Painting the house is one project that should be done decently from beginning to end. House painting beautifies any dwelling if it is executed properly. There is more to painting than merely sweeping the brush or rolling the paint roller on the surface. If you plan to DIY to economize on house painting costs, here are the some techniques you know.
Painter's Cover
Put on a plastic trash bag to cover you when you are painting high areas. Make a hole on the top part and two on each side (for your head and arms). You may use an old shower
Protection Coating
Woodwork painting tips: coat the doorknobs, locks and other non-wooded parts with generous amount of petroleum jelly. So that when paint spatters on places where it shouldn't, it can be easily wiped off.
Use a Newspaper
An alternative to masking tape for protecting glass when painting window frames is a newspaper. Dampen straight-edged newspaper strips and stick them on the glass by the frames. Once painting is done, the strips of newspaper may be easily peeled off while still moist.
Soot Removal Tips
Apply clear sticky vinyl to your recently painted window sills when the paint has dried. Particles of soot and dirt are quickly brushed off and leave no dirt imbedded in the new paint. When repaint times comes just take off the old overlay to allow for a clean surface to paint on.
Checking for Smoothness
If you're sanding woodwork prior to staining or painting, you want to be sure that the surface is smooth. Do this trick: wear an old nylon stocking on your hand like a glove, then slide it over the wood surface. If there are any rough surfaces remaining, the stocking would snag on those spots and this would reveal where further sanding is needed.
Reaching Nooks and Crannies
To cover all the cracks and crevices when painting window frames, use a sponge
Emergencies
Sometimes during house painting, phone calls or petty emergencies typically result in drying paints and stiff brushes. To solve this, have a medium plastic bag slipped over the paint tray and fasten it with a twist-tie to keep the paint and brushes soft.
Paint Per Section
If you realize that you've underestimated the paint volume before finishing a project, try completing one section first. Paints sometimes vary from can to can and the fresh can may bring about a somewhat different shade. By finishing one section, the difference will be less noticeable.
Paint in a row
For easy spray painting of screws for cabinet joints, stick them onto a portion of plastic foam packing material. This way, screw heads will be facing one direction, set up to be sprayed neatly and quickly with just one pass.
Drip Catchers
Glue a laminated paper plate under the paint can to catch any spillages. For smaller paint cans, a plastic jar lid (from coffee cans or margarine) can work well.
Cleaning up Paint
Clean hands with vegetable oil after using oil-based paints. This is an excellent idea especially if children have been stained by the paint. Oil is better than paint thinner and is gentle on delicate skin and carries no fumes. After this process, wash hands thoroughly with soap and water.
Leftover Paint
When you've completed your painting project, leftover paint may be kept in a jar with a container of spackling compound. If you have to re-hang picture frames or shelves, you may easily fill and retouch nail holes.