Many house owners have a basic painting preparation or know a thing or two about how painting works, especially when it concerns the interior painting of their house. They realize the importance of knowing how to use drop cloths, painter’s tape and stir paints the proper way. But here is a fun fact for you, did you know that a golf ball can help you maintain the quality of your paint in your homes, or that heating paint tapes can make it longer lasting and durable?
With almost all DIY (do it yourself) painting projects and services, having a few additional painting techniques and strategies in your painting arsenal can lead to the most desired results in your painting activities. Keeping your paint and paint materials safe and secure, and using the right painting tools for each painting project can ensure that you prevent blemishes and you cover surfaces evenly.
Below are nine DIY painting tips you can add to your arsenal, that can help you improve the quality of your painting projects, and ultimately save time and money in the process. These painting tips apply to all painting projects. It doesn’t really matter if you are planning to sell your house, changing the decoration in your apartment or doing routine household maintenance.
- Try to keep your paints from drying out
If you have a half-empty can or rubber of paint, it will most likely dry out. A useful tip to help you avoid this is to drop golf balls into the half empty paint can to fill up the air space. An alternative way to preserve half paints in containers is to place a plastic wrap under the lid or cover, seal or close it tightly and store the paint in a dry room upside down.
- Always use the correct primer
If you are looking to paint a new drywall, use a water-based primer to hide faults and make sure you get an even base before applying color. But in cases where you are painting a paneling, or a water-damaged or smoke-filled walls, use an oil-based primer instead of a water base primer.
- Try to avoid lap marks
To avoid stripe marks caused by rolling over paint that had started drying, you should keep a damp edge by painting the full corners of the wall and then move over slightly so you can cover the previous stroke with the next.
- Use a modified stirrer to stir paints
Drill holes in your stirrer before using it to stir paints, to help mix up the paints thoroughly. The hole allows the paint to move through the stirrer freely aerating the paint and causing it to mix evenly.
- Add texture, if you so desire
If you intend to add more texture to your walls, use a roller with a longer nap, which can hold more paint. That fabric material that covers the roller is called the nap. Longer naps give you more paint on your walls because of how the fibers spread the paint. Then proceed to using a shorter nap roller for a smoothing finish.
- Don’t wash your brushes or rollers
If you use latex paint for the painting project, it is OK if you do not wash your brush or rollers if you don’t finish painting in one day. To keep your latex paints from drying quickly on your brushes, wrap the brushes or rollers in aluminum or tin foil or even in plastic bags and keep in a refrigerator. Allow them to be warmed back up before using again.
- Microwave old tapes
Heating the whole roll of your painter’s tape can prevent it from sticking or tearing when attempting to peel it off.
- Know the kind of paint present on existing walls
If you are not sure if a wall’s existing paint is oil or latex, immense a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol and rub the ball in small areas of the wall. If there is residue of paints on the ball, then the paint is latex. But if there is no paint residue on the ball, then the pre-existing paint is an oil-based paint. Use an oil-based primer for the painting process.
- Buy a paint pen
Own a paint pen that allows you to load it with a small amounts of your new paint color for your finishing touches later. Paint pens can keep the paint inside fresh for at least one year once filled; before use again always shake the paint to ensure it comes out evenly and smooth.
- Tools
When it comes to using the right tools for your project, here are some useful things to note:
– For water-based paints, use a nylon-bristle brush and for oil-based paints use a natural bristle brush for the painting process. Never you use a natural bristle brush for water–based paint, because the water can cause the bristles to lump. Use foam brushes for internal paintings like painting moulding or window casings. But note that these types of brushes can only be used once at most because they are difficult to clean and can easily tear.
– If you are dealing with oil-based paintings for your projects, use natural bristles like ox or hog hair. They can hold paint way better than synthetic bristle.
– In latex painting, use synthetic brushes like nylon and polyester brushes, they do not retain water like the natural brushes and therefore are much better suited for latex painting projects.
– Use flagged brushes for your finishing touches after painting. These brushes provide a smooth, even and more acute layout of your paintings. Flagged brushes are multipurpose brushes.
– Always use the right rollers for your painting projects. Use a 3/8 inch or less nap for smooth surfaces like wall boards and wooden surfaces. But for those surfaces with rigid and rough texture, use larger naps instead, they help reduce the number of coats and reduces the time spent while painting.