Basic Painting Tips

Problem Solution Why does my paint colour look different in some sections after it is dry? Variance in the shading of the colour after paint has dried can be caused by many different things - poor quality paint tools, waiting too long after cutting in so edges are dry when the main area of a wall is painted (no wet edge to blend into) or one thick layer of painting being applied, as opposed to many thin layers. Always use the best brush and roller you can afford – good paint will not look good without a good applicator! Use the recommended pile height of roller and always apply more than one finish coat (thin versus heavy). Also, don't cut in too far ahead of yourself to ensure you have a wet edge to feather your cutting into the main area of the wall. What's the best way to climb a ladder with an armful of painting materials? Don't – get yourself a "cut in cup" instead! With a side pocket to hold your paint tool it gives you something to hold the paint, your brush and any other tool you may need while on the ladder. Why can't I get my roller to paint evenly? This is usually due to over loading the roller which, in turn, causes improper leveling of the paint on your surface. Once your roller has been saturated in the well of your paint tray, roll it up and down repeatedly on the grid portion of the tray to ensure any part of the roller that was over or under loaded will be looked after. Also, the first roll onto the wall should be in the shape of an "X" - then roll out the "X" until you need to reload. If you simply start out on the left and work to your right until you run out, the first pass will always release the most paint, giving you uneven results. How can I protect hardwood, laminate, tile or other slippery floors – especially stairs! – with something that will not slide underfoot? Choose a fabric coated drop sheet which has a virtually non-skid under side for both the safety you need and waterproof protection from paint spatter or overspray. How can I stop my hands and wrists from getting sore and tired from the repetitive nature of brush work? The only solution for this problem is to use a brush that is designed specifically for this situation - A Flowline Brush. Flowline brushes have a bent handle that conforms to the natural position of your hand (left or right handed) thereby keeping the natural balance of your entire hand working for you. It doesn't cause the stress and fatigue common to straight handle paint brush designs. How can I stop my hands and forearm getting tired from holding a paint can while doing trim, baseboards or cut in work? This is another great time to use a cut-in cup. You can rest the handle over your hand, allowing the weight of the paint to be evenly balanced so the grip of your hand doesn't need to do all the work.

"Prime" all painting tools prior to use Dampen with clean water first so that the first load of paint onto the paint applicator will apply to the surface in the same way as the last load will. Always clean walls before applying a new coat of paint A TSP type product will do the job nicely. Wash walls and rinse at least twice with clean water to remove any residue that can cause paint failure. If your project requires more than one container of paint, be sure to "box" the cans Get a larger container that will hold all the quantity you have bought in one container to ensure that the colour will be consistent throughout your project. Stir Your Paint! Even though the paint in the can may look mixed, always give it a quick stir before reloading your paint tray just to be sure that nothing has settled out. Never stop painting in the middle of a wall or let an edge dry Always finish off a wall before taking a break or finishing for the day so you have a wet edge to blend in new paint. Don't underbuy the quantity of paint you think you will need To ensure colour consistency, make sure you get more than enough paint (see the boxing tip above) as you will be surprised how different two cans can be when mixed two days apart by two different tinters in a store. Always keep a little extra for touch ups anyway. Not all paints are created equal Two same-sized containers of paint in the same sheen can vary in the amount of surface area they will cover by as much as 100% ! A better quality paint is made with better ingredients (less filler and liquid for instance) and is refined better as well. Take a look at the coverage expectations indicated on the side of the different paints you are considering. Now divide that area into the price and you will get a rough idea of the true cost of each product. Of course, a better paint will also last longer and require painting less often. So, to get the truest assessment of the value you are getting for your paint dollar, you need to add the cost of the paint over time and add in the materials needed for each recoat and assign a value to your time to do the job as well. More often than not, over time cheap paint ends up not being cheap at all!

Lint Free Roller Refills - due to their fabric construction (woven continuous fibres), these are far less likely to shed any fibres onto your surface than other roller refills. Knitted Roller Refills - these are denser than a lint free refill thereby they will hold more paint but they are also more prone to shedding in the first few uses. Choose these for first coats and priming until they have been washed a few times. Fabric Coated drop sheets - for the purposes outlined above, these type of drop sheets are less slippery and more waterproof against spills than a standard cotton drop cloth or a plastic drop sheet. Trim & Cut In Cup - This is one handy paint accessory that, once you have one, you will wonder how you ever managed without! It has one compartment for your paint (up to 1L or 1qt) and a compartment to hold your brush when climbing up and down ladders or when moving from spot to spot. It also has a flat brush off edge to ensure your brush is not overloaded and a handle that fits nicely over your hand for easy and stress free gripping. TSP - TriSodiumPhosphate - This is a great multipurpose cleaner for any surface that you are planning to paint! Flowline Paint Brushes - "The World's Most Comfortable Paint Brush" is exclusive to Dynamic and has a bent handle that conforms to the natural shape of your hand. It reduces hand stress and fatigue for both DIYers and Pros alike by allowing you to hold onto it without overtasking muscles and ligaments in any one part of your hand. Flowline brushes are available in short and long handles, plastic and wood handles, polyester or poly/nylon or poly/bristle filament blends and in a variety of sizes and qualities to meet virtually any painting need!

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