To save on expensive solvent, try this when cleaning up brushes. Find two cans with plastic lids, one can smaller and one larger. Pour the proper solvent in the smaller can to clean the brush. After cleaning, pour the used solvent into the larger can. The sediments will settle out in a day or two so you can reuse the clear solvent that will remain on top.
When painting with a roller, don’t fill the tray more than one-third full. Also, load the entire roller with paint by rolling slowly down the tray and back, several times.
Using a tinted primer before painting is a great way to get the exact color you’re looking for in less time – especially if you’re using a deep, vivid color. Tinted primer can be tinted to a variety of gray shades selected for their ability to improve hide and achieve the desired depth of color and intensity.
Prepasted wallpaper needs soaking to activate the paste. Loosely roll up a cut length so that the water will come into contact with all the pasted surface easilly, thus activating the paste.
Instead of putting a paint smear across the outside of a can to mark the level of paint left inside (which can be messy and obliterate the label), use a rubber band instead. Put it around the can and roll it down to the level of the paint. Just by glancing at the rubber band, which is visible all the way around, you will know how much paint is left.
Latex paint makes clean-up simple and fast: Clean any spills with a damp paper towel before they dry; Clean brushes, rollers and other tools with soap and water; Brushes should be paper-wrapped in a manner that retains their original shape before storing.
If you find bubbles or specks of some kind under new wallpaper, first cut an X pattern over the defect. If the problem is a speck, remove it with a tweezers or a utility knife. Then work seam adhesive into the cavity, squeeze out the excess, and seal the opening. For air bubbles you also can use a paste-injecting syringe found in paint and wallpaper departments.
Paint walls from the top down. If you are using a roller, start by making a large “V” or “W” (3’x3′). Then fill in between the gaps, blending into your initial stokes. Always work from the unpainted into the painted area.
It is a great temptation to start painting without spending time to properly prepare the surface, but this can be a big mistake. Shortcuts on surface preparation can cause even the highest quality paints to fail prematurely. In fact, experts maintain that inadequate surface preparation is the single greatest cause of paint failures.
Whether you are doing interior or exterior painting, good surface preparation requires that the surface be as clean as possible and in good repair. Paint performance depends on good paint adhesion, and paint adheres best to surfaces that are clean and sound.
Use paint strippers outdoors if possible. If you must use them indoors, cross-ventilate by opening all doors and windows. Make sure there is fresh air movement throughout the room. Ventilate the area before, during, and after applying and stripping. Never use any paint stripper in a poorly ventilated area. If work must be done indoors under low ventilation conditions, consider having the work done professionally instead of attempting it yourself.
