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Be sure to check your paint supplies before you start a project. Photo by Larry Walton.
The Final Touch
If you don’t have plans for getting a project painted, don’t even start the project. This simple rule has saved me a lot of grief over the past few years.
You see, my wife noticed a pattern a few years ago. I like to do woodworking projects—building sheds, decks, fences, garage cabinets…you name it. After all, snagging the materials, pulling out the tools and whipping out a project can be satisfying.
One Saturday I was getting ready to continue my quest to cover our property with buildings when the wife said with some authority, “Please don’t start anymore projects until you finish those you have started.”
“What? I always finish my projects, right down to the last little piece of trim.”
“What about the paint?”
“Paint? What’s that got to do with building stuff? We can paint it later.”
“No WE can’t. I really don’t want you to start any new projects until the master bedroom ceiling, the dining room crown, the living room baseboards, the car parts shed and the garage cabinets are all painted.”
As I looked around I realized why the lack of paint had become a bone of contention for my wife. Now, in case you aren’t familiar with bones of contention, they have a way of festering into a lack of enthusiasm for fishing trips, hunting outings and other activities that can distract from painting.
- Spray On, Dude!
- For big paint jobs there is really no substitute for spraying. A paint sprayer uses a foot valve in a five-gallon bucket of paint. It allows you to quickly and evenly place paint on uneven surfaces. More attention to detail at the masking step is required, but it is usually well worth the added prep time.
- Sprayers can be rented at paint stores and tool rental companies.
- A word of caution: Use a respirator, cover yourself well and be aware of wind direction and any potential problems with drifting paint on cars or sidewalks.
These days I keep some basic painting supplies on hand, and any plans for new projects include painting, just like it’s part of the building process.
Here’s what I have in my painting cabinet and how I put it to use:
Caulking—Most wood connections get caulked…or should be. Door casings, baseboards, crown molding and closet shelving all get caulked to the wall. Exterior door and window trim, siding boards, barge rafters and eves should also be sealed with caulking.
There are several keys to a successful caulk job, including using a good paintable caulk, cutting the tip at an angle not too far from the end, keeping a wet rag handy and using your fingertip to shape the caulking into the corner.
Spackle—Use lightweight spackle to fill nail holes, leaving a little extra material above the surface.
Wood filler can be used for critical surface joints and larger repairs. One of my favorites is Minwax High Performance Wood Filler, which works a lot like automotive body filler.
Sand Paper—Sand the spackle and wood filler flush with the surface to be painted. For nail holes, this usually means all of the spackle will be removed except what is inside the nail hole.
Masking Tape—Masking tape temporarily covers things you don’t want painted. It’s different from most other tapes because it is designed to be removed without leaving an adhesive residue. Different grades and types of tape are available for specific needs. If you need to leave the tape on for more than a day, spring for the more expensive, easy-release blue tapes.
Masking Paper—A step up from using old newspaper, masking paper holds up better to paint and comes in rolls designed to be used on a…
Masking Machine—…which automatically positions masking tape on the edge of masking paper, making the job of masking much easier and quicker.
Painter’s Plastic—These thin plastic sheets can cover windows, furniture and plants, and can also be applied with a masking machine.
Primer—Any to-be-painted surface should be properly primed. Primer is a layer of paint that provides a transition from the existing material to the finish paint. Primer is designed to adhere and cover. Heavy bodied primers are for drywall and plaster surfaces; wood primers are designed to go over bare woods; and special shellac-based primers provide sealing and adhesion for uneven, water-stained or glossy previously painted surfaces.
Paint Brushes—Quality, professional grade paint brushes can last for years when properly cared for. They provide the right density, bristle consistency and shape to get the job done right. Cheap brushes often leave heavy brush marks and actual bristles in the paint.
Rollers—The combination of roller frame, roller cover and roller pan can significantly speed up a paint job. A good roller frame is important. Choose nap depths that match the texture of your surface (longer for rougher surfaces and shorter nap for smoother surfaces). I buy disposable roller pans or liners, and also toss roller covers, which can be cleaned but take much longer than cleaning a brush. I figure my time is worth something.
Drop Cloths—Drop cloths protect your floors, decks, sidewalks and relationships. Large room-shaped rectangles and long skinny runners for hallways and wall-only jobs are well worth the investment.
Remember, any plans for home improvement projects should include finishing it right through the final paint touch-up stage. After all, most of us would rather be hiking up to a high lake for rainbow trout than be on a forced march to the paint store.