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Tips on
Painting House
Painting you house is an important task and you would like
the job to be done well. Here are a few tips that you
should follow from the time you begin painting till you
finish the job.
1. While buying brushes you can choose from natural and
synthetic bristles. For latex paint use only synthetic
bristles and for oil based paints you can use both. For
painting walls buy brushes that are 3 to 4 inches wide and
are flat. For intricate work like the mullion on a window
use a sash brush that is angled and about 1-1/2 inch wide.
For doors, windows and trim use brushes that are 3 inch
wide and have a straight edge. If the brush has a narrow
end then it will retain more paint than a flat-ended
brush.
2. While buying rollers follow the same rules as above;
for latex paint use synthetic rollers and natural rollers
for oil-based paints. When you buy a roller remember, that
when the surface is rougher, the head of the roller should
be longer. To find out how good the roller is, use your
hand to squeeze the middle of the roller. It should regain
its original shape as soon as you release your hand.
3. Buy enough sticking tape. It is best to invest in some
good quality masking tape or painter's tape. Though both
these are a little costlier they are easy to remove. You
will have to use tape to cover trims, windowpanes,
doorknobs etc. Some tapes come with little paper attached
to one side for greater protection. While removing the
tape, to avoid pulling off the finish, use a hair dryer
and blow hot air over the tape before lifting it off. The
hot air will stop it from sticking to the finish.
4. To prevent paint from dripping while painting, using a
nail and a hammer, make a hole on the rim of the paint
tin, after you have opened it. Doing this will allow the
paint from the brush to run back into the tin, as you drag
you brush across the rim of the tin to remove the extra
paint from the brush. This prevents the extra paint from
collecting on the rim of the tin and overflowing after
some time.
5. When you begin to paint a wall, begin from the edges
and then fill in the middle section. Try not to start a
new can of paint in the middle section of the wall. If
there is the slightest variation in color it will be
clearly visible in this section of the wall.
6. To get an even coat of color, pour paint into a smaller
can and take a piece of coat hanger wire and bend it
across the small can. Fix the wire by twisting its ends
across the rim of the can or across the handle. Use this
wire to brush off extra paint, from your brush, every time
you dip your brush into the can. Doing this will ensure
that your brush is evenly coated with paint across the
span of the brush. This will give the wall an even and
smooth finish.
7. Keep some old clean rags at hand to clean up any mess
by dripping and spilling paint. Buy a set of use and throw
foam brushes that you can use for touch ups.
8. If you are applying a number of coats of paint, wait
patiently till each coat has completely dried up before
applying the next coat.
9. If you are breaking for the day and will continue
painting the next day, then wrap the wet brushes in
plastic or aluminum foil and place it in the freezer. The
next morning all you will have to do is remove it and
start off from where you stopped last night.
10. Soaking paint brushes in water or paint solvent for
sometime makes it easier to clean. Make a hole in the
metal clam of the brush and pass a nail through it. Now
fill a small jar with water or solvent and hang the brush
in it, by laying the nail across the mouth of the jar.
Soak it for sometime and then wash thoroughly. Empty the
jar and place the clean brush in it and this way the
bristles of the brush will remain straight after they dry.
11. When you use a roller and a tray, ensure that you use
a tray liner so that you do not waste time cleaning the
tray once the job is done. You can either buy a tray liner
or use aluminum foil as liner and throw away once soiled.
12. A newly painted wall, takes 30 days to cure, so do not
wash the paint for about a month. |
