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Improve Your
Surroundings with Paint
One of the easiest, most cost-efficient ways of enhancing
your home is with paint. With the advances made in paint
over the past decade, there's not much you can't do with
it indoors and outdoors.
Gone are the days of the all-purpose can of paint. Today
there are paints available for specific materials and
surfaces. Whether your floor is wood or concrete, there is
a paint designed for use on it. There are even paints for
metals, such as the smoke pipe of a stove, that heat up to
extremely high temperatures.
Some paints are made for specific uses on appliances,
cabinets, tile walls and floors, bathtubs and sinks. You
can even produce a terrazzo look on floors or a textured
effect on walls with the right kind of paint.
Before you begin any project, visit a paint dealer and
discuss the kind of material you plan to paint, its
condition and the result you want to see. There are so
many paints on the market, you want to make sure you get
just the right one. A paint that's good for interior
woodwork, for instance, is not necessarily good for wood
floors or outside wood trim. A paint intended for concrete
walls won't necessarily hold up on a concrete floor. So be
specific.
To apply any paint all you need to do is follow the
instructions on the paint can. These are usually very
detailed. But be sure to read them before you leave the
store in case you have any questions. Also ask about any
materials or tools that may be required for a particular
kind of paint.
Many paints are flammable and harmful if taken internally
or inhaled. Be sure to read the warning labels which are
usually illustrated quite clearly on the container. Always
keep any area where you are painting well-ventilated.
While a fresh coat of paint can easily transform any dull
room, cupboard or furniture item, you can't expect all
flaws to be magically concealed. Painting requires good
surface preparation and some elbow grease before you can
splash on new colours.
Start by filling in all holes and cracks with an
appropriate filler. When the filler is dry, use a fine
sandpaper and sand all surfaces lightly. Then wipe all
surfaces to ensure they are dust free. Here are a few tips
for different paint jobs:
Bathrooms and kitchens
Because of high moisture, use an enamel rather than a flat
paint for walls as well as woodwork. An enamel is easier
to clean and less likely to be harmed by moisture. Epoxy
paints will hold on sinks, bathtubs, ceramic tiles and
other areas that are extremely smooth and exposed to
water. These paints mush be handled carefully and require
good ventilation.
Basement
A latex masonry paint is good for concrete basement walls.
Many paints are designed to damp- proof or waterproof
basement walls. Their effectiveness depends on how well
they are applied. However, it's virtually impossible to
waterproof a basement from the inside simply by applying
waterproof paint on the walls.
Use heat-resistant enamels on any surface that gets hot,
such as metal pipes. Concrete basement floors must be
cleaned before painting. Use a cleaner recommended by the
paint manufacturer.
Outdoors
Any paint you use should be designed to withstand the
weather. The surfaces - whether aluminum, iron, steel,
brick, concrete, wood, wicker, etc. - must be prepared in
advance as recommended by the paint manufacturer. Before
starting any project, be sure to consult your local paint
store representative for ideas and advice. |
