Painting Tips

Featured Articles

• Appealing or Peeling?
• Some Popular Painting Techniques
• Cold or Flu? How To Tell
• The Trivia Block

Appealing or Peeling?
A Little Paint Goes a Long Way!

Painting your home may seem like a daunting job, but the rewards of a fresh coat of paint go a long way. Keeping up on the condition of your interior and exterior walls guarantees not only pleasant surroundings, but also less to worry about in the event of a sudden move.

No one says you have to repaint your whole house every year but it may be wise to consider refreshing one or two rooms each year on a rotational basis. This way, once you've finished the last room, it will be time to begin the cycle again. Or just maybe it could be time to move and start out fresh!

Either way, there's a vast array of paint colors and techniques available at your local builder's retailer or hardware store. In the meantime, here are some helpful tips to get you started.

Before You Start

• Take down any wall hangings and remove the hangers. Be sure to fill the resulting hole with a little putty. Let the putty dry completely. Remove door stops and electrical outlet covers and switch plates, as well.
• Wash walls thoroughly with a household cleaner and water. Be sure to let walls dry completely before starting to paint.
• Cover any area that you don't want painted or splattered. Use a drop cloth to cover floors and furniture you can't move. Mask off walls and woodwork that aren't to be painted with painter's masking tape.
• Always get the right type of brush for the paint you are using. Nylon brushes are best for latex and water-based paints.
• You will need several sized brushes. Two inch brushes are good for painting trim, while a 1-inch brush is great for tighter spots. Four inch brushes are good if you are painting a small room where a roller is cumbersome.
• Pads work well on smooth surfaces and rollers are best for flat surfaces. Rollers and pads will spread paint much faster than brushes. Always use a roller for larger areas.

Time to Paint

• Start with your ceilings first. Don't worry about painting over the edges because when you paint the walls, you'll cut the corners in.
• You'll want to paint in a sequence from the top to the bottom. Start by painting the corners, next paint the walls from floor to ceiling, then paint the doors and woodwork, and finally the baseboards.
• You will need to wait at least three hours between coats of latex paint and 24 hours between coats of other types of paint. Be sure to check the instructions on the paint can as drying times may vary by manufacturer.

Clean Up

• If you are using latex paint, immediately clean the brushes with warm soapy water. Rinse with clean water and hang brush up to dry.
• If you are using other types of paint, soak brushes in paint thinner to remove excess paint and then rinse with clean water and hang to dry.
• To clean rollers, scrape excess paint from the roller, and follow the same directions for brushes.

Some Popular Painting Techniques
Textures and Patterns

Sponging, rag-rolling, stippling and paneling are a few of the decorative paint techniques that can give your home unique charm and character. Beautiful dapple color effects can be achieved with minimal materials and the most basic instruction.

Broken Color Techniques with Glazes & Washes
Most specialty painting techniques involve "broken color," a term that means applying one or more colors in broken layers over a different base coat to create a mottled or textured effect.

Sponging
Sponging On is a quick and simple technique that begins with the application of a solid base paint color. After the base coat dries, a wash or glaze is applied on top with a dampened sponge to create a mottled look.

Ragging and Rag Rolling
These techniques give walls the dramatic effect of crushed velvet, parchment, chamois leather, watered silk or brocade.

Stippling
This technique achieves more subtle results than rag rolling or sponging and can be best described as suede-like. This process breaks up the wall color into a mass of very small dots, which lends richness to the finish. This information is brought to you by Paint Quality Institute.

Cold or Flu? How To Tell

The Trivia Block

What is the most common street name in the United States?

Second Street ranks as the most common street name. First Street is not #1 because many First streets are called Main Street.