How to Paint
Before you begin to paint your home, there are a few things to take into consideration. First off, you will need the right tools. The better your tools, ultimately the easier and more professional your painting will look. Secondly, you will need to choose a quality paint that fits your preferences and third, it is important to treat the wall or ceiling before you begin painting. Here are some more tips.
Choose High Quality Tools
If you want to get the most out of your painting, it is important to choose the right tools. Generally speaking, the higher quality the tool such as a paint brush or roller, the easier it will be to apply the paint. The reason why a more expensive brush tends to give you a better paint job is that the high quality brushes are better balanced, this means they can hold more paint and apply that paint more evenly than a $1 brush can. When choosing a paint brush, touch the brush gently looking for springiness, you want to choose a brush that is very tightly packed.
The type of paint brush you use also depends on the type of paint that you will use. For instance, if you are using water basedor latex interior paint, you will probably get the best results from brushes and rollers that use synthetic bristles. If your choice is oil based paint synthetic bristles or natural fibers will do.
Other tools necessary to painting proficiently are:
Different types of brushes (one for edges, one for broad strokes, etc)
A roller tool
Several rollers
An extension for a roller to reach the ceiling and high areas of walls
Tarps and drop cloths
Masking tape
Ladder
Hat, eye and lung protection
Bucket
Paint stirrer
Turpentine to clean brushes after use
Pail
Bleach
Putty and knife to repair cracked walls
Paint
Choose High Quality Paint
Paint is usually very affordable and choosing high quality paint rather than a budget paint is generally a good investment. High quality paints usually perform better in many areas including having a better finish, easier to work with, less fading or staining over time and possibly one of its best characteristics is the ability to produce a nice, even coat with just one application. This ultimately means that you don’t have to apply two or three coats cutting down on your labor and ultimately the amount of paint that you use.
It is also important to choose paint for your specific area. First off, choose between interior or exterior paints, and then you also have the option of choosing paints that are primarily water based, latex interior, oil, etc. Talk to a paint specialist regarding the type of paint that is best for your home and color.
Prepare the Surface for Painting
Possibly the most important thing you can do to achieve a professional looking paint job is to prepare the surface for painting properly. Your paint needs to stick to your walls and ceilings properly, if your wall is dirty, cracked or water logged, the paint’s performance will suffer immensely. Before you paint, you should first clean the wall or ceiling. This can be done with a water and bleach compound. Make sure that all dust, grime, etc is removed. Once your initial cleaning is complete, rinse with plain water. Your goal is to clean the wall, so make sure you don’t soak the wall causing damage to it.
If your wall has any small holes or cracks it should first be filled in. Use some spackle or caulk to fill in any small holes, once the hole has been filled, sand it down to make it flush with the surrounding wall.
If your wall or ceiling has been damaged by water, before painting, you should first treat the area. Use a stain blocking primer on the area before you begin painting. If you paint over a water damaged area, the paint itself can become discolored from the water over a short period of time.
How to Paint Walls
Before you start painting, it is important to have proper ventilation, especially if you are indoors. Make sure you first have your tools ready and prepared, your paint is mixed and prepared and your tarmac is on the floor. If you have any special molding or items near the wall you are painting that you don’t want damaged, cover them up and tape them shut.
When painting walls, you will be using your roller (with and without an extension pole) and a 2 inch brush to help you paint corners, edges, etc. First use your 2 inch brush to paint any edges of the wall. Besides a 2 inch brush, you can buy special edging tools. You will paint the wall edges with your brush in strips, meaning vertically. Make sure that you use a fluid movement. Once the edges are done, you will switch to a roller. A roller is used to paint large areas very quickly without a lot of labor. When painting with a roller, you will paint the area in a vertical direction. It is best to make a zigzag pattern -sort of like the letter M. What most professionals do is first create about a 3 foot M form and then fill in the area with the roller in vertical movements.
How to Paint Ceilings
Ceilings are similar to walls; however they do require either a long roller extension or a good ladder. Since you will be painting the ceiling, make sure the floor and any items such as furniture are covered with a drop cloth or tarmac. First off, focus on the corners. This can be done with a 2 inch brush or edging tools. You can paint each edge in strips (vertical strokes). Once the edges are completed, use your roller, this time making zigzag shape in the form of a W in about a 3 foot section and then filling this area in. Remember if there are any signs of water damage or stains on the wall, pre treat it with a stain blocking primer before painting.
How to Paint Doors
Doors are a little more tricky than just your average wall or ceiling, however if done properly, a nicely painted door can accent a room. Before you paint the door figure out exactly what will be painted. For instance, when painting a door, you must figure out if you are painting just the outside of the door, just the inside of the door or both sides. If your door closes to another room with another color, you will need to take great care that none of the colors you use on one side will be visible on the other side. Before painting the door make sure that all hinges, knobs, etc are protected. It is best to use masking tape for this protection. For doors with panels, it is best to use a brush 2 inches or wider. Start from the top and paint vertically. Paint the panels first, and then move to the rest of the door.
Tips on Improving Your Painting
Make sure that the area you are painting is properly ventilated. Paint can make one dizzy or severely sick. It is a very good idea to start your painting off early in the day; this makes it easy to keep the windows open during the day instead of nighttime when it can be very cold outside.
It is a good idea to make any repairs to your home before you start painting; this includes holes, cracks and stains on walls.
For those that are painting wood, paint in the direction of the grain for best results.