DIY Home Improvement Forum banner

Where to begin

3K views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  slickshift 
#1 ·
Hello,

I just bought a new house and need to paint all the rooms. I don't have time to go from store to store to look at all the my options. Do you know of any websites that will help me through this process..selecting the color, steps I need to take, etc?

Thanks.
 
#5 ·
A quality paint will always make the project go quicker. smoother, and last longer
I'd recommend either Ben Moore or Sherwin Williams
There are a few other good products also
You will almost always get better products at a paint store, rather than a paint department somewhere

Truly quality tools will make you project go easier and look better
Best to get them at a paint shop, not a paint dept.
Even the Purdy brushes (a standard) are de-spec'd at Home Depot
Corona and Wooster make some other good brushes
Ask at the paint store, they'll help with what's available in your area (and have the good Purdys)

Roller sleeves, one of the biggest DIYer mistakes is to go with a cheap roller sleeve
Another is to go with too small a nap
I'd recommend a quality sleeve with at least a 1/2" nap
(try a 50/50 wool/poly, more money but they work spectacular and are easily washed for re-use)
A note on technique: don't try and squish all the paint out of a sleeve

I'd recommend dispensing with the tape (yes, be a tape dispenser!)
Perhaps one of the most over- and mis- used tools by DIYers
It can cause way more problems than it helps, and rarely looks better than cutting a line by hand

The best article I've seen on taping is by our own ProWallGuy
I don't think he'll mind if I quote it here:
prowallguy said:
First off, I need to say this: Over that past 25 years or so, painting has come to be perceived by most as a job that anyone can do. WRONG. Painting is a craft, a skill that is honed over many years of training and practice. Most don’t understand that it takes time to learn techniques, product selection, equipment use, and proper tool manipulation. Please don’t be disappointed if your weekend project doesn’t turn out perfect, because it won’t. If everybody could do it, then I’d be out of a job, and I don’t see that happening anytime soon.

Now for tape. Painter’s tape is over rated (see HGTV) and over used (again see HGTV).
A recent poll on a pro painter’s forum showed less than 5% of professional paint contractors tape off everything in a room before painting. If you want the project to look professional, do it the way the professionals do it.

Step 1: Purchase a good brush, and learn to use it proficiently. Nothing beats a good brush and a steady hand. Again, this is something that is perfected over time, not everyone can just pick up a brush and go.

Step 2: Learn what tape to use and when it’s appropriate. Blue painter’s tape is best for all around use. Tape should be put on any vertical surface that will get spattered when rolling above it, such as doorknobs, the top edge of chair rail and base boards, etc. It is only there to prevent spatter. It can also be put on other edges or surfaces, but only as a ‘safety net’.

The big mistake that everyone does is to put tape on an area or object they don’t want to get paint on, and then they proceed to slather paint over the edge of the tape. This allows paint to be sucked under the edge. It is very hard to get a tight edge that won’t allow paint to seep under. The tape is only to be used as a safety net, in case you OOPS paint over the line a hair. Tape will catch small mistakes, not large quantities of material being coated over it.

To summarize, use tape to prevent spatter, and cut edges with a good brush. If you must use tape for cutting in, then lay the tape, run a fingernail or credit card down the edge to seal it tight as possible, and TRY NOT TO GET ANY PAINT ON IT.

Hope that helps!
Happy painting
Please don't hesitate to post up any questions you have or problems you may encounter during your project
Good luck!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top