Frequently Asked Questions

A single room typically takes one day. A full home repaint (3-4 bedrooms) generally takes 3-5 days depending on prep requirements, ceiling height, and the number of colours. We will give you a detailed timeline when we quote your project.

We handle all furniture moving and protection as part of our service. We use heavy drop cloths and plastic sheeting to protect floors, furniture, and fixtures. You do not need to move anything — though removing small personal items and valuables in advance is always appreciated.

We primarily work with Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore, and PPG — all top-tier brands known for durability and colour consistency. We can also work with paint you supply if you have a specific product in mind. We never use builder-grade or economy paints on our jobs.

For most interior surfaces, we apply a primer (or prime coat) plus two finish coats. On fresh drywall, new patches, or dramatic colour changes, an additional coat may be recommended. We will never skimp on coats to save time — proper coverage is essential for a durable, even finish.

The ideal window is late spring through early fall — typically May through October — when temperatures are consistently above 10 degrees Celsius and humidity is moderate. We plan and schedule exterior projects carefully to avoid rain, extreme heat, and cold snaps that can affect paint adhesion and curing.

With proper prep and premium coatings, you can expect 8-12 years on most exterior surfaces. Factors like sun exposure, wood condition, and whether the home was previously painted properly all affect longevity. We stand behind our work and will discuss any warranty terms during your consultation.

Minor wood repairs — filling cracks, stabilizing soft spots, replacing small sections of trim — are something we can handle as part of the prep process. For more extensive structural repairs, we will flag those and can recommend trusted trades. We never paint over damage without addressing it first.

A typical detached home in the GTA takes 3-6 days depending on size, number of storeys, surface condition, and complexity of the trim work. We will give you a clear timeline in your quote so you can plan accordingly.

We recommend a satin or semi-gloss finish for kitchen walls and trim. These sheens are durable, easy to clean, and resist moisture — all critical in a kitchen environment. Flat or eggshell finishes are harder to wipe down and can stain more easily in a high-grease area.

Yes. We work efficiently and typically complete a kitchen repaint in one to two days. We protect all countertops and appliances so you can access them between coats if needed. We will coordinate a schedule that minimizes disruption to your daily routine.

Absolutely. Kitchen ceilings often accumulate grease and discolouration over time, and painting the ceiling is an important part of a complete kitchen refresh. We treat the ceiling with the same degreasing prep as the walls to ensure proper adhesion and a lasting finish.

For many homeowners, a kitchen repaint delivers 80% of the visual impact of a renovation at 10-15% of the cost. If your cabinets are in good shape structurally, a fresh coat of paint on the walls, ceilings, and trim — combined with cabinet painting — can make a kitchen look completely brand new.

Most kitchen cabinet painting projects take 3-5 days from start to finish. Day one involves removal and initial prep; days two and three cover priming and painting; days four and five cover reinstallation and touch-ups. We minimize disruption by working methodically, and your kitchen remains functional throughout.

When done correctly, a professionally sprayed and topcoated cabinet finish is extremely durable — comparable to factory finishes. We use commercial-grade alkyd or waterborne urethane products that cure hard, resist chips and scratches, and can be wiped clean without losing their sheen.

Yes, with the right prep and primer. Laminate and thermofoil surfaces require specific adhesion promoters and primers to ensure the topcoat bonds properly. We have refinished cabinets of all materials across the GTA and know exactly which products to use for a long-lasting result on each surface type.

White (particularly Benjamin Moore White Dove and Sherwin-Williams Alabaster) remains the most popular choice for its clean, timeless look. Two-tone kitchens — white upper cabinets with a navy, forest green, or charcoal lower — are also extremely popular. We offer colour consultation as part of every cabinet painting project.

Yes. Colour-matching is one of the most common requests we get for stair staining projects. We bring stain samples and test patches on your actual wood to find the closest match before committing to the full application. Perfect matching is possible in most cases, though slight variation can occur due to differences in wood species and grain.

We typically ask that you stay off freshly stained treads for 24 hours after each coat. We can stain alternate treads so you always have access during the project. After the final topcoat, we recommend light use only for 48 hours and full cure (furniture and rugs) after 7 days.

Yes — this is actually one of the most popular transformations we do. We remove the carpet, staples, and tack strips, sand the treads down to bare wood, and then stain and finish them beautifully. Many homeowners are surprised to discover excellent hardwood treads hiding under old carpet.

For maximum durability on high-traffic stairs, we recommend an oil-modified polyurethane or a commercial-grade waterborne polyurethane in a satin or semi-gloss sheen. These finishes cure very hard and resist scuffs and scratches far better than standard consumer-grade products.

With a quality penetrating stain and proper prep, most decks in Ontario need restaining every 2-3 years. Solid-colour stains may last 3-5 years. Factors like sun exposure, foot traffic, and whether you have covered sections all affect the maintenance cycle. We can assess your deck and give you a realistic expectation.

Yes, but proper preparation is essential. Peeling stain must be fully removed — through power washing, chemical stripping, or sanding — before new stain is applied. Applying new stain over a failing old finish is a common mistake that leads to premature peeling. We never skip this step.

It depends on the condition and age of the wood. If your fence boards are relatively new and the grain is still attractive, a semi-transparent stain lets that natural beauty show through while still providing protection. On older, rougher, or previously painted fences, a solid-colour stain provides better coverage and longevity.

Deck brightener is a chemical treatment applied after power washing that neutralizes the grey oxidation that forms on weathered wood and opens the wood grain to accept stain evenly. Skipping this step often results in blotchy, uneven stain absorption. We include brightening in our standard deck prep process.

Luxury office finishing involves far more prep, more coats, finer sanding between coats, and a much higher standard of detail. Complex geometries like coffered ceilings and intricate millwork require patience, experience, and specialized spray equipment. The result should look like furniture, not painted drywall — and achieving that takes a different level of craft.

Absolutely. We work regularly with interior designers and can match any specified colour, sheen, and finish system. We are comfortable working from Benjamin Moore, Farrow & Ball, or custom tinted specs, and we can produce custom stain samples to match design boards or material swatches.

Yes. We handle luxury office finishing projects of all sizes — from a dedicated home office with custom built-ins and wainscoting to large executive suites in commercial buildings across the GTA. The same high standard applies regardless of the project size.

Care and protection are built into every step of our process. We mask and protect adjacent surfaces meticulously, use hand tools and detail brushes where power equipment would risk damage, and never rush a drying or curing stage. We also carry comprehensive liability insurance for peace of mind on high-value projects.

Yes. We regularly work after hours, on weekends, and in phases to avoid disrupting business operations. For occupied commercial spaces, we also offer low-VOC and zero-VOC paint options to minimize odour. We will work with you to develop a schedule that fits your operational requirements.

Absolutely. Sigma Painting carries full commercial general liability insurance and WSIB coverage. We can provide certificates of insurance before work begins, which most property managers and building owners require. We are fully compliant with Ontario workplace safety requirements.

Yes. Multi-unit residential is a significant part of our commercial work. We have experience painting common areas, corridors, stairwells, and individual suites across condo corporations and apartment buildings throughout the GTA. We coordinate directly with property managers and board representatives.

We provide detailed written quotes for every commercial project, broken down by area and scope. We are transparent about materials, labour, and any conditions that could affect the final cost. For multi-unit projects or ongoing property management relationships, we offer volume pricing and preferred contractor arrangements.

We typically enter for the rough coat (prime coat) after drywall is hung, taped, and mudded. This coats the drywall and provides a base for the texture trades if applicable. We re-enter for final coats once trim is installed, flooring is protected, and the site is clean enough for finished work. We coordinate with your site super to schedule each phase.

We document every colour and product used for each unit in a detailed colour schedule, keep batch records, and use dedicated crews on a single project where possible. Our project coordinator checks consistency throughout the project and flags any variation immediately. Consistency across units is a non-negotiable standard for us.

Construction schedules change — we understand that and plan for it. We maintain scheduling flexibility for our construction clients and communicate proactively so that if we need to shift a phase, we do so with as much notice as possible. Our goal is to be the subcontractor that never causes a delay.

Yes. We stand behind our new construction work and offer a workmanship warranty covering defects in our application — things like peeling, lap marks, or holidays (missed spots). Warranty terms are outlined in our contract. We also use manufacturer-warranty-backed paint products across all new construction projects.