Painting advice

[CSB]

I am going to attempt to paint a couple of bedrooms. I was looking at painting tools and would like some advice on whether they work.

1) Extended paint roller that you load with paint. Pour the paint from the can into the paint roll chamber and cut down on time and work.

2) Edging tool. It is a square thing with rollers that you move along the edge of the wall. You load the paint on with a brush so that you don't get paint on the roller.

Thank you for any info.

 

[Cathy in Boston]

I've used both. That extender thing I didn't like, but the edger works pretty well.

 

[MarTN]

My biggest piece of advice with painting: You get what you pay for. The $25/gallon paint is really better than the $15/gallon. The $12 brush is going to thrill you compared to the $5 brush.

Also, try to find a locally owned small paint store that's been in business forever. You'll get MUCH better service and honest answers. We have a Porter Paints (national brand) that keeps a file on each homeowner who comes in and buys paint. You can call years later and ask what the name of your dining room paint is.

 

[JoAnn]

Buy the blue tape for taping around doors, windows, mop boards and you won't have to be as careful and it pulls off with no sticky residue.

Paint woodwork (if you are going to paint the woodwork) with oil base enamel. It is a more durable paint and washes off easy. The down side is you need a paint thinner/cleaner to clean the brushes/rollers...so buy throw aways. I've always used VERY good paint, as someone suggested, and I use 'eggshell'. It has a little bit of shine to it, but it washes up great.

 

[geekette]

If #1 refers to "the paint stick", I LOVE IT!! It's a new contraption that loads by sucking the paint into it.

We did Mom's entire basement in very little time using that, and it doesn't drip. I didn't need a ladder, either.

 

[SallyMagoo]

I've tried the blue tape for cutting in along ceilings, doors, etc. and find it's more trouble than it's worth. When I pull it away, I usually get a ragged line. Maybe it's just me and I don't know how to use the tape well. I usually do the lines freehand and they turn out well--I can control the line much better than with the tape. A good hand brush is a necessity; I like a 1 1/2 inch angled brush. On a rare occasion I've used the tape in a really tight spot. Would be interested in using the new contraption to make things go a little faster. Generally I'm a pretty patient, slow painter, and I think the results are worth it. You have to take the time to do it right. I enjoy listening to talk radio or music while I paint.

 

[fnewman]

If only painting a couple of rooms I would skip the fancy stuff. Just take your time and cut around the window and door frames with a medium brush, then roll the rest with a regular roller, making sure to use a roller cover with the proper nap length for the type of paint you are using. The self-feeding roller is messier to fill, takes longer to clean up after you are done and wastes a little more paint IMHO.

 

[BSQ]

I had one of those edger doohickeys and ended up pitching it and switching to a 1" disposable foam "brush" or a small thin roller.

I kinda agree with the blue tape. Works well for masking off trim, but if you're using it to actually mask off wall areas (for stripes, diamonds, etc) it's not a clean line.

Whether you make your purchases from a home improvement store or a paint store, do ask the sales associates for their input.

 

[Emily]

Don't care for the paint stick or the electric power roller - have owned/own both - after spending a day painting, don't want to spend a really long time cleaning up.

We use a good angle brush for cutting in and use a handy paint pail with throw away liners. www.handypaintpail.com Bought ours at Sherwin Williams, use their paint because it covers well. We cut in the walls twice and then roll.

We use a paint pan with a liner and a good roller. We buy packages of contractor grade roller covers also at Sherwin williams in the medium to long nap. They give good coverage on dry wall.

An angle brush and a small roller for trim. Also buy a multipak for the small roller (I use the 3" rather than the 4)

When were done, throw away the liners and the roller covers and wash my brush. We don't remove whatever - thin sheet plastic, thin card board - that is between the carpet and the trim until the next day when everything is completely dry.

Must be the time of the year . . we started painting our upstairs rooms on Monday this week . .

 

[PigsDad]

I kinda agree with the blue tape. Works well for masking off trim, but if you're using it to actually mask off wall areas (for stripes, diamonds, etc) it's not a clean line.

A good trick to get clean lines on wall areas is to use tape, and then get some paintable latex caulk and smear a thin layer across the edge of the tape where you will be painting. When you peel off the tape, the line comes out perfect -- no jaggies.

Also, I prefer the 3M green tape when I have to use it on a painted surface (masking off wall areas). It is a bit more expensive, but it will never peel paint off when you remove it, like the blue tape sometimes can. I always use the blue tape for masking around trim (varnished wood) as it does a good job for me.

Kurt

 

[fnewman]

A good trick to get clean lines on wall areas is to use tape, and then get some paintable latex caulk and smear a thin layer across the edge of the tape where you will be painting. When you peel off the tape, the line comes out perfect -- no jaggies.
Kurt

I didn't quite understand that one, but would like to understand more about the technique.

 

[GetawaysRus]

Painting, ah, something my wife asks me to do quite often.

You are going to do several bedrooms. That's alot of work.

Rollers: Yes, the extensions for your roller are very nice. They will allow you to stand back, a few feet from the wall, and paint up and down in nice, long vertical strokes. This is far less tiring than standing up close to the wall and have to reach all the way up and all the way down over and over.

Bucket for rollers: skip those roller trays you see. Buy a 5-gallon bucket and a metal screen to fit on the outer lip of the bucket (to wipe the excess paint off your roller). You can get more paint in a 5-gallon bucket than into a roller tray, saving time. With roller trays, you'll have to stop and pour paint into the tray way too often.

Brushes: You'll want to do your edge work before rolling. I have switched to doing most of my edge work by hand. I do use blue tape to tape around baseboards and molding. But you still can't slop a ton of paint up against the blue tape, because some paint may bleed underneath. If the walls are to be a different color than the ceiling, and if you don't have crown molding, I like to use an angled trim brush and paint the edge freehand. If your hand is steady, you'll get a nice, clean edge. Look for an angled Purdy brush, perhaps about 2" - the Purdy brushes are excellent quality. I don't care for the edging tool that you mentioned - I tend to get paint on the little wheels, and then I have to go back and clean-up.

You are saving alot of money if you do this paint job yourself. So I agree with many of the comments made above - buy only good quality paint, don't chintz on the supplies, and you will get better service at a local paint store. Buy quality brushes. You didn't mention it, but I will often go up on the paint sheen. Flat paint is harder to clean than a satin or semi-gloss (especially in childrens' rooms). Be sure to keep some paint when the job is done for touch-ups later, and label each can so you know which is which.

 

[MarTN]

... the Purdy brushes are excellent quality.....

When I was getting advice from a painting guy I know, I thought he was saying Pretty brushes and it made no sense.

You have to say Purdy and Pretty with a Tennessee accent to understand.

 

[PigsDad]

I didn't quite understand that one, but would like to understand more about the technique.

Frank -- here is a web site that has pictures and explains (in much more detail than I did) how to get the perfect paint edges using the blue tape (step 7 specifically):

http://www.bejane.com/BJDIY200610301025

Hope that makes it more clear. It is a good tip and really works well!

Kurt

 

[DeniseM]

We like the Dun Edwards paint stores and they give AAA members a 25% discount! I have read that some Sherwin Williams stores will match this discount, but haven't tried it personally.

 

[MarTN]

Frank -- here is a web site that has pictures and explains (in much more detail than I did) how to get the perfect paint edges using the blue tape (step 7 specifically):

http://www.bejane.com/BJDIY200610301025

Hope that makes it more clear. It is a good tip and really works well!

Kurt

That is a great website! Here is one of the added comments that gives another idea.

I would like to suggest that when painting stripes (or trying to create a crisp clean edge where two colors meet) you can eliminate sealing the edges of the tape with caulking by sealing the edge of the tape with the original or base color. This will elimate the mess from the caulking as well as the expense of purchasing the caulking, a caulking gun, etc. By using the base coat paint to seal the edges of the area where the accent paint will go you can utilize the materials which are already in use. No extra set-up or clean-up required. The base coat will "leak" under the tape, but it will also dry the same color as the base coat. Now you can brush or roll to the edge of the tape with your accent color and apply two coats with out removing and retaping. When removing the tape always pull the tape back on itself at about a 45* angle and away from the accent color. Always pull the tape slowly. Having a razor knife or utility blade handy just in case you need to cut the edge should the paint begin to pull. good luck! Mike

 

[johnmfaeth]

A good friend of mine is a professional painter who specializes in high end new construction painting ($1 million and up homes) here in Northern NJ.

All high end painters use Benjamin Moore and nothing else. Expensive but super quality and durabilty. Purdy is a great brush but the secret with any brush or roller is immediate proper cleaning after usage.

Consider getting a "roller spinner" it spins the roller like a top and makes cleanup MUCH easier and more thorough, really extends the life and quality of the roller.

Good luck!

 

[debraxh]

I am going to attempt to paint a couple of bedrooms. I was looking at painting tools and would like some advice on whether they work.

1) Extended paint roller that you load with paint. Pour the paint from the can into the paint roll chamber and cut down on time and work.

2) Edging tool. It is a square thing with rollers that you move along the edge of the wall. You load the paint on with a brush so that you don't get paint on the roller.

Thank you for any info.

1) I have only used an extension (like a broom handle) with a roller and works great to reach high places, but nothing that has a chamber to hold paint.

2) This worked great for me with white ceilings and dark walls. Painted the ceilings first, using a brush to extend past the corners. Then used the square thing to cut in the dark color on the wall along the ceiling and it came out looking perfectly straight. If I was doing all one color I would probably not bother with it.

Have fun