Painting 101

Painting is the #1 DIY project that will greatly impact the feel of a room. Set yourself up for success before you tackle your walls AND increase your DIY confidence at the same time!

Every “Do-It-Yourself,” “How-To” or home repair project I present is meant to be a starting point with hopes of inspiring you to arm yourself with the right tool and save money around the house while flexing that creative muscle I know we all have. I consider every project you find in these pages to be basic “101” information that everyone who desires a nice home should explore and not be afraid to attempt. I am constantly out to prove “You Can Do It”—and we could all use a little advice, insight and inspiration along the way. SO, I am here to help…
First things first, and this statement goes for EVERYTHING…yes, EVERYTHING:

You’re work will be only good as your equipment and preparation.

The starting point for any home project is with the tools you select and the amount of time you take to prepare, both in the planning and in the actual execution of the task at hand, and painting is no exception! What may seem like an insignificant decision to purchase one brush over another, one tool over another, or even which painters tape you choose to purchase, will greatly determine how much work you put into a project, not to mention the amount of pleasure and satisfaction you will get out of the project.

Use The Right Tool For The Job At Hand

Take your tool selection seriously and recognize that your tools and supplies will contribute greatly to the total experience of any home project. The frustration or challenges of not using the right tool for the job will not only cost you more time and money but will cause you great frustration. Even more importantly, any challenge you encounter will take away from how much you enjoy your project—which will ultimately determine if you will ever do it again. Don’t compromise on the quality of your tools by buying the cheapest one you can find. Set yourself up for success, not a Saturday full of frustration, wishing you were doing something else. I have been there, and almost always the frustrations and challenges have been a result of trying to rush and go “on the cheap.”

Have you heard the phrase “Cheap is always Expensive?” That doesn’t always equate to dollars and cents. It also applies to time and energy being wasted. Quality does not necessarily mean more expensive. The secret is to source quality tools in the most cost-effective manner. For example: You can buy the cheapest brush out there because, “All I’m doing is painting one room,” but you are gonna suffer. Trust me: Spend a couple more dollars on the mid-tier quality brush and that brush (if well taken care of) will last you for years to come.

There are basic items that every painter will consider necessary to achieve a great paint job. Below you will find the list of basics. As we go along, they will all come into play as you set out to do a great paint job.

Basic Paint Tools And Equipment

These are the basic items you will need to prep and paint a solid interior wall of home with basic paint:

• Paint Rollers: 9″/6″/4″/3″
• Household paintbrushes: 4″/2″/1″
• Paint trays: 12″/6″
• Paint Tarps (The ones with plastic lining on the back and canvas on the top are awesome)
• 1″ & 2″ Scotch Blue Painter’s Tape
• 1″ & 1½” Decorative Painters Tape
• Paint Can Opener
• Painters rags
• Flat head and Phillips head screw driver

Types of Paint: Oil-Based or Lead?

Now you must determine two things before you run out and buy your paint: Was the previous or pre-existing paint on the wall done with an oil- or lead-based paint? This will determine what steps you will need to take and what products you will need to buy to get the job done well AND safely.

First check for lead in the paint using a lead check test. These lead check tests are inexpensive and can be done quickly. 3M makes an instant lead test called Lead Check. If it tests positive for lead, DO NOT SAND the surface as you don’t want to put any lead particles in the air. What you DO want to do is seal it in with a primer! Seal in the lead by applying a few coats of primer before going on to painting your base color.

If you are safe with the lead now determine if the pre-existing paint job is oil or water/latex-based? Here’s why it’s important: We all know that water and oil don’t mix. This also applies to oil-based paints and water/latex-based paint. More specifically, this applies to which paint can be painted over another. Not as complicated as it sounds…

Just remember:
Water/latex-based paint over oil-based paint? NEVER!
Oil-based paint over water/latex-based paint?
Sometimes and maybe…
but always with a primer.

With this concept in mind, if you paint over a wall or trim work that has a pre-existing oil-based paint, varnish, or sealer, you need to prep it differently than if you were applying latex paint over latex paint.

It used to be a bigger problem 10–15 years ago when oil-based paint was being manufactured by all paint brands. But, there have been many advances in the way paints are currently formulated to the point where the quality rivals that what the oil-based paints previously provided. I, for one, am very happy to leave the volatile organic compounds behind. The enormous smell and cost associated with the chemicals required to work with and clean-up oil-based paints was not only expensive but also un-friendly to our planet. Today, most homes have water-based paint products throughout a home. Oil- or lead-based paints become more of an issue in older homes that haven’t seen a new coat of paint in 10 to 15 years.

The same way oil rejects water, a coat of water/latex-based paint will reject/separate from an oil-based paint. You’ve seen it: Flaking paint more-often-than-not is a symptom of someone along the way cheating and slapping on a coat of water/latex-based paint OVER the top of an oil-based paint/varnish/sealer without priming first. It is one of the most common mistakes for a new painter: Painting water-based paint over oil-based without painting a primer in between. So, next time you see a paint job that seems to be flaking off in sheets or bubbling up, you will know why.

So what’s the point: Go the additional mile to determine if your old paint contains lead, AND if you’re not sure if your pre-existing paints are oil based, use primer.

Prepping A Surface For Painting

In order to ensure a great paint job, there are a few things that must happen before you can actually start to roll out that paint. This is called the prep and it usually begins by cleaning the surface to be painted. Once the surface is clean you will then move on to patching holes and repairing any cracks or flaking in the pre-existing paint job.

The more meticulous you are about the prep of your paint job, the better the end result. There is nothing worse than being able to detect a hole and wall repair under a new paint job or to end up with a wavy ceiling line. Both are immediate signs of careless work.

So let’s prep, patch, tape and paint.

STEP #1: PREP WALLS AND PROTECT YOUR FLOORS:

Clean Your Paint Surface Or Walls.

Even before you can start the repair work on holes and cracks, take the time to clean dirt, dust and loose debris from the surface to be painted. If your walls have grime or grease, I highly recommend you wipe down the walls with a Tri-Sodium Phosphate (TSP) cleaner. They now ­manufacture an environmentally safe form of TSP that does not ­compromise performance. Tri-sodium phosphate can be found in the paint department in powder form. It is diluted in water and used as an agent to breakdown grease and grime as well as take the sheen off of a previously painted high-gloss ­finish—giving the paint surface an industry term called “teeth.” Giving the surface “teeth” refers to allowing the new coat of paint to bite on or grab onto the previously painted surface. Please be sure to wear gloves.

Protecting Your Floor For The Paint Process.

Canvas Tarps: These work great for quickly moving around a room. However, don’t use a tarp if there will be a lot of traffic in the room while you are painting as they may become a tripping hazard.

Heavy-Duty Non-Slip Tarps: I am a huge fan of the heavy-duty anti-slip tarps. They are reusable and if a tool happens to fall while you’re working, the anti-slip tarp brings added protection. You can tape the tarps directly to your floor if you anticipate multiple days of work and/or heavy traffic in and out of the room. When taping tarps down to a wood floor, be sure to use Scotch Blue Decorative Painters paint to prevent the finish on the floor from being damaged when you pull up the tape a few days later. These heavy-duty anti-slip paint tarps come in rolls and are found in the paint section of your hardware store.

Protective Plastic For Rugs: You can find this plastic in the flooring department of major home improvement stores. They come in rolls and have an adhesive back that adheres and forms perfectly to your rug. It’s the safest and most effective way to protect a rug during a paint job. Check out the new canvases that have conforming edges—awesome for painting over steps!

STEP #2: PATCH

Drywall And Plaster Repair

Tools required:

• 1½” putty knife (for smaller holes)
• 4″ spatula (for larger holes)
• 6″ square drywall trowel (for drywall mesh and seams)

Supplies:

• Joint compound plaster (for holes big and small)
• Or lightweight wall spackle (use only in small holes)

Tips And Tricks For Patching:

• Using joint compound plaster or lightweight wall spackle, fill any small nail or screw holes with a small trowel or putty knife. These both come in pre-mixed and powdered form (simply add water) and all come in tube or tubs which are great for purchasing the quantity you need.
• Don’t leave the pre-mixed tubs lying around for too long. They will dry up. When storing an opened tub, be sure to seal it well.
• For repair of smaller nail or pinholes, using a finger to dab the spackle or plaster into the hole is often easier than using a putty knife.
• For slightly larger holes, use a putty knife or small trowel to help spread the plaster or spackle. Using the trowel or putty knife, feather away or fade away along the edges to blend back into the wall.
• For larger drywall repair, use mesh drywall tape or metal drywall patches to help support the plaster in place.

Steps To Quick Wall Repair

1. Fill in holes and allow plaster or spackle to dry completely.
2. Once plaster or spackle has dried, you may notice a depressed area. This happens as the moisture leaves the plaster. The material shrinks into the hole. Simply apply another layer and let dry.
3. Sand down the edges and fill again. Allow to dry.
4. Sand down to a nice even surface and you are ready for the next step.

STEP #3: TAPING

Tape off all edges. Isolate the areas you want to paint. Use tape to define a crisp clean line.

For a truly professional end result of your paint project, do not underestimate the time spent on taping every square inch of your paint surface. You will often hear people say “I hate taping!” But consider tape your new best friend. Using tape to mask off your paint areas will leave you crisp lines – which differentiates the quality of work from mediocre to excellent.

Side Note: Not all tapes are created equal. Invest extra money for decorative painters tape. It does not have a textured pattern where paint could easily bleed through when a heavy hand is applied. It creates a much easier time of touch-up when you pull the tape off. Using the right kind of tape allows the painter to isolate areas without damaging work that has already been done. I have gone through many different kinds of tape in many different circumstances and have discovered this: Choosing your tape is the most important decision you need to make after choosing your color of paint! The tape you choose will be your biggest strength or weakness when blocking out paint, and the right tape almost totally prevents the bleeding of paint. Thus, less touch-ups and fixes. I assure you, your choice of tape will save you hours of touch-ups with a small brush at the end of the project. I promise.

A Few Taping Tips

• Tear the tape at an angle when taping off a corner to get a really tight seam. Paint has a tendency to puddle corners thus having a higher propensity to bleed.
• Use a teaspoon or the edge of small flat head screwdriver to give the edge of the tape a good seal.

STEP #4: PAINTING

“Cut in” or paint all the edges and corners first with one of your paintbrushes.

Then using a roller, roll paint onto the wall in X and W patterns. Then roll in as tight to the edge as possible blending in the edges and corners already painted with the brush.

Brush Tips

• Use an angled brush to help trim work go faster.
• Keep the wet edge of the paint moving forward.

Roller Tip

• De-fuzz a roller by rolling it over tape to get rid of loose fuzz. This will prevent you from leaving them behind on your wall during the paint process.

As you can see, I could go on and on about paint. The bottom line: Just try it! Did you know that just changing paint color can impact the feel of a room up to 70%! The best thing about paint is—if you change your mind about the color, you can just paint it again with a low economic impact. Hopefully with the inside track of information I have provided, you will save yourself heartache, paint, and money by doing it yourself!