Painting Tips & Techniques

You've found the perfect color for your walls, you've done the patch test and now you're ready to get started - except for one thing. Painting just isn't your idea of a great day of fun. By implementing some basic tips and techniques, you can find that you not only arrive at a successful conclusion to your painting, but you might just end up enjoying it as well.

Proper Beginnings

It's important to begin properly and it certainly is less stressful that way. We suggest that you create a tool table in the middle of the area you're working in where you can have all of your essentials placed. Gather together your paints, brushes, rollers, hammer and screwdrivers, plastic bags and plastic wrap, paint can opener, drop cloths and rags (lots of these). If they are all in one place you won't be flustered trying to locate a screwdriver when you need one - it will be easily accessible.

Rome Wasn't Built in a Day

Instead of doing everything in one day, plan for a two-day event. Use the first day to either gather the furniture in the middle of the room or, if possible, remove the bulk of it to allow for space to paint. Take everything off the walls, move lamps and chairs and cover them all with a drop sheet, if you can't remove them entirely. Tape the sheet around the bottom and then put a plastic over that - you can't be too careful with your treasures. Once you've moved the furniture and covered it, then patch holes and cracks, tape windows and door trim and cover all ceiling fixtures with plastic bags. Be sure to take the light bulbs out so you don't inadvertently melt the plastic with a hot bulb.

More Preparation Before Your Start

If your walls have big holes or cracks in them, ask your paint professional about repair. They often have great suggestions on how to tackle a big patching job so it is properly done. They can recommend the best products for the job such as bridging with fiberglass tape or texturized products which will blend with your wall finish.

Unless you're a Picasso, don't try to paint around hardware. Take the hardware off drawers and cabinets and from the doors. Put it in plastic baggies and label the baggie with the exact location of where the hardware was taken. This is also the perfect time to clean the hardware before putting it back, giving the room a totally new feeling.

Painting Day - Get Yourself Covered

It's painting day. Be sure you've got yourself covered. We all seem to think we are above getting paint on ourselves, but the truth is, we are seldom successful. So, take off all jewelry before starting the job. Make sure you've got some old "painting clothes" on and an old pair of slip-on shoes is ideal for painting. By wearing slip-on shoes you can just slip them off when you have to leave the room and slide back into them when you return.  This will prevent drops of paint from being tracked into other areas of the house. Cover your hair with a scarf, shower cap or baseball hat and a bit of plastic over the lenses of your glasses won't hurt either.

Now you look lovely and you're prepared to get started. Have fun!