Archive for the ‘Painting’ Category

There are several types of interior paint finishes, but all refer to the finishes reaction to light. Because latex paint is the most commonly used type of interior paint, we will only discuss latex paint in the article.

Flat paint finishes have no sheen once the paint dries. Flat paint absorbs light and does not reflect it. Flat paint finish is great at hiding any imperfections that you may have in your walls and also looks good in most colors. The best rooms to use a flat finish is rooms that usually receive little traffic such as bedrooms or closets. Don’t use flat paint in a room that will require a lot of cleaning because it is difficult to clean when it gets dirty.

An eggshell paint offers about as much sheen as an actual eggshell, hence its name. It is mostly flat but does have a small amount of luster. It is also easier to clean than flat paint so it would be better suited for areas of your house that have higher traffic such as a living room or a hallway. Another benefit of eggshell paint is that like a flat finish it also looks good in a variety of colors.

A satin paint finish is much easier to clean than flat or eggshell paints, just be careful not to scrub too hard because you could possibly remove some of the sheen which will leave an uneven finish in your wall. A satin finish will not hide imperfections in your walls as well as flat or eggshell finishes will. Since satin paints stand up better to cleaning they are a great choice kids rooms, kitchens and bathrooms.

Semi gloss paints are a step up from satin and reflect more light. It is a good choice for painting trim but could be used for a kitchen or bathroom because it does not absorb kitchen greases or bathroom condensations as much as the other paint finishes do. It could also be used in playrooms since it is much easier to clean up. Semi gloss paints generally look better in a lighter shade of paint.

Gloss paints offer the most sheen of all of the other finishes and is also the easiest to clean. Gloss paint is generally used for painting trim and is usually not a good choice for walls. Gloss paint is also commonly used to paint cabinetry in kitchens and bathrooms.

Choosing a paint finish ia a matter of personal preference, just remember that the more sheen a paint has the more durable it will be. In general, you get what you pay for. Buy the best quality paint you can afford. Using quality paint will make your paint job last longer, is less likely to yellow, goes on easier and also leaves a smoother finish.

It would be a good idea to purchase several quarts of paint to test if you are not sure of what sheen or color would be best for the room you are painting. Many of the large retail paint outlets even sell small sample containers of paint which are great for testing different sheen’s and colors at a small price.

Copyright (c) 2008 Smoky Mountain Painting

The author is the owner of Smoky Mountain Painting in Pigeon Forge Tennessee and has over thirty years experience in the home improvement industry. For more information, visit http://www.smokymountainpainting.com

Author: Tony Evans
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Excise Tax

Covering Stains, Grease, Graffiti, and Problem Surfaces.

Most folks find out about stains and problem surfaces after it is too late — during, or after they are done, painting. Repeated coats of paint won’t cover properly because the problem areas bleed through the new paint.

Special Problem Areas

Old paint, oil or lead based

Grease, oil, mold, or mildew

Graffiti, ball point ink, permanent markers, paint

Bad plaster, crumbling or water damaged

Old oil and lead base paints often used special pigments that bleed through new latex paints. Light colors might not bleed at all while some darker colors cannot be covered even with several coats of paint. You can test a small area, let it dry for 24 hours, and check for coverage.

To seal the old paint, you need to use a special primer. Normally, it will be an oil base primer especially made to cover oil base paint before painting with latex paint. Be sure to get one designed for this purpose. Be sure to follow the directions for drying time before applying the first coat of paint.

Grease, oil, mold, or mildew should be cleaned with a household clearner first. Next, clean with a solution made for use before painting, such as Soilax. You can purchase it at a paint or hardware store. After the soiled areas are dry, paint them will a special primer designed for hiding these kind of spots.

Porters–Stay-Kill–primer works well. You can prime the entire surface, or just cover up the soiled areas. Be sure to follow the directions for drying time before applying the first coat of paint.

Graffiti, ball point ink, permanent markers, and paint can be covered with a special primer designed for hiding these kinds of spots. Porters Stay-Kill primer works well. You need to cover the soiled areas. Be sure to follow the directions for drying time before applying a second coat of primer or the first coat of paint.

Bad plaster, crumbling or water damaged needs to be cleaned first. Use a scrub brush and water to remove all the loose plaster. If there’s extensive damage, you should repair the damaged plaster, too. Water damage causes some of the chemicals in plaster to bleed through new paint. It’s a good idea to use a primer like Porters Stay-Kill before painting. Be sure to follow the directions for drying time before applying a second coat of primer or the first coat of paint.

Painting tips

Buy good quality paint. Porters are one of the brands that are good, however, other name brands are good, too, and have similar types of primers and paints.

In kitchens, bathrooms, and high-traffic areas, use a “latex enamel” paint which is more waterproof and can be cleaned easily.

Allow plenty of drying time for a primer, and between each coat of paint. Getting in a hurry might end up with a poor finish, or require an additional coat of paint.

If you’re trying to get by with just one coat of paint, don’t apply it to heavy. If a second coat is needed, you will have wasted paint.

If you plan to use two coats of paint, don’t put the first coat on too thin. Two even coats will look better and last longer.

Be sure you have plenty of ventilation. If you’re painting your home, plan to does it during warm weather so you can leave the windows open during, and for several days after, painting?

PainterClick.com

How-to information on painting and other aspects of home improvement.. Includes do-it-yourself guide, and links.

Read more interior painting problem on:

DIY Home Improvement Information

http://www.painterclick.com/interior_painting_problems.htm

Author: Mario Sanchez
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Beading Necklace

Paint consists of:

o Pigments for color.

o Binders that hold the pigments together.

o Liquid that disperses and delivers the pigments.

o Additives that supply traits such as moisture resistance.

Painting Tips

Paint Safety

Before beginning any paint project, make certain you are working in a well ventilated room.

Clean As You Go

When painting, keep a damp rag handy to clean up as you go. It’s much easier to clean paint that is still wet.

Paintbrush Overload

For a quicker and more efficient paint job, don’t overload the paintbrush or roller. If it drips, there’s too much paint.

Door Painting

When you’re painting a door, waiting between coats for each side to dry can be time consuming. Here’s a shortcut. First, drive nails into the four corners and attach a length of rope. Loop each rope once around a rafter or beam. After painting one side, you can flip the work over, unlooping the ropes, to paint the other side.

Paint Spray Technique

Using a paint sprayer can give you some versatility for your next project. Using a spray gun rather than a roller or brush allows you the option of varying color schemes by fading and layering colors. You can achieve this by moving closer or farther away from your surface. To ensure a smooth finish, move at a consistent speed across your surface and remember to always clean your machine and hoses to avoid clogging.

Power Paint Sprayer

Use a power sprayer to cut days off your next big exterior paint job. Apply a thin coat first as a primer, using even, steady strokes that overlap. Start at the bottom and work your way up, so you can get at the underside of your clapboards or shingles. Allow this coat to dry and apply final coats the same way. Remember to keep the sprayer and its attachments clean and clog-free.

Paintbrush cleaning

Cleaning paintbrushes is a messy job, but someone’s got to do it. First wipe off as much excess as you can. If you’re using latex paint, work the bristles in warm soapy water. For oil-based paint, first clean brushes in a glass or metal container in an inch of solvent, then use warm soapy water. Smooth clean bristles with an old comb.

Painting Time

When painting a room which has surfaces that are in good shape, plan on spending about half as much time on preparation and clean-up as the actual painting. Where surfaces are in poor shape, non-painting time will increase accordingly, and may take more time than the paint application itself. To save time in cleaning up paint trays, either line them with aluminum foil before starting, or simply slip smaller trash bags over them.

Carrying Paint

Smaller quart-size paint cans are hard to carry and easy to tip over. To avoid these problems, try this: Put the quart paint can inside of an empty gallon can that has a handle. It will be easier to carry and, if it spills inside of the larger can, you can just pour the paint back into the quart can.

Painter tape

When masking off areas around trim etc. Use quality painters tape. This tape is wider than most masking tape, it doesn’t absorb the paint and is easy to apply and remove. It usually comes with an adhesive strip along one edge which covers about a 1/3 of the width of the tape. Don’t use plain old masking tape.

Paint Storage

To prevent air from entering partially used paint cans, store them upside down after placing the top on firmly.

PainterClick.com

How-to information on painting and other aspects of home improvement.. Includes do-it-yourself guide, and links.

Read more painting articles on:

http://www.painterclick.com

Author: Mario Sanchez
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Netbook, Tablets and Mobile Computing

Before I give you house painting tips, let me say that if your last set-to with a paintbrush involved the use of those old-fashioned oil base paints, you’re in for a jolt. The new coatings that have arrived on the market go on like no paint you’ve ever handled before. They’re available in a range of colors varied enough to confuse an electronic brain (but not a housewife). What’s more they set new records for durability, washability and beauty.

Since you are after house painting tips, you’ve probably found out about the latex or alkyd paints that are on the market under quite a few different brand names. Most of these do an excellent job. However, when you buy paint don’t try to skimp on quality.

Foremost of my house painting tips is that for the most part this is one field where you get precisely what you pay for. Top quality paint put out by a reputable firm is not cheap.

While not one of my house painting tips, I have to say the strangest and, to a large extent, the most fantastic paint that has come along in a good many years is the new Lucite wallcoating. This stuff isn’t a liquid and it isn’t a paste. It’s a sort of jell about the same consistency as mayonnaise. Lucite paint is ready to apply directly from the can with no stirring or thinning.

Before I go on to painting techniques for my house painting tips, I have to say that with Lucite wallcoating you can dunk a brush into this glop and pick up a tremendous portion at one time without having the paint run down your elbow. An odd thing happens when you touch the brush to the wall and start to flow on the paint too. It goes on with a sleek smoothness that seems almost unbelievable.

Painting Techniques

On to some useful house painting tips concerning painting techniques – with a brush, paint the areas along base_boards, trim and corners. These are tough to cover with a roller. Paint the ceiling first. Your best bet here is a paint roller coupled to an extension handle. DuPont and several other companies put out a special paint for ceilings that has added hiding power so that one coat will often do the job of two.

Here’s one of my handy house painting tips: the trick to handling most of the new paints is to first concentrate on slobbing the paint onto the wall, then, before you move onto another area, smooth the coating with several side-by-side roller strokes running in the same direction.

You’ll find this next set of house painting tips helpful: take care of the walls next. The job will be easier if you plan to work in a series of vertical panels about as wide as you can comfortably reach. Roller coat the top part first. Your extension handled roller makes this job simple. Finish up the rest of the panel with a standard roller. Most of the new paints can be touched up even after the coating has dried – just be cautious.

This is one of my simpler house painting tips: if you notice a spot you missed, even days later, just give it a quick swipe with a brush or roller.

Many of the new paints dry so quickly that a second coat can be applied even an hour or so later. This means that by the time you’ve finished painting your way around the room you’re back to the starting point and all set for the second coat. Because of this, a two-coat job can be a one-evening job – you’ll be able to apply all of your house painting tips in one go!

You’ll notice that in my house painting tips, little space has been devoted to the subject of primers or undercoating. Most of the new paints are their own undercoat. This varies from brand to brand, however. Check the manufacturer’s instructions on the label and if a primer is required use the right type and apply it as detailed.

Above all, have fun with your painting!

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Author: Russell R. Freeman
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Hybrid and Electric Cars

Remember, everyone starts as a beginner at painting. Just because you have never painted a house doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it a try. The money you save by painting your own house is money you can put into other home improvements. It can also be a fun thing for the whole family to do.

Now we need to choose the colors we want to paint the house. There is a really cool tool online that you can use. http://www.benjaminmoore.com/wrapper_pcv.asp?L=owner&K=intproj&N=intproj Click let’s paint. Choose exterior or the interior options. Choose the project closest to yours. Get started and you will soon know what color you want to paint your house and you’ll have a vision of what it is going to look like when you’re finished.

Here are some of the basics. Of course the first thing you need to do is wash down the walls of your house. A pressure washer can be rented at almost any rental yard and is the best way to do that. Now go around with a scraper and remove all loose paint and chipped areas. You don’t have to scrape the entire wall, but any areas where the surface is not flat can cause you problems as you paint your house.

Next, figure out your square footage so you can determine the amount of paint you will need to buy. Buy your paint in 5-gallon pails, rather than gallons to save more money.

Talk to the helper at your local paint store and tell him about your project. They can help you decide on how many brushes and rollers and other items you will need. You can buy natural or synthetic bristles for oil based paints, but only use synthetic bristles with latex paint. The same rule applies to rollers. Good rollers can run you around $7, but buy high-quality paintbrushes. A good brush for cutting in around edges will run you about $30.

Make sure you purchased some painter’s tape. It’s blue tape that comes in different widths and is easy to remove without messing up your paint job. That brings us to preparation. Tape off all areas you don’t wish to get this color of paint on. If there are large areas to cover, make sure you pick up some rolls of plastic. You can tape the edges of the plastic down over whatever you need to cover.

Don’t paint out of the paint cans. First reason is that leaving the paint can open will dry out the paint and make it difficult to apply. Another reason is that your brush or roller picks up dirt and foreign objects, which will end up in your paint and may even change the color as you go along.

Do all of your cutting or trimming in before you paint the walls. Use a 4″ brush and with a smooth stroke guide it around the edges where you taped off. Make sure you have plenty of paint on your brush. The biggest mistake people make is trying to stretch the paint too far. Keep drips cleaned up as you go with a small rag. Remember you will be rolling up to the edge of your cut, so don’t worry about that, just make sure you cover the edges well.

Start on the edges of your walls and work your way toward the middle. Most people don’t do this and problems can result. If you start and new can of paint in the middle of the wall and there is any difference in the color at all, it will show up there more than it would on the edges. So with each new can of paint you open, start at the edges first.

Dip your roller in water (for Latex) or solvent (for oil-based paint), before you start. Whether you use a pan or a 5-gallon bucket with a screen, make sure you roll it out a little to make sure it isn’t dripping. You don’t need to go all the way from the top to the bottom as you paint. Do what you can reach.

Apply the paint in a Y or an N pattern, then apply paint in columns up and down smoothing out all the edges or ridges as you go. Again don’t try to stretch the paint out, make sure you have enough paint on your roller to give it a good coat. If you are applying more than one coat, make sure the first coat is completely dry before applying a new coat of paint.
Corners are a difficult part to learn to paint. If you aren’t careful, this is where you will see paint drips later. Get as close to corners as you can, but don’t scrape the roller against the corner. That will cause drips. If you are unsure, have a paintbrush handy to smooth out drips. That is also a good idea overall. Keep a paintbrush ready for taking care of any drips or ridges you leave behind. Doing this as you go is much easier than trying to fix it after it’s dry or partially dry.

Using tray liners for your paint trays will save you a lot of time at cleanup. Soak your brushes when done for awhile and they will also be easier to clean. For water based paint, soak in water and for oil based paint soak them in solvent.

I hope some of these tips have been helpful to you. Have confidence that you can do this job yourself. You will appreciate and enjoy it much more knowing that you or you and your family completed the job rather than hiring someone else to do it.

D. David Dugan has a website, http://homeimprovement.divinfo.com/ to help homeowners find all the information they need about remodeling, home repair, building decks and carports, room additions, and more. He also actively participates in a forum at http://forum.dugancom.com/ that can help you with computer problems you may be having.

Author: D. David Dugan
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Healing food: natural way to cure cancer

House Painting is serious business for homeowners. Once it is completed, you’ll have to live by the outcome for years to come, so everything must fall in to place in order to attain beauty and good quality results. One essential demand in house painting from start to finish is good quality house painting tools. This is very important because the quality of your paint job depends on the quality of tools you use to deal with the paint. There are a variety of house painting tools and equipment designed to do the job and they are classified as Pre-painting Tools and the Paint Applicators.

Pre-painting tools are the materials used in preparation for future paint application, mainly to create a clean working surface and to make sure that the painting process will go as smoothly as possible.

Pre-painting tools include:

Washing Compound

-Washing Compound is composed of trisodium phosphate which washes off grease and tobacco smoke off the exterior surfaces of a home.

Sandpaper

-Sandpaper is a common household material which is used in sanding to level the surface for a finer finish.

Patching Material

-Patching material is used to cover up or fill in deep holes. This material can be difficult to work with and very hard to sand smooth. Choose accordingly.

Painter’s Rags

-Rags are used to help produce a good-looking, clean, professional Paint job. These must be lint-free and absorbent to wipe off excess caulk for paint from the wall.

Caulking Gun

-Caulking Gun is used to patch cracks in areas where siding meets trim. This dries quickly and can be painted without being primed.

Spackle

- Spackle is primarily used as a patching material. It is easy to work with because it is quick-drying and sands easily.

Scrapers

-Scrapers are treated as the most important Pre-painting tool. It primarily scrapes off old paint on siding or trim, curved wood moldings, and other surfaces, to give way to a new one. It also removes accumulated dirt.

Another type of house painting tool are the Paint Applicators. Paint applicators are the tools used in the actual painting process; these tools are responsible for holding and releasing paint.

Paint Applicators may include:

Paintbrushes

-Paintbrushes are the most common tool used in house painting. Although using them requires experience and skill, it is the most versatile and the best in different types of painting work.

Paintbrushes come in different sizes according to the area of application and consist of two types, the natural which is made of animal hairs or the synthetic which is made of nylon. The main difference is that Natural bristles work only with alkyd paints and not with the water-based latex paints due to the fact that water causes the bristles to go limp, while synthetic bristles work with both alkyd and latex paints.

Rollers

-A paint roller is composed of steel frame, a metal cage, and a threaded handle that can hold an extension pole. This is used to paint most interior walls, ceilings or any flat surface because it is four to five times as fast as the brush and it produces more professional looking results even in the hands of an unskilled user.

Pad Applicators

-A pad applicator is like a paint roller except it slides rather than roll. It has the same application as the brush except it lets you apply a different color to the wall without irregularity or spillover along juncture lines.

Mitt

-A mitt is the same as a paint glove which is worn and dip it into the paint, allowing you to wrapped around the object until the surface is coated with paint. Examples of this would be staircase balusters, railings, gutters, or pipes.

Airless Sprayers

-An airless sprayer is a machine that applies paint in the form of a spray. It greatly reduces the time required to paint a house. In the hands of an experienced painter it can produce smooth, even painted surfaces. When properly used, airless sprayers can produce excellent results.

House Painting is never easy, especially to those who are novice, but practice makes perfect. With a proper set of tools in your hand, good quality work is assured while saving time.

Nicky Taylor is CEO Of a house painting and home improvement company. Nicky is a leader among the painting contractors in the North Atlanta Georgia area. He shares his knowledge on exterior painting and other home improvement topics at the above painting contractor link through articles and resource materials on various topics. The company website contains helpful information for anyone planning to undertake their own projects.

Author: Nicky Taylor
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
News of Solar Power and Alternative Engery

When it comes to painting a room these words of Abraham Lincoln seem especially appropriate; “If I have been hired to cut down a tree in 8 hours, then I would spend 7 of them sharpening my axe.”

A quality paint finish requires more time spent in preparation over application. Choosing the best paint, the right brushes, and preparation of the room, are the 3 main ingredients to ensure superior results.

Choosing Paint:

Paint comes in 2 standard compositions; alkyd (oil based) or acrylic (water based). For interior applications the standard recommendation is acrylic paint for its quick drying time, easy clean up and minimal toxicity during application. The only exception is if the wall has been previously painted with an oil base. Acrylics do not adhere well and will often cause cracking and peeling

To determine if the existing coat of paint is oil or water based – Apply a touch of mineral spirits on some out of the way space on your wall. Acrylics will be unaffected. The alkyd will dissolve.

Choosing to prime is dependent on specific wall circumstances. The following questions will help determine if you need to prime the wall:

Do I need to cover stains? Stains include crayon, ink and water spots. Am I dramatically changing the color of the wall? If moving from a dark to a light toned color, priming will limit the number of coats needed to apply to provide an even spread of the new color. Tinting the primer with the new color also speeds up this covering process. Is my wall a raw surface? Drywall, wood paneling or some other rough, unfinished surface will need to be primed.

Use an acrylic based primer when your primary color is acrylic. If an oil, either one will work.

Choosing Paint Color:

When choosing a wall color, buy small sample cans of your selections. Each color should be painted on a 2′ square piece of foam core board. Position the boards around the room during different times of the day or night, to get a sense of how the color will change as the light shifts. Test color in natural light as well as with evening lamps.

Choosing Price Points:

“You get what you pay for” especially holds true when selecting paint. The quality of this product is reflected in the price. Look for the word “premium” on paint cans. This is a standard term for paint that is formulated for:

Higher percentage of pigment and binding agents Greater durability Fade resistance Superior can to can color matching Fewer coats needed to cover surface Better overall sheen results

Premium Paints usually run approximately $28 to $38 a gallon.

Selecting Brushes and Rollers

Brushes:

The best type of brush to use on standard interior walls is a quality synthetic. Synthetic brushes will grab more paint, keep their shape during paint application and their tapered cuts will make corners and edges easier to maneuver. Smaller angled brushes work well for finishing around windows. Larger angles are good for your trims and moldings.

To test the quality of the brush, pull gently on the bristles. Tug on the brush bristles, if several bristles pull out easily this is a cheaply made brush that will lose bristles in the paint or on the wall. Keep shopping.

Rollers

Choose your roller by evaluating the walls surface. Rough surfaces need a longer nap roller (orange colored). Smoother surfaces will need the smaller nap (yellow). Testing for a quality roller is to simply separate the nap, if you see the cardboard core, keep looking. Also, “squish” the roller to see if it returns to its original shape quickly.

Do not use foam rollers. These are best used for stencils and other decorative wall treatments.

Preparing the Room – Step by Step

Step 1 – The best way to paint a room is to start with it being entirely empty. If this is not possible begin by pushing everything, including window treatments, to the center of the room. Cover with drop cloths. Place a large trash can in the middle of the room, lined with plastic, to keep your work space clean and ready for any mishaps.

Step 2 – Turn off electrical power to safely remove all switch plates, fixtures and outlets. If painting the ceiling with a ceiling fixture, drop its canopy allowing it to rest on the chandelier or fan. If applicable, remove door knobs.

Step 3 – Clean and repair wall. For dirt and grease spots, use TSP (trisodium phosphate). This is a non soap cleaner that needs no rinsing for spot cleaning. Dust down the rest of the wall with a dry rag. Next, repair any dents, dings or small holes in the wall.

Once repair is completed, vacuum entire room, including the walls and base boards.

Step 4 – Tape off areas to protect using the painter’s tape. This tape is specifically designed to leave no sticky residue on wall. Choose blue tape for latex paint applications. The purple is for the alkyds.

The secret to painter’s tape is to pull it off immediately after painting. Removing it while the paint is still wet will allow you to deal with smears and drips before the paint dries. By letting the paint dry with the tape, could cause the paint to peel with the tapes removal.

Painting the Room – Step by Step

Step 1 – Always keep fresh air circulating. All paint is toxic, to some degree. The best days to paint are ones with low humidity and open window opportunities. Consider a mask and goggles as well.

Step 2 – Unless you have just returned from the paint store, stir the paint to ensure pigment consistency.

Step 3 – If painting the ceiling is in your design scheme, start there. Start with edges and then, using an extension bar, finish the rest of the surface. Avoid using a ladder to paint; it’s hard to paint evenly.

Step 4 – When loading a brush, dip into the paint up to 1/3 of the brushes bristles. Tap – don’t scrape the excess paint off the brush.

Step 5 – To avoid wrist fatigue, hold the brush like a pencil when applying paint to wall. When working around windows and trim, blend the paint out as you move away from the trim. Leaving a crisp edge will be harder to cover up with the roller.

Step 6 – Finish the large surfaces with a roller. Roll the roller into the paint tray until the paint covers all sides without dripping. Begin applying on wall using a “W” type pattern. Go over the wall again with long floor to ceiling finishing strokes to even out the application.

Step 7 – If touch ups need to be done, give the paint 24 hours to dry.

Paint is the most affordable way to dramatically change the look of any room. By applying these painting steps to your living space will ensure a result that you will be delighted with.

For tons of money saving, frugally fabulous professional design tips and secrets – visit: http://frugalhomedesign.com Frugal Home Design has been created to help the “frustrated interior decorator in each of us”. Affordably fun information combined with your implementation will create the home you have always wanted.

Author: Sue E Krippner
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Painting walls is one of the largest tasks when painting the interior of a house. This article will help shed some light on a few tips and tricks to using masking tape to paint great looking walls.

With interior house painting, having nicely painted walls is important. The typical way of painting walls is to first ‘cut-in’ the edges with a brush and then fill in the center areas by rolling the paint on. For the beginner or average DIY person cutting-in is typically done using tape to mask off the edges of the painted wall; paint is then applied without much accuracy in hopes that when the masking tape is removed the freshly painted wall will have a clean edge. Usually the outcome is less than desirable and the problem can at times be attributed to the tape being applied improperly, luckily there are a few ways to improve the results of tape when used for interior house painting work.

When applying the tape, apply it gently without stretching or over-pulling. This gives the tapes adhesive a better chance to do its job and stick more fully to the surface it’s being applied to, reducing the amount of paint that can seep under the edge. Once the tape has been gently applied, press the tape onto the surface using a rag. Occasionally with some uneven or bumpy surfaces the tape can be punctured by the surface irregularity but in most interior house painting applications the surface is relatively smooth so there shouldn’t be a problem. The rag helps to disperse the pressure and again allows the adhesive to more fully adhere to the surface and prevent paint seepage.

When painting your wall with a brush, start brushing and spreading the paint next to the tape before painting directly onto the tape. Once you’ve spread some paint on the wall next to the tape line brush the paint in-line with the tape instead of brushing directly into the tape. This will reduce the likelihood of paint seeping under the tape and/or paint being forced under the tape by the brush.

There are also a couple of tricks to painting with masking tape, these tricks are only really applicable to interior house painting but can really make a difference and will change most peoples opinions of tape I believe. If you have the same color of paint that the tape is protecting, you can paint this color onto the tape before painting your new color. This will fill in any gaps in the tape, so when you apply your new color all the gaps and paint seepage areas have already been filled with the color beneath.

Another trick is to use caulking in a similar fashion as above. Take clear caulking, mix it 4:1 with water and apply this mixture to the tape before applying your finish top-coat. Be sure to let this dry, what this does is similar to the double paint layer, it fills in the gaps and prevents paint from seeping under the tape.

When removing your tape, pull it slowly and at a sharp angle away from the painted surface. It’s best to remove the tape when the paint is fresh (after a second coat or if you’re only doing one coat) as the paint has yet to dry and create a seal. It’s wise to always invest in decent quality products, some tapes have stronger adhesives or are made for specific uses, never be afraid to ask for advice from a home improvement or paint store. Typically you’ll find people versed in the ways of interior house painting working at these places, especially a paint store!.

Remember to be safe, read about your products and adhere to all safety and cautionary procedures. I hope these tips help to improve your interior house painting projects!

A H Young is an owner & operator of Painter for Hire, a Toronto area painting contractor specializing in residential and commercial painting.

Toronto Painters

Author: A H Young
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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