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subtlegreyInstead of NaNoWriMo, I'm going to aim for a short essay every day on a topic I feel like yammering about.
Seeing as how I recently finished two painting projects (room, ceiling, and hallway), this seems like a good time to yammer about painting!
Disclaimers: this is all my opinion based off my experience. YMMV. I spent a few summers painting for Santa Fe Siding in high school/college, and did a lot of painting when I worked for the Corps of Engineers Maintenance department in college.
Save the Dollars on:
Sandpaper
Brushes (latex products and stains). The biggest difference I've noticed in brush quality is a cheap brush won't hold as much paint, bristles might come out during painting, and the brush can't be cleaned for reuse as readily as a high-end brush.
Dropcloths, plastic. Whatever gets the job done. I like my teflon dropcloth but I've used old sheets and random chunks of plastic just fine.
Tray liners. These are convenient, but they're just gonna get thrown away so don't spend a lot of money on them. *DO* GET THE RIGHT SIZE for your tray!!!
Roller covers (smooth walls). Smooth walls are just easier.
Tape
Spackle
Cleaning supplies (soap, mineral spirits, sponges)
Spend the Dollars on:
Paint. High-quality paint is hella expensive but SO WORTH IT. Cheap paint requires more coats, doesn't load onto a roller or brush as evenly, is runnier (more drips and sagging in the finish), and can be "chalky." Chalky walls are a bearcat to paint over (my entire house was whitewashed with crappy cheap paint; took 2 coats of high-quality paint-and-primer-in-one to coat the walls and even then paint comes off pretty easily because it's only as good as the surface you're putting it on).
Brushes (oil-based varnish/polyurethane). If you skimp on the brush you're using to apply a clear coat, you'll see the problems right away. Sometimes, you can mitigate the effect of a cheap brush with an expensive product, but it's better not to risk it. Oil-based cleanup is a drag.
Rollers (rough/textured walls - deeper nap). These are more expensive than smooth-wall/short-nap rollers but if you have rough/textured walls, you'll get a far better finish for WAY less work.
There are innumerable painting gizmos marketed to make tricky parts easier. Foam rollers, "edgers," corner tools. I have limited experience with these. When I tried "edgers" I loved the idea of them but I'm too sloppy of a painter; I'd end up with paint on the rollers themselves, which completely defeats the purpose of the edgers. Corner tools didn't have enough capacity for paint loading for me (put down too thin of a layer) and I tended to smoosh paint up off the top part of them, making a big mess. I have not tried the little foam rollers; I think they would be excellent in very specific applications/techniques. I have not tried any of the texturing or "effect" products on the market and probably never will.
My painting process for interior walls is roughly as follows. There is usually a great deal of music involved. :)
Preparation This takes longer than I think it will every time.
1. Move as much as I can out of the room. If I can't move it out, move to center.
2. Remove wall plates, HVAC grilles, curtain rods, blinds, pictures, anything on the wall that I don't want painted.
3. Clean the walls using a broom, swiffer, or vacuum to knock the big spiderwebs and dust chunks down. I prefer using my vacuum but it can't always get the corners.
4. Tape off anything I don't want painted (trim, window frames, outlets, etc). I like to use 2" blue painters tape. Masking tape is harder to remove cleanly. Duct tape and electrical tape are no-nos. Too sticky and messy, can interact with the paint, too. Wider tape would be nice for certain applications; I haven't tried it but definitely will the next time I paint a ceiling as it looks faster than doing 2 or 3 rows of 2" tape.
5. Put down dropcloths.
6. Stage painting materials near area of use and ensure I have everything I need. Usually includes: paint, rollers, roller covers, brushes, bucket to mix multiple gallons of paint in, drill-mounted stirrer, goggles or safety glasses, rags... depends on exactly what I'm painting but that's a good start.
7. Apply spackling if necessary and allow to dry. Sand, repeat if necessary. I like the spackle that goes on pink and dries white, personally. It's more fun.
Cutting This is the term for going around the edges of the space to be painted with a brush or small roller to create a sort of frame or barrier. Cutting requires great precision; a truly professional cut will not result in any paint on the tape! I'm not that good, but my brother-in-law is, so I've seen it done. Cutting takes forever. Most people don't have the patience for it. I love cutting but y'know, of course I do. I'm that kind of person.
WARNING!!! Always mix paint before using! If you bought more than 1 container, pour all of them together and mix thoroughly even if you literally just bought them all at the same store on the same day. I had to repaint an entire room because the 2 gallons were just slightly different; so slight we didn't see it until it was fully dry. Mix your paint. Mix and mix and mix.
1. Load paint onto brush. I like to use a 1.5-2" angled brush, mine are pretty high quality but they don't have to be. I also like to have a little hand-held bucket of paint to carry with me as I'm cutting instead of going back and forth to a bigger container.
2. Cut top-to-bottom (along the ceiling, then corners, then trim, then baseboard). Order isn't necessarily important to the final product. For me, I go top-to-bottom because I know I'll get fatigued after hours of cutting. I'd rather be on the ladder while I'm fresh and energized than when I'm tired and having trouble painting a straight edge, mostly for safety and also because it's a little easier for me to "fix" mistakes lower on the wall than higher.
3. If 2 coats of paint are required, cut prior to each coat for a more even finish.
Rolling (or spraying) 99% of my painting has been using brushes and rollers. Probably 100%, I can't quite remember if I did any spraying with SFS. Everyone else hated the hand-work, so typically that's all I did. If using an extension pole, be sure to attach *before* loading paint onto the roller.
1. Pour paint into roller tray.
2. Dampen roller cover with a damp towel to help paint load more quickly and evenly.
3. Load with paint; roller should be heavy but not dripping.
4. Roll onto wall in a star-shaped pattern, about 3' square (size depends on size of roller). Pattern doesn't need to be exact as long as it's not all the same direction all the time - that will create a funky-looking sheen to the wall and increases the risk of drips/runs for touch-up later. Also, varying the direction gives more even coverage because every little texture or imperfection gets painted from all sides and angles.
5. Apply to walls, let dry, re-coat if needed.
Completing. Kind of the reverse of prep... replace wall fixtures, remove tape, clean everything up. Go back and touch up any missed or thin spots. Here's what I do with my supplies for easier clean-up:
1. Put a plastic bag over the roller and pull off the cover. Ta-dah! Roller cover is safely removed with minimal mess!
2. Let plastic containers and trays dry as-is. Good latex paint will peel off evenly once dry (if the layer is thick enough). For thin layers/smears, clean immediately with water.
3. Clean brushes immediately after use; if painting all day, clean every few hours with lukewarm water and mild soap. Unless you're planning to throw them away, that is. Pat or shake off excess water. Store cleaned brushes flat or hanging vertical with bristles pointing down.
4. Run a wet rag (or paper towel) around the edges of the paint can (or bucket) if planning to re-seal or re-use. This prevents the paint from gluing the lid onto the container, making it soooooo much easier to open again later! I didn't do this and had to prize the lid off with pliers. UGH.
5. Pull off all tape, pulling carefully at an angle close to the wall to prevent tearing. If there's a layer of paint on the tape that's pulling paint off the wall, run a razor blade along the tape edge prior to removal to prevent peeling your walls (experience speaks). This technique doesn't work as well on heavily textured walls, so plan on touch-ups.
Alright! That's basically it, I think. I'm sure I'm forgetting steps. Kind of fun to write it all down somewhere. I love painting. Call me if you need a painting buddy!
Maybe I'll yammer about refinishing a book case some time. Been awhile since I did any wood work. Re-doing a book case is my next Big Project, once we get all the rooms shifted around now that we're done painting. Damn, it's almost midnight. We out.
Seeing as how I recently finished two painting projects (room, ceiling, and hallway), this seems like a good time to yammer about painting!
Disclaimers: this is all my opinion based off my experience. YMMV. I spent a few summers painting for Santa Fe Siding in high school/college, and did a lot of painting when I worked for the Corps of Engineers Maintenance department in college.
Save the Dollars on:
Sandpaper
Brushes (latex products and stains). The biggest difference I've noticed in brush quality is a cheap brush won't hold as much paint, bristles might come out during painting, and the brush can't be cleaned for reuse as readily as a high-end brush.
Dropcloths, plastic. Whatever gets the job done. I like my teflon dropcloth but I've used old sheets and random chunks of plastic just fine.
Tray liners. These are convenient, but they're just gonna get thrown away so don't spend a lot of money on them. *DO* GET THE RIGHT SIZE for your tray!!!
Roller covers (smooth walls). Smooth walls are just easier.
Tape
Spackle
Cleaning supplies (soap, mineral spirits, sponges)
Spend the Dollars on:
Paint. High-quality paint is hella expensive but SO WORTH IT. Cheap paint requires more coats, doesn't load onto a roller or brush as evenly, is runnier (more drips and sagging in the finish), and can be "chalky." Chalky walls are a bearcat to paint over (my entire house was whitewashed with crappy cheap paint; took 2 coats of high-quality paint-and-primer-in-one to coat the walls and even then paint comes off pretty easily because it's only as good as the surface you're putting it on).
Brushes (oil-based varnish/polyurethane). If you skimp on the brush you're using to apply a clear coat, you'll see the problems right away. Sometimes, you can mitigate the effect of a cheap brush with an expensive product, but it's better not to risk it. Oil-based cleanup is a drag.
Rollers (rough/textured walls - deeper nap). These are more expensive than smooth-wall/short-nap rollers but if you have rough/textured walls, you'll get a far better finish for WAY less work.
There are innumerable painting gizmos marketed to make tricky parts easier. Foam rollers, "edgers," corner tools. I have limited experience with these. When I tried "edgers" I loved the idea of them but I'm too sloppy of a painter; I'd end up with paint on the rollers themselves, which completely defeats the purpose of the edgers. Corner tools didn't have enough capacity for paint loading for me (put down too thin of a layer) and I tended to smoosh paint up off the top part of them, making a big mess. I have not tried the little foam rollers; I think they would be excellent in very specific applications/techniques. I have not tried any of the texturing or "effect" products on the market and probably never will.
My painting process for interior walls is roughly as follows. There is usually a great deal of music involved. :)
Preparation This takes longer than I think it will every time.
1. Move as much as I can out of the room. If I can't move it out, move to center.
2. Remove wall plates, HVAC grilles, curtain rods, blinds, pictures, anything on the wall that I don't want painted.
3. Clean the walls using a broom, swiffer, or vacuum to knock the big spiderwebs and dust chunks down. I prefer using my vacuum but it can't always get the corners.
4. Tape off anything I don't want painted (trim, window frames, outlets, etc). I like to use 2" blue painters tape. Masking tape is harder to remove cleanly. Duct tape and electrical tape are no-nos. Too sticky and messy, can interact with the paint, too. Wider tape would be nice for certain applications; I haven't tried it but definitely will the next time I paint a ceiling as it looks faster than doing 2 or 3 rows of 2" tape.
5. Put down dropcloths.
6. Stage painting materials near area of use and ensure I have everything I need. Usually includes: paint, rollers, roller covers, brushes, bucket to mix multiple gallons of paint in, drill-mounted stirrer, goggles or safety glasses, rags... depends on exactly what I'm painting but that's a good start.
7. Apply spackling if necessary and allow to dry. Sand, repeat if necessary. I like the spackle that goes on pink and dries white, personally. It's more fun.
Cutting This is the term for going around the edges of the space to be painted with a brush or small roller to create a sort of frame or barrier. Cutting requires great precision; a truly professional cut will not result in any paint on the tape! I'm not that good, but my brother-in-law is, so I've seen it done. Cutting takes forever. Most people don't have the patience for it. I love cutting but y'know, of course I do. I'm that kind of person.
WARNING!!! Always mix paint before using! If you bought more than 1 container, pour all of them together and mix thoroughly even if you literally just bought them all at the same store on the same day. I had to repaint an entire room because the 2 gallons were just slightly different; so slight we didn't see it until it was fully dry. Mix your paint. Mix and mix and mix.
1. Load paint onto brush. I like to use a 1.5-2" angled brush, mine are pretty high quality but they don't have to be. I also like to have a little hand-held bucket of paint to carry with me as I'm cutting instead of going back and forth to a bigger container.
2. Cut top-to-bottom (along the ceiling, then corners, then trim, then baseboard). Order isn't necessarily important to the final product. For me, I go top-to-bottom because I know I'll get fatigued after hours of cutting. I'd rather be on the ladder while I'm fresh and energized than when I'm tired and having trouble painting a straight edge, mostly for safety and also because it's a little easier for me to "fix" mistakes lower on the wall than higher.
3. If 2 coats of paint are required, cut prior to each coat for a more even finish.
Rolling (or spraying) 99% of my painting has been using brushes and rollers. Probably 100%, I can't quite remember if I did any spraying with SFS. Everyone else hated the hand-work, so typically that's all I did. If using an extension pole, be sure to attach *before* loading paint onto the roller.
1. Pour paint into roller tray.
2. Dampen roller cover with a damp towel to help paint load more quickly and evenly.
3. Load with paint; roller should be heavy but not dripping.
4. Roll onto wall in a star-shaped pattern, about 3' square (size depends on size of roller). Pattern doesn't need to be exact as long as it's not all the same direction all the time - that will create a funky-looking sheen to the wall and increases the risk of drips/runs for touch-up later. Also, varying the direction gives more even coverage because every little texture or imperfection gets painted from all sides and angles.
5. Apply to walls, let dry, re-coat if needed.
Completing. Kind of the reverse of prep... replace wall fixtures, remove tape, clean everything up. Go back and touch up any missed or thin spots. Here's what I do with my supplies for easier clean-up:
1. Put a plastic bag over the roller and pull off the cover. Ta-dah! Roller cover is safely removed with minimal mess!
2. Let plastic containers and trays dry as-is. Good latex paint will peel off evenly once dry (if the layer is thick enough). For thin layers/smears, clean immediately with water.
3. Clean brushes immediately after use; if painting all day, clean every few hours with lukewarm water and mild soap. Unless you're planning to throw them away, that is. Pat or shake off excess water. Store cleaned brushes flat or hanging vertical with bristles pointing down.
4. Run a wet rag (or paper towel) around the edges of the paint can (or bucket) if planning to re-seal or re-use. This prevents the paint from gluing the lid onto the container, making it soooooo much easier to open again later! I didn't do this and had to prize the lid off with pliers. UGH.
5. Pull off all tape, pulling carefully at an angle close to the wall to prevent tearing. If there's a layer of paint on the tape that's pulling paint off the wall, run a razor blade along the tape edge prior to removal to prevent peeling your walls (experience speaks). This technique doesn't work as well on heavily textured walls, so plan on touch-ups.
Alright! That's basically it, I think. I'm sure I'm forgetting steps. Kind of fun to write it all down somewhere. I love painting. Call me if you need a painting buddy!
Maybe I'll yammer about refinishing a book case some time. Been awhile since I did any wood work. Re-doing a book case is my next Big Project, once we get all the rooms shifted around now that we're done painting. Damn, it's almost midnight. We out.
no subject
Date: 11 Nov 2018 06:51 (UTC)