Do you need vibrant colors or the whitest white? Do you need something durable for a homeowner who insists on a flat sheen? Is scrubbability a key characteristic? Depending on your customers’ needs and budget, your interior paint preference might vary. But all pros have their favorites. Here are a few:       1RYAN GILL: Though his company is just … More

Rusted metal roofing, high-traffic stadium floors, and tile that needs recoating; these are just a few of the project types that the pros featured in this issue’s Pro Picks had to contend with in the recent past. Read on to learn which specialty coating they turned to to tackle the challenge and get the job done right.   BESI JANOVA: With a focus on commercial … More

Let’s face it: When you’re eager to lay down that first coat of primer or paint, cleaning up dust from drywall or sanding isn’t anybody’s idea of a party. The good news is that sanding systems—which incorporate a vacuum with a hand or motorized sander—continue to become easier to use and more flexible, and manufacturers continue to add options every year. The obvious reason … More

Erin Marshall used to get irritated when she looked out the window of her kitchen in Portland, OR, and her gaze fell on the house across the street. “It was white and it just blitzed my eyeballs in the morning because it faces east,” she says. As an interior design consultant, white exteriors are a pet peeve: “Almost nothing in nature, except a brand-new flower, is white,” says … More

It’s the image of that frustrated pro that makes John Petersen’s job so unique—and fun. It’s not that he enjoys watching a pro struggle, but 3M’s advanced specialist of product development likes to take that struggle and use it to make products better, ultimately leading to abrasives that make work easier and improve results. “That’s essentially how we develop products. … … More