Home Painting Tips & Tricks, Do’s and Don’ts

PaintingProblems-ClaffeysPaintingIf you’re a homeowner, sooner or later, your home is going to need to be painted -gasp! That can be a frightening undertaking. If you’ve never done it before, the fright is in the unknown. If you have painted in the past, the fright is remembering some of the “horrors” from your last project:

  • Paint got all over and had to be removed from floors, woodworking and you
  • The paint color was less than what you had hoped for
  • Your finished project was streaky
  • Clean up was, and never is a good time

Over the years we have come across some clever tips to make the job easier along with some definite mistakes you should avoid.

Painting Tips for Convenience

  1. One of the dreaded parts of a paint job is the clean-up. Have you ever thought to line the bottom of your paint tray with a plastic bag? Simply slip the bag over your tray, and when you are finished, carefully remove the bag keeping the wetness inside, and toss into the trash. You’re now ready for the next project.
  2. Most people know that if they’re through for the day but not with the job, to put your paint brush in a plastic bag and seal tightly. But have you ever thought to stick that bagged brush in the freezer? It will keep it fresh and it’s easy to thaw out when you’re ready to begin again.
  3. Never begin your paint job without having a damp cloth handy to clean up those inevitable drips and spills before they dry.
  4. For a nicer finish, remove the excess lint from your paint roller with a lint roller

Painting Don’ts

  1. Don’t forget to prime!
  2. Along with priming comes cleaning…don’t forget to clean the area you are about to paint. The paint will adhere better and last longer.
  3. Don’t rush the patch up process. Very few walls are ready to paint without patching holes or imperfections. Too many people are too anxious to get started and they don’t allow the patching compound to dry thoroughly so it can be sanded properly.
  4. Don’t use a paint brush when you should use a roller. Use the right tool for the job, rollers are the right tool for large areas. One man who was trying to fix his home up before renting it out, painted an entire room with a paint brush. The result was streaky, messy, and the old paint color was visible through the streaks.
  5. PaintersTape-ClaffeysPaintingDon’t forget to use painter’s tape if you want nice, clean edges.
  6. Don’t forget to cover all the things that can’t be removed before painting. This not only means furniture, but also light fixtures and doorknobs.
  7. Don’t run out of paint before you’ve run out of wall. It’s always a little risky to have to go back for more custom mixed paint. Even though they are supposed to be mixed using the same tints, trying to duplicate a custom color is not an exact science, things can go wrong and you could end up with a slightly different shade on part of your room. To avoid this, measure your room (don’t just guess) to determine the square footage of the space you will be painting…the rule of thumb is 1 gallon of paint for every 400 sq. ft. you plan on painting. When in doubt, ask the professionals for advice. It’s better to have a bit left over rather than not have enough.

In our next article we’ll discuss storing paint properly, how long you can store it and how do you know if it’s still good or not.

In the meantime, if you have a painting job you’d like done without any effort or cleanup on your part…

Call Claffey’s for a free estimate – (425) 888-3634

Claffey’s Painting is a full service painting contractor serving Western Washington, Chelan, Douglas and Kittitas Counties. We have painted over 7000 homes and would enjoy the opportunity to help paint yours. We can guide you through all the decision making processes so you get the right paint for the right job, and the professional job you’re looking for.