The Citizen, 2008-10-16, Page 22(MS) -- Whether you are in the
process of selling a home,
renovating an existing home or just
trying a different decorating scheme,
painting the walls is one of the least
expensive ways to create a new look.
The experts at a manufacturer of
professional painting tools, offer the
following painting tips.
You should have all your paint
supplies gathered and ready to use.
The surface to be painted should
always be clean and dry. Any rough
spots should be sanded and primed.
You should also consider priming if
you are painting over wallpaper or a
very dark paint colour.
Step One - Cutting In. “Cutting in”
is the art of drawing a straight line
separating two colours using only
the brush -- no masking tape or other
aid. You often see it at the edge
between a wall and ceiling or when
you are painting around a door or
window. Cutting in is easy if you use
a high-quality paint brush and follow
these simple rules:
1. Fully load the brush with paint.
2. Place the brush parallel to the
area to be cut, push the bristles
against the surface and let the brush
open up into a semi oval. Then move
it into the line you are cutting.
Follow the line until the line of paint
begins to break up. Repeat.
If you are not comfortable cutting
in with a brush, you can always use
special painter’s tape to ensure you
get a straight line.
Step Two - Painting the Surface.
You have two options for painting a
substantial surface area; use a large
4-inch to 6-inch flat brush or a 9-
inch roller cover and frame.
If you decide to use a brush, the
best way to load a paintbrush is to
dip the brush about an inch or two
into the paint and then gently tap the
brush against both sides of the paint
can. Don’t wipe the brush against the
side of the paint can; it will cause
paint to dry up on the brush and the
lip of the can, creating dry paint
balls that end up in the paint and on
the substrate.
First, begin painting along the
edges you have cut in. Use short
strokes to spread the paint evenly
along the border or edge. After you
have thoroughly covered an area, use
longer strokes to smooth any lines
that may have developed. Continue
to paint in this manner.
Using Roller Covers: Most
professionals prefer to use roller
covers for large wall surfaces. To
load the roller, pour paint into a paint
tray or pan. Dip the roller into the
paint and roll it along the grooves of
the pan to load. Then, dip the roller
half way into the paint and again roll
back along the grooves of the pan to
load. Repeat this process two more
times until the roller is saturated
with paint.
Begin rolling the wall by creating
a “v” shape. Fill the shape and roll
smoothly from top to bottom. If the
roller cover was loaded properly, a 9
-inch roller cover should offer about
6 to 12 square feet of coverage from
each dip. Professional painters also
use rollers on extension poles to
quickly and easily paint walls and
ceilings.
If you need to stop in the middle of
a project, be sure to complete the
wall you are working on to achieve
the optimum result.
(MS) -- Every do-it-yourselfer
needs an adequate tool arsenal to be
able to complete projects correctly
and safely. The challenge lies in
figuring out what tools to keep on
hand and which tools can be rented
for project-specific tasks.
Worth the purchase:
* 16-oz curved-claw nail hammer
with a rubber grip handle
* Basic screwdriver set that
contains both flat blades as well as
Phillips
* Cross-cut hand saw
* Cordless or corded power drill
with a variety of bits
* Level
* C-Clamps to hold things you’re
trying to secure
* Retractable tape measure
* Adjustable wrench
* Slip-joint pliers
* Sandpaper in a variety of grit
levels
* Lubricant
* Glues (wood glue, epoxy, and
all-purpose)
* Duct tape
* Small flashlight
PAGE 22. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2008.How to achieve the best painting results
How-to
‘Cutting in’ is one of the first steps of a painting job. It’s used
around door frames, windows and where the walls meet the
ceiling. (MS photo)
Must-have
tools for
DIYers
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