More info on paints, stains

Part two of a two part series on selling paints and related materials

lN ADDITION to the latex and oil

I based paints for interiors and exteriors rise, your paint department clerks will often find it necessary to advise customers on using other mediums.

Lacquer is a finish with sPecial requirements. It is fast drying, but hazardous to handle. Fumes are noxious and the danger of fire is great. Lacquers can be applied only over other lacquers or on new wood. TheY should not be applied to asphalt base linoleum.

Because they dry fast, the clue to success is to work quickly and not go over the same spot twice. A 50-50 mixture of lacquer and lacquer thinner is recommended.

Varnish has no pigment so it gives a transparent, protective coat that allows the grain of the wood to be seen. High gloss, semigloss, satin, or flat finishes are available.

There are many varnishes, each formulated for a special purpose. Spar, urethane, vinyl, and alkyd are among those available. Water clean up is an advantage of some. All must be applied to a clean, dust-free surface in a dirt-free area with a clean brush. Dust is an enemy of the wet surface.

Story at a Glance

Paint run-down continued stains, finishes, preservatives . information Your staff needs to help customers.

Polyurethane vamish is a favorite for heavy duty jobs.It is primarily used for floors, but can be applied to interior wood surfaces. furniture, paneling, cabinets and trim.

Shellac also is transparent. It drys rapidly because it has an alcohol base. It is not waterproof and spots readily. Wood stains are applied to bare wood to change its color, accent the natural grain, and protect the surface. There are stains for both exterior and interior.

Exterior stains which are primarily oil or latex based become part of the wood and weather with it. They can be aoplied to rouqh and unfinished or pi&iously finished surfaces, even damp surfaces. The latex stains do not have the moisture protection of the oil base stains and should be applied only to woods with good natural resistance such as cedar, redwood and cypress.

Interior stains are formulated in two basic types, pigmented or dYe. Pigment types apply easily with a brush or roller and are wiped to control the depth of stain. They finish without brush or lap marks. Because they are opaque, they maY hide some of the grain detail and give a slightly dull finish. They are suitable for large areas such as walls or floors.

Dye stains are difficult to use. Most come as a powder which must be dissolved in water, oil, lacquer solvent, or alcohol. Water and solvent dye stains are best for the amateur.

They have advantages of penetrating to lock in wood fibers without hiding grain detail. Compatible with any previous finish and easy to mix, they do not fade. Proper preparation is necessary. Wood must be wet to raise the grain and sanded before applvins dye stains. '

Nirn-.-grdin-raising (NGR) stains also are eood for do-it-yourselfers. These are-pre-dissolved in a solvent. Because they dry fast, it is necessary to work quickly to avoid lap marks and an uneven finish.

Special stains such as varnish stains to darken. tone. shade and seal wood, blending stains for touch up and repair, and aerosol stains for blending also are available.

Aluminum paint can be used on almost anv intdrior or exterior surface with eithei brush or spray application. It is often used on metal flashing, gutters, downspouts, tools, tool sheds, patio furniture, pipe, machinery, tanks, mailboxes and fences. It should not be applied during freeang weather and should dry at least overnight before a second coat is applied.

The customer with -iroblem walls may need texture paint. It is thick and covers minor blemishes with a decorator finish. Available as a liquid with tinting colors, it also comes as a powder in white and a limited number of colors.

Acoustical ceilings can be repainted with a special acoustical ceiling paint that forms a porous film which does not hinder the noise-reducing properties of the tile. It is applied with a brush, roller, or sprayer.

For table tops, floors, doors, cabinets, counter tops, boat decks and similar surfaces, pre-catalyzed clear plastic provides a scuff-proof, longlasting finish. It is said to provide the equivalent of nine coats of an average factory finish, yet is easy to apply by brush.

For use on fine furniture and paneling,, a plastic oil and sealer penetrates to bring out natural beauty with protection against water, alcohol and food stains. It also can be used to prevent rust on metal. When applied to masonry it resists "dusting" and stains.

Epoxy finishes are good recom-

Sales:Paint and Paint Sundries

'ing Acntal $2,521,900,000 lS0 projccted $2,9m,278,000 l98l trojecred $3,311,153,m0

1982 projectod $3,774,715,m0

Xffi*"*n*t of die Bu€u of Buildirg Mertaing be applied with a brush or cloth. They also can be applied to concrete floors. This type of finish comes in a onepart system which can be tinted or a two-part system of equal size cans which are mixed for use.

Also for finishing are transparent urethane finishes which combine varnish and paint characteristics. The finish is transparent with a glaze of color. Rated as'extremelv hani'and wear resistant, it protects the surface. The finish also can be applied to glass or plastic to add color without destroy- mendations for interior wood surfaces where a clear gloss, easy-to-clean finish is needed. Primarilv intended for bare or previously finished wood floors, they penetrate rapidly and can Manulaclurers

(Please tum to page 69)

UJe <on help gou provlde Vour custorners protoction ogoinst firo, ureother ond Insect domoge. Count on Hoppers to toke good core of you, nou ond in the future. lf you'd like, o Hoppars'representotlve con (orne to gour yord to help gou uith o ukJe ronge of solos ond morketlng ideos. Coll us todoy.

You suPPlY the Pattern . . . we will make it. We mill AllTypes, Patterns' Sizes, Sidings, Mouldings' etc'

Home lmprovement Jump Seen

Retail sales of home improvement products are proiected to continue their phenomi:nal growth through thi cirrrent decade, jumping 255Vo from -an estimated'$48.0 billion in 1980 to $170.6 billion by 1990.

Growth will be particularly strong in home centers, spurting 366Vo from $18.1 billion to $84.4 billion. With that, this upstart retail category, which accounted for under 1Vo of home improvement product sales in 1968, is expected to build its market share from an estimated 3'7.7Vo in 1980 to 49.5V0 by 1990.

.-With the surge in home centers, most other retail groups will witness a decline in market share. Consumer-ofrent6d t-u-.!_". and building materials outlets are targeted for a 3047o sales increase, from $5.0 billion to $20.2 billion. with market share increasing slightly from lO.4Vo to ll.BEo. Sales at conftactor-oriented lumber and building materials dealers are projecred to rise 2O9Vo from $tZ.i bittion to $54.0 billion, with market share shrinkine from 36.5Vo to 31.7%o.

Hardware stores will sustain the most significant dip in market share, from l4.8%o to 7Vo, as voluire advancei just 69Vo from $7.1 billion to $12.0 billion. Paint and wallpaper dealers are seen becoming even less of a factor, with- sbles dropping from $300 nrillion to $200 millioi and market share dwindling from 0.6Vo to O.l%o.

.Although h-ome improvement product retailing is dotted wrth strong, fast-growing chains, these companies are by no means dominant. In 1978, the 2l largest chains accounted for $5.2 billion or l4%o of industry volume. with the next l0 retailers adding about another'2vo. ,,While it pngarq that chains will continue to outgrow independents in the future, we do not believe that this will be a concentrated-industy,'_ a representative of Frost & Sullivan, Inc. observes- "Particrilarly through the growth of cooperative buying groups, independents haveiemained snong and are expected to remain so in the future. "

Dealer-owned hardware wholesalers have grown rapidly in recent years making sEong inroads in all store categories, -most notably in hardware. Retailers report a high level of satisfaction with the services provided by these groups. While next-day delivery is still considered the single most important service that wholesalers provide, advertising, market information and inventory checking/ ordering are not far behind, a retailer poll fouid.

The success of the home centers supermarket approach has convinced other retailers to broaden their mixes. Many hardware stores are moving into building materials lines, in some cases, emerging into full-line home centers. At the same time, many outlets classifying themselves as lumber and building materials dealers have gone heavily into hardlines. This diversification, however. tends to halt at decorative products other than paints.

Looking ahead, an analysis of projected sales for key product categories in home centers shows automotive produc6. a ryl4ively small category today, leading the pry\ *iq a 250Vo increase in constant dollars during the 1980-1990 period. Rounding out the top five are adheiives and-sealants (240Vo), lawn and garden power equipment l!96Eo),.insqlation (l9lVo) and carpeting (186%o).- Twenty five of -the 39 categories studied are,expe-cted to grow more than lNVo over the l0 years. The only goups forecast to record gains below 5OVo are hand tools, unfinished furniture. ceiling tile, dimensional lumber and resilient tile. Millwork, one of the few categories to become less do-it-yourself oriented, is projected to sustain a l3%o decline.

Motivation

(Continued from page 60) ask someone to wait a minute. Return to the call and explain a further delay. Or ask if vou can call back when you've finiihed your call(s). It's a gesture that will save, or make, money for all parties.

Shorten your conversation when possible. Don't misinterpret your personal palaver as business while someone elses is personal, private and imprudent. Immorality always looks more conspicuous on the other person, more fashionable on yourself.

Clean up, fix up, spruce up. Everything can't stay new forever but it doesn't hurt to camouflaee the cuspidor, clean the crevicesl cover the cracks. Cleanliness is not only next to godliness, it's contagious.

Don't ask what happened to the bottom line if vou never bothered to look at your business at ground level. Delegation of authority and responsibility doesn't always equal accomplishment. It's strange how many know when the boss is coming but how few do anything until he gets there. The Marine Corps didn't always tell us when there would be an inspection. If the rifle wasn't clean, you slept with it, after you cleaned it.

Develop pride in craftsmanship. Use personalized company, or in- dividual, inspection and/or quality labels. Put a signature on your work product.

Material delivered to job-site, to customer. or on will-call, should be checked and double-checked. Any and all errors can cause delay in work at all levels.

On telephone orders. make sure material i3 properly identified and available in inventory before confirming pickup arrangements. Any misunderstandings can cause delays. Fuel and manpower expenses are the most obvious result of unnecessary travel.

Courtesy is contagious at all levels. That criterion applies to telephone, written conespondence and in-person contact.

Merchandisins is an art and a science. Repair or iepackage broken bags ffi*

The cost of training a qualified employee is an expensive one, but the price for not training that same person could be astronomical. The hidden expenses are the costliest ones. The profit picture hinges on all of the contributing influences, not just on the obvious, the visible, the apparent.

The key to it all is Communication: Whatever your rung on the ladder, make sure there is conversation. When there is a combination of conversation and communication, there is customarily "common ground." And from that point can be built the foundation on which every lofty structure of success is eventually assembled.

?TXii"Ji .il$1'J?J"-"::"H11: check out creativiry

sandorfertilizerdottingthelandscape. Employees capable of generating And further, nothing is more aggravat- ideas are essential to growing firms ing to a customer than having to handle in higNy competitive industries. a iroduct of this nature. -

Wf,eri interviewing, seek out those

Instructional and training tech- who appear to be observant and alert niques are vital. All too many people, with excellent reasoning power, all too many times, are turned loose ability to concenfrate, and a readiness with no thought of their productivity to offer suggestions. and their performance. A resume anl Don't bE-put off if they seem rejob application are flimsy facts on sistant to n:urow job specifications, which io support a company's future. but keep in mind that the most creative Or to induce management to replace employees are often uncooperative a proven and trustworthy employee. in following company procedures.

How To Sell Paint

(Continued from page 63) ine the transDarencv.

?aint deplrtmeni clerks also may be called upon for advice on antiquing kits. Used on unfinished or old furniture, the process is popular because it does not require stripping. The kits usually contain all necessary materials and complete instructions. Refinishing kits ilso are marketed. These vary with manufacturer so that instructions should be studied for information.

Wood Dreservatives are another paint depirtment item. Three types are available: a clear alkyd or oil base preparation without fungicide, sometimes called log oil or log cabin finish; the same base with fungicide such as penta, cuprinol or a preservative added; and a non-paintable preservative containing wax or creosote oil.

There also are exterior stains combined with wood preservative properties. The principal purpose of preservatives is to repell water and prevent warping, cracking, mildew, mold, and fungi. Reading the labels and manufacturer's literature will help the sales person.

The paint department need not be a mystery to either customer or clerk.

While it is not a big ticket source, paint can stimulate a multitude of add-on sales. Educate your personnel to help the customer. Manufacturer reps can back you with training, clinics, literature, charts and posters. Both your sales staff and the customer will profit.

A Dozen Profitable Don'ts

o Don't use canned presentations.

a Don't misrepresent the product.

a Don't make promises you can't keep.

o Don't drown buyers in technical information.

o Don't question a customer's final decision to buy from a competitor.

o Don't badmouth a competitor.

a Don't try to impress a customer with your professional qualifications, education. or social status.

o Don't socialize too much with a customer.

a Don't complain to a customer about personal life.

o Don't overdress.

o Don't gossip.

o Don't ignore personal sensitivities to smoking and drinking.

ul'Af'u FRIZE 0r

Bond at the Palmer G. L show was won by Nort was bv North Citv Lum6erl Seatile, wa. (1) Richard E. 'Lundoren, Seattle, rya, (1) Richard E. Lundg pres., and J. 'Cutler Lewis, senior r