Painting Tips (For Inside the House)

Tips to help you while painting the interior of your house.

Put Rollers In a Bag

When taking a break while painting the inside of your home, you can wrap rollers in plastic bags (make sure there are no holes and all air is squeezed out of bag) and place in fridge. This will keep them moist and you can use them again without having to clean them.

By Seacat61

Place Paintbrush In Freezer

If you're not finished painting, cover the paintbrush with plastic wrap and place in freezer. The brush will thaw and be great.

By Howard

Keep It Moist With A Wet Towel

When I paint with a roller and pan, and I have to step away for a short while, I lay the roller on the pan and then cover both with a wet hand towel. It keeps everything moist.

By Mary

Line Tray With A Plastic Bag

When using a paint roller and tray, place the tray in a plastic shopping/carrier bag then pour the paint in. When finished, remove the bag and place in the bin - the tray will have very little paint on it and be very easy to clean.

Regards,
Jo (Who always hated washing the tray until she found this tip!)

Foil In The Paint Tray

Line your paint tray with foil for easier cleanup.

By Linda

5 Painting Tips

1. After opening a new can of paint, using a hammer and a larger nail, punch five or 6 holes in the retaining groove of the can. Of course, be careful not to slop paint around. When you dip the brush in the paint and then wipe it against the side of the can rim, the paint fills the groove as it always does, but with the holes it runs right back into the can.
2. Write the date, brand, and color used under the light switch for a handy reference in each room.
3. A skateboard makes a nifty scoot-along seat when painting baseboards.
4. Tape a paper plate to the bottom of the gallon paint can to avoid splatter and spills.
5. Wrap all your hardware in foil before painting. This means metal parts like door knobs, hinges, pulls etc.

By Tracey

Wet Paper For Masking

Cut strips of paper, moisten and place on windows when painting the frames. They will stick long enough for you to paint and save scraping paint off the glass.

By Siris

Add Vanilla

To get rid of smoke smells in a house, just add vanilla to the paint, works like a charm

By Diana

Two Great Tips

Buy lots of the blue painters tape (like masking tape, only lots better) it makes every thing a lot easier, just remember to rub it down good and to peel it off as soon as you are done before the paint dries, or the paint can come with it.

After living in a house that the ceiling was painted in a flat paint, it seemed to obsorb all the light and looked dull and dirty, I painted it with semi gloss or satin paint. What a difference, the light bounced around the room and the ceiling never looked dull and dirty again! (same color)

By Clara Steendahl

Do you have any painting tips to share? Post them below.

Answers:

Painting Tips (For Inside the House)

My sister found out quite by accident that the new bright RED colors need to be primered before painting. I had never known that until then. And department stores that sell you the paint sure don't bother to tell you. (06/21/2007)

By Sharon, KY

Painting Tips (For Inside the House)

Here is my tip:

Between painting, even for a day, you can wrap and or cover your items with that new Press and Seal wrap. It is wonderful for that. I seal the whole roller head with it and it is the same the next day. That product allows no air in when you seal it correctly.

That new blue painters tape (new to me anyway) tore the paint from my ceiling, even though it states that there is a 14- day removal time.

My ceiling had dried for 2 weeks and the tape was only on for 4 days. Now I have all that repair to do, I am NOT happy with the blue painters tape!

I do however love the plastic pour lids you can buy for very little $ to put on top of the paint cans. (06/22/2007)