When paint fails, it�s usually caused by weak surface preparation. Spend time on a few basics before you begin to get the results you want when you�re done. Simply washing walls with detergent to remove dirt, grease, oil, and fingerprints can make all the difference. A clean everyday floor sponge mop makes a great wall washer. Be sure to rinse thoroughly and give everything adequate time to dry.
To reduce your child’s exposure to lead, get your child checked, have your home tested (especially if your home has paint in poor condition and was built before 1978), and fix any hazards you may have. Children’s blood lead levels tend to increase rapidly from 6 to 12 months of age, and tend to peak at 18 to 24 months of age.
When painting, keep a damp rag handy to clean up as you go. It’s much easier to clean paint that is still wet.
When starring out, pre-dampen your brushes slightly before dipping into the paint. Slightly damp brushes apply paint more evenly. When working with latex paints, moisten with water: when applying oil-based paints, first dip them into paint thinner, then pat them with paper towels to remove excess thinner.
When power mixing, reduce the splattering by putting the container in a large trash bag.
In painting, holidays are areas which were not covered by paint. These missed areas will haunt most people for years to come. So don’t rush. Watch it dry Latex paint takes between one to six hours to dry. Oil requires eight to 24 hours to cure. The time depends on the climate and moisture in the area you are painting.
Removal of old paint by sanding, scraping, or other means may generate dust or fumes that contain lead. Exposure to lead dust or fumes may cause brain damage or other adverse health effects, especially in children or pregnant women. Controlling exposure to lead or other hazardous substances requires the use of proper protective equipment, such as a properly fitted respirator (NIOSH approved) and proper containment and cleanup. For more information, call the national Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-LEAD (in US) or contact your local health authority.
If you suspect that your house has lead hazards, you can take some immediate steps to reduce your family’s risk: clean up paint chips immediately; thoroughly rinse sponges and mop heads after cleaning firty or dusty areas; keep play areas clea; keep children from chewing window sills or other painted surfaces.
When painting from a paint can, give it a half turn periodically throughout the job. Dipping the brush into the can alternately on one side of the can and then the other automatically keeps the contents stirred at the surface and prevents a surface film from forming. Also occasionally sweep the tip of the brush back and forth through the paint, especially with a fast-drying latex.
Most of today’s wallcoverings are especially easy to hang because they’re pre-pasted. If the box indicating whether a wallcovering is pre-pasted isn’t marked, be sure you get the right adhesive for hanging.
