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Painting doors ❯❯ Colour tinting ❯❯ Pro Painter Facebook 

WINTER 2011 VOLUME 8, 

NUMBER 4 

Robert Candow, 

Robert Candow's 

Plastering and Painting, 

St. John's Nfld. 

The 

FREE TO PAINT 

CONTRACTORS 

Candow 

Way 

A positive attitude 

trumps a tough market 

in Newfoundland

“ 

KILZ PRO-X 

IS MY 

PAINT FOR 

LARGE AND 

SMALL 

PROJECTS.” 

Nathan Bavolek, Owner 

Nathan James & Company 

Design & Construction 

We asked you what you wanted in a paint. 

Durable finish. Fast application. Great feel. 

All at a great price. 

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it’s available. We call it KILZ PRO-X paint. 

Available in over 1,100 colours in flat, 

eggshell and semi-gloss sheens. Give 

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Closes 12/25/11 

Scan this QR 

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F e A t u R e s 

16 

the Candow "Can Do" attitude 

Robert Candow of Candow's Plastering and Painting 

keeps the sunny side up 

B R o A D s t R o K e s 

10 

12 

14 

Pro Painter Facebook 

Painters talk on line about their businesses 

Guest Column 

understanding your leadership style 

tech Savvy 

tricky tinting 

A P P l I C A t I o N s 

22 

26 

tattoo Wall testimony 

How tattoo Wall makes money for painters 

Sanding for profit 

Perfect sanding involves three machines and four steps 

D e P A R t M e N t s 

5 

Prime Coat 

Getting with an association 

6 www.getpainting.com 

Wooster...silk Brush...Green tape... 

30 

Final Coat 

Jim Caruk on painting doors 

SaleS 

Dante Piccinin 

professionalpainter@rogers.com 

Phone: (905) 858-0281 

ContributorS 

Jim Caruk, Rob Koci, Bruce MacKinnon, 

Agnes von Mehren 

Professional Painter • Winter 2011 

22 

26 

30 

Professional Painter magazine is published by 

Dynamic Paint Products Inc., Mississauga, ont. 

Canadian publication mail agreement 

PM# 40070230. Professional Painter magazine 

and Dynamic Paint Products Inc. do not 

warrant or assume any legal liability or 

responsibility for the accuracy, completeness 

or usefulness of any information, apparatus, 

product, or process disclosed herein. 

inside 

Winter 2011 

VoluMe 8, NuMBeR 4 

3

Better Results with Every Roll 

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join the 

I 

hate to admit this, but I painted for 28 years and 

not once did I look into joining a homebuilders’ 

association. I assumed it was meaningless to me 

as a painter. After all, homebuilders are the developers 

who take advantage of us, right? Wrong! 

In this issue, I spoke with Bob Candow of Bob Candow’s 

Plastering and Painting in St. John’s Nfld. As a 

Bluenoser, I just know I’m gonna hear about this for the 

rest of my life, but I learned a lot from a Newfie, one of 

the nicest Newfies I ever had the pleasure of talking to I 

might add. That’s a pretty high bar. 

Bob opened my eyes to the importance of all trades— 

painters included—being involved in local home builders’ 

associations. First off, as Candow said with surprising 

enthusiasm, painters (and all trades) earn their living 

from the building industry, so giving back to the industry 

to make it better for the generations who come after us, 

makes us better too. 

It is a simple fact: You earn all your money from the 

building industry. Everything the association decides, 

lobbies for, works to change, provides information for, all 

affects you in one way or another. 

And being part of a group of building industry professionals 

broadens your horizons. Candow jumped in with both 

feet and got involved in the national builders association as 

well, and that allowed him to travel the country and see how 

things are done elsewhere. He brought that knowledge back 

home to Newfoundland and used it to his advantage. 

Candow points out that when municipal, provincial or 

federal politicians are asked to legislate anything to do 


prime coat 

By Bruce MacKinnon 

association nation 

Your local homebuilder association can do a lot for you 

“Painters (and all trades) earn 

their living froM the Building 

industry, so giving BacK to the 

industry to MaKe it Better for 

the generations who coMe 

after us, MaKes us Better too.” 

with buildings, they seldom understand what the consequences 

are. They need an informed body to speak to and 

be informed by; that is one of the key roles of a homebuilders’ 

association. 

Seeing the building process from the trades’ and the 

builder’s perspectives can help you see the big picture. 

You could even learn to appreciate what your builder has 

to go through to get the project completed. 

Bob Candow is the first painter I’ve heard of who is 

on such a board, and I hope there are more. Besides 

personal enrichment and learning, being involved presents 

another opportunity. Painters sitting on association 

boards could have a greater say in getting the paint trade 

more respect (there is that word again). Candow is now 

in an enviable position to urge more professionalism 

among painters in his province and has been instrumental 

in introducing a program to acquaint youth with 

trades in general and encourage interest in the tradesman’s 

life. 

Wherever you find yourself, you also have the opportunity 

to change the paint industry for the up-and-coming 

generation of career painters. You have a chance to have 

a say in creating similar trade introductions. 

Association membership may also be one way to put 

pressure on governments to introduce Red Seal certification 

for the painting trade, with its standardized training 

and testing for painters. Such changes would benefit 

everyone in the building industry by getting rid of the 

fly-by-night guys and raising quality standards, customer 

satisfaction and probably prices for higher-end work. 

But it’s not just about prestige for guys who work hard 

every day doing work most people shudder to think about. 

Getting proper respect would help painters across Canada 

be much happier in their chosen profession, and everyone 

knows that someone doing something they love to do will 

always do great work. 

If nothing else, being part of local, provincial or 

national homebuilders’ associations would get the building 

industry to take painters more seriously. And your 

contractors and customers would take you more seriously, 

too. That’s a win-win. 

5

6 

www.getpainting.com 

Magikage Ninety 9½” frame 

This frame has a chrome-plated shank with 

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Silver Tip paintbrushes 

Silver Tip brushes are made with a blend of white 

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provide exceptional leveling and smoothing. 

Perfect for latex paints, applying enamels to metal 

or polyurethanes on wood. Wooster Silver Tip 

brushes deliver a high-quality finish at a low price. 

Pro/Doo-Z covers 

When you need a roller that provides dense, high-capacity 

fabric with interlocked fibers to prevent shedding, 

Pro/Doo-Z covers is your choice. No other roller 

produces smoother results. You get flawless coverage 

with all paints, flat to gloss. Wooster Pro/Doo-Z 

delivers confidence with even the most demanding 

coatings: industrial enamels, epoxy floor finishes, 

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For more information on the tools and suppliers seen here, go to www.getpainting.com 

or call 1-800-670-6021. 

Professional Painter • Winter 2011

Ultra/Pro paintbrushes 

These brushes provide professional results in Extra-Firm, 

Firm, or Soft formulations. Made with NylonPlus filament, 

Extra-Firm offers superior stiffness and cut-in control. 

The nylon/polyester Firm blend has outstanding capacity 

and coverage, great for all-purpose painting. The 100 per 

cent nylon Soft blend produces mirror-like results and 

cleans easily. 


Chinex FTP paintbrushes 

Chinex brushes offer better cleanability and durability 

than any other brush. They outwear bristle seven to 

one. The FTP has more stiffness and a fuller, softer 

tip that is available exclusively from Wooster. 

With increased paint release and reduced drag for 

the smoothest finish, new Chinex FTP brushes are ideal 

for today’s paints. 

For more information on the tools and suppliers seen here, go to www.getpainting.com 

or call 1-800-670-6021. 

7

8 

www.getpainting.com 

Products 

Dynamic ProFessional Brushes 

dyna-Flo Polyester/Nylon 

Polyester/nylon filament blend provides 

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solomon Polyester/Nylon 

Delivers outstanding value for a production 

applicator. excellent performance in all paints. 

commander Polyester 

Premium quality with professional featureschiseled 

brush head, square stainless ferrule, 

tapered round polyester filaments. 

silk Poly/Bristle 

This premium quality paint brush delivers 

professional results in both oil-based and 

water-based coatings. it’s professional 

features include a round, stainless steel 

ferrule and chiseled end. 

For more information on the tools seen here, go to www.getpainting.com or call 1-800-670-6021. 


Products 

Dynamic EDgEwisE PaintEr’s taPEs 

Edgewise Premium 14-day tape 

when you need a clean release within 14 days, this is 

the tape you need. it is safe for most surfaces, provides 

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surfaces. available in 24, 36, 48mm x 55mm sizes. 

Edgewise General Purpose tape 

this is a high tack, versatile tape suitable for production, 

commercial, residential, construction and industrial 

masking applications. it is made from semi-creped 

paper and a solvent based natural rubber adhesive. 

available in 24, 36, 48mm x 55mm sizes. 


Edgewise Professional 60-day tape 

this tape is a residue-free release tape safe for 60-plus days. 

it protects against bleeding and seepage and is sunlight/UV 

resistant. it is available in 24, 36, 48mm x 55mm sizes. 

Edgewise Premium 7-day tape 

with this tape, you have safe release within seven days. 

as with the other releases, it is sunlight/UV resistant and 

safe for most surfaces. available in 24, 36, 48mm x 55mm sizes. 

For more information on the tools seen here, go to www.getpainting.com or call 1-800-670-6021. 

9

facebook painters 

A FAceBook 

Conversation 

Pro Painter magazine’s Facebook page has attracted a small but loyal following in the 

last year. The conversation below is a small part of what our Facebook painters are 

talking about while they help each other learn and grow professionally. 

Editor RB MacKinnon starts off this conversation by asking members about painting decks 

Discussion Board Topic View 

Topic: Painting decks 

Post #1 

Post #2 

Post #3 

Post #4 

Post #5 

Post #6 

RB MacKinnon wrote 

Who has a deck? 

Who has it varnished or painted? 

Who manages to keep it looking good? 

What do contractors do to maintain a deck? 

Paul Bisson wrote 

I have painted and stained decks over the years. I prep them good: always use a power washer, scrape by 

hand, then sand with power sander, dust really well, spot prime, then paint. I use a moisture meter to make 

sure moisture is low before applying the finish. I apply extra coats in high-traffic areas. 


Thanks Paul for that. I really hate doing decks because no matter how I do them, they still peel after a few 

years. Is this common? 


It’s a common problem unless you are there with the carpenter when the deck is being built. What helps 

is proper dry lumber. I do not like pressure-treated and will not paint it. When the end cuts are sealed on 

regular lumber and primed all the way around, it sure helps. It doubles the life of the paint being sealed since 

moisture now has a hard time getting into the wood and lifting the coating. Rubber-backed rugs on decks 

are not good, as moisture builds up between the lumber and rubber back. 

Glen Rogers wrote 

Numerous deck products claim to last five - 10 years or even longer, but I have not found a single product 

that lives up to these claims. What I do find is many home owners disappointed with cracked, peeled and 

faded decks. In the B.C.’s Lower Mainland, problems tend occur as quickly as the first year. My suggestion to 

clients is to use a semi-transparent deck oil. That should avoid the nasty job of striping when the time comes 

to resurface. 


I agree. I believe in using a moisture meter, together with a little double-boiled linseed oil in the stain. Let it 

penetrate and stay wet a little longer to soak into the wood. Of course, saying that, you also must clean the 

wood well beforehand to remove dirt and other foreign matter likely to effect adhesion. 

10 Professional Painter • Winter 2011

Discussion Board Topic View 

Topic: Pricing a job 

Post #1 

Post #2 


Jason Windsor wrote 

broad strokes 

I hope you can help me. I am starting my own business and have not got my pricing down. My main concern 

is trim. I would like to know the base rate per linear foot or square foot. I have a huge opportunity but I need 

the right pricing. If you can help, that would be awesome. 


I would not recommend taking on a large job if you don’t know your variables. At the very least, calculate 

how long per room it takes to do your trim, add that to your wall and ceiling square foot price and add time 

for preparation, plus a small amount for ongoing business expenses like insurances, materials, etc. 

That said, it would be unwise to do a large job on your own without experience. You may lose money, or 

worse, the customer suffers and the reputation of the painting industry suffers. The best advice would be to 

subcontract a good, experienced painter for the job and work alongside him, adding a wage for yourself. Observe, 

learn and find out what it really takes to do a proper paint job. Use it as an opportunity to learn from 

an expert. Don’t be greedy and expect to make a great score. That will save you years of bad experiences and 

accelerate your learning curve. I wish I had of done it this way to start. I would have learned a lot faster but 

like most people, I saw the dollars, not the sense. 

Picture Gallery 

The Pro Painter Facebook page has become a great place for painters to share their project pics. 

Paul Bisson recently painted a railway station. 

If you have a Facebook page and you would like to be a part of the conversation, just search “Pro Painter 

magazine” in the search box of Facebook and the page will be one of the first to come up. 

11

oad strokes 

For effective leadership, 

understand your style 

In leading any organization, including a small painting company, 

leaders must understand this simple truth: style does matter. 

The distinctions of leadership styles could be endless; however, 

the following six styles are the most prominent. 

CharismatiC: This is leadership by infusion of energy 

often embodied in the personality of the leader. This leadership 

style may encompass a wide swath of personalities, 

but the common ingredient is that the energy ushered in 

by the leader is closely connected to the leader himself. 

Once Elvis leaves the building, so does some of that infectious 

energy! 

teChniCian: This is leadership by displaying both 

knowledge and skill. This style is highly valued in cultures 

where competence is high in economic value. It is leading 

by simply being the best producer of what your organization 

produces. This leadership style can influence their 

arena with an impeccable reputation, and sets the bar for 

the standard of work quality. 

strategiC: This is leadership by connecting the dots. 

This style is embodied in people who tend to be global and 

conceptual thinkers. They not only are able to see the end 

destination, but they know the path to get there must be 

identified and paved. Tragically, this style can be marred 

by the blues, because not only do strategic leaders see 

what could be, they see what is not. 

team Builder: Here, leadership is by roles and unity. 

This style recognizes that you can’t just assemble any group 

of people and claim you have a team. This leadership style 

is employed by people who look at people individually and 

find individual roles for them to fill. At the same time, they 

align these individuals into a cohesive whole. 

managerial: This is leadership by systems. This style 

focuses on doing things right. Processes and systems are 

designed and understood so that current operations function 

consistently. Though some would argue that managers 

are not leaders, you have to acknowledge that effective 

By glenn gutek 

managers have a profound influence on those that surround 

them. In fact, they have the capacity to lead a culture that 

prizes management, even at the expense of effectiveness. 

direCtive: Here we have leadership by control. This style 

was once enamored with the industrial revolution. In recent 

years, it has been stated that command and control are no 

longer cherished. However, any organization in crisis would 

love to have a directive leader step forward and bring order 

out of chaos. There is still a need for directive leaders. 

How to employ your understanding of 

leadership styles 

There are circumstances where certain styles flourish and 

others where they flounder. Your job is to find yourself 

in an environment where your style will flourish. As a 

leader, not only should you know your natural style, but 

you should also know the “shadow side” of that style: How 

does your winning formula undermine your effectiveness? 

Typically, a leader’s ineffectiveness will not be exposed, 

even if one of their weaknesses is revealed. Ineffectiveness 

will shine when your strength runs amuck. There is 

an old saying that if the only tool you have is a hammer 

the whole world looks like a nail. Some of the biggest 

mistakes in leadership are when you are using a hammer 

when sand paper is required. 

Effective leadership in today’s diverse culture will 

require a team approach, and teams require diverse leadership 

styles. By not only employing the best leadership 

style for you, but also knowing when to adapt to other 

styles, you can effectively lead your team to success. 

Glenn Gutek is a speaker and CEO of Awake Consulting 

& Coaching. For more information visit www.AwakeConsulting.com 

or contact Glenn at glenn@awakeconsulting.com 

or 407-901-4357. 


3 reasons why Bulls Eye 1-2-3 ® 

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GREAT HIDE 

GREAT ADHESION 

GREAT STAIN KILLER 

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It’s no wonder! Bulls Eye 1-2-3 dries fast, resists rust fl ashing and its mold and mildew 

resistant fi lm makes it ideal for high humidity areas. It seals porous surfaces and bites 

into oil-base enamels. And its proprietary resin system gives it exceptional fl exibility 

and durability, so it’s great for any painting project – inside and outside! 

For more information, please visit www.rustoleum.ca or call 1-800-387-3625 

for a dealer near you!

oad strokes | Tech Savvy 


Colour Matching 101 

E 

very paint has a unique set of characteristics and 

ingredients—sheen level, elasticity, opaqueness, 

tint quality, base quality, the nature of the fillers 

and VOC levels. If the paint is more than five 

years old, it is possible that even the formulation 

has changed; Witness the drastic changes in the last two 

years due to changing VOC regulations. There are a host 

of variables that need to be taken into account. Add to 

that the fact that, as we all know, not all paint is created 

equally, and where some are hard to match no matter 

what you do, others seem made for matching. 

Matching over time 

Even if you find a paint that matches the sheen level of the 

existing wall, new and old paint have different sheens and 

will fade differently. Older high-VOC paints break down 

much faster, and so even if the sheen matches after you 

touch it up with a mini-roller, a few months later the spots 

stand out. If you think the wall is situated where variable 

sheen will show, matching may not be the best way to go. 

Computer matching 

The most common way to match paint colours today is 

with the use of a computer matching system. With an 

accuracy of about 90 per cent, computer-based matching 

is nearly perfect for the untrained eye. For that next ten 

per cent, it takes the matching ability of the computer 

plus the experience of a good colour-matching technician 

who can adjust the computer-derived colour with small 

amounts of tint to get it just right. 

How the computer does it 

Computer matching uses a spectrophotometer that scans 

the paint sample using a tungsten bulb to simulate daylight. 

The bulb produces pure white light since white light 

is made up of all the colours of the visible light spectrum. 

Newer machines use light emitting diodes (LEDs) that are 

even more accurate and use less power. 


Constantly changing paint formulations have made accurate, 

invisible touchups almost, but not completely, impossible 


The paint sample to be matched is held in front of the 

light box and flooded with white light that reflects off 

the sample onto a small wheel at the back of the light 

chamber. The rotating wheel is a highly-efficient analyzer, 

made up of as many as 31 interference filters. Each filter 

is designed to allow only a specific wavelength (ten nanometres 

worth) of light to pass through it, while all the 

other colours are reflected away. 

Fiber optic cables then transmit the colour information 

collected to a photo diode that digitizes the information 

for the computer software to read and create the 

perfect recipe of tints in a specific paint base to match 

the paint sample. 

Base and paint line effect 

The paint base and the paint line are critical. Only topline 

paints should be used when tinting because they 

hold colour longer. Also, flatter paint will return a more 

accurate tint-matching combination, as glossier paint 

makes the processing of the chip more unreliable. A 

glossy colour sample will cause glare and reflect light off 

the sample. 

The latest spectrophotometers come equipped with 

LED lights that create a laser-like beam of light that can 

reflect off an object and reject ambient light in the room. 

This means painted samples like rad covers or metal can 

be brought in to be read and don’t have to be clamped to 

the light box in front of the machine. 

When you are done matching 

Once a sample has been matched and a small amount 

of paint is mixed up, the new paint should be rolled on 

using a mini-roller to more accurately create the roller 

texture and stippled effect of the paint. The tighter the 

nap of the roller at the time of application the glossier the 

finish, so matching the paint texture on the wall is just as 

important. 

15

Kevan Dick, 

Lantzville Painting 

Nanaimo, B.C. 

Photo: Ned Pratt/KlixPix cover story | Robert Candow’s Plastering and Painting 

THE CA 

APPRO 

Robert Candow is a “can do” 

painting markets in Canada. 


NDOW 

ACH 

painter in one of the toughest 



The man behind Robert Candow’s Plastering 

and Painting keeps 12 to 15 men hopping 

on two plastering crews and three painting 

crews, doing mostly subdivision and custombuilt 

homes in and around St. John’s Nfld. 

Candow was 14 when he learned his first life lesson. He 

was hired to paint the outside of his girlfriend’s house and 

discovered how suited he was to being a painter. It took a 

few years for that lesson to stick, but it was the beginning 

of a lifetime of lessons that have made this student of the 

craft the success he is today. 

Lesson Two 

While still in high school, Candow took a job working in 

a hospital kitchen in the meat room, the kind of job any 

union person would drool over. It was a secure government 

job he could have kept comfortably for 30 years, but 

Candow decided early on that he didn’t like to see people 

given promotions based on seniority instead of on merit. 

“I watched my truck-driving dad and stay-at-home mother 

work very hard for what they had,” Candow says. “As a 

kid I decided that whatever I did for a living I would do 

for myself.” 

His opportunity to paint came at age 17 when two local 

painters promised him a full-time job. He went out and 

bought his long-dreamt-of van and then got laid off two 

weeks later. Not to be deterred, and fancying himself artistic, 

Candow started making decorative plaster casts to sell. 

As well, he played the club circuit with the rock band he 

started after dropping out of university. 

17

cover story | Robert Candow’s Plastering and Painting 

Lesson Three 

The next turning point came when Candow got his first 

unemployment cheque. Thinking back to his first career 

decision, he decided on the spot that he wasn’t going to 

accept money he didn’t work for. He never took another 

EI payment again. 

A year later Candow went to a local paint store to 

negotiate a credit account to get started on his own and 

the owner almost laughed him out of the store. He got his 

credit though, and not long after, while playing music in a 

bar one night, the man who laid him off had a new offer, 

this time to become his partner. Candow had the van and 

the credit while his new partner provided the experience 

and the ability to sell. “Grey hair makes all the difference 

in the painting business,” Candow says. “People assume 

that you don’t know what you are doing if you are young.” 

The two started a ten-year partnership and did well painting 

subdivision homes and custom-built units. 

After ten years, the partnership broke up suddenly 

when Candow’s partner walked away, unhappy about 

Candow’s refusal to “put all the company’s eggs in one 

basket.” They had an opportunity to work exclusively for 

one higher-paying builder, but Candow refused. His partner 

went with the contractor and Candow went his own 

way. The “exclusive,” high-paying contractor went under 

eighteen months after the split. 

Lesson Four 

During the early years, Candow learned to do all the 

ugly work others refused to do and picked up all the 

customers his competition didn’t like. “It made me a 

better painter and a more patient person,” Candow says. 

“I didn’t think anyone owed me anything, and I felt that 

since I was young, I had to earn my stripes.” 

Two of Candow’s four brothers became union presidents 

and it made for some interesting dinner conversations. 

“But I have an expert consultant in my corner: my 

82-year-old grandmother, who always told me to not just 

work hard, but smart,” Candow says. 

Lesson Five 

Candow’s route to success was to read books about 

wealthy and successful people to learn tidbits he could 

put into practice. His life-changing book was The Wealthy 

Barber. “I got so excited; I bought six more of the books 

for my friends. I love to help people succeed,” Candow 

says. “I have one friend who has just retired and he keeps 

thanking me for giving him the book. He learned to put 


money away in RRSPs before it became fashionable. It 

was about the magic of compound interest.” 

Giving back 

The game-changer for Candow was meeting builder 

Geoff Clark of Fairview investments right after his 

partnership split. Clark introduced Candow to the Eastern 

Newfoundland Home Builders’ Association(ENHBA) 

where he had his eyes opened to the larger picture of the 

building industry. 

“Geoff said the association supports the trades, how 

about I support the builder’s association,” Candow says. 

“I didn’t think I had anything to offer builders, but as I 

got involved in the nuts and bolts of the association, and 

also in the Canadian Home Builders’ Association, I was 

exposed to all aspects of building and got a whole new 

appreciation for what builders have to do to create safe 

homes.” 

Candow’s attitude towards the industry was at odds 

with the opinions of his brothers, the union heads, who 

felt the industry owed them something. “I made my entire 

living from the building industry, so every decision the 

associations made, everything they lobbied for, and what 

they worked for affected me directly or indirectly. It was 

only right to give back some of my time and effort to 

support it.” 

Making a difference 

At every level of government—municipal, provincial and 

federal— laws are passed by politicians who don’t always 

understand or see how their decisions affect the building 

industry. “The decision-makers need an informed body to 

speak to and to be educated by,” Candow says. “Sitting 

around the table I got to see lots of different points of 

view and added my opinions when and where it seemed 

right to do so. From bankers and suppliers to tradespeople, 

each component of the construction process has 

unique challenges.” 

Band of brothers 

Meeting contractors from across the country showed 

Candow was not alone in the challenges he faced. “I 

discovered we all have trouble with employees, like 

absenteeism and quality of work,” Candow says. “Before 

joining, I thought it was just me who had employee problems 

and I just couldn’t get my men to work right. But I 

saw good and bad bosses and trades wherever I went. It’s 

human nature more than any system. The broad view I 

experienced is what changed me.” 

Candow has settled with a core of a dozen men who 

enjoy painting and plastering as much as he does. Some 


Photo: Ned Pratt/KlixPix 

Home Builders’ 

Associations 

RoBeRt CAndoW HAs BeCome an integral part of the 

Eastern Newfoundland Home Builders’ Association, a 

branch of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association. 

He has served on and has been chairman of provincial 

and national organizing committees, including local 

home shows and conferences. He has also served as 

president of the provincial chapter. In 2005 Candow 

won the award for Member of the Year, in the “Non- 

Builder” category. 

Wanting to give back to the industry that provided 

his living over his 20-plus-year career was what got 

Candow into the association ten years ago, but the 

education he receives more than outweighs the few 

hours he continues to put in each week. He is proof 

that home builders’ associations aren’t just for and 

about builders. 

Building sub-trades are crucial to the completion a 

project, so input is needed from a representative from 

each trade and sub-trade, especially in these days of 

specialization. “Builders asked me for a painter’s-eye 

view of the building process and, as a result, they 

learned how to improve their homes by understanding 

19

20 

cover story | Robert Candow’s Plastering and Painting 

our needs better. If we can do a better job as a result 

of their co-operation, the job, the trade and the builder 

all look better,” Candow says. “If you care about your 

trade, you have to get involved. Every painter in your 

region will benefit from your input. 

“Seeing what the other trades need in the process 

helps you better prepare for those trades and helps you 

become more tolerant of delays ahead of you.” More 

importantly, Candow saw the same disparity between 

trades as he saw at home. All across Canada, there 

were good, bad and indifferent painters, carpenters 

and electricians. Individual ethics and backgrounds 

dictated the work ethic of the trades, not the province 

you worked in. 

Candow’s best example of an expanded viewpoint 

came from a trip to Calgary where he and fellow St. 

John’s contractor Elmo Russell looked at high-end 

townhouses. A contractor back home wanted to build 

a set of high-end townhouses but was being blocked by 

City Hall and the neighbours. It was typical NIMBYism, 

the “Not in my backyard” attitude Candow says. 

Townhouses had a reputation of being low quality, 

poorly built, unsightly and for low-income residents. 

“It looked like we were going to lose a lot of highend 

work, until we came back from our trip and spoke 

in City Hall, explaining that some people didn’t want 

big yards with lawns or pools or large garages,” Candow 

says. “Instead they wanted high-end upgrades 

like hardwood floors, oak handrails and marble in the 

kitchens and bathrooms.” 

What was nearly a lost building project became 

a prized high-end townhouse development, which 

launched several others like it on the island. “Projects 

like this are a vision of the future, where higherdensity 

housing done right decreases our footprint 

on the environment while providing more homes for 

more people,” Candow says. “David Suzuki would be 

proud.” 

Also as a result of Candow’s travels, rounded metal 

wall corners are the standard in higher-end homes 

now. He saw them in the same kind of new construction 

projects he was doing and brought the idea back 

to Newfoundland. 

But Candow is proudest of having been instrumental 

in forming the “Try the Trades” program for high 

school students and recent graduates. Candow does 

some in-classroom orientation for the budding tradespeople, 

and then they get four paid weeks (funded by 

provincial and federal dollars) of hands-on experience 

in each of the building subtrades. —BM 

of his crew are young people who went through a program 

Candow helped set up through the ENHBA, called 

“Try the Trades.” 

Since construction has become so specialized, this 

program gives youth a month of paid work to try out 

all the trades on a jobsite, to let them see what sticks. “I 

have nothing against college or university if that works 

for you, but there is nothing wrong with doing physical 

work and coming home dirty,” Candow says. “The key is 

being lucky enough to work at something you love, and I 

love what I do.” 

Mike Lee, a retired builder who still works with the 

ENHBA, helped Candow set up the Try the Trades program. 

“Rob is always looking for painters to keep up 

with the demand. After 30 years his reputation speaks for 

itself,” Lee says. “Now kids of people who had Rob paint 

their house are demanding he paint their new homes. 

There’s no better reference than that.” 

The Candow way 

Candow’s pet peeve is training guys to be proficient painters, 

only to see them take off to Alberta for the big bucks 

or set up shop in the same city as he is in. Another is his 

guys changing his system that works for something they 

like better without telling him. 

“I had one guy so determined to do things his way, I 

challenged him to paint doors and frames with me,” Candow 

says. “His way took a few minutes longer than my 

way. Then I told him to multiply those few minutes for 

all the doors and windows in the house and it came up to 

more than an hour. He wasn’t keen on the idea of staying 

an extra hour after quitting time to finish his work doing 

it his way. 


“I don’t need employees who drag morale down or 

fight you all the time. Some guys are never happy. I have 

a system that works, and as long as it’s my business and 

my money, they do things my way. I also learned employee 

strategies by talking with other contractors and reading 

books. If I could get my employees on my side they 

will always do good work for me. But if they are ticked 

off at me, even if I’m right, then I lose in the long run.” 

The fun lesson 

Elmo Russell, of ERCO Homes, is a builder Candow met 

through the ENHBA and has travelled the country with. 

He taught Candow to loosen up a bit and put some fun 

back into his life. On various conference trips, Russell 

has dragged Candow off to learn how to ski, play golf and 

even ride motorcycles. “It’s cost me a pile of money ever 

since and it hasn’t changed my business ethic, but he did 

help me to loosen up a lot,” Candow says. 

“I just came along at the right time of his life,” says 

Russell. “I like to have fun no matter where I am or what 

I’m doing. Robert, though too serious at first, was always 

up to try anything. We had a lot of fun but got a lot of 

work done too.” 

Association partners 

But it isn’t all fun and games for Candow and Russell. 

They have worked tirelessly on the ENHBA and the Cana- 


dian Home Builder’s Association together.“Robert is one 

of the very few Newfoundland contractors who is a nonbuilder 

who became president of the ENHBA,” Russell 

says. “He was the face and voice of our association and he 

could (and still does) speak about any issue with anyone. 

He is very highly respected in the association.” 

The biggest lessons of all 

Through watching his parents raise five kids, reading 

books and running a business, Candow has learned to live 

below his means. “People assume things will always be 

good and so get in way over their heads in debt,” Candow 

says. “I treat my own life the same as my business: don’t 

waste material, effort or work. Buy what you need and 

don’t waste money. It’s not about what you want to do; it’s 

about what you need to do to survive.” 

He also knows that the secret of success in painting has 

always been, and will always be, preparation. The majority 

of companies out there do 95 per cent of things right, but 

it is the rough wood in a closet or an unpainted edge under 

something that the customers see that annoys them the most. 

“I do the last five per cent as well,” Candow says. “If 

the customer catches their sweater on a rough piece 

of wood inside the closet or sees sloppy plastering or 

painting inside a cabinet or under a sink, it gets back to 

the builder, who remembers next time. I don’t leave the 

imperfections for the next guy to have to fix.” 

21

OUR WALLS 

CAN TALK 

Learning the real stuff from the best applicators 

This is a copy of Adam and Eve by art deco painter 

Lempicka, done as a Tattoowall by husband and 

wife team Maxime and Johanne Jacquel. 

By Agnes von Mehren 

Masters Academy president Agnes 

von Mehren interviews contractors 

and decorators who have taken the 

Tattoowall installers course for their 

ideas and comments. 

In the ever-changing world of painting and decorating, 

it is very important to stay open to learning 

new tricks and techniques that are the ticket 

to greater profits. At the Masters Academy of 

Decorative Arts, I run into a variety of students from 

different walks of life—painters, architects, contractors, 

decorators, sculptors, part-time artists, designers—all 

with one thing in common: They want to learn something 

new and they want to make a profit. 

Three of the students who have taken the classes for the 

certified applicator course of the Tattoowall—a contractor, 

a decorative artist0 and a contractor engaged in painting 

and in decorative art—gave me some application tips: 

Brian Snow, a contractor working in the Windsor 

area and the U.S., didn’t think the class was for him 

at first. “When I heard of a certified Tattoowall class I 

didn’t pay too much attention, as I was convinced this 

was something for the artsy folks. I was talked into 

attending by one of my associates who has taken the 

class,” says Snow. 

“What I learned in the day-and-a-half certification class 

speaks volumes and will add much more interest and 

profit to my business. I see this as a viable addition to my 

business and I have started to talk to my customers about 


it. Usually when customers want a faux finish or a mural on 

a wall, site scheduling and interaction with various trades is 

a concern. Tattoowall alleviates a lot of those problems due 

to the speed of installation. A typical mural can tie up a wall 

for several weeks, whereas Tattoowall can be installed from 

start to finish in about two days. For restaurants or jobs 

that require a repeating theme, using Tattoowall guaranties 

you will always get the theme you want and they are all the 

same. There is no other method that can guarantee that. 

"I’ve worked on major projects in the U.S., “Spiderman” 

being one of them, and I think this has great possibilities 

for movie and theatre sets. The versatility of the product 

is remarkable, especially on rough concrete as there is 

absolutely no distortion of the image. It’s also a clean 

application and pretty fast. I have a lot of experience in 

hanging wallpaper, which is a plus, but the Tattoowall is 

slightly different. I believe that anything is possible with 

Tattoo wall and with the interest in wallpaper today, I see 

big opportunities for this product.” 

Brian is also certified by Combo Master, The International 

Union of Painters and Allied Trades and the International 

Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IAATSE). 

Ralph Piesche is from Vancouver, B.C. and he was our 

first Doubting Thomas when he contacted us at the Academy. 

He wasn’t quite sure what to expect. His paint dealer 

is Martin Prus from Abbotsford, B.C. and when Martin 

was at the Dynamic PIP trade show, he was fascinated 

with the Tattoowall so much that he came to the Academy 

to see exactly what it was all about. Martin’s store is 

approximately 4,000 sq. ft and has some lovely furniture 

and designer products as well as paints and paintware 

products. He works with Ralph and thought he would 

enjoy learning about Tattoo Wall. It was perfect timing, 

since Ralph was facing a dilemma in his business. 

“As a decorative painter and plasterer, I have often been 

approached by clients inquiring if I do murals,” says Ralph. 

“I consider myself to be a small “A” artist, and in the past 

I have attempted to do some paintings but I soon learned 

that my natural talents had their limitations. What was 

most frustrating was the time it took to render a respectable 

mural. The Tattoowall is a great solution for this dilemma. I 

can now happily accept requests for murals and, along with 

my knowledge of plasters, glazes and faux techniques, it 

brings an excellent new addition to my portfolio. 

I was particularly impressed with the use of distressed 

plaster substrates and in the use of canvass with decorative 

borders. It renders the mural portable and provides a 

new and exciting way to market the product and my skills. 


Maxim and Johanne Jacquel 

applications 

The addition of embellishment intrigued me, as I am very 

familiar with Venetian plasters and glazes, and adding foils 

to the embellishment with Swarovski crystals creates a different 

kind of masterpiece. This is one product that has 

been a long time in coming to the marketplace and is quite 

different from the regular digital prints.” 

Our most recent graduates from the class are a husband 

and wife team, Maxim and Johanne Jacquel. Maxim is from 

France and Johanne is French-Canadian. Maxim comes from 

the manufacturing world of paint and knows everything 

about how paint is made and mixed. Needless to say, he is 

the “hands-on” guy of this team. Johanne is the decorator, a 

charming gal with a French accent who is a whiz with colour 

and design. A few passes with her hands and she can transform 

ordinary into extraordinary. They live in Newmarket, 

Ont., but most of their business is done in North York. 

“The course provides you not only with the skills and 

information needed to properly apply Tattoowall murals 

on any substrate, it is hands-on as well, from a small 

sample to a very large-scale sample,” Maxim says. “This 

allowed us to actually see how much space would be 

required to do the job as well as what equipment and 

manpower would be needed. The teachers and experts 

right there with us in small groups allowed us to identify 

and solve challenges as they presented themselves. It 

also allowed us to ask the questions galore that popped 

into our minds as we were learning and to have them 

answered immediately.” 

“As we worked at applying the Tattoowall to canvases 

on a table and on a wall, we could easily visualize its many 

possibilities for the varied clients in both our decorating 

and renovating businesses," Johanne added. "In fact, 

23

applications 

Brian Snow 

we’re already scheduled to apply a Tattoowall mural in 

a couple’s household gym. We’ve got a school principal 

who’s looking into putting up a very large mural on the 

block wall of the new school’s gym. 

“We have a close friend who noted how beautiful some 

of the children’s images from the school would look in their 

child’s bedroom. We purchased an Adam and Eve Tattoowall 

for our gym at home and we are thrilled with the result. One 

of the interesting things about this product is how it covered 

For Your 

Eyes Only 

a light switch (see photo, right) 

and it was so easy to apply. Imagine 

being able to do a mural in a 

day, when normally a large mural 

can take several weeks.” 

“As a contractor and a paint 

guy, I haven’t seen anything like 

this,” says Maxim. “Usually we 

are concerned as contractors 

in getting the job done quickly, 

clean up, and get out. The tools 

are also very simple: special tape, 

adhesive, brush, a spatula and 

that’s it. I also found that it’s almost mistake-proof as the 

images come with print registration lines that make it easy 

to line them up. Both of us found this is the most important 

part of the application, to make sure you line up those 

registration lines correctly. In our opinion, the Tattoowall is 

simply the ultimate decorator ‘pièce de résistance.’” 

All of these everyday people with different goals and 

types of business seem to agree that taking a class and 

Most customers won’t see the secret agent stealthily working under 

their topcoat. All they’ll know is that their old, cracked and alligatored 

surfaces have a classy new look that beats evil surfaces into submission. 

But you’ll know that it was XIM’s Peel Bond ® . 

Peel Bond seals surfaces, bridges cracks and bonds with old paint 

on a molecular level—leaving a smoother surface for all eyes to see. 

What’s Under 

Your Topcoat? 

www.peelbond.com 

Visit our blog and share your success. 

Rough Surface Peel Bond Latex Topcoat 


adding Tattoo Wall to 

their arsenal has made 

a big difference in their 

professional life and 

return-on-investment 

prospects. The common 

theme is the ease 

of the application and 

the different decorative 

techniques that can be 

used with the product. 

The ideas for application 

were many, and 

ranged from theatres, 

movie sets, wrapping 

Ralph Piesche 

buildings, floors, gymnasiums, 

elevator doors and many more. Most of our 

students are also interested in the speed and ease of application 

and how you don’t need to be an artist to produce a 

fabulous mural. 

Venetian plaster is applied to the substrate first, which 

We’ve 

kicked 

it up a 

notch! 

New formulations and new bold 

packaging make it easy to find 

exactly the right Elmer’s for the job. 


can be smooth or rough to provide texture. This way the 

finished result is a fresco and you cannot tell the difference. 

The Tattoowall is applied on top of the Venetian 

plaster, after which you can embellish it further with 

glazes and foils. This can also be applied to canvas using 

the same method (the canvas has to be stretched and 

primed first before anything is added to it.) 

Walls can really talk with the Tattoowall. You can actually 

create a 3D effect with this product by embellishing 

it with Venetian plasters and using stencils. You can even 

create the Tattoowall on top of wallcovering using the 

wallcovering as a frame and the Tattoowall inside the 

frame. We are looking for innovative ideas on using the 

Tattoowall and would like to hear from you. 

We are preparing a special Master Class in Toronto soon 

and you will be able to check the dates on our website. This 

is an opportunity to see European masters in action and to 

show spectacular applications of Tattoowall Wall. 

For more information please contact www.mada-masters.com 

or www.getpainting.com 

25

SURFACE PREPARATION: 

the easy Way 

to sand 

Sanding for a perfect finish 

By steve Maxwell 


I 

’ve been sanding wood as a cabinetmaker and 

carpenter for 25 years, and I can tell you all kinds 

of ways to waste your time sanding trim, cabinets 

and architectural millwork. I can also show you 

one particular approach to sanding that works every time, 

and it doesn’t even take that long. 

Three sands 

When you’re dealing with flat surfaces, the process involves 

three machines and four steps: begin with a belt sander; 

refine the surface using a half-sheet vibrating pad sander; 

create an ultra smooth surface using a quarter-sheet palm 

sander; and complete the job by slightly rounding corners 

and edges with a piece of hand-held sand paper. Don’t make 

the mistake of thinking that all these steps take a long time; 

they don’t. In fact, using these three different machines in 

the right order actually speeds the process considerably. 

The first thing to understand is that no piece of wood 

is smooth enough for stain and urethane as it comes from 

the lumberyard, no matter how well planed it seems to be. 

That’s because the planing process always leaves behind 

subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) undulations in the 

surface of the lumber. These can be hard to see until a 

finish goes on, bringing these flaws into clear focus. The 

results of no sanding (or bad sanding) are especially ugly 

after staining wood a dark colour. 

Belt sanding 

All this is why I begin sanding every flat surface with a belt 

sander spinning a 100-grit belt. My favorite machine for most 

jobs is a 3” x 21” model—light enough to use all day, but powerful 

enough to be productive. If I have a lot of sanding to do 

on large surfaces, I prefer a 4” x 24” belt sander. 

The thing about any belt sander is that it’s aggressive. 

This machine removes a lot of wood quickly, which is 

great in some ways though it also means introducing two 

particular hazards. The first is gouging. 


surface preparation 

Keeping a belt sander flat and level with the surface 

of the wood is key. If you’re not paying attention as you 

work and you let the tool tilt left or right, one edge of the 

belt will grind a groove in the wood that’s hard to remove. 

Light pressure while maintaining an even keel is essential. 

A belt sander must also be used parallel to the grain, 

at least before moving on to the half-sheet vibrating pad 

sander that comes next. That said, it’s legitimate to use a 

belt sander cross grain for a while if you’ve got slightly 

mismatched edge-glued boards to level up, or if you’ve 

got solid wood edging to even out on a veneered plywood 

shelf. Cross-grain sanding is fastest, and that’s why it’s 

so useful for leveling, though the practice also leaves 

behind nasty scratches. That’s no problem, as long as you 

eliminate them completely by sanding parallel to the grain 

before setting the belt sander aside. Just be sure your 

sander really is completely parallel to the grain for these 

final steps. It’s easy to angle off a little bit. 

You know you’re finished with a belt sander when a 

spotlight shining off the wood at a shallow angle shows 

an even surface with no remaining mill marks or blemishes. 

You’ll get the longest belt life if you clean off sawdust 

and resin using a crepe rubber block held against 

the spinning belt. 

Finishing sander 

The half-sheet finishing sander must’ve been designed 

with painting contractors in mind. It’s my tool of choice 

for the second sanding stage because it’s fast yet fine. 

I typically use it with 120-grit sandpaper. If you’ve left 

behind any small flaws caused by the belt sander, the 

half-sheet machine makes quick work of removing them. 

The final stage of power sanding works best with 

a quarter-sheet finishing sander loaded with 220-grit 

paper. Go over all surfaces with a light hand, keeping the 

machine level. 

27

surface preparation 

One reason for using three different sanders like this 

is that it saves you time putting on and taking off different 

grits of paper. Just grab the machine you need, use it, 

then put it down and pick up another for the next stage. 

Each machine is also ideally suited to the particular stage 

I use them. 

Sanding for easy profit 

Creating ultra smooth sanded surfaces on wooden 

Random orbit sanders 

are great, but . . . 

Random oRbit sandeRs are often used as the one 

and only prep machine before finishing, but that can 

cause problems because it’s so easy for them to leave 

behind a pattern of irregular swirls that don’t become 

apparent until after a finish 

has been applied. This 

is irrelevant if you’re sanding 

decks and outdoor surfaces, 

but it’s definitely not 

what you want on wainscoting, 

hardwood paneling 

or a dark oak bar installation. 

Five-inch diameter random 

orbit sanders are good 

for light- duty applications, 

but I use one of my more 

powerful, six-inch models 

for most random orbit jobs. 

My favorite is the Porter 

Cable 7336. It also happens 

to be one of the simplest 

and cheapest. Fancier models 

include the ability to 

switch from a small oscillation 

pattern for fine work to 

a coarser pattern for removing 

wood more quickly. Variable speed is useful for 

throttling back any random orbit sander when scuffing 

up an existing exterior wood finish that needs recoating . 

If you have your heart set on the speed and simplicity 

of using a random orbit sander for final smoothing, 

then you’ll get the best results using sanding discs with 

micro-holes. These pick up dust and stray abrasive particles 

more effectively than the coarse pattern of larger 

holes found on stock sanders and discs. And more effec- 

architectural details can be a powerful competitive 

advantage when it comes to winning jobs and bidding 

up prices. I know from experience that it pays to make 

up finished wood samples to show clients what you’re 

capable of. Excellent results don’t require any particular 

genius and you don’t have to be a workaholic. But 

since it’s always good to look like a genius workaholic, 

just keep quiet about how easy it really is to make wood 

smooth. 

tive pick-up means fewer stray particles rolling around 

underneath the sander causing swirls. Very light hand 

pressure on the machine helps, too. —SM 


30 

final coat 

By Jim Caruk 

PAINTING 

THE COMPLETE DOOR 

Just because the tops and bottoms of doors are rarely seen, 

you still need to paint them with extreme care 

T 

he difference between a professional painter 

and a jack-of-all-trades is in details and 

in the prep. It’s all about the care you take. 

For example, how many painters, honestly, 

take the time to always, without exception, 

paint the tops and bottoms of all doors – interior and exterior? 

I recently had this issue with a painter who did a job for 

me about four years ago. My client had about 30 interior 

doors, and they called me in to take a look at them. They 

sheen had come off the paint. They looked flat, as if the 

paint was just primer. It was a weird one. Repainting only 

temporarily solved the problem. We couldn’t figure out 

why this was happening. We even called the manufacturer 

of the doors. 

Eventually, we took one of the doors off of its hinges 

and realized that my painter – as good as he was – had 

not bothered to paint the top and bottoms. They were raw 

wood. Nobody was looking at these surfaces, he might 

have thought, who cares if they were left unpainted. But 

wooden doors will absorb moisture if they aren’t sealed 

on every surface. Most professional painters know this. 

You probably know this. But in a rush, it can be tempting 

to neglect this all-important detail. 

The effects of that moisture absorption can lead to 

warping, which is why so many door manufacturers won’t 

warranty a door’s performance if the unit is not sealed 

properly. But in some cases, the paint finish on the door 

can degrade, too, as I found out. 

The top and bottom (and, of course, edges) of wooden 

doors need to be sealed with a primer coat and at least 

two coats of paint, preferably oil (and preferably an oilbased 

primer). 

Now the next question you may have is, does this apply 

to MDF doors as well, or only to solid wooden doors? It 

probably is true that solid wooden doors are more likely 

to absorb moisture and deform from unpainted edges 

but, to get in the habit of purely professional painting at 

all times, why would you have an A game and a B game? 

Why not paint like a top professional at all times? Paint 

all the surfaces of your doors, whether they show or not. 

And that applies to the top of door trim! Painters will 

leave the top of trim unpainted, too. I know, you wouldn’t 

do this. But some of your fellow painters will do it. Not 

the ones I want to work on my high-end work, and not 

the ones you’d want to work on your own home. Professional 

painting is all about the details and the prep. And 

enjoying the feeling that comes from knowing you take 

meticulous care in your work, all the time. 

Jim Caruk, well-known TV and real life contractor, 

is the founder of Build It Yourself Learning Centers 

(www.biyworkshops.com).

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