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Quick Tips
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Paint
/ General Painting
When painting anything with a hinge attached--such as
kitchen cabinets-coat the hinges with rubber cement. When
the paint is dry, rub the rubber cement off the hinges
with your fingers or a gum eraser.
From Alex, (SEATTLE)
Alex60@yahoo.com
Enamel paint can be applied more smoothly if the can is
first allowed to stand in a pan of hot water.
From Roy, (Toronto Canada)
Royer34@Yahoo.ca
Pick a roller with the correct pile for the job. The
general rule is the smoother the surface, the thinner the
pile. The proper roller will hold the paint, instead of
allowing it to dribble down on your work.
From Ray, (Miami)
Irocutriixx@startmedia.com
An empty milk carton is a good container to soak roller
pads in. Just cut the top off and put roller inside.
From Frank, (Los Angeles)
fra56nsan@hotmail.com
I want to share this tip -- when using water based latex
paint you can keep your rollers from drying out day to day
by placing them in plastic bags (such as grocery bags)
with the handle sticking out. Tie bag around handle and
you'll be ready to go next time.
Before you begin dipping your paintbrush into the paint
can, take a hammer and nail and "punch" holes into the
slot where the paint can lid fits. Any paint that begins
to fill the slot where the paint can lid fits will drain
through the holes back into the can! This works great to
keep your clean-up to a minimum.
For a good spray-painted finish, you must keep the paint
gun or can approximately the same distance from the
surface throughout the spraying. Make this challenge
easier by taping to the spray gun or can a stick that's an
inch short of desired working distance from the surface.
While you're spraying, hold the spray gun or can so that
this stick remains about an inch away from the surface at
all times.
Your roller cover will last longer if every now and then
you reverse it on the roller frame.
Before capping leftover paint, mark the label at the level
of the paint inside so you can tell at a glance how much
is left in the can.
Before you begin dipping your paintbrush into the paint
can, take a hammer and nail and "punch" holes into the
slot where the paint can lid fits. Any paint that begins
to fill the slot where the paint can lid fits will drain
through the holes back into the can! This works great to
keep your clean-up to a minimum. Reader's Tip: I'm a
painter and I want to share this tip -- when using water
based latex paint you can keep your rollers from drying
out day to day by placing them in plastic bags (such as
grocery bags) with the handle sticking out. Tie bag around
handle and you'll be ready to go next time.
When banging the lid back onto the paint can, if you drape
a cloth or newspaper over the lid, it will catch the paint
that shoots out between the lid and the can. (I got this
tip from my friend.
Coat water stained areas with an alcohol-based or alkyd
stain killer before painting.
To prepare old wood for paint, it isn't necessary to
remove the old paint. Simply seal all knots with thinned
shellac and sand when dry. If the knot is loose, tighten
it with wood caulking. After the caulking has dried, coat
the spot with shellac and then sand.
Keep a record of how much paint it takes to cover each
room by writing the amount on the back of a light switch
plate. You will be removing the switch plate before you
paint anyway.
Eliminate drippy cans by driving nail holes into the dip in the rim so the
paint can drip inside rather than outside (only if you
plan to use up the whole container of paint right away).
Latex paint tends to be difficult to handle in hot
weather, while oil based paint tends to be difficult to
handle in cold weather. The older the paint and the
cheaper the quality, the more likely it is to contain
mercury and the harder it will be to handle. The most
environmentally correct paint is water-based latex. You
can use it in most situations, and the eggshell variety is
relatively easy to wipe clean. Oil-base paint gives off
toxic fumes. If you must use it, always paint in a well
ventilated space.
To prevent paint build up and to make cleanup a lot
easier, line the trays with aluminum foil before adding
paint or buy a disposable plastic try liner.
Drill several holes down the length of your stirring
paddle. Every stroke you make with this customized paddle,
will agitate the paint much more extensively. Use 1/4 inch
holes in a metal stirrer, but 3/8 inch holes in a wood
stirrer because of its greater thickness.
Any paint job risks being marred by loose brush bristles
stuck in the painted surface. To remove loosened bristles
from a brush before painting, use a pocket comb reserved
especially for this purpose, or a metal tooth animal comb.
A pair of tweezers can be used to pick loose brush
bristles off freshly painted surfaces.
If using an oil based paint on an area that has suffered
mildew, add mildew inhibitor to the paint (this isn't
necessary with water based paints, which don't contain the
oil that fungus feeds on.) |
