Step 3 - Part 1 - Painting

Now that we have all our supplies, and we’re ready to paint, we have to prep. Preparation may be a pain, but let us assure you that it will save much hassle and headaches later on down the road. It allows you to solely focus on painting, and not trying to spill, splatter or mark up your floors or furniture.

Let’s get started! We recommend you remove all draperies, pictures, mirrors, area rugs, hardware and cover plates. Move all furniture into the middle of the room and cover with a drop cloth for extra protection; you never know what could happen! Would be a shame to trip and spill red paint all over your a dresser that’s been in your family since the 1800’s, wouldn’t it? Tape off woodwork and tape down plastic drop clothes, also wrap plastic around light fixtures and hardware you could not remove. Ensure your surface is clean, as noted in Step 1 – Part 1 – Preparation. Lastly, open a window, ventilation is good!

We also recommend you tape off your walls from ceiling and moldings; it’ll make for straight lines and keeps the colour where it should be. Here’s a great article on how to tape.

TIP: remove the tape when the paint is not completely dry. It’ll be easier, and create straighter lines.

If you are painting an entire room it’s important you complete it in the correct order. It will help eliminate splatters, spills and mishaps.

1.       Ceilings

·         Paint a 2 inch wide strip on ceiling where the wall meets the wall with a brush

·         Use a roller with extension, start in a corner and work across the short side to maintain a wet edge.

2.       Walls

·         Just like the ceiling, paint a 2 inch strip around the border of the wall (along ceiling, floor, woodwork) with a brush

·         Use a roller, come as close as possible to create a clean, uniform appearance

3.       Woodwork

·         Paint all trim around doors, windows, ceilings and floor

4.       Floor

·         Start in a corner diagonally opposite to the exit, you will not want to be stuck in a corner with wet paint on the floor

·         Just the same as the ceiling, paint 2 inch wide strip on the floor where it meets the wall or trim

·         Use a roller with an extension pole or wide brush, start in a corner and work across the short side to maintain a wet edge

TIP: Use enough paint, get in the habit of going to the paint can often. Let the paint do the work, you’ll save time and get the finish you want.

More to come on how to hold a brush, use a roller, how to paint double-hung windows and much more, stay tuned!

Step 2 - Part 1 - Preparation

Preparation is the most important step in the whole painting process. It’s important to take your time and to thoroughly prepare any surface you are going to be working with. Preparation is the key to good-looking, long-lasting results. A properly prepared surface is clean, solid and dry, without cracks and imperfections.

Here’s how to prepare several different surfaces:

Bare Wood

·         Fill nail holes, joints and cracks with patching mud

·         Sand smooth and remove access dust with tack cloth

·         Prime all bare wood and patch areas with a primer

·         Easy-to-clean latex semi-gloss or gloss would be the best choice for the finished coach

New Plaster Walls

·         New plaster walls must be clean and completely cured

·         Textured or swirl types and soft, porous or powdery plaster must be treated with a solution, repeated until surface is hard, rinse with water, allowed to dry and apply primer

·         Latex is a great topcoat since it’s so easy to work with

New Drywall

·         Panels must be secured

·         All panel joints must be taped and filled before painting

·         Once joint cement is dry, sand smooth, and make sure to clean any dust away

·         Latex is the best choice for drywall

Wallpaper

·         Always remove wallpaper! To remove wallpaper you can either use a chemical remover or a steamer, depends on the condition of the wallpaper

·         Make sure to clean off all adhesive, wash and allow walls to dry

·         Previously Painted Surfaces

·         Make sure all remnants of build up are washed off, use appropriate cleaner, rinse and allow walls to dry

·         Remove all loose paint and dust

·         Patch holes and cracks with patching mud, allow mud to dry, sand smooth

·         Glossy or nonporous surfaces required you to lightly sand to a dull finish or use an abrasive cleanser

·         Remove dust and cleaner residue

·         Ensure you prime all bare areas prior to applying the topcoat. Try to avoid “spot-priming” this will hinder your end result

Masonry, Concrete, Cement or Block

·         New surfaces must be cured, allow approximately 30 days. If painting cannot wait 30 days, allow the surface to cure 7 days and prime surface with masonry primer

·         Remove all form release and curing agents

·         Rough surfaces can be filled to provide smooth finish

The basics of preparation apply to every surface, for the best results make sure the surface is clean, solid and dry before starting. If you have any questions regarding a surface don’t hesitation to give us a call, or send us an email we’d be happy to assist you.