Colors are the fun part, so do them properly
Most homeowners spend more time choosing colors than on any other part of a paint job, and they should; it's the part you'll look at every day. But color choices also affect the work a painter quotes: how many coats, whether a tinted primer is needed, which sheen goes where. This page is for Bozeman homeowners who want to make those choices with the job in mind.
Where Bozeman began
Gallatin County's history says that when gold was found 60 to 80 miles to the west, the rush ran over the new Bozeman Trail, laid out by John Bozeman, a Georgian also hunting for gold, and that many who came that way returned to farm and trade in the valley; so the town of Bozeman began in 1864. The Montana Historical Society lists Gallatin County as created on February 2, 1865, with Bozeman as its county seat.
Those accounts are printed as their sources give them, for context. Your own house, its surfaces and their condition are what decide the paint job.
Testing colors before committing
Paint chips are small and lit by store lights. On a wall, a color can look darker, warmer or more saturated than you expected. Before anyone buys gallons:
- Paint sample patches, large ones, on more than one wall of the room or side of the house.
- Look at them in the morning, at midday, in the evening and under your own lamps.
- Hold samples next to fixed elements: floors, countertops, roofing, stone and brick.
- On exteriors, step back to the street; colors fade visually at a distance.
Many painters will apply samples if asked; it's worth the small cost of sample cans.
How color changes affect the work
A same-color repaint over sound paint is the simplest case. Big changes take more:
- Dark to light. The old color tends to ghost through. A tinted primer plus two finish coats is common.
- Light to deep. Deep colors often need a gray or tinted base primer to reach full color without extra coats.
- Bright reds, yellows and oranges. These often have less hiding power and may need extra coats.
When you collect bids, give every painter your intended colors, or at least whether you're going lighter, darker or staying close. Otherwise they'll guess different coat counts.
Sheen: where each one belongs
Sheen is the shine of the dried paint. Flatter finishes hide surface flaws but mark more easily; glossier finishes clean up well but show every bump. A common arrangement:
- Ceilings. Flat, to hide imperfections and reduce glare.
- Living and bedroom walls. Matte or eggshell.
- Kitchens, baths and hallways. Satin, for wiping.
- Trim, doors and cabinets. Semi-gloss or gloss, for durability.
- Exteriors. Usually flat or satin on siding, a higher sheen on trim and doors.
Our paint sheens and finishes guide explains each in more detail.
Product grade
Paint lines range widely in what they put in the can: the amount of pigment, the quality of the resin, the additives that help it flow and resist mildew. Higher grades often cover better and wear longer, but they cost more per gallon. Ask the painter which product line they plan to use and why. If one bid is much cheaper, the product grade is worth checking.
Preparation still comes first
None of this matters if the surface isn't ready. Holes filled and sanded, glossy surfaces scuffed, stains sealed, bare wood primed, loose exterior paint scraped: those steps decide whether the new color stays put. Our surface preparation guide explains them.
Older paint
If the house was built before 1978, the EPA rule printed on this page applies to anyone paid to do work that disturbs paint there: they must hold RRP certification, firms included, even sole proprietorships, and their workers must be trained in lead-safe work practices. Color changes often mean sanding glossy trim, which is exactly the kind of disturbance the rule is about. One reasonable question: does the firm hold the RRP certification the rule describes?
Put your choices in writing
Once you've decided, write a color schedule: room by room and surface by surface, with color name, sheen and product. Give it to the painter and ask that the proposal matches it. Read more on the interior painting and exterior painting pages, and see the pricing guide for cost drivers.