Interior Painting - Tips and Tricks | |
It's because of this low investment in tools and talent that we began painting our houses back in 1966. We like to think we've improved our painting prowess over the years. And we've acquired some inexpensive gadgets that we won't paint without. Here's a few tips and techniques we've gleaned that help us get the paint to the wall with professional-looking results. Use an extension pole for your paint roller whenever possible. For about $4 you can get an extension pole that screws into the handle of most paint roller handles. The pole lets you paint ceilings without having to climb a ladder. We use it on the walls too because it eliminates bending over to paint the lower portions of the wall. This makes painting less stressful on your lower back muscles. If you have a large room to paint or are painting several rooms the same color use the paint roller and extension handle, but don't use the standard paint pan. Instead, use a 5-gallon plastic pail fitted with a paint screen. This screen (under $2) is made of a heavy wire mesh and is designed to hang in the pail. Fill the pail with 2-3 gallons of paint. Dip the roller into the paint and ring it out by running it up and down the screen. The excess paint runs back into the bucket. This rig isn't our invention we picked it up from working with the pros. They purchase paint in 5 gallon pails (you can too) for large commercial spaces and paint right out of the containers. We usually don't need 5 gallons of one color so we use an empty container that was filled with bird seed. It holds just under 5 gallons and has a tight fitting lid. You can paint all morning with this rig without having to bend over to fill the roller pan every couple of minutes. When painting windows and trim, we think it's helpful to keep a rag handy to wipe up drips or any misdirected paint. We keep a rag, paint can and brush handy on a tray cut from the bottom of a sturdy cardboard box. Leave the sides about 2 in. high, which stiffens it. Hold the tray close to where you're painting so you can easily dip your brush. The tray will also catch any drips, but it's no substitute for a drop cloth. When budgeting your time, don't forget to allow plenty of time for preparation. We learned early on that it takes us almost as much time to properly prepare a room for paint as it does to do the actual painting. Any saving you make by being your own painter will be spent replacing the carpet or refinishing the hardwood floor if you are not careful. We move as much furniture as possible out of the room and use old sheets to cover what's left. Years ago, we invested in canvas drop cloths and they've paid for themselves tenfold. If you think they are too expensive ($30-$40 for an 8x10), purchase the heaviest grade plastic drops that you can afford. Heavy plastic is tougher than lightweight drop cloths, but more importantly it lies on the floor without sticking to everything. Good brushes and roller cover sleeves are not inexpensive but they will last a long time if properly cleaned. We bought a gadget called a paint spinner (about $15 at paint stores) that makes cleaning rollers covers and brushes an easy job. The spinner looks like a kid's toy top. You put the roller cover over the end and push down on the handle. The base rotates and spins the water or solvent out, cleaning it free of paint. The base can also hold the handle of a paint brush. The brush or roller looks like a wet shaggy dog when you spin it, so place the brush or roller in a large empty cardboard box or an empty plastic wastebasket. If you use alkyd-based paint for the trim (we recommend it), don't clean your brushes out and dry them after every use. Store them in a bucket. Pour a gallon of paint thinner in the bottom of a 5-gallon bucket. Dip the brush up and down in the thinner and then work the heavy paint out of the heel of the brush with a wire brush. Make a wire hook from coat hanger wire and hang the brush from it in the thinner so its bristles are submerged. Don't let the tips of the brush bristles touch the bottom of the bucket. Your brushes are always ready to use suspended in the thinner. All you have to do is put the brush in the spinner, hold it deep in the bucket (above the thinner), and spin it to remove the extra thinner. And finally, a word about manpower. Two painters are better than one. Divide the task of painting a room into two jobs. Painter One is in charge of cutting in or outlining the room with a 4-in. wide brush. This requires a sturdy ladder and an easy-to-lift and maneuver paint can. Use plenty of paint on the brush to cut-in paint at wall and ceiling joints. Begin in one corner at the ceiling and outline the ceiling wall joint, then paint down the wall joint to the floor. When all the ceiling and wall joints are painted, outline the windows and doorways by painting the walls along moldings. When all the openings in one wall are completed, Painter Two can begin. Painter Two is strictly a roller person whose job is to roll the paint into the outlining paint in a nice even application. written by the editors of HouseNet Copyright HouseNet, Inc. |