Written by Curtis Tankersley, Owner of Just Add Paint in Mechanicsburg.
SUMMARY:
A Camp Hill, PA homeowner hired Just Add Paint to rescue a kitchen renovation after another painting contractor left behind drywall defects, streaky ceilings, unfinished trim, and wall imperfections. Using drywall repairs, Gardz Problem Surface Sealer, Sherwin-Williams Evergreen Fog wall paint, ProMar 400 ceiling paint, and Emerald Urethane trim enamel, Just Add Paint transformed the space into a clean, durable, professionally finished kitchen. This kitchen project was completed for under $1500
Interior Painting in Camp Hill, PA | Kitchen Repaint, Ceiling Repair, Trim Painting & Drywall Repairs
Sometimes our projects begin with a carefully planned color consultation.
Sometimes they begin with a homeowner excitedly showing us a freshly renovated kitchen.
And sometimes they begin with someone pointing around the room and saying:
“Can you fix…all of this?”
This recent kitchen painting project in Camp Hill, PA fell squarely into category number three.
Our customer originally found Just Add Paint after searching Google for highly-rated painters in Camp Hill, PA. After filling out our online project request form, we stopped by to take a look at a kitchen renovation that had unfortunately gone off the rails.
The homeowner had hired another painting company through a recommendation from their flooring contractor. Unfortunately, the results left quite a bit to be desired. To be fair, every painter has an occasional rough day.
This appeared to be several rough weeks strung together.
The silver lining? The previous company pulled out before completing the project, giving us the opportunity to step in and make things right before more work was buried under additional coats of paint.
What We Found
As we walked through the kitchen, it became clear that this wasn’t simply a matter of applying a fresh coat of paint.
The project needed a full-scale rescue.
The issues included:
- A poorly finished drywall seam and tape repair on the ceiling
- Heavy roller marks and streaking caused by improper application techniques
- Walls that had been skim-coated but never properly finished
- Significant drywall imperfections visible in normal lighting
- Trim that had never been painted
- Gaps between the countertop backsplash lip and wall that had not been caulked or sealed
In other words, we weren’t just painting.
We were correcting several trades’ worth of unfinished work.
Fixing the Ceiling
The ceiling was the first priority.
The existing drywall repair stood out like a billboard every time someone walked into the room. On top of that, the previous paint application left visible roller texture and flashing throughout the surface.
We repaired and feathered the problem drywall areas until they blended naturally into the surrounding ceiling.
For paint, we selected one of our trusted workhorses:
Sherwin-Williams ProMar 400 Flat Ceiling Paint (Untinted White).
There’s a reason painters continue to reach for this product. It provides excellent hide, good touch-up characteristics, and does a nice job minimizing visual distractions across large ceiling surfaces.
The ceiling ultimately required spot-priming and two full coats before we achieved the uniform finish we were after.
The transformation was dramatic.
The Walls Required the Most Attention
The walls ended up being the most labor-intensive portion of the project.
Whenever we’re trying to identify drywall imperfections, we often use bright inspection lighting and side-lighting techniques. Small flaws that are invisible under normal room lighting suddenly become impossible to ignore.
Once the inspection light came out, we discovered quite a few areas that needed additional attention.
We began by sanding the walls with pole sanders and our Festool dustless HEPA sanding system, allowing us to remove high spots and texture inconsistencies without filling the house with drywall dust.
After completing repairs, we applied Gardz Problem Surface Sealer.
If you’ve never seen Gardz used, it’s a pretty neat product. It goes on looking milky white and then dries completely clear. Beyond helping seal porous surfaces, it creates a more uniform substrate and helps improve the final appearance of the paint finish.
It’s one of those products most homeowners never hear about, but professional painters tend to keep on the truck for situations exactly like this.
With the repairs complete and surfaces sealed, we applied Sherwin-Williams Evergreen Fog in Cashmere eggshell finish. This paint was chosen for its cleanability and good hide (which was important over skim-coated walls).
The result was exactly what the homeowner had envisioned from the beginning.
Evergreen Fog remains one of our favorite colors because it manages to feel both current and timeless at the same time. Depending on the lighting, it shifts between soft green, muted gray, and subtle sage undertones.
In this kitchen, it was the perfect upgrade from the previous brown walls.
Solving the Countertop Gap Problem
One of the more unusual challenges involved the countertop lip backsplash.
The countertop installer had left gaps approaching 1/4 inch in some locations where the backsplash met the wall.
Simply filling those gaps with traditional caulk wasn’t likely to hold up well over time.
Since this section of wall sits on an exterior wall that experiences seasonal movement, we wanted a solution that would remain flexible.
Our approach involved installing backer rod to properly bridge the larger gaps before applying a specialty flexible sealant recommended by a trusted plumber friend.
The finished result looked dramatically better while also giving the joint room to move during seasonal expansion and contraction.
Sometimes painting projects require a little creativity.
This was definitely one of those times.
Bringing the Trim Back to Life
The trim package had never been completed, so we started from scratch.
First, everything was cleaned using Krud Kutter Pre-Paint Cleaner, which helps remove grease, contaminants, and minor gloss from existing surfaces.
Next, we sanded all trim using our dustless sanding system with 220-grit abrasives.
Finally, we applied two coats of Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel Semi-Gloss in Untinted White to all trim and the entry door.
Emerald Urethane continues to be one of our preferred trim coatings because it provides excellent durability, levels beautifully, and holds up well in busy family homes.
The crisp white trim provided the perfect contrast against the Evergreen Fog walls and helped tie the entire kitchen renovation together.
The Final Result
By the time we finished, the kitchen looked like the space the homeowner had hoped for all along.
More importantly, it looked finished.
No distracting drywall seams.
No streaky ceilings.
No unfinished trim.
No glaring countertop gaps.
Just a clean, professionally painted kitchen ready to be enjoyed.
The homeowner was kind enough to leave us this 5-Star Google Review:
“We would highly recommend Just Add Paint. They recently painted our kitchen plus repainted the ceiling that was recently done by someone else and it looks great. We went from brown to green as shown in photos. The communication, work done in timely manner plus the clean up went well. Good experience from start to finish.” – CB
Reviews like this mean a lot to our small team, and we’re grateful they trusted us to help rescue the project.
Thank you for reading our blog – “Camp Hill Kitchen Rescue: Fixing a Painting Project Gone Sideways”! Please feel free to reach out to us for estimates – and also, if you are a DIYer and just have some questions, we can answer in an email. We are happy to talk shop about all things painting, even if you are planning to do a job yourself!
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If you liked this blog, we think you may also enjoy: https://www.justaddpaint.net/what-paint-will-we-use-on-your-walls
Also, check out: https://www.justaddpaint.net/the-ultimate-guide-to-cleaning-painted-kitchen-cabinets
Looking for Interior Painters in Camp Hill, PA?
If you’re searching for interior painters in Camp Hill, Mechanicsburg, Harrisburg, or the surrounding areas, we’d be happy to help.
Whether you’re planning a kitchen renovation, updating a single room, or trying to recover from a project that didn’t quite go according to plan, Just Add Paint specializes in detailed residential painting, drywall repair, cabinet refinishing, trim painting, and color consultations.
Thank you for reading our blog.
As always, if you’re a DIY homeowner and simply have questions about a painting project, feel free to reach out. We’re always happy to talk shop—even if you’re planning to tackle the project yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kitchen Painting in Camp Hill, PA
How do you fix bad drywall repairs before painting?
Bad drywall repairs usually become even more noticeable after paint is applied. Before painting, we inspect the walls and ceilings using bright side-lighting that highlights imperfections such as uneven seams, tape ridges, nail pops, and poorly feathered patches. Depending on the issue, repairs may include sanding, additional skim coating, feathering edges, spot priming, and sealing the surface. In this Camp Hill kitchen, we repaired an obvious ceiling seam and several wall imperfections before applying paint, resulting in a much smoother and more professional finish.
What is Sherwin-Williams Evergreen Fog?
Sherwin-Williams Evergreen Fog (SW 9130) is a soft green-gray paint color that was selected as Sherwin-Williams’ Color of the Year in 2022. It combines muted green, gray, and sage undertones to create a color that feels both modern and timeless. Evergreen Fog works particularly well in kitchens, living rooms, and open-concept spaces because it adds color without overwhelming the room. In this Camp Hill kitchen renovation, Evergreen Fog provided a beautiful update from the previous brown walls and complemented the white trim perfectly.
Why does ceiling paint streak?
Ceiling paint streaks are often caused by improper rolling techniques, uneven pressure on the roller, poor-quality paint, or inadequate coverage. Applying too much pressure can create texture differences and roller marks that become highly visible when light reflects across the ceiling. In some cases, ceilings may also require additional coats to achieve a uniform appearance. For this project, we corrected existing streaking and roller marks before applying two coats of Sherwin-Williams ProMar 400 Flat Ceiling Paint to create a consistent finish.
What is Gardz Problem Surface Sealer used for?
Gardz Problem Surface Sealer is a specialty clear sealer designed to stabilize and seal porous or damaged drywall surfaces. It penetrates the surface and helps create a more uniform substrate for paint, reducing flashing and improving the appearance of the final finish. Although homeowners rarely see this step, it can make a significant difference in projects involving drywall repairs, skim coating, or heavily sanded walls. We frequently use Gardz when preparing walls that require additional surface stabilization before painting.
How much does kitchen painting cost in Camp Hill, PA?
The cost to paint a kitchen in Camp Hill, PA can vary significantly depending on the size of the space, ceiling height, condition of the walls, amount of trim, and whether drywall repairs are needed. A straightforward kitchen repaint may cost considerably less than a project that requires extensive drywall repair, ceiling correction, trim refinishing, and surface preparation. The best way to determine the cost of a kitchen painting project is to schedule an on-site estimate so the existing conditions can be evaluated and discussed in detail. A standard-sized kitchen typically runs between $600-$2000. This one fell in the middle of that.
Can a professional painter fix problems left behind by another contractor?
In many cases, yes. While some issues require involvement from a drywall contractor, carpenter, or other trade professional, experienced painters can often correct many surface-related problems before painting begins. Common repairs include fixing drywall imperfections, sanding texture inconsistencies, repairing nail pops, improving previous patch work, caulking gaps, and refinishing poorly painted surfaces. A large portion of this Camp Hill kitchen project involved correcting work that had been left incomplete or improperly finished before we ever opened a can of paint.
What paint is best for kitchen walls?
Kitchen walls benefit from durable, washable paints that can stand up to daily wear, cleaning, cooking residue, and family traffic. We frequently recommend Sherwin-Williams Scuff Tuff Matte because of its durability, washability, and attractive finish. In spaces where color is a priority, selecting a quality paint and proper surface preparation are equally important to achieving long-lasting results. Proper prep work often has a greater impact on the final appearance than the paint itself.
What is the best paint for trim and doors?
For trim, baseboards, casings, and interior doors, we commonly use Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel. This product provides excellent durability, levels out nicely, and creates a smooth factory-like appearance when properly applied. In this Camp Hill kitchen, two coats of Emerald Urethane Semi-Gloss in Untinted White helped create crisp, durable trim that contrasted beautifully with the Evergreen Fog walls.
