PAINTING TIPS
We take the pain out of painting.
KEEPING TRACK OF PAINT COLORS
Some paint colors are so close, that often times it is difficult to match your previously painted home or business with the paint at the store. If you keep track of the color in a notebook or on the paint can, there is still a risk that you will lose your note before the need of repainting your home or business. However, one of the ways that you can keep track of the paint color and type that you need is to write it on the back of a light switch panel. By doing this, you will likely discover the information while removing these covers before repainting - even if you have forgotten where you wrote it down. Many people actually go as far as to write the serial number for easy access later.
USING PAINT PRIMER
One of the reasons that amateur paint jobs tend to look dull or lifeless is because the painter fails to use a primer before applying the first coat of paint. Primer is one of the most important parts of the painting process. Priming helps to keep stains or imperfections from the deeper layers of the wall, which prevents them from showing through your paint. Primer helps your paint to spread evenly onto the wall without significant blisters. Priming even helps the layer of paint appear brighter, more vibrant.
If you plan on painting a lighter color over a darker color, try mixing a small amount of the paint with the primer before applying it. Doing this will help to hide the underlying color. This task of mixing is only possible if your paint and primer are of the same type - latex or oil. You do not need much paint for this to work, but you should be able to tell that the primer is shifting towards the paint color.
FINDING A GOOD TIME TO PAINT EXTERIORS
When you decide to paint the exterior of your home or business, make sure to pay attention to the weather that day before getting set up. For the best drying times, avoid painting when the temperature is below 60 degrees F or when it exceeds 90 degrees F. In addition, avoid painting when it is raining or windy outside. The rain can dilute your paint before it has a chance to dry. Wind can blow dirt onto your fresh paint or cause it to dry far too quickly. If you can, avoid painting in direct sunlight. Not only will this make painting a much more tiresome task, it will cause other adverse effects as well.
MAKING CLEAN UP EASIER
Before pouring paint in your roller tray, consider lining it with aluminum foil or a plastic liner. You can throw those materials away after the paint job is complete and reduce the amount of clean up time necessary. Also, try to avoid using the side of a paintbrush when covering the corners of your room. You can increase the lifespan of your flat paint brushes and make the job cleaner by sticking to the flat side - brushing in downward strokes from the corner. If two colors are meeting in that corner, you can use masking tape on the dry surfaces to avoid splatters or bleed over. Once the other surface is dry, you can switch the tape to the other side and complete the job.
If dirt or other debris gets inside the paint can while you are painting an exterior, there is no need to despair. You can cut some spare wire screen (from a screen door or window is best as it is cheaply available at your local home supply store) and place it on the top of the paint. It will not immediately sink. However, as you continue painting and the level lowers, the screen will continue to drop and take the debris with it. Once it gets to the bottom, you can simply throw the can away - but you still will have saved a great deal of paint from the garbage can.