bad, and the Unique
By Bob Bailey, AIA, CCS

“In a highly commoditized world, the name of the game is creating something unique, something that stands out,” stated Catherine Connolly, the chief executive officer and owner of Merida textiles.... READ MORE

Getting Along
By Michael Halliwell

A lot has been going on recently that draws my attention back to the social side of our world rather than worker safety or the latest technical innovation.... READ MORE

How About a New 95:50 Rule?
By Robert Ikenberry

I think we should have a new way of looking at quality. We don’t have to settle for “just OK,” and we don’t have to go all the way to budget-busting perfection. ... READ MORE

How to Choose the Right Colors
By Barbara Jacobs

That’s the question, and it applies to both interiors and exteriors of homes and other buildings... READ MORE

Outgassing: It’s Not Just Hot Air
By Warren Brand

I am intimately familiar with the fine art of “eye-rolling.” As the followers of my blog know, I have three daughters, ages 16, 19 and 22.... READ MORE

Treat the Cause, Not the Symptoms
By Robert J. Kobet, AIA

Sick building syndrome had recently emerged as a collision between efforts to make buildings tighter and more energy efficient... READ MORE

Colorful Destinations
By Jill Pilaroscia

Wanderlust runs deep in summer, so this month we’ve rounded up some of the most colorful places on earth to whet the appetite for travel. From a sea of golden flowers in China to a rainbow-hued idyll ... READ MORE

OSHA Civil Penalties Spike
By Eric J. Conn

On June 30, the U.S. Department of Labor issued an Interim Final Rule to implement the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Improvements Act passed last fall as part of the highly publicized B... READ MORE

Blast It Fast: Factors that Contribute to Sandblasting Speed
By Patrick Harmon

As a contractor, the speed at which you can prep a surface or remove contaminants can be critical for your business.... READ MORE

Building a Good Foundation
By V.C. "Bud" Jenkins

I was at a client’s store last week when a painting crew of five young workers came in to buy some paint.... READ MORE

A Matter of Degree: Nothing Is Black or White
By Robert Ikenberry

We, as a society, seem to have a hard time with “facts” and “truth.” As a self-described science geek, I’m tempted to see things as bipolar: black and white, good and bad, true and untrue.... READ MORE

6 Fundamentals of Good Roof Design
By Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates Inc.

Roofs fail prematurely or fail to reach their rated life of approximately 20 years for one of four reasons... READ MORE

The Development of Protective Pipeline Coatings, Part 2
By Lee Wilson

The 1980s really did see the birth of the three-layer systems comprised of a polyolefin (polyethylene or polypropylene) topcoat, a copolymer adhesive intermediate layer, and a fusion-bonded epoxy prim... READ MORE

Painted Ladies: The Colorist Movement
By Jill Pilaroscia

Colour Studio principal Jill Pilaroscia played a pivotal role in San Francisco’s colorist movement, which spawned the popular “Painted Ladies”—fancifully painted Victorian houses for which the city is... READ MORE

The Development of Protective Pipeline Coatings, Part 1
By Lee Wilson

This is the first in a two-part series chronicling the history of protective pipeline coatings, from the earliest coatings in ancient times to the most cutting-edge current technology. ... READ MORE

Be Ready for What May Come
By Michael Halliwell

Kay Redfield Jamison once said, “There is always a part of my mind that is preparing for the worst, and another part of my mind that believes if I prepare enough for it, the worst won’t happen.” ... READ MORE

Tiny Houses: A Look at Materials
By Robert J. Kobet, AIA

As an avid blue water sailor I have always been interested in how marine architecture meets the challenges of the marine environment... READ MORE

Between a Rock and a Rusty Place
By Warren Brand

My eldest daughter, Jessica, 21, excitedly called me a few months ago to tell me about a new hobby she’s taken up: bouldering. If you’re anything like me, you’ve just had the response, “Huh? Is that a... READ MORE

The Importance of Your Learning Culture
By Amy Gibson

First things first: What is an “organizational learning culture”? Your organizational learning culture is defined by the value you... READ MORE

Office Master Specs: 5 Things to Consider
By Bob Bailey, AIA, CCS

Perhaps the best argument for creating and maintaining an office master spec is to have a centralized place to consolidate office policies, material and product preferences and “lessons learned.” ... READ MORE

Color Shock: Sandy Skoglund
By Jill Pilaroscia

Sandy Skoglund is a conceptual artist and photographer based in New Jersey. She began creating life-size installations in the early 1970s. By the late 1970s, she became interested in photographically ... READ MORE

OSHA’s Enforcement Weighting System
By Eric J. Conn

Over the course of this year, employers can expect to see longer, more comprehensive Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspections that focus on complex safety and health hazards. ... READ MORE

Infrared vs. Convection Curing
By Patrick Harmon

Many manufacturers face the challenge of product piling up around their painting department, waiting to cure.... READ MORE

Our Industry’s Aversion to Risk: Nothing Is Risk-Free
By Warren Brand

I was 18 and SCUBA diving off a pristine, white, sandy beach in the Red Sea. My dive-buddy was a highly experienced world-traveling... READ MORE

Steps to Assessing Concrete Structures
By Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates Inc.

An assessment of a concrete structure to evaluate existing conditions and determine causes of distress and deterioration provides the basis for development of a repair program. ... READ MORE

Is the USGBC Sustainable?
By Robert J. Kobet, AIA

It’s time to question the U.S. Green Building Council’s approach to transforming the building industry, according to LEED Fellow Jerry Yudelson... READ MORE

OSHA vs. DC Court: Statute of Limitations
By Eric J. Conn

Late last year I wrote about a significant rulemaking to amend OSHA’s injury and illness recordkeeping regulations to require employers to proactively submit their injury logs and reports to OSHA on a... READ MORE

Color Sensation: Robert Swain
By Jill Pilaroscia

This month we’re eager to share the work of Robert Swain, a painter whose 50-year career has focused on the dynamics and subtleties of color... READ MORE

Coatings Safety On and Off the Job
By Michael Halliwell

As anyone who reads my blog knows, my job involves sampling paints for lead, conducting environmental construction operation plan audits on bridge rehabilitation projects and addressing other health a... READ MORE

Are Your Clients Arguing from Ignorance or Authority?
By Warren Brand

For those of you who follow my blog, you’ll know I live with four women—three daughters (15, 19 and 21) and my wife, whose age will remain confidential as I prefer to remain married.... READ MORE

7 Tips for Writing a Spec Section from Scratch
By Bob Bailey, AIA, CCS

For those of you who frequently write construction specifications, the time will come when you will need to prepare a spec section for some item of the building for which no master guide spec or other... READ MORE

Old-School vs. New-School Learning: Which Do You Prefer? (You Might Be Surprised!)
By Amy Gibson

Learning occurs every day, but when we think of learning, many of us have a nostalgic association to childhood experiences. Your instant recollection is likely to be of a musty classroom or an old acq... READ MORE

OSHA Withdraws Long-Planned Rule to Reduce Slips, Trips and Falls
By Eric J. Conn

In what can only be viewed as another example of OSHA’s inability to effectively advance its rulemaking agenda, the federal agency recently withdrew its quarter-century-in-the-making draft Final Rule ... READ MORE

Graphic Color: Massimo Vignelli
By Jill Pilaroscia

This month we pay tribute to the incomparable designer Massimo Vignelli (1931-2014), whose influential modern aesthetic hinged on primary colors and graphic forms. ... READ MORE

A Tale of Two Contractors:
The Hidden, Staggering Costs of Inefficiency
By Warren Brand

It was early spring of 2007 when my old coating company got the call from Grainger World Headquarters to line the interior of four, identical, stainless steel cooling tower basins.... READ MORE

Q&A with GSA’s Sustainability Architect
By Robert J. Kobet, AIA

This post offers a glimpse into the U.S. General Services Administration's work involving high performance green building... READ MORE

OSHA Criminal Cases on the Rise
By Eric J. Conn

In the 40-plus years since Congress enacted the Occupational Safety and Health Act, there have been more than 400,000 workplace fatalities, yet fewer than 80 total OSH Act criminal cases have been pro... READ MORE

Collected Color: The Harvard Pigment Library
By Jill Pilaroscia

As color experts, we're always excited to share new developments in the field with our readers. This month we're delighted to report that the Forbes Pigment Collection at the Harvard Art Museums is no... READ MORE

Checklist for Evaluating Stone Durability
By Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates Inc.

Stone, in general, is considered a durable material; however, not all stones are as durable as one might anticipate.... READ MORE

Electrostatic Painting: What You Need to Know
By Patrick Harmon

Electrostatic painting is often not well understood in the paint and coatings industry. To help clarify the... READ MORE

Unwelcome Surprises
By Michael Halliwell

A recent article in The Globe and Mail brought to light a disturbing trend in work-related fatalities in Canada. ... READ MORE

OSHA’s Web Reporting Tool: Use with Caution
By Eric J. Conn

In addition to employers’ longstanding obligation, as of Jan. 1, 2015, to report to OSHA all work-related fatalities within 8 hours, all employers were required to also begin reporting to OSHA, within... READ MORE

Rich Color: Top Boutique Paint Brands
By Jill Pilaroscia

Why bother with boutique paint? To start, many luxury paint brands offer deeper, richer and more complex colors based on high-quality pigments derived from minerals and clay. ... READ MORE

Kindness: The Missing Ingredient in Any Successful Coating Application
By Warren Brand

It was 2010 and I had just turned 50 when I walked away from a family business. In doing so, I sacrificed roughly three years of salary. I had tried as best I could to change the culture of our family... READ MORE

7 Areas Where Construction Conflicts Can Arise
By Bob Bailey, AIA, CCS

Many construction projects are rife with potentially overlapping trade responsibilities. Here are several areas where conflicts can arise.... READ MORE

Asset Integrity and Fabric Maintenance
By Lee Wilson

Asset integrity can be defined as the ability of an asset to perform its required function effectively and efficiently while protecting health, safety and the environment. ... READ MORE

5 Winter Challenges Buildings Face
By Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates Inc.

This first blog written by Logan Cook of Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates Inc. includes winter prep considerations for buildings... READ MORE

Why I Love Green Building Science
By Robert J. Kobet, AIA

One of the great things about being involved in the green building movement is the energy and enthusiasm... READ MORE

A Perspective on Learning
By Amy Gibson

Former CEO of GE Jack Welch said, “An organization’s ability to learn, and translate that learning into action rapidly, is the ultimate competitive advantage.” ... READ MORE

Millennials: A Good Bet for Construction
By FMI

Now is the time to start incorporating a millennial-focused recruitment strategy for the workplace. 2015 represented a milestone in the U.S. labor market. For the first time, millennials (individuals ... READ MORE

5 Tips to Reduce Solvent Use in Your Finishing Work
By Patrick Harmon

I was recently with a customer who wanted to reduce solvent use. His company currently uses about 350... READ MORE

Best of 2015: Eye-Popping Books on Color
By Jill Pilaroscia

For the holiday season, we’ve selected a few gorgeously illustrated new books in which rich color takes center stage.... READ MORE

Artist Records Emotions in Color
By Jill Pilaroscia

Portuguese designer Luis Giestas recorded his emotions, at every hour, for 300 days, and laid out the result in a series of color-coded diaries. The project started as an exercise in dealing with anx... READ MORE

UK Architects Sound Alarm for Space
By Jill M. Speegle

British architects say they are fed up with “tiny rabbit-hutch homes,” with the release of new findings on the size of homes in the United Kingdom.... READ MORE

A Tale of Two Clients
By Warren Brand

There’s a concept in martial arts that the first time a student sees a... READ MORE

Should You Demand an OSHA Warrant?
By Eric J. Conn

Perhaps the most common question I am asked about OSHA inspections is... READ MORE

Deep Dive into Subsea Coatings
By Lee Wilson

I was approached recently by a fellow coating inspector who had applied for a position with a leading oil company as a SURF coating inspector [Subsea production equipment such as Umbilicals, Risers an... READ MORE

Confined Space, Common Sense
By Michael Halliwell

As I write this, it’s October, which means that the new OSHA confined space standard, published back in May 2015, is now in force.... READ MORE

The Colorful Dynamics of Glass
By Jill Pilaroscia

As the San Francisco skyline welcomes new silhouettes to its configuration, Colour Studio has had the opportunity to be involved in color selections for various high rises going up in the area. ... READ MORE

Beyond Compliance: Inspired by Confined Space Rules
By Robert Ikenberry

In the works since 1980, federal OSHA recently published new construction-specific confined space safety regulations under rule 1926.1201-1213.... READ MORE

Wellness: Focus of New Green Standard
By Robert J. Kobet, AIA

One indication of the health and stability of the modern green building movement... READ MORE

Can We Save Our Corroding Infrastructure?
By Warren Brand

It's time for a new way of thinking. Let’s first start with a story from a 60 Minutes exposé that aired... READ MORE

OSHA’s Full-Time Enforcement Policy for Temporary Workers
By Eric J. Conn

In April 2013, OSHA declared that protecting temporary workers would become a top priority.... READ MORE

Groups Respond to Call for Green Code
By Robert J. Kobet, AIA

In a deal nearly two years in the making, the International Code Council (ICC) and ASHRAE have signed the final agreement that outlines each organization’s role in the development and maintenance of t... READ MORE

No Room for Painters
By Lee Wilson

Way back in June 2011, I wrote an article that was published in a European coatings journal (PCE). In it I expressed my concerns about the health and safety of offshore workers due to oil and gas leak... READ MORE

Giving Back
By Michael Halliwell

Isn’t it amazing how many lives we touch in our day-to-day work? Or even when we are “off the clock”?... READ MORE

New Leaders for LEED: What Will Change?
By Robert J. Kobet, AIA

USGBC was founded 22 years ago with a governance structure appropriate for a U.S.-based, start-up NGO with a transformational mission. ... READ MORE

A Pleasant Surprise in the Permian Basin
By Warren Brand

The three-hour drive through the scrub of the Northwestern Shelf of the Permian Basin was hot, long and fascinating.... READ MORE

All About Adhesion
By Lee Wilson

As I have stated time and time again, if a protective coating does not stick to the substrate it is intended to protect, then it is of little use as a method of corrosion control. You see, my colleagu... READ MORE

Embracing Your Inner Geek
By Robert Ikenberry

PLEASONTON, CA--When you read the news, it seems there’s always a war on, over just about everything—and not even the shooting kind.... READ MORE

Sex and the C-Level
By Cynthia O'Malley

PITTSBURGH--In Corporate America, balanced representation of women in leadership (with significant authority and the compensation that goes with it) remains an elusive goal.... READ MORE

Battling the Employer Blacklist
By Eric J. Conn

On July 13, 2014, President Obama executed Executive Order 1376: “Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces.” On May 28, 2015, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council (composed of the Defense Departmen... READ MORE

Safer Materials: What Will It Take?
By Robert J. Kobet, AIA

The nature of building materials and products has been part of the LEED rating system from its beginning.... READ MORE

Specifications: Does Anyone Still Care?
By Warren Brand

When I was nine or 10, my summers were spent with gun-toting workmen, driving around Chicago in old blue Metros, lining the exterior bottoms of 275-gallon tanks in the city’s basements.... READ MORE

Facility Manager’s Rx for Building Success
By Bob Bailey, AIA, CCS

Maybe you just joined a health-care facility and are taking on a new construction project. Maybe this is your first big project with a new employer.... READ MORE

Designer Reinvents Aging Farmhouse
By Jill M. Speegle

Here’s a farmhouse with a modern twist, seriously. Twist Farmhouse, in Falls, PA, was not only a project to meticulously restore a rundown 1850s homestead to its former glory, but also a journey to pr... READ MORE

Brutal Color: The Human Experience
By Jill Pilaroscia

As architectural colorists, we are interested in the role that color can play in creating human spaces within our constructed environments. One example of architecture enhancing the relationship betwe... READ MORE

A New St. Pete Pier Design Up for Vote
By Jill M. Speegle

Residents in St. Petersburg, FL, may soon see their 42-year-old iconic waterfront landmark replaced after more than 10 years of debate and one previously unsuccessful attempt.... READ MORE

Unstoppable Ego v. Irresistible Force
By Michael Halliwell

As many of you know, my involvement with the coatings industry is not on the application side. As someone in the environmental field, my most common involvement is in the assessment of applied paints ... READ MORE

Standards: Guidelines or Gospel?
By Warren Brand

In coatings, as in every other profession, you can go by the book or you can go with what real life demands. Sometimes, those are very different paths.... READ MORE

Color Icon: Alexander Girard
By Jill Pilaroscia

"Art is only art if it is synonymous with living," Alexander Girard once said.... READ MORE

Best Practices: Make Room for Daddy
By FMI

The construction industry has a unique culture and a rich history steeped in predictable practices based on how it’s “always been done.”... READ MORE

Seeking Sense from the Experts
By Warren Brand

It takes an enormous amount to get under my skin. But I just attended a conference for the benefit of Illinois DOT and came away appalled.... READ MORE

When Bad Specs Happen to Good Projects
By Lee Wilson

As we are well aware, many factors can and do cause premature coating failure. The usual suspects, it is widely accepted, are inadequate surface preparation and coating application.... READ MORE

The Colorful World of Tetrachromacy
By Jill Pilaroscia

A wonderful ballet of reds, blues and greens choreographs the rich colors we experience in both our natural and built environments.... READ MORE

Wright’s ‘Hollyhock House’ Blooms Anew
By Jill M. Speegle

The Hollyhock House—Frank Lloyd Wright’s first venture into architecture in Los Angeles—is blossoming once again following a $4.3 million, seven-year restoration program.... READ MORE

OSHA Missteps on SVEP
By Eric J. Conn

It’s been five years since OSHA launched its Severe Violator Enforcement Program, and two years since an agency White Paper trumpeted the program’s “strong start” and progress on “key goals.”... READ MORE

The Business of Brand Color
By Jill Pilaroscia

When it comes to branding and business, color has the ability to communicate instantaneously without words.... READ MORE

Why Your Bridge Needs a Good Bake Sale
By Robert Ikenberry

Americans are great innovators. We develop the coolest technological toys. From personal computers to smartphones, our inventions are groundbreaking and status-quo shattering.... READ MORE

Sales is Not a Dirty Word
By FMI

No one wants to be called a salesperson—regardless of their position in the company. Salespeople are frequently treated as the proverbial redheaded stepchild at the family reunion, although everyone i... READ MORE

Game of Pros: Experience v. Credentials
By Lee Wilson

Inspectors and others in the protective-coatings field often ask me which is “better”—practical experience or third-party certification? My answer: Yes.... READ MORE

The Big Deal about Asbestos
By Michael Halliwell

Once again, asbestos is hitting the headlines. There have been articles about school-board employees being exposed via sanding tiles and a potential cover-up, about an unscrupulous individual using he... READ MORE

'Green' According to Whom?
By Robert J. Kobet, AIA

The ongoing evolution of green building rating systems has intensified debate over a critical question: “Green according to whom?”... READ MORE

Where It All Went So Wrong
By Lee Wilson

I recently returned from inspecting a high-profile gas plant being developed by a major engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) company for a big oil and gas concern.... READ MORE

But What about the Men?
By Cynthia O'Malley

Our industry will never achieve the benefits of gender equality with only one gender putting forth the effort.... READ MORE

Award Honors Curtain-lifting Restoration
By Jill M. Speegle

A revamped Art Deco movie theater on Long Island is basking in the glow of an award for its historic preservation.... READ MORE

When Best Practices Go Bad
By FMI

Many times, companies develop best practices and implement them poorly. This can result in declining morale, losing projects due to bureaucracy, and reducing profit margins.... READ MORE

Failure? Analyze This (or Don't)
By Warren Brand

So, I get a call from the manager of a tony high-rise condo on Chicago’s Gold Coast.... READ MORE

Colorscapes Serve Down on the Test Farm
By Jill Pilaroscia

As architectural colorists, we are often faced with questions about how the materials and finishes we recommend to clients will stand up to the test of time.... READ MORE

One Hotel, 19 Architects
By Jill M. Speegle

Where can you admire the architectural genius of Norman Foster, Zaha Hadid and David Chipperfield all in one place?... READ MORE

Beyond Cost: Pricing for Value
By FMI

In today’s market, many contractors assume that there are no longer opportunities to sell value.... READ MORE

The Art of Seeing:
Josef Albers and Relative Color
By Jill Pilaroscia

At Colour Studio, our job as architectural colorists is to please the eye—but visual perception of any one color is one of the hardest variables to control.... READ MORE

Beware of Stepped-Up Reporting Rules
By Eric J. Conn

This month has brought an unwelcome announcement from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration: a sweeping amendment to its Injury & Illness Recordkeeping regulations.... READ MORE

Driving Data from Disco to Digital
By Warren Brand

For nearly 30 years, I’ve watched, fascinated, as technology in the coatings industry has advanced.... READ MORE

Gen Y: The New Face of Construction
By FMI

From the field to the boardroom, the construction industry has a deepening labor shortage at every level.... READ MORE

Historic Trends for a Modern World
By Jill Pilaroscia

We have been researching historic color palettes and thinking about what exactly makes a palette "historic."... READ MORE

The More Things Change ...
By Cynthia O'Malley

I recently had the rare opportunity to sit and have an extended conversation with a longtime acquaintance without rushing through dinner to get to the next commitment.... READ MORE

Murphy’s Laws of Spec Writing
(With Apologies to Murphy)
By Bob Bailey, AIA, CCS

We all know Murphy’s Law: "Anything that can go wrong, will." Over the years, there have been many corollaries to Murphy’s Law. Here are mine, for specifications writing.... READ MORE

LEED’s Great Idea: Will It Work?
By Robert J. Kobet, AIA

For all of its global success as the fastest-growing not-for-profit organization in history, the U.S. Green Building Council and its flagship LEED building rating system have not been without controve... READ MORE

From Loyal Employees, Loyal Clients
By FMI

Today’s business environment is very different from six years ago, when the pace of economic progress seemed unstoppable.... READ MORE

5 Things About Specs You Need to Know
By Bob Bailey, AIA, CCS

Last post, I wrote, “We can’t know everything about every material, product, assembly or system, and that’s where industry partners become essential.” Similarly, I try to emphasize to our young staff ... READ MORE

Confined Space:
Have We Learned Our Lesson Yet?
By Michael Halliwell

I don’t think we go more than a week between articles about injuries or fatalities involving confined spaces.... READ MORE

We LIKE This Colorful Series
By Jill Pilaroscia

Being architectural colorists, architecture and color are two words that we think go hand in hand.... READ MORE

Doing What You Promised, on Time
By FMI

So many people are urging contractors to refrain from the cliché “on time, on schedule and on budget.” But make no mistake, this advice still stands.... READ MORE

Lead: Much Ado about Nothing?
By Warren Brand

I can think of few corrosion protective materials more durable, functional and versatile than lead. Setting aside the health issues for a moment, the history of lead is truly remarkable—like the Swiss... READ MORE

Sustainability: The Older, the Better?
By Robert J. Kobet, AIA

I recently contributed to a LinkedIn discussion about whether ancient structures and venues still in use are inherently sustainable. ... READ MORE

Opening a Loophole for Stale Claims
By Eric J. Conn

On May 21, 2014, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) published a memo discussing a new agreement about a back-door route for employees to file safety-related whistleblower claims that are too st... READ MORE

Should Human Rights
Influence LEED Certification?
By Robert J. Kobet, AIA

The FIFA World Soccer championships are underway in Brazil, and the U.S. Green Building Council is proud of the fact that six World Cup stadiums have achieved LEED certification.... READ MORE

What Good Reps Know (and You May Not)
By Bob Bailey, AIA, CCS

So that you don’t think my previous post was a screed against manufacturers and their product reps, let me tell you about the other side of the coin.... READ MORE

Technology Trips on the Generation Gap
By FMI

Time management is critical in design and construction, from conception to completion. Technology can enable more effective time management, but the generation gap in today’s workforce (sometimes, a m... READ MORE

Going Beyond the ‘Good Old Boys’
By Cynthia O'Malley

Where are the women in coatings, and why aren’t there more of them? ... READ MORE

Building a Better, Stronger Contract
By FMI

Few industries require the use of contracts more than construction.... READ MORE

Staying Safely on a Roll
By Eric J. Conn

Fall hazards are always among the top Occupa­tional Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enforcement priorities. These violations rank among the most frequently cited year after year.... READ MORE

The Ins and Outs of Color Blocking
By Jill Pilaroscia

Often, when we are thinking about color in our daily lives, it’s from the visual perspective of seeing a brilliant turquoise on a passing stranger’s shirt, a particularly striking ad or a colorful arc... READ MORE

Who’ll Take Responsibility for Safety?
By Michael Halliwell

Although I am an environmental professional by trade, my work is tied into enough health, safety and environment (HSE) programs to expose me to a variety of safety programs, styles and attitudes over ... READ MORE

Learning (Yes, Really) from Al Jazeera
By Robert Ikenberry

Last week on our bridge demo project, I ran into a news reporter I know who hopes to be involved in building the future of science and technology reporting—a particular passion of mine.... READ MORE

Designing a Better Education
By Robert J. Kobet, AIA

For most American children, teachers and administrators, education is a linear process. We march from kindergarten through middle and high school with many of the same classmates, and few institutions... READ MORE

You Can’t Specify ‘Exceptional’
By Bob Bailey, AIA, CCS

When I was a graduate architect just out of college and working in my first architectural firm, I was amazed to find out that such a thing as Sweets catalogs existed.... READ MORE

Coating Inspectors: Are We Necessary?
By Warren Brand

Over 30 years in the industry, I’ve been on most sides of many paint issues. I’ve owned a painting company; I’ve represented coatings; and I’m a coating consultant and inspector with an SSPC-PCS, NACE... READ MORE

‘Nobel’ Design Matches Prize Prestige
By Jill M. Speegle

An elegant, slender building clad in shimmering brass along Stockholm, Sweden’s central waterfront will serve as the new home for one of the world’s most prominent award ceremonies—The Nobel Prize.... READ MORE

How to Hire, and Keep, the Right People
By FMI

In his book Good to Great, Jim Collins noted, “The old adage ‘People are your most important asset’ is wrong. People are not your most important asset. The Right people are.” Of course, Collins... READ MORE

Playing on a Field Not Remotely Level
By Cynthia O'Malley

The Women in Coatings group was formed in 2010 as part of SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings.... READ MORE

Theater Designs Worth Applause
By Jill M. Speegle

A $5.4 million performing arts center that blends into the slopes of a volcano in Hawaii and a one-of-a-kind jazz venue in California are among the theater projects recently honored for their prestigi... READ MORE

Do We Need One Nation Under USGBC?
By Robert J. Kobet, AIA

I’ve been involved with the U.S. Green Building Council since its early days. Over the last 20 years, I’ve served as Chair of LEED for Schools and other education committees, as a member of the origin... READ MORE

‘Solutions’ That Also Teach Lessons
By Warren Brand

It all started over coffee with a friend. I had wondered to Dean, a coating rep, how it was that Chicago—the U.S.’s third-largest market—had never hosted a local corrosion conference... READ MORE

School Rises Colorfully from the Ashes
By Jill Pilaroscia

Last year in Normandy, France, the Jean Moulin Elementary School reopened after a terrible fire burned much of the structure to the ground.... READ MORE

Reporting Plan Makes a Bad Idea Worse
By Robert Ikenberry

Reading about the proposed requirement for companies to upload their OSHA 300 logs got me thinking.... READ MORE

Get Them While They’re Young
By FMI

As the construction industry rebounds with the growing economy, the search for talent has never been more important. Companies that have not been thinking about their future workforce must do so now.... READ MORE

Great Apps for Mobile Color Lovers
By Jill Pilaroscia

Apps, apps, apps! We are surrounded by them. They fill up our phones and tablets, and there are more of them everyday. ... READ MORE

Win the Right Work
By FMI

Chasing a lot of work these days? Who isn’t? But some teams are so busy chasing work that they are missing the very opportunities they should be winning.... READ MORE

How Much Does a Bad Paint Job Cost?
By Warren Brand

I’m passionate about everything pertaining to our industry. I have one company that consults on technical aspects of coating selection and application, and another that focuses on business development... READ MORE

Sick Over Illness/Injury Reporting Plan
By Eric J. Conn

Intrusive and burdensome are just two of the words we used in reporting earlier on OSHA’s proposed new Injury and Illness Recordkeeping and Reporting rule.... READ MORE

Land Mines on the Road to Safety
By Simon Hope

I never cease to wonder at the depths to which individuals will lower themselves for self-promotion.... READ MORE

The Purpose of Color:
The Batel Centre of Cartagena
By Jill Pilaroscia

The Batel is the auditorium and convention centre of Cartagena, a ... READ MORE

The Hidden Hazards of Bridge Rehab
By Michael Halliwell

Any time that one is working bridge rehabilitation, there are certain hazards that should be pretty obvious. The first, and often foremost, is falls and fall hazards. But there are other potential haz... READ MORE

5 Ways to Get a Leg up on LEED
By Robert J. Kobet, AIA

I am fortunate to have practiced internationally throughout my career in sustainable design and development, high-performance green buildings, LEED consulting, and environmental education.... READ MORE

Know Your Rights When OSHA Calls
By Eric J. Conn

I was recently asked an interesting question: “Employers often are told to know and exercise their rights during an OSHA inspection. What exactly are those rights?”... READ MORE

Coloring the Future: LEDs or Paint?
By Jill Pilaroscia

LEDs could replace paint as the future of color in architecture. ... READ MORE

Waterlogged Wright Home to Relocate
By Jill M. Speegle

A rare home designed by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright will be getting a new zip code and a lifeline come 2015.... READ MORE

Getting Paid—On Time, Without Drama
By FMI

Any principal of a construction firm will tell you that cash is king. There is little room for error when it comes to feeding the cash cycle. Why not apply the same focus and fervor to collecting the ... READ MORE

Closing Thoughts
By Karen Kapsanis

Years ago, when I joined JPCL as the editorial assistant, I told myself that I would stay in publishing for two years and then go back to graduate school.... READ MORE

Shack Interacts, Lights the CA Desert
By Jill M. Speegle

It’s difficult to imagine a house more connected to its landscape than this desert abode in Joshua Tree, CA.... READ MORE

Color Icon: Dale Chihuly
By Jill Pilaroscia

If ever there was an artist known for working with color, it’s Dale Chihuly.... READ MORE

I Try to be Flexible...
By Warren Brand

We are in the process of getting a water tank—85 feet in diameter and roughly 80 feet tall—back in service.From start to finish, we have about four weeks.... READ MORE

Architecting Color: Emmanuelle Moureaux
By Jill Pilaroscia

This week, we want to introduce you to a fantastic architect with a commitment to color. Emmanuelle Moureaux, a French native living and working in Tokyo since 1996, is an architect and designer with ... READ MORE

San Francisco's Color Icon
By Jill Pilaroscia

This post from Colour Studio features one of our favorite San Francisco icons.... READ MORE

The Perils of O-Ring Thinking
By Warren Brand

When it comes to failure, there are causes, and then there are causes.... READ MORE

Making Colorful History:
50 Years after the March on Washington
By Jill Pilaroscia

A recent post on NPR’s “The Picture Show” caught our color-loving eyes. The article focused on the colorization of old photographs—specifically, of the March on Washington 50 years ago. ... READ MORE

Sliding Façade Exposes House in UK
By Jill M. Speegle

After being abandoned for 11 years, a four-story house in Margate, England, is now the site of an unusual art installation—a brick façade that appears to be sliding off the building, exposing its decr... READ MORE

Up a Tree ... without a Password
By Karen Kapsanis

Sometimes, I think living in the Information Age is like trying to get into some kid’s treehouse. That’s because to get into a treehouse (and into just about everything online or otherwise digital), y... READ MORE

ECO Plans: More Green on the Job Site
By Michael Halliwell

Our job sites have sure changed over the last 15 years or so. Many things that were once commonplace can no longer be done, due to their impact on the environment. To that end, many jurisdictions have... READ MORE

Beyond the Cold Wall: A Penetrating Look
By Warren Brand

Thanks to everyone for reading, thinking about and commenting on my last blog on the Cold Wall Effect. For better or worse, the column seems to have raised more questions than it answered.... READ MORE

The Cold War over the Cold Wall Effect
By Warren Brand

Reality is not always as firm a thing as we would wish, alas, even in the realm of coatings science. Take the Cold Wall Effect: to some experts, a key cause of coating failure; to others, a myth.... READ MORE

Doom and Gloom on Blood Lead Levels (Really?)
By Robert Ikenberry

As one gets older, it’s interesting how people’s perspectives differ.... READ MORE

Techie Trials and Paper Tigers
By Simon Hope

Life is great, things progress, and every day a shiny new techno-toy arrives to make our work easier … or so we are all told.... READ MORE

Hotel Packs a World Record Paint Job
By Jill M. Speegle

A recent makeover for a hotel in St. Petersburg, Russia, features a paint job worth... READ MORE

Hot Times, Cool Opportunities
By Robert Ikenberry

It’s time to talk about climate change—and I don’t mean arguing about whether it’s happening. It is.... READ MORE

Merger Mania, and Why It Matters
By Karen Kapsanis

Over the past 30 years in the coatings industry, mergers and acquisitions have affected every kind of coatings-related business—from coatings companies and equipment manufacturers to contractors, raw ... READ MORE

A Glass Ship for Vikings Unveiled
By Jill M. Speegle

It’s airy, yet enclosed. Love it or hate it, the recently unveiled, HKS-designed Minnesota Vikings Stadium is sure to turn heads.... READ MORE

Dirty Secrets of the ‘Q’ Word
By Simon Hope

Having dispensed with human competence, can we hope for any better from its inanimate, intangible cousin ... quality?... READ MORE

Revelations of the Magic Hammer
By Tim Race

Ever hear anyone state with great authority that you can't know what surface preparation was performed after the paint has been applied? You know: Once you paint that steel, you just can't tell how we... READ MORE

Paint Adds Pride to Florida City
By Jill M. Speegle

Replacing blight with beauty is a common goal of public art projects these days.... READ MORE

Congratulations on Your Engagement
By Pamela Simmons

Today the word “engagement” does not so much mean moving to the next level with your significant other as it does, the measure of effectiveness of online marketing efforts and even of the intended per... READ MORE

Dangers of the Daily Juggling Act
By Karen Kapsanis

I have been trying to write this little essay for weeks, but I keep getting interrupted—by emails beeping, phones ringing, texts boinging, multiple projects (often with the same deadline) closing in, ... READ MORE

Construction Still Low on High Tech
By Robert Ikenberry

Construction is one of the last industries to embrace technology—or so it seems. If so, why? And is it time for a change?... READ MORE

Architectural Charm from a Wright Roof
By Jill M. Speegle

Attention architecture and jewelry lovers! For just shy of $50, you could be the lucky owner of a piece of handcrafted jewelry—and architectural history—salvaged from a design by none other than Frank... READ MORE

Attic Discovery: $30M in Artwork
By Jill M. Speegle

When the two investors bought the run-down cottage in Bellport, NY, for $300,000, their plan was to flip the home for profit.... READ MORE

Q&A: Conservation Layers Art, Science
By Jill M. Speegle

Whether she is restoring a massive painted wall or a small family heirloom painting, Chantal Bernicky takes skill and love for conservation to a new level.... READ MORE

‘Competent Persons’ vs. Competence
By Simon Hope

One of the eternal problems that our industry grapples with is defining the differences between training, competence and experience.... READ MORE

Infrastructure Needs a Good PR Firm
By Robert Ikenberry

Which would you notice first? Money missing from your Social Security check, or a patch of rust on the underside of your local bridge? Obviously, the check.... READ MORE

By the Book: NY Public Library Project
By Jill M. Speegle

Historic buildings that house volumes of literary marvels deserve to be preserved and restored to their former glory… even if we are in an age more attuned to scroll than flip. ... READ MORE

‘I’m Simply Painting Some Concrete…’
By Burt Olhiser

Coating new concrete is a simple matter, correct? All you need to do is use a manufacturer’s alkaline-resistant primer and a good top coat, and, voilà, it’s done. And, I’ll be darned if it doesn’t loo... READ MORE

Clean and Green? Maybe...
By Karen Kapsanis

I wouldn’t call it a scam or a lie or even an intention to mislead. “It” is the language that appears on many utility bills I receive.... READ MORE

Business Building: Investing in ‘Yes’
By Robert Ikenberry

I’m often amazed when I watch other contractors interact with owners.... READ MORE

Foul Play with the Not-So-Fine Print
By Simon Hope

Over the years, I have watched all sorts of wonderful ideas come and go—many of them well thought out, but also a large number of what can be described only as “snake oil” get-rich-quick schemes.... READ MORE

Getting Your 250,000 Cents Worth
By Pamela Simmons

Let’s face it. Pennies have become pretty much useless as currency. Banks don’t seem to have much interest in them, it isn’t even worth the effort to pick one up off of the ground, and I’m not so sure... READ MORE

‘Wait, Wait Don’t Implode,’ Judge Says
By Jill M. Speegle

Hold the explosives! A Nevada state judge has put the kibosh on plans to implode a structurally unsound hotel in MGM Resort International’s $8.5 billion CityCenter project in Las Vegas.... READ MORE

Tapping into a Time-Honored Test
By Tim Race

Tap ... tap ... tap ... Between the years of 1660 and 1664, my ninth great-grandfather Andries Rees was repeatedly dragged before the magistrate in the Dutch colony of Nieuw Amsterdam. The char... READ MORE

A Picture is Worth 1,000 Problems
By Pamela Simmons

In the name of beautifying neighborhoods and downtrodden spaces, murals have been springing up on many metropolitan landscapes across the country. Commissioned by respectable artists, real money is ex... READ MORE

Hadid Shines as ‘Woman of the Year’
By Jill M. Speegle

Hey! Who says architects can’t be glamorous? Dame Zaha Hadid, 62, was just crowned Glamour Magazine’s “Woman of the Year 2012.” ... READ MORE

Not Strangers to Danger
By Karen Kapsanis

Maybe you’ve had this experience, too: I have a hard time forgetting accidents that happen close to home, especially when the accidents are fatal and especially when I know the victim.... READ MORE

Bright Idea? Enhancing the Wall
By Jill M. Speegle

Wish your walls could do more? Maybe even emit light?... READ MORE

When Safety Incentives Backfire
By Robert Ikenberry

When you try to foster safety by offering incentives, do you really get what you want?... READ MORE

Too Much Rust for the Weary
By Karen Kapsanis

Although I don’t see offshore oil platforms around Pittsburgh, rarely pass storage tanks, and don’t frequent industrial facilities where pipe needs to be repaired because of corrosion under insulation... READ MORE

Protection from the Pressure to Paint
By Burt Olhiser

In accordance with our title, this column is a “Like It Is” effort to present common- sense approaches to how contractors in the real world can best protect themselves from claims based on the seeming... READ MORE

Frank Lloyd Done Wrong
By Pamela Simmons

Hard to believe, but a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright may soon be torn down—and it isn’t the first landmark structure designed by this icon to find itself in such a predicament. Not by a long sh... READ MORE

New Tools Stuck in Old-School Ways
By Tim Race

In 1973, I was playing baseball for Parkside High School Eagles with Tony Dungy. That was also the year that SSPC published PA2, its first standard for measuring paint dry film thickness.... READ MORE

Raise a Pint, Paint by Facebook
By Jill M. Speegle

With the help of spray-painting robots, Facebook fans have helped Guinness paint two giant murals in Singapore and Ireland to mark the legendary brewer’s birthday.... READ MORE

Casting a Vote for Infrastructure
By Karen Kapsanis

I really don’t like leap years, mainly because they are the years when the campaign for U.S. President shifts into high gear. And I get tired of the same old rhetoric.... READ MORE

A Surreal Game of Cops and Bloggers
By Pamela Simmons

As I write this, a hostage situation is playing out in downtown Pittsburgh. A man by the name of Klein Michael Thaxton is holding a hostage on the 16th floor of a building. He is armed and has two duf... READ MORE

Working Ahead: Office Designs for 2020
By Jill M. Speegle

So long, cubicles! Hello, hackable buildings and b(Hives)! The high-performance office buildings of the future will surely include advanced features, materials, and technologies that will enable emplo... READ MORE

In the Loop: Q&A with Paint-Recycling Guru
By Jill M. Speegle

When an Ontario-based hazardous waste company hauled its first paint can in 1997, little did it know that some 15 years later it would operate a successful recycled paint business.... READ MORE

Doing Good: Enforcement’s Brighter Side
By Jill M. Speegle

When companies run afoul of environmental laws, they typically pay a fine, clean up the mess, and move on. But sometimes, they do more.... READ MORE

Social Media: Y U Should ‘Like’ It
By Pamela Simmons

Social media isn’t new, but you wouldn’t know it from some people in the coatings industry.

Although billions of Earthlings have been Linking In for 10 years, Facebooking for nine, and Tweeti... READ MORE

Painting it Forward, 1 Town at a Time
By Pamela Simmons

Sometimes you have to stop thinking about painting and just paint. On Sunday, September 9th, workers at Durability + Design did just that. Technology Publishing Company, which is also home to ... READ MORE

Wanted: Common Sense on Next Lead Regs
By Robert Ikenberry

Recently, when I took my annual C5 refresher, I was reminded that the OSHA Lead in Construction standard is now almost two decades old.... READ MORE

Recycling Paint: Making Jobs Out of Junk
By Pamela Simmons

After 20 years in the paint business as everything from contractor to salesman, and a later stint at a failed business, Jim Cosby decided to ignore the desperate pleas of his parents to “Please just g... READ MORE

Paint on Demand: Thinking Outside the Can
By Pamela Simmons

The terms, green and sustainable are thrown around rampantly these days, but what do they really mean in terms of business practices? Naturally the first place we look is to the products... READ MORE

The Drywall Dilemma: The Rest Of The Story
By Burt Olhiser

As discussed in the first installment of this two-part article (Durability + Design, July-August, 2012), weaknesses in gypsum board finish systems often go unnoticed since very little stress is exerte... READ MORE

The Art of Paint Recycling
By Pamela Simmons

It is estimated that the amount of paint discarded in North America each year is almost five times the amount of oil that the Exxon Valdez spilled into Prince William Sound in 1989. That incident has ... READ MORE

Rebuilding a Skilled Workforce
By Robert Ikenberry

Recently, McGraw-Hill Construction went looking for skilled labor. Turns out, they weren’t the only ones.... READ MORE

Print vs. Digital: The Ultimate Partnership
By Pamela Simmons

Google the words, “print dead” and you’ll come up with countless articles, polls, and opinions in general, courtesy of many who are all too eager to shovel that last bit of dirt on the medium that has... READ MORE

Olympic Trials in Architecture
By Jill M. Speegle

As athletes continue to break records and crowds cheer at the London 2012 Olympics Games, many of the architects, engineers and suppliers involved in Olympics-related work are muted.... READ MORE

Steven Holl Offers Tour of His ‘Art on Water’ in South Korea
By Jill M. Speegle

With water as the art’s foundation and an abundance of “perfect” light, a new gallery and house in South Korea designed by Steven Holl Architects represents a “mini utopia.”... READ MORE

The Drywall Dilemma: Lessons Learned from the School of Finish Failures
By Burt Olhiser

The following is the first installment of a two-part discussion of a number of failure-analysis projects that involve an industry standard that itself has failed to some degree, though perhaps through... READ MORE

Modern Renaissance: Dynamic Color Scenario Seen in Glance Ahead
By Jill M. Speegle

How would you describe a modern renaissance? Do the terms “extreme salvage,” “restrained luxury,” and “reimagined circus,” come to mind?... READ MORE

The Ideal and the Real: Firm’s Youthful Principal Blends Artistry and Utility
By Jill M. Speegle

Creating a space that enhances communication while providing visual appeal is key when it comes to designing commercial interiors, says Solomon Cordell Buenz director of interiors and associate princi... READ MORE

Testifying for Color: Celebs Relate ‘Stories,’ Build on ‘Habitat’ Assist
By Jill M. Speegle

When it comes to selecting paint colors to liven interior spaces, the indecisiveness bug often bites. Heck, the indecisive bug sinks its teeth in two or three times a day for me…selecting what to wear... READ MORE

Managing to Prosper: Planning and Executing an Effective Game Plan
By Burt Olhiser

This is the first in what will be an ongoing series of columns in Durability + Design. With that in mind I thought I should spend a minute to introduce myself and provide you, dear reader, with... READ MORE

Elevating the Design: Decorative Finishes Jolt the Voltage of Upscale Hotel
By Jill M. Speegle

Decorative-painting projects in commercial spaces can present a host of daunting challenges. But imagine creating masterful finishes in a bustling elite hotel in downtown Chicago.... READ MORE

Barbie and Zaha: Fantasy Versus Reality in Architecture; or Not?
By Jill M. Speegle

With the upcoming one-year anniversary of the debut of blueprint-wielding Architect Barbie® and Zaha Hadid’s recent winning of the Jane Drew Prize, a discussion of women involved in architecture might... READ MORE

The Flip Side of Social Media: The Evolution of Connectivity that Counts
By Pamela Simmons

Like the telephone and the mail, social media applications have many uses and can be applied to many situations. But aside from the predictable, unusual connectivity opportunities have opened up for F... READ MORE

Ready to ‘Check-In’ to Architecture? National Virtual Event Starts Sunday
By Jill M. Speegle

No flights, hotel reservations, or nametags are needed; in fact, you could stay in your pajamas and still enjoy National Architecture Week, scheduled to kick off this Sunday, April 8.... READ MORE

Op Art, Circa 2012: Demystifying the Hidden Secrets of the QR Code
By Pamela Simmons

D+D News published a story recently about a QR code painted on the roof of the new Facebook Headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif. QR codes may project a complex appearance, but they work very simp... READ MORE

Vacation Planning 101: Safdie’s Riveting Museum Design in Arkansas?
By Jill M. Speegle

If you are in search of inspiration, culture, art and a dose of architectural magic, you may consider a trip to Bentonville, Ark., in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains.... READ MORE

Pattern and Color, and the Intriguing Effects Created by Their Interaction
By Barbara Jacobs

What’s in a pattern, and why should we care? Color is one thing, and of course I think it’s one of the key aspects of design, and of creating supportive, interesting, and attractive spaces.... READ MORE

In the Limelight: ‘Vegan’ Paint Company Settles on Fresh Vision
By Jill M. Speegle

With ingredients like clay, chalk, lime, and Italian marble it’s not surprising Unearthed Paints, a recent entry into the eco-friendly paint scene, is building a grass-roots following.... READ MORE

‘Indie’ Paint Company Offers its Slant on the 2012 Color Hit Parade
By Jill M. Speegle

“Sprout,” “From Farm to Table,” and “Dusk to Dawn” may sound like a playlist of the latest “indie” music hits, and there’s good reason.... READ MORE

The Little House That Did: Inspiring an Architectural Landscape Part 2
By Pamela Simmons

In her book, Margaret Henderson Floyd explores deeply the projects of these influential architects. Initially, Henderson Floyd, (now deceased), an architectural history professor at Tuft’s and an expe... READ MORE

The Little House That Did: Sunnyledge, Inspiring an Architectural Landscape
By Pamela Simmons

Along Fifth Avenue in Pittsburgh’s fashionable Shadyside area, sits a somewhat plain brick house, larger than many by today’s standards, but still modest in comparison to the 19th century mansions tha... READ MORE

‘Argyle’ Positioned to Make Dramatic Entry at New Year’s Color Party
By Jill M. Speegle

Argyle, a true, earth-inspired green, will enter the color scene with considerable buildup: billing by one very influential color and design power as the “Color of 2012.”... READ MORE

Inventive Reuse: One Man’s Trash is Another Man’s…House?
By Pamela Simmons

Anyone who appreciates a good beer now and then knows that it can taste like heaven, but the Buddhist monks of Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew raised the beverage’s status even closer to godliness when they bu... READ MORE

Sugar-Based Specs: ‘Gingertown’ Designs Sweeten the Season
By Jill M. Speegle

Chocolate, sprinkles, jelly beans and gumdrops may not meet the specifications of your typical “building materials.”... READ MORE

Mixing, not Matching: Contrast, Balance Produce Harmony in Composition
By Barbara Jacobs

What’s the real story behind the concept of “Mix and Match?” What are we talking about when we use this term? From paint color names to defining spaces, what do we mean? ... READ MORE

Decision Time…Cooking with Color, with or without a Recipe
By Barbara Jacobs

Ready to cook with color? Don’t start yet! Here are some questions to answer before using color recipes... READ MORE

D+D Asks: Do You Pin?
By Jill M. Speegle

Favorites, bookmarks, traditional scrapbooks or storyboards may soon be “old news” when it comes to design inspiration.... READ MORE

Between a Rock and a Really Cool Place
By Pamela Simmons

“Pop, someday I’m going to build a house with three walls and the fourth one is going to be a rock wall like that one.”... READ MORE

One for All?
By Karen Kapsanis

I recently heard that some owners change a contract by replacing an “SSPC-certified contractor” requirement in the original contract with a requirement for an individual who has certification as a coa... READ MORE

Mail Pouch Tobacco: Hitting the Broad Side of 20,000+ Barns
By Pamela Simmons

Growing up in Western Pennsylvania, my family rarely took a trip when I didn’t spy at least one barn painted with a Mail Pouch Tobacco advertisement: “CHEW MAIL POUCH TOBACCO TREAT YOURSELF TO THE BES... READ MORE

Specifying Mediocrity? Without a Technical Foundation, Design is on Shaky Ground
By Walter Scarborough

The architectural profession has settled for specification mediocrity. Allow me to explain. My thesis is this: if the architectural profession treated the creative design process in the same way as sp... READ MORE

Graffiti: It’s Not Just for Criminals Anymore…at the ‘Pintura Project
By Pamela Simmons

Graffiti has long struggled with its position in the world, striving for recognition as a legitimate art form, all the while landing its spray-can-wielding creators in jail for defacing private proper... READ MORE

Hey West Coast, Don’t Fault Us for Being All Shook up
By Jill M. Speegle

Traditionally this space in our Friday e-newsletter is reserved for “Off the Wall” stories of the decidedly offbeat variety, but considering Mother Nature’s recent rattling of the East Coast, I felt c... READ MORE

The Mystery of Color Perception, and the Variables at Work
By Barbara Jacobs

What’s important when the subject is the science and perception of color? I suppose that could be the working title for every post I do.... READ MORE

Batman, Architecture and a Detour Drama
By Jill M. Speegle

Well, my usual morning commute was interrupted last week for the filming of a movie. Not just any movie: the third and supposedly final Batman movie “The Dark Knight Rises.”... READ MORE

Power of Architecture? Minus Building Knowledge, There’s a Serious Outage
By Walter Scarborough

We’ve all heard the saying that “Knowledge is Power,” but have you ever thought about its significance and the magnitude of its importance?... READ MORE

Perspectives on Project Photography, from the Experts
By Barbara Jacobs

If you want to know more about the properties of paint, you go to the experts—the paint-store manager or a painting professional, right?... READ MORE

The Complaint Dept.: The Agony of ‘Blocking’ and Other Tales of Woe
By Burt Olhiser

The recent endless whining and posturing by our political “leadership” on one side of the aisle or another, complaining that they haven’t gotten “enough” from the “other side” and thus are not inspire... READ MORE

Intentional or Incidental? Taking ‘Color’ Seriously
By Barbara Jacobs

Inside or out…why should “color” be the subject of specific, intentional consideration? It’s surprising. Even though color is such a great part of our experience in the responses we have to an object ... READ MORE

When Is It a Good Idea To Turn Down Work?
By Burt Olhiser

My musings this month have to do with the reasons we turn down work.... READ MORE

Conventional Wisdom and Unconventional Solutions for Small Spaces
By Barbara Jacobs

“Make More of Less”: Touching on a few thoughts about making the most of your small spaces.... READ MORE

Conversation Starter: The Myriad Responses to the Colors Around Us
By Barbara Jacobs

Why talk about color? It’s not because subjects pertaining to “color” are among my own personal favorite topics (even though they are), but rather that we all share many common experiences that relate... READ MORE

Pondering this Matter of the Big-Box Era…or is it Big Headache?
By Burt Olhiser

I recently had occasion to become one of the wandering lost souls in a Big-Box DIY store, leading me to muse as I struggled to find a checkout lane about the “Do It Yourself” phenomenon.... READ MORE

Two Words that Made this Contractor Tremble with Fear: Color Advice
By Burt Olhiser

During my years of contracting I loved most everything about my career choice, with one exception: Those occasions when I was asked by a client for color advice.... READ MORE

The RRP Rule Hits Home (or, Why this Homeowner Paid More but Got More)
By Harold Hower

All this debate and discussion about the EPA’s lead-paint Renovate, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule has hit home, you might say, for this corner of blog space.... READ MORE

Artwork and Politics Make for Volatile Mixture in Maine Mural Flap
By Harold Hower

Murals are considered one genre of decorative painting, so we thought it would be interesting to bring to the attention of our decorative painting artisans, as well as to those who might use the servi... READ MORE

The Blurring of the Once-Sacred Line Between Design and Construction
By Walter Scarborough

My name is Walter, and I am architect. And let me establish from the very beginning that I love being an architect to the depths of my soul—it is who I am. And I love to think critically about things ... READ MORE

It’s Spring, When a Contractor’s Fancy Turns to Thoughts of…Marketing
By Burt Olhiser

How are you generating new business—by word of mouth? By online advertising? By listings in business directories? By all of these, or by other means?... READ MORE

Solar Paint? There’s a Ton of Energy Going into the Idea
By Harold Hower

In this blog I like to talk technology—the kind that’s on the fringe of practical application, maybe even on the fringe of consciousness. Just think, for instance, about the progression of the compute... READ MORE

Communicating about Quality in Painting Work
By Burt Olhiser

Some paint jobs are recipes for disaster-for both the contractor and the facility owner hiring the contractor. Telltale signs of this kind of set-up (ambush) are vaguely worded requirements describing... READ MORE

Here’s a Federal Government Activity That May Be Worth Funding
By Harold Hower

Two questions: What aspects of the Federal government should be funded, and is the government capable of contributing to our welfare in a significant way?... READ MORE

A Modest Proposal: Give Compromise a Chance—and Rational Thinking too
By Harold Hower

People today tend to dislike compromise, as seen in headlines about labor disputes and budget battles. While politics was once called “the art of compromise,” today “compromise” is viewed as a dirty w... READ MORE

Of EPA Bashing, Alternate Approaches to Clean Air, and the Triumph of Human Ingenuity
By Harold Hower

I recently read two projections about the number of electric cars that will be sold in the U.S. in the future. One, from a government agency, said there would be 200,000 by 2015; the other, from a car... READ MORE

New Micro-climate Destroys Paint
By Harold Hower

Paint chemists from New York to Los Angeles have been buzzing this past week about two massive paint failures, both in Midwest capitol buildings and both reported by the Associated Press on the same d... READ MORE

The Material Has Become the System
By Harold Hower

An exterior building membrane or skin serves as both a building envelope and a substitute for climate control systems within the building.... READ MORE

Biological Skin Proposed for Buildings
By Harold Hower

It's not a Grade B horror movie, obviously, but it does have its creepy side, nevertheless. I'm referring to a headline in Popular Science: "Architects and Cell Biologists Team Up to Make Biological ... READ MORE

Smog-eating Coating Questioned About Durability, Safety
By Harold Hower

The proposed smog-eating purple skyscraper in Hong Kong, with photocatalytically active nanocoatings doing the smog-eating, has elicited a response from Flavio Visioli of Sestriere Vernici, a paint co... READ MORE

Politics and Paint: More or Less Government in Coatings?
By Harold Hower

... READ MORE

Smog-Eating Purple Skyscraper
By Harold Hower

Smog-Eating Purple Skyscraper... READ MORE

Singing the Praises of Coatings
By Harold Hower

At the risk of sounding parochial, or self-promotional, I want to sing the praises of coatings, especially in regard to their capability to extend the functionality of other materials.... READ MORE