Painting is a great way to spruce up your home, inside or out. However, if you aren't careful it can be much messier and more complicated than is necessary. This is a guide about painting tips and tricks.
Solutions: Painting Tips and Tricks
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With spring right around the corner here are some painting hints that I find handy:
Out of masking or painters tape? When painting windows only, carefully rub Vaseline or shortening on the glass along the wood. Clean with dish soap when the paint is good and dry.
Wrap a rag around the handle of your brush and it will catch any runs from the brush instead of your hand.
When you are finished painting, make a quarter size circle on the lid so you know what color is in the can.
Pour a small amount of the paint into a container you can hold in one hand; it keeps your can cleaner and you aren't carrying around a heavy paint can.
Mark how much paint is left on the outside of the can.
Punch a couple of holes in the rim under the lid for extra paint to drip back into the can from your brush.
Wipe the extra paint out of the rim before putting the lid back on it will make getting the lid off next time much easier.
Lay plastic wrap on the surface of the paint sealing the air out, it will keep the paint from drying out.
If you are going to be painting with the same roller or brush within 24 hours or so, tightly wrap both or either in plastic wrap and submerge in water. Place outside or in a cool place.
I have been painting the last couple of weeks and all the rooms are different colors. To save a lot of work on clean-up I put the painting tray in a plastic grocery bag.
When you are done painting a room just pull the bag off the tray inside out and throw in the garbage. No tray clean-up!
Place a rubber band from the center of the bottom of the paint can around the top. Dip your paint brush in the paint can and wipe excess off on the rubber band. No more messy painting!
I have been painting the house, so I have had to wash out my paint tray. I found a tip to avoid having to rinse out your tray for the next colour. Just put a plastic bag over your tray and push it down before you dump in the paint. When you're done, just remove the plastic bag.
Stretch a strong rubber band around a paint can from the top to the bottom. Use the rubber band to remove the excess paint from the brush which keeps the paint from going all over the side and rim of the paint can.
Because of the long wearing factor of oil based paint, I hardly ever use anything else but clean up is a little messy. So if I have to stop in the middle of my project, I just put my brush in a container of water, until I am ready to use it next time. The water won't bother the oil base paint and all I have to do is wipe off the water with a rag and I am ready to go right back to my project.
If I am going to be a couple of days or it is not handy to leave a can of water sitting around, I slip them into a tightly closed plastic bag and put them in the freezer. When I am ready to clean my brushes I make sure to get all of the paint out of the brush I possible can then let them sit in a can of mineral spirits for a couple of hours before cleaning them.
The final step is to rub a drop or two of dish soap into the dry brush to keep it soft. Just rinse out the soap when ready to use it again.
If you have to stop in the middle of painting before the job is done, you don't have to wash the brush. Just stick the bristles into a sandwich bag, no need to seal, and pop it into the freezer until ready to paint again.
I attach a can opener, to the end of a paintbrush, that is removable. This makes things so much more simple instead of searching for the opener every time.
Before painting, clean walls with white vinegar and let dry before painting. Inexpensive and easy. Also put your paint brushes in white vinegar and rinse well and dry before using.
When doing painting, staining, or polyurethane projects; I keep Wet Ones pop-up wipes handy to clean my hands, wipe off paint brush handles, or wipe up small accidents. It's much more convenient than paint thinner, smells much better, and is much kinder to your skin.
Everyone likes to have painted, nice looking nails. It is very hard to paint your own nails but even when you ask someone to paint them for you, they don't always look good. Here are some tips on painting nails.
First always use the bathroom before painting nails. Then do your hands one at a time. Make sure that the hand is dry before you go on to the next. Let your nails dry completely before putting on the top coat.
When your nails are long, they can also break very easily when typing. Always use the palms of your finger nails. When you button and unbutton, be careful and remember to use the palms of your fingers.
Hope this helps because everyone should have nice looking nails even when they are on budget.
A lot of the stores around here have started putting their meat in big plastic pans. Washed out these make great disposable paint pans. You can also clean them with a little bleach and use them to give cookies or candy at the holidays or use them for a small kitty litter pan for a kitten you are trying to potty train. They also make great water pans for outside animals.
I have been painting my living room and find that, very often, I am called away from my work by a telephone call or a child needing help. I keep a large plastic garbage sack nearby and, when I am called away, I place my paint pan, with roller and brush and all, inside the bag and twist it a few times to seal. When I return, the roller and paint are ready for me to continue.
Borrow your kid's skateboard when you are painting baseboards and lower walls. Just sit cross-legged on a skateboard and roll along with your paintbrush and a paint can. It's much easier on your back.
To keep paint brushes moist between painting, put in a ziplock bag and put in the veg bin in your fridge. my mother does a lot of painting and gave me this useful tip.
A beautifully painted exterior is a great way to increase your home's curb appeal. Unfortunately, if the landscaping around your foundation becomes destroyed in the process, your net gain can suddenly turn into a loss. As most professional house painters will tell you, good communication and a little bit of planning is all you need to keep your plants out of harm's way.
Communicate your concerns. Dripping paint and trampling feet can quickly lay waste to the landscaping around your home's foundation. Most (but not all) professional house-painters have techniques and tools in place to help prevent damage to your plants. The only way you can be certain yours does, however, is to talk with them about it before hiring them. Make them aware of your concerns, and ask them what, if any steps, they will be taking to keep your plants safe.
Cover them carefully. Use a lightweight drop cloth or sheet to cover your plants and shrubs. Make sure you use cloth instead of plastic. Plastic, especially black plastic, can heat up quickly and smother plants in a single afternoon. To allow for air circulation, canopies can be constructed over the plants by placing tall stakes in front of and behind them, to hold up a "roof" of sheets. For smaller plants, consider using cardboard boxes or flipping over large clay flower pots that can be removed at the end of each work day. As long as they are equipped with drainage and/or air holes, they should provide plants with enough air circulation for short periods of time.
Wet down your plants. Before you cover your plants, water them as well as the ground around them. Plants covered up for long periods of time in the hot sun are susceptible to dehydration. Wet leaves and flowers also make it harder for dripping paint to stick. Don't soak the ground, however, or the soil may become too soft to support the painter's ladders and scaffolding.
Create some space. If shrubs will prevent painters from accessing your home's exterior, you'll need to create some space by pulling them away from the house. One way to do this is to cover the plants with sheets or flexible plastic fencing (the kind used for snow fences) and pull the plants gently away from the house, using rope and stakes to secure them in place.
Catch the chips. If you or your painters are doing a lot of scraping, you might want to catch the paint chips. You can do this by stapling or taping a canvas cloth or sheet to the side of the house and draping it over your plants like a bridal train. Empty the cloth frequently, before it becomes too heavy and spills onto the soil.
Paint when plants are dormant. This isn't possible in all parts of the country, but if you live in a warm climate and have the luxury of selecting the time of year you want to have your house painted, do it when your plants are dormant.
Relocate them. As a last resort, you might consider digging up a special plant and relocating it to a container until the painting job is done.
Respect your neighbors. If it's windy, especially if paint is being sprayed, volunteer to cover your neighbors' flower and vegetable gardens to help protect them from drifting paint.
Have a painting party. When we moved in to our new home, we wanted to get the painting done before moving all the furniture. We supplied the paint and the food. Friends and family had an enjoyable time and the painting got done in no time.
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Questions
Here are questions related to Painting Tips and Tricks.
The reason the last paint job lasted so long is that the surface was properly prepared-the surface was roughed enough that the new paint adhered. If the current surface isn't roughed in some way, the new paint will not adhere and you'll have a nasty peeling mess to show for your hard work.
You can probably rough the current surface easily, though, with a TSP wash. I'm not sure if that product is available in Australia, it's a cleaner, comes as a premixed spray or bottle (pricey, wowsa), powder, or concentrate. It will do a great job roughing your surface for painting.
Or you can try a homemade mix of vinegar and water (1-1 parts ratio). Test a small inconspicuous area to be sure this will rough your surface sufficiently to permit the new paint to adhere to the old.
Using a wash often opens the current paint surface enough to permit new paint adhesion, and eliminates the need to sand.
Place a rubber band from the center of the bottom of the paint can around the top. Dip your paint brush in the paint can and wipe excess off on the rubber band. No more messy painting! 
By frugalsunnie04/15/2013
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