Painting

I'm on vacation this week, although we aren't going anywhere.  I took the week off to do a lot of painting, and a few other home projects.

I started Mon morning with 1 of our guest bedrooms.  After several interruptions I finished it yesterday, and today I started the living room and foyer/entryway.  I'll post photos later when everything's done and put back together.

I actually enjoy painting.  I painted my condo from top to bottom during the time I lived in it, and Spouse & I painted it again after the tenant moved out and before we sold it.  We painted our 1st house from top to bottom as well as our 2nd house, although we did this over the course of a couple years.  With all this painting, I've learned a few tips I'm happy to share with you:

• Pick the right paint.  Don't be afraid to ask the person who works in the paint department.  Tell them about the room you're painting and ask for their advice.  Paint quality and prices can range quite a bit.  High traffic areas should be painted with high grade, washable paint.  Bedrooms and rooms that don't get as much traffic may not need the same quality paint.
• Use the right tools.  Rollers come in different naps for different surface types so pick the right one for your surface.  I recommend you get 2 brushes; 1 for areas too small to roll and a smaller one for 'cutting in' along ceilings and trim moldings.
• Remove what you don't want painted.  Remove as much if not all the furniture and move the rest to the center of the room.  Take off light switch and electrical socket plates.  Cover the switches and sockets with painters tape in case you go a little crazy while rolling.
• Don't rush.  Put on music, relax, and take your time.  If you rush you're more likely to make mistakes.
  
• Stretch your tape.  I always use blue painters tape on my baseboards to protect them from inevitable roller splatter.  To make the tape go on straight and not bubble up, stretch the tape a little as you lay it down and then press it down firmly to prevent leakage underneath it.
• Roll first, then cut in.  Rolling covers quicker than brushing and leaves a nice smooth surface so roll as much as your can.  Cut in the rest with a brush.
• Blend rolled and brushed surfaces together.  After rolling and cutting in, use a brush with little to no paint on it and 'feather' or blend the area where the rolling and brushing meet.  This eliminates visible lines between the rolled and brushed textures.
• Keep a damp paper towel handy.  In case you accidentally drip a little paint or accidentally bump your roller or brush against an undesired surface, the damp paper towel handy will allow you to quickly clean up the mistake without having to go to the kitchen and get a paper towel, dampen it, and come back to the room in which you're working to clean up.
• Remove your tape correctly.  When removing your painters tape, pull the tape at a 45 degree angle from the surface.  This will help the tape pull away cleanly and prevent splitting.

Follow these tips and you might enjoy painting as much as I do!