Paint Life Approved
You might see the slogan “Paint Life Approved” across my store on different products and tools. But what does it mean to be Paint Life Approved? To me, it’s important to only recommend the very best materials and tools to my audience so that you can get your jobs done more efficiently. So, this label is designed to show you that these tools are tried and true - made by honest, reliable people and worth the bang for your buck.
These are companies that you have most likely heard me talk about quite a few times, but that’s because their products are amazing, and all I personally use every time I’m on the job site. A lot of these companies design tools that are made by painters for painters, right in the USA. Values like these are important to me, and really do make a difference when you’ve been trying out painting products for as long as I have.
I’ve been working with PaintLine from very early on into their foray into the world of creating tools for painters. In fact, the PSDR system for spraying cabinets while hanging was based on some of my own DIY attempts with clothes hangers, PVC pipes, and 9x400 plastic. The PSDR has revolutionized my cabinet painting system and made it 50% faster. Watch this short clip to see what I mean! If you’re in the business of painting cabinets, doors, or even furniture, PaintLine has exactly what you need.
The Portable Jobsite Spray Booth has become a permanent set-up in my garage for doing odd jobs, and is perfect to be assembled in a shop or even on the go as you visit customer’s homes. While you can create your own, nothing looks as professional or packs up quite as easy as this mobile spray booth. It’s also the most affordable option for installing a spray booth in your home, so I think this is a must have for every painter out there. Lately, I’ve been using their PSDRID door spraying system in the booth, which you can see here.
PaintLine also sells professional and space-saving drying racks for your cabinet and door jobs. They’ve got every size you might need, and even a transport rack to wheel in and out of your van or paint trailer if you need to take doors between your shop and back. Everything this company designs will help make your life easier.
When it comes to sprayers, you’ll hear about airless and HVLP. I’ve got a wide variety of airless sprayers that I like to use and cycle between, but when it comes to HVLP sprayers, there’s only one brand I trust to get the job done - and that’s Apollo; a family-owned, multi-generation company that makes industrial spray equipment right out of Vista, California.
While you can use an airless sprayer for cabinet and furniture jobs, I’ve learned through trial and error that the best way to get close to a factory-like finish is to use a high-volume low-pressure (HVLP sprayer) that sprays at a lower PSI, has less overspray, and allows you to dial your fan width in as precisely as you need.
The Apollo Precision 6 Pro is the top of the line right now when it comes to HVLP sprayers - listen to John, the company owner, talk about it here. If you’ve never ventured into HVLP, there is a bit of a learning curve, but I promise it’s worth it for the finish you’ll have on cabinets and furniture. Whatever you spray will truly look like it’s come right out of the factory.
Uneeda is the only company I’m using when it comes to sanders and abrasives. By this point, I’m sure everyone knows that I’m a huge fan of the 3x4 sander. It’s the perfect size for sanding on almost every job I do nowadays, whether I’m in the spray booth or out painting a house. The compact profile and the efficiency of this sander are some of my favorite features. When I first discovered this sander, it genuinely revolutionized my sanding game and has made the process SO much easier. Connecting it to Uneeda’s vacuum system has also made dust a thing of the past, removing 99% of dust. I never thought sanding would no longer be a step in the process that I dread!
This company is dedicated to providing you with the highest quality abrasives that you can find on the market, while also trying to make costs as low as possible. They’ve got the widest range of abrasives for woodworking out there! There’s paper, plastic, foam, everything you need to get the job done, and the hook-and-loop style on the sander means that it takes seconds to switch between them. Here’s a crash course in my favorite products of theirs.
One of Uneeda’s main priorities as a company is that they are dedicated to providing you with top notch customer service and helping you solve technical challenges free of charge. I’m a big fan of the dedication and drive of this company.
Stain & Seal Experts’ products are a newer addition to my repertoire, but they have very quickly filled a gap that’s left me wondering where this stain has been all my life. This product is oil-based, self-leveling, non-drying, and has sealing properties that actually add something to the wood instead of drying it out. With Expert Stain & Seal, our fences, decks, and cabins are always protected from warping, cracking, chipping, and twisting.
Ever since I’ve started using this product, I’ve also been able to save materials on masking since the stain wipes off of metal at the end of the job. And I’ve been able to save time on a few jobs by not back-brushing since this stain is penetrating and self-levels - so there’s no need to back-brush. (I’ll sometimes still do it depending on the job for peace of mind!) For an in-depth discussion of the features of this product, check out this video and this blog post.
This company also has created a paint & stain machine for pre-staining fences, decks, trim boards - or any lumber up to 4x12’. You might have seen this video of me using it to stain a fence up at my cabin. I was able to stain all the wood for a pretty big fence in just under two hours, so I think if you’re looking for a side hustle, this might be something to look into. Contact a fence building company and ask to get in on their pre-staining - this could be lucrative for you!
When it comes to caulking & sealants, SashCo has been working their way into my arsenal over the past couple of years. Big Stretch is a great caulk to use for a huge variety of jobs - I’ll go through entire cases of it when I’m painting exteriors. Recently, I used it to repair some damage from a bird that was trying to get into an attic.
SashCo is another family-owned and operated business run out of Colorado. These guys are super passionate about caulking & sealants. Every year they also host a special dinner recognizing educators in the trades who are actively shaping the future workforce. It’s important to show our appreciation and support, and this warms my heart towards SashCo even more.
This company also frequently allows professionals to sign up for a free sample box of their sealants because they are that confident in the fact that if you try them once, you’ll come back for more. With SashCo, if you know, you know. For them, it’s all about giving back and equipping you with the right products for the job. I’ve visited their factory, met the team, and used their sealants - and all around, SashCo is amazing! I’ve made a lot of content on their products and with their team, so check out my YouTube channel to learn about each of them!
Another tried and true product is FrogTape - this is an essential tape that every painter needs to have. No other tape is as reliable and perfect for every job. Under the label of ShurTape, this company makes every tape under the sun, but FrogTape is the painter’s masking tape that I use every day. Here’s a breakdown of all of the masking tapes and what I use each of them for.
Orange, blue, green, yellow: whether you’re masking off a fence, a ceiling fan, baseboards, etc, these tapes have never failed me! The blue, green, and yellow tapes also feature FrogTape’s Paint Block technology. A polymer on the outside of the tape reacts when liquid hits it to seal even tighter, giving you the straightest possible lines. When you see a video of me, you’ll likely see a roll on my belt or sitting nearby - it’s never too far from me when I’m working.
My friends over at Premier have been making brushes and rollers for over five decades. This brand is something you’ve probably seen on the shelves at your local hardware store (or at Paint Life Supply Co). These essential painting tools are all hand-crafted, and I’ve even worked with them to design the perfect paint brush - The Brooke, appropriately named after my eldest daughter! Believe me when I say that this company means quality.
I’ve used these brushes and rollers for years and on a lot of my jobs. Recently, I used a Woven Pro to paint an interior wall, and the Brooke to do some cut-ins. I was also fortunate enough to travel to the UK & Ireland with the Premier team to celebrate their products now being sold in Brewer’s and Crown Paint stores across the pond. There are so many people out there who love Premier’s products, and if you don't, I bet you soon will.
These companies all have values that I find important, and they all make amazing products that have stood the test of time with how long I’ve been using all of them! In my eyes, that is what makes them Paint Life Approved. You can shop all of these products at paintlifesupply.com.