"You mean there's a difference in what type of paint roller cover I use for my project"? Of course there is. The best paint roller cover out there is the "lamb skin roller cover" without a doubt. It's more expensive than the run of the mill paint roller cover but well worth it. Here's why:
The lamb skin paint roller cover holds almost twice the amount of paint than a regular roller cover. The paint is easy to apply to the wall too. You can cover more wall with each "dip" which means your time frame will be cut down saving you time & money. The lamb skin paint roller cover also does not "spit" paint so the cleanup is minimal. They're more expensive than the regular roller covers but well worth it & they last a long time too.
It's tempting to purchase a cheaper roller cover when you're at the store but......don't do it. You are thinking you will be saving money by down-grading your paint roller cover since it's just a paint roller cover....what difference does it make?..........PLENTY.
You could go with the generic "economy style" paint roller cover. It's plenty cheap & you throw these roller covers away once you finish your paint project.......but they are a waste of money & cost you time as well. These roller covers don't hold very much paint & they also have a tendency to create "holidays" & they spit so stay away from these like the plague. Oh yeah, one other thing: these paint roller covers leave lots of lint on your walls which is very visible on smooth wall finish.
The next step up for paint roller covers is the standard synthetic roller covers most people purchase. These roller covers come in different naps ie. 1/4",3/8",1/2",3/4",1",1 1/4". These roller covers work pretty good but you have to be careful or you will get holidays & they spit plus they only hold so much paint, unlike the lamb skin roller covers. These covers will do (in a pinch......I'm saying emergencies here).
There is a contractor series roller cover available which is a step up from the standard roller covers. These are made of a half & half blend of synthetic materials & lamb skin or the lamb skin material is like lamb skin & sometimes not "real" lamb skin. These paint roller covers work really good other than the fact they don't hold as much paint as the 100% lamb skin roller covers. I used to use these roller covers all the time before I really knew that much about the real lamb skin variety. Once I was introduced to the 100% lamb skin roller cover though......it was a match made in heaven.
Plan on purchasing your lamb skin roller cover before your paint project begins as you might have to go to a few stores since sometimes these puppies are sold out......I wonder why? Don't fall into the trap of waiting until the day of your project to purchase your paint roller cover because "Murphy" has a way of raising his head making the store not have the lamb skin roller cover & making you have to purchase the other ones instead.......yep, that's how it usually works.
Just so you know, I am not a salesman for the lamb skin roller cover factory, I do not make any money for attempting to persuade you to use lamb skin roller covers, I do not own a sheep farm which may or may not sell their products to factories that make lamb skin roller covers, & I do not own any sheep skin coats. I do like to use those lamb skin roller covers for my painting projects though!
Try a lamb skin roller cover next time. You'll be a happy camper!
Click here for more painting tips.......shhh....these are in "video format".......enjoy!
Paint on.
VideoJoeKnows
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Change color of your bedroom walls should be easy....right?.....Wrong!
Changing the color of your bedroom walls should be easy but it's not. Changing your wall color requires you to do a little "investigative research" prior to you going out & purchasing the paint. What's the big deal you say? Painting the walls is the easy part but there's a number of things you need to be aware of in order to do a "color change". Here's what you need to know:
The little paint color chip samples you are looking at, will "change color" once you apply the paint to your walls. This "color change" can be drastic depending on the color you pick out. Let me explain.
You apply paint to a wall & once it's dry, the paint has a tendency to "appear" to look "darker" than your color chip sample. It happens all the time. When the paint is dry you say something like: "what's wrong with the paint color, I didn't want to change the color of the wall this much, this color change is way too dark, what do I do now, I don't like this new color". You find your color chip sample & put it up against the wall (to show yourself that it's different) and...........the color chip sample blends right in. An illusion so to speak. Ugh! I know you don't want this happening to you!
You want to do the job one time &.....you want it to look great when it's done, just like you planned. No fuss.....no muss. You changed the wall color "just right" & you are pleased with the "color change".....what could be easier? That's what you want to say, right? Here's what you're going to do to make it happen:
Look at your little color chip samples again. Pick at least 3 color changes that you think will look good. Pick the one you think will look the best. Now, consider the "lighter" sample just next to the one you picked out. Ponder this for awhile, taking into consideration what I told you earlier about the paint drying a little darker than the sample color you have picked out. Also keep in mind how much light is in your room & remember that the dark areas will make your paint look that much darker. Talk to your paint store "associate" & get his opinion as well (for confirmation).
If you are still unsure about which paint color would be the best for your color change, pick the 2 or 3 best colors & purchase them all! Now you can take them home & apply some paint samples on the wall & pick the one you like the best. Make sure you apply 2 coats of paint before you decide which color change you like the best (this is recommended for a full body change of color).
Paint an area about 2 to 3 feet wide & from floor to ceiling (or thereabouts) for each paint color. Keep several feet apart between paint sample areas so you can distinguish which change of color looks the best. This technique also works great when you want to re-paint your entire interior of your home & not just a bedroom. You then might want to paint a wider "swath" or an entire wall to better evaluate the color change that's best for you (highly recommended).
Now you can definitely decide which color will work for you. This process takes a bit of work but it's well worth it in the end believe you me. Most people don't want to spend this extra time for their project since afterall, they know what color they want for their color change......how hard could it be to pick a color anyway? Well......you know different.
Changing your wall color can be a fun experience or your change of color can be a not so fun experience. You choose.
Click here to get some "free" video painting tips for your next project
Paint on.
VideoJoeKnows
The little paint color chip samples you are looking at, will "change color" once you apply the paint to your walls. This "color change" can be drastic depending on the color you pick out. Let me explain.
You apply paint to a wall & once it's dry, the paint has a tendency to "appear" to look "darker" than your color chip sample. It happens all the time. When the paint is dry you say something like: "what's wrong with the paint color, I didn't want to change the color of the wall this much, this color change is way too dark, what do I do now, I don't like this new color". You find your color chip sample & put it up against the wall (to show yourself that it's different) and...........the color chip sample blends right in. An illusion so to speak. Ugh! I know you don't want this happening to you!
You want to do the job one time &.....you want it to look great when it's done, just like you planned. No fuss.....no muss. You changed the wall color "just right" & you are pleased with the "color change".....what could be easier? That's what you want to say, right? Here's what you're going to do to make it happen:
Look at your little color chip samples again. Pick at least 3 color changes that you think will look good. Pick the one you think will look the best. Now, consider the "lighter" sample just next to the one you picked out. Ponder this for awhile, taking into consideration what I told you earlier about the paint drying a little darker than the sample color you have picked out. Also keep in mind how much light is in your room & remember that the dark areas will make your paint look that much darker. Talk to your paint store "associate" & get his opinion as well (for confirmation).
If you are still unsure about which paint color would be the best for your color change, pick the 2 or 3 best colors & purchase them all! Now you can take them home & apply some paint samples on the wall & pick the one you like the best. Make sure you apply 2 coats of paint before you decide which color change you like the best (this is recommended for a full body change of color).
Paint an area about 2 to 3 feet wide & from floor to ceiling (or thereabouts) for each paint color. Keep several feet apart between paint sample areas so you can distinguish which change of color looks the best. This technique also works great when you want to re-paint your entire interior of your home & not just a bedroom. You then might want to paint a wider "swath" or an entire wall to better evaluate the color change that's best for you (highly recommended).
Now you can definitely decide which color will work for you. This process takes a bit of work but it's well worth it in the end believe you me. Most people don't want to spend this extra time for their project since afterall, they know what color they want for their color change......how hard could it be to pick a color anyway? Well......you know different.
Changing your wall color can be a fun experience or your change of color can be a not so fun experience. You choose.
Click here to get some "free" video painting tips for your next project
Paint on.
VideoJoeKnows
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Strain paint......a great idea!
It's always a good idea to strain paint before you start your project. It takes a little bit of work to strain your paint but if you allow for this & build the extra time into your project, you'll have done yourself a favor. Here's why:
Some paint stores rotate their stock, meaning the paint cans in the back of the rack eventually get moved to the front of the rack. The paint stock can have the tendency to form small clumps (or lumps) in the actual paint cans, depending on how long the paint cans have been on the rack prior to being sold. I'm talking new cans of paint here so take note. That's what I'm saying. Not only should you strain your old paint, you should also strain your new paint! How many people have told you THAT before?
I have seen this first hand as it happened to me one "night". One of the workers was opening a 5 gallon container & he was ready to start applying it to a wall & he noticed there were clumps in it so he told me about it. We ended up having to strain paint in 10 of the 5 gallon containers (that's 50 gallons of paint). I was not prepared to strain the paint since we were ready to paint the office that evening & all I had time for was to paint all night & finish just before the tenant came to work the next morning (all-nighters are not fun) plus I had asked the paint store to check for this anyway (grumble grumble).
Luckily I just had time to get to a store before they closed so I could purchase a paint strainer bag. I don't know what would've happened if I hadn't gotten to the store before they closed. The job was held up for an hour or so then I had to pay one of the workers to strain all of the paint. We still got the job done on time but I was sweating it out at the end.
I had trusted the paint store to check out the paint containers for lumps prior to mixing & shaking up the containers & alas...this was not relayed to the person who was actually mixing up the paint......say what? I questioned the paint store about this the next day & they said sometimes lumps can form in paint stock even before they purchase it from the manufacturer (or their headquarter main warehouse)....so buyer beware. This means you. You could be "the chosen one" next time. It doesn't happen very often though but I wanted you to be aware of it & be prepared, that's all.
I now always make sure I have paint straining bags with me before I start a project since straining new paint (as well as old paint) just makes sense. I generally use the paint straining bag type you can purchase at any local paint store. They have two sizes: one size fits on gallon containers & the other fits on 5 gallon containers. I would highly suggest that you purchase both sizes as you will eventually use one or the other. The paint straining bags are made of a very fine cheese cloth material & have an elastic edge sewn on the top edge. They really come in handy. Get a few extra too as they're cheap insurance. The straining bags also store nicely so there's no reason not to have them on hand.
I do not recommend using old panty hose since you have to deal with "runs" & "holes" plus it's a little harder to work with to strain the paint for your project. It is possible though, so in a pinch, do what you need to do.
It's a must to strain old paint so don't even think twice to "strain that paint". I'm talking about straining any old paint even if it's only a few months old since you don't usually see the lumps or mini clumps until you have mixed up the paint & begin pouring it in a paint tray ready to paint your project. That's not when you want to see these "suckers" magically appear. And don't think for a moment you can kind of "miss" the clumps with your paint roller because let me tell you......those rollers are like "magnets". They pick up everything then spread these little guys all over your wall before you can say huckleberry hound! I know. I've learned by experience & I want you to learn from my "now known knowledge".
In a nutshell, strain old paint, strain new paint, if it looks like paint & smells like paint then "strain that paint". You've learned alot here...........I hope.
To learn more.........CLICK HERE
Strain On.
VideoJoeKnows
Some paint stores rotate their stock, meaning the paint cans in the back of the rack eventually get moved to the front of the rack. The paint stock can have the tendency to form small clumps (or lumps) in the actual paint cans, depending on how long the paint cans have been on the rack prior to being sold. I'm talking new cans of paint here so take note. That's what I'm saying. Not only should you strain your old paint, you should also strain your new paint! How many people have told you THAT before?
I have seen this first hand as it happened to me one "night". One of the workers was opening a 5 gallon container & he was ready to start applying it to a wall & he noticed there were clumps in it so he told me about it. We ended up having to strain paint in 10 of the 5 gallon containers (that's 50 gallons of paint). I was not prepared to strain the paint since we were ready to paint the office that evening & all I had time for was to paint all night & finish just before the tenant came to work the next morning (all-nighters are not fun) plus I had asked the paint store to check for this anyway (grumble grumble).
Luckily I just had time to get to a store before they closed so I could purchase a paint strainer bag. I don't know what would've happened if I hadn't gotten to the store before they closed. The job was held up for an hour or so then I had to pay one of the workers to strain all of the paint. We still got the job done on time but I was sweating it out at the end.
I had trusted the paint store to check out the paint containers for lumps prior to mixing & shaking up the containers & alas...this was not relayed to the person who was actually mixing up the paint......say what? I questioned the paint store about this the next day & they said sometimes lumps can form in paint stock even before they purchase it from the manufacturer (or their headquarter main warehouse)....so buyer beware. This means you. You could be "the chosen one" next time. It doesn't happen very often though but I wanted you to be aware of it & be prepared, that's all.
I now always make sure I have paint straining bags with me before I start a project since straining new paint (as well as old paint) just makes sense. I generally use the paint straining bag type you can purchase at any local paint store. They have two sizes: one size fits on gallon containers & the other fits on 5 gallon containers. I would highly suggest that you purchase both sizes as you will eventually use one or the other. The paint straining bags are made of a very fine cheese cloth material & have an elastic edge sewn on the top edge. They really come in handy. Get a few extra too as they're cheap insurance. The straining bags also store nicely so there's no reason not to have them on hand.
I do not recommend using old panty hose since you have to deal with "runs" & "holes" plus it's a little harder to work with to strain the paint for your project. It is possible though, so in a pinch, do what you need to do.
It's a must to strain old paint so don't even think twice to "strain that paint". I'm talking about straining any old paint even if it's only a few months old since you don't usually see the lumps or mini clumps until you have mixed up the paint & begin pouring it in a paint tray ready to paint your project. That's not when you want to see these "suckers" magically appear. And don't think for a moment you can kind of "miss" the clumps with your paint roller because let me tell you......those rollers are like "magnets". They pick up everything then spread these little guys all over your wall before you can say huckleberry hound! I know. I've learned by experience & I want you to learn from my "now known knowledge".
In a nutshell, strain old paint, strain new paint, if it looks like paint & smells like paint then "strain that paint". You've learned alot here...........I hope.
To learn more.........CLICK HERE
Strain On.
VideoJoeKnows
Sunday, July 19, 2009
"Matching the Paint" made easy
"I need to touch up my sheetrock walls but I don't have any paint..........HELP!"
Have you ever been caught in this position before? What did you do?
Most "gurus" would have you peel &/or scrape a piece of sheetrock wall off & take to the paint store. You can do this but guess what? You will now have to patch the wall. Do you want to patch your wall? Do you know how to patch your wall? Do you want to spend your valuable time patching your wall.......when there is a better way?
Remember...."there's always 2 ways to skin a cat" my Pappy would say. In this case, one way would be to peel off a square piece of sheetrock "skin". So what's the other way? Very simple really.....but it's taken me awhile to figure it out, since I use to do it the other way. Sometimes the sheetrock "skin" would come off in one piece then other times, it would come off in little shavings when I wanted just one piece. Then I would have to patch the wall then attempt to texture the little patch area (very tricky) not to mention painting the patch too!
Each time I completed a project I would say....."how could I do it differently next time"? Usually I would give up then wouldn't you know, someone would want me to do some paint touchup for them & they wouldn't have any paint.....go figure. I thought, "OK, that's it. I need to figure this out. How can I take a patch off the wall without having to "fix it" later? I became so determined...... I would not give up before I had the answer....then it came to me......my ah ha moment!
Here's the answer: Go to the hardware store & purchase a cut-in 2 gang telephone box. This will be a square plastic box (it won't have any back on it either) that is designed to be installed in a sheetrock wall. You will also have to purchase a double blank plate to cover the front of it once you install it. Go into a closet & pick a wall that looks pretty clean. Measure up from the floor to about the height of an electrical outlet plug. Measure & mark the wall where you will be installing this box (you can install the box behind the door or under some hanging clothes,or......). Cut the sheetrock out & make sure you "grab" the sheetrock piece before it goes down inside the wall (you will be using this sheetrock piece to take to the paint store). Install the cut-in box & install the blank cover plate. It's actually pretty quick & easy once you have the parts. That's it!
The reason I like to use a "double cut-in box" versus a "single cut-in box" is because this makes the sheetrock piece a little larger. The piece isn't that big to begin with so the bigger the better in case the paint store needs to try to match up the paint on several "tries" before they get it right.
You could also use a 3 gang (triple) box if you wanted but then again, you should be able to do everything with a double box to minimize the size of the blank cover plate.
I generally use a "telephone style cut-in box" versus an "electrical style cut-in box" in case I hit a stud in the wall or any other "unwanted creatures" in the wall since the cut-in box for a double telephone generally protrudes very little into the actual wall cavity thereby making it installable virtually anywhere you choose (use your common sense though OK?).
I try to find an inconspicuous location to install this cut-in box like a clothes closet,storage closet,pantry,stairwell/storage area, or someplace like that so the cover plate does not look like it's out of place. * News Flash * Make sure the piece you are taking out of the wall matches the wall color you are wanting to match to (in case your home has more than one paint color....duh).
There you have it. One matching sheetrock wall sample ready to take to the paint store. And you figured that "trick" out all by yourself (it's OK....I won't tell anyone....mum's the word).
See.........you CAN do it.
Click here to get more painting tips (hint....they're in video!)
Paint on.
VideoJoeKnows
Have you ever been caught in this position before? What did you do?
Most "gurus" would have you peel &/or scrape a piece of sheetrock wall off & take to the paint store. You can do this but guess what? You will now have to patch the wall. Do you want to patch your wall? Do you know how to patch your wall? Do you want to spend your valuable time patching your wall.......when there is a better way?
Remember...."there's always 2 ways to skin a cat" my Pappy would say. In this case, one way would be to peel off a square piece of sheetrock "skin". So what's the other way? Very simple really.....but it's taken me awhile to figure it out, since I use to do it the other way. Sometimes the sheetrock "skin" would come off in one piece then other times, it would come off in little shavings when I wanted just one piece. Then I would have to patch the wall then attempt to texture the little patch area (very tricky) not to mention painting the patch too!
Each time I completed a project I would say....."how could I do it differently next time"? Usually I would give up then wouldn't you know, someone would want me to do some paint touchup for them & they wouldn't have any paint.....go figure. I thought, "OK, that's it. I need to figure this out. How can I take a patch off the wall without having to "fix it" later? I became so determined...... I would not give up before I had the answer....then it came to me......my ah ha moment!
Here's the answer: Go to the hardware store & purchase a cut-in 2 gang telephone box. This will be a square plastic box (it won't have any back on it either) that is designed to be installed in a sheetrock wall. You will also have to purchase a double blank plate to cover the front of it once you install it. Go into a closet & pick a wall that looks pretty clean. Measure up from the floor to about the height of an electrical outlet plug. Measure & mark the wall where you will be installing this box (you can install the box behind the door or under some hanging clothes,or......). Cut the sheetrock out & make sure you "grab" the sheetrock piece before it goes down inside the wall (you will be using this sheetrock piece to take to the paint store). Install the cut-in box & install the blank cover plate. It's actually pretty quick & easy once you have the parts. That's it!
The reason I like to use a "double cut-in box" versus a "single cut-in box" is because this makes the sheetrock piece a little larger. The piece isn't that big to begin with so the bigger the better in case the paint store needs to try to match up the paint on several "tries" before they get it right.
You could also use a 3 gang (triple) box if you wanted but then again, you should be able to do everything with a double box to minimize the size of the blank cover plate.
I generally use a "telephone style cut-in box" versus an "electrical style cut-in box" in case I hit a stud in the wall or any other "unwanted creatures" in the wall since the cut-in box for a double telephone generally protrudes very little into the actual wall cavity thereby making it installable virtually anywhere you choose (use your common sense though OK?).
I try to find an inconspicuous location to install this cut-in box like a clothes closet,storage closet,pantry,stairwell/storage area, or someplace like that so the cover plate does not look like it's out of place. * News Flash * Make sure the piece you are taking out of the wall matches the wall color you are wanting to match to (in case your home has more than one paint color....duh).
There you have it. One matching sheetrock wall sample ready to take to the paint store. And you figured that "trick" out all by yourself (it's OK....I won't tell anyone....mum's the word).
See.........you CAN do it.
Click here to get more painting tips (hint....they're in video!)
Paint on.
VideoJoeKnows
Color match your paint by saving your sheetrock scraps
Did you know that you can easily match paint up even if you don't have a paint can with any paint in it? Have you ever removed any damaged sheetrock from an interior wall?
Chances are.....you have.....& if you saved a piece of that removed sheetrock, you can take it to the paint store & have them match the paint to it. It's as simple as that.
Click here to get your "free" video painting tips
The paint store will take a picture of your sheetrock scrap piece & it will tell them how to mix up some paint to match your project. Your scrap piece that you take in to the paint store should be clean (no dirty finger prints,smudges,etc.).
They will mix up the paint then put a little on your scrap piece to see how close it comes to matching. If it doesn't match exactly, they will tweek the colors accordingly & apply another sample. They will continue to do this until they get the color to match. That's why it's important to bring a large enough scrap to the paint store & not just a little piece. 6" by 6" should be large enough but if you have a bigger piece, bring that instead.
If you bring a piece of sheetrock scrap to the paint store, they can also make a determination of what "kind" of paint you have on the wall ie. flat,egshel,satin,semi-gloss,gloss or whatever. So it's always a good idea to bring your scrap & let the paint "wizards" tell you what you need.
Even if you don't need a gallon of paint for your paint match, I would recommend that you have the paint store mix a gallon of paint for you anyway in lieu of you having them match up only a quart for your paint touchup needs. It's much easier for the paint store to match up paint in a gallon container than a quart container especially if you ever need anymore paint in the future, as the paint color can vary if only matching up in a quart size container.
Click here for "free" video painting tips
What if you don't have a scrap piece of sheetrock to take to the paint store & you also don't have any paint touchup in a paint can you say? What are you going to do? Well............you're out of luck..........just kidding.
I'll talk about that next time.
VideoJoeKnows
Chances are.....you have.....& if you saved a piece of that removed sheetrock, you can take it to the paint store & have them match the paint to it. It's as simple as that.
Click here to get your "free" video painting tips
The paint store will take a picture of your sheetrock scrap piece & it will tell them how to mix up some paint to match your project. Your scrap piece that you take in to the paint store should be clean (no dirty finger prints,smudges,etc.).
They will mix up the paint then put a little on your scrap piece to see how close it comes to matching. If it doesn't match exactly, they will tweek the colors accordingly & apply another sample. They will continue to do this until they get the color to match. That's why it's important to bring a large enough scrap to the paint store & not just a little piece. 6" by 6" should be large enough but if you have a bigger piece, bring that instead.
If you bring a piece of sheetrock scrap to the paint store, they can also make a determination of what "kind" of paint you have on the wall ie. flat,egshel,satin,semi-gloss,gloss or whatever. So it's always a good idea to bring your scrap & let the paint "wizards" tell you what you need.
Even if you don't need a gallon of paint for your paint match, I would recommend that you have the paint store mix a gallon of paint for you anyway in lieu of you having them match up only a quart for your paint touchup needs. It's much easier for the paint store to match up paint in a gallon container than a quart container especially if you ever need anymore paint in the future, as the paint color can vary if only matching up in a quart size container.
Click here for "free" video painting tips
What if you don't have a scrap piece of sheetrock to take to the paint store & you also don't have any paint touchup in a paint can you say? What are you going to do? Well............you're out of luck..........just kidding.
I'll talk about that next time.
VideoJoeKnows
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Save water when painting a wall.......who knew?
That's right. You can definitely save water when painting a wall. How.....? "What's the catch"? Before I answer that, what if I tell you that this "practice" also comes in handy if you are not anywhere near a hosebib or anywhere close to a water source?....period.
"Click it or.....miss it"
You also will not have to worry about cleaning up around the bathroom sink or the kitchen sink for that matter....that's where you were going to wash out your paint roller & brushes huh? Well no more! I've come up with a revolutionary idea. It's simple really....but how many people out there do it? More importantly, do YOU do it? Are "you" one of "them"?
It's a one word answer. Not the "you" or "them" question....the water one silly. Do you know what the answer is? If you said "plastic", you're correct! Give yourself a gold star. This is what you are going to do:
* Always make sure you have some plastic with you whenever you paint.
* After you use your paint brush, make sure you wrap it up with a piece of plastic ie: after you pour your paint & use your paint brush to wipe off the can, after using your brush to do all the "cutin" prior to painting the rest of your wall with a paint roller, after cleaning out your paint tray between the first coat of paint & the second coat of paint which you applied with a paint roller (you used a paint roller for your project didn't you?), after "cutting in" your second coat of paint, after cleaning up any paint "mis-haps", after remembering to paint the little piece of wall area behind the door, next to the door jamb, after you had everything done (you know what I'm talking about). I could go on but you get the point.
I use to always wash my paint brush out, between coats, while waiting for things to dry since I did not want the brush ends to dry up thus making it difficult to complete the "cut-in" after the second coat. Not anymore!
I would also wash out my roller cover after installing the prime coat & prior to installing the finish paint (since I didn't want the primer paint on the roller cover to bleed into the finish paint). Then I would rinse the roller cover off between the first coat of finish paint & the second coat of finish paint (since the roller cover has a tendency to dry & harden up depending on how long is needed for the first coat of paint to dry before I needed to use the roller again for the second coat). Not anymore! Is there an echo in here?
* Now....all you do is change roller covers between the prime coat & finish coat(s) (if you have a need to install primer that is.....make sure to wrap up the roller cover with plastic....the one you used for the primer). You then put on a fresh roller cover for the finish paint. After you apply the first coat of paint with a roller, you then wrap plastic right around the paint roller cover leaving the roller cover right on the paint roller frame. When you're ready to install the second coat of finish paint, all you do is remove the plastic & you're ready to rock & roll! Then when you're done, you rewrap the roller cover & wash it out later.....presto!
I would use alot of water in order to do all of the above tasks I use to do without the "magic plastic". Not anymore. It concerned me that I was not doing my part by saving water & it always seemed to be a messy job (using all that water & all....you know how long it takes to rinse out a roller cover?). I was spending almost as much time cleaning up around the: bathroom sink,kitchen sink,utility sink,hosebib by backyard concrete patio,side yard mucking up the place not to mention the "blueish tinge" left behind in the mud (Ok I used blue one time---no big deal),_________you fill in the blank. And when I didn't do a good enough job cleaning up.......look out!
It just hit me one day.....why didn't I think of this years ago? Plastic really does come in handy since you don't have to trapse through the house to wash your stuff out. How could such a simple thing like that change the way I now do things (for the better I might add)? Not only have I saved a "ton" of water since the old days/years, I've also shaved off a few hours of each project thereafter because the cleanup time was way less (hint.....if I can save you time then I can save you money.....or at least save you enough time so you won't have to miss the first part of the "BIG" game).
This is so great. You just wait until you're done with whatever you're painting, then take your brushes & roller covers to a convenient area to rinse them off after you're completed. Sometimes even if you wait a few days (in case you forget) or whatever, you can still rinse them off since the brushes & paint roller covers will not "dry out" if you have the plastic wrapped on there really good (make sure to "press" the plastic tight up against the brush hairs & roller covers). If you want to save "more" water, just throw the paint roller covers away & just wash out the paint brushes. For your paint tray, use thin plastic "inserts" & you can throw those away too, thereby minimizing the amount of water used to clean out your paint tray,etc..
That's my tip for the day. Oh yeah....here's another tip:
Click here to get your "free" painting video tips
Paint On!
VideoJoeKnows
"Click it or.....miss it"
You also will not have to worry about cleaning up around the bathroom sink or the kitchen sink for that matter....that's where you were going to wash out your paint roller & brushes huh? Well no more! I've come up with a revolutionary idea. It's simple really....but how many people out there do it? More importantly, do YOU do it? Are "you" one of "them"?
It's a one word answer. Not the "you" or "them" question....the water one silly. Do you know what the answer is? If you said "plastic", you're correct! Give yourself a gold star. This is what you are going to do:
* Always make sure you have some plastic with you whenever you paint.
* After you use your paint brush, make sure you wrap it up with a piece of plastic ie: after you pour your paint & use your paint brush to wipe off the can, after using your brush to do all the "cutin" prior to painting the rest of your wall with a paint roller, after cleaning out your paint tray between the first coat of paint & the second coat of paint which you applied with a paint roller (you used a paint roller for your project didn't you?), after "cutting in" your second coat of paint, after cleaning up any paint "mis-haps", after remembering to paint the little piece of wall area behind the door, next to the door jamb, after you had everything done (you know what I'm talking about). I could go on but you get the point.
I use to always wash my paint brush out, between coats, while waiting for things to dry since I did not want the brush ends to dry up thus making it difficult to complete the "cut-in" after the second coat. Not anymore!
I would also wash out my roller cover after installing the prime coat & prior to installing the finish paint (since I didn't want the primer paint on the roller cover to bleed into the finish paint). Then I would rinse the roller cover off between the first coat of finish paint & the second coat of finish paint (since the roller cover has a tendency to dry & harden up depending on how long is needed for the first coat of paint to dry before I needed to use the roller again for the second coat). Not anymore! Is there an echo in here?
* Now....all you do is change roller covers between the prime coat & finish coat(s) (if you have a need to install primer that is.....make sure to wrap up the roller cover with plastic....the one you used for the primer). You then put on a fresh roller cover for the finish paint. After you apply the first coat of paint with a roller, you then wrap plastic right around the paint roller cover leaving the roller cover right on the paint roller frame. When you're ready to install the second coat of finish paint, all you do is remove the plastic & you're ready to rock & roll! Then when you're done, you rewrap the roller cover & wash it out later.....presto!
I would use alot of water in order to do all of the above tasks I use to do without the "magic plastic". Not anymore. It concerned me that I was not doing my part by saving water & it always seemed to be a messy job (using all that water & all....you know how long it takes to rinse out a roller cover?). I was spending almost as much time cleaning up around the: bathroom sink,kitchen sink,utility sink,hosebib by backyard concrete patio,side yard mucking up the place not to mention the "blueish tinge" left behind in the mud (Ok I used blue one time---no big deal),_________you fill in the blank. And when I didn't do a good enough job cleaning up.......look out!
It just hit me one day.....why didn't I think of this years ago? Plastic really does come in handy since you don't have to trapse through the house to wash your stuff out. How could such a simple thing like that change the way I now do things (for the better I might add)? Not only have I saved a "ton" of water since the old days/years, I've also shaved off a few hours of each project thereafter because the cleanup time was way less (hint.....if I can save you time then I can save you money.....or at least save you enough time so you won't have to miss the first part of the "BIG" game).
This is so great. You just wait until you're done with whatever you're painting, then take your brushes & roller covers to a convenient area to rinse them off after you're completed. Sometimes even if you wait a few days (in case you forget) or whatever, you can still rinse them off since the brushes & paint roller covers will not "dry out" if you have the plastic wrapped on there really good (make sure to "press" the plastic tight up against the brush hairs & roller covers). If you want to save "more" water, just throw the paint roller covers away & just wash out the paint brushes. For your paint tray, use thin plastic "inserts" & you can throw those away too, thereby minimizing the amount of water used to clean out your paint tray,etc..
That's my tip for the day. Oh yeah....here's another tip:
Click here to get your "free" painting video tips
Paint On!
VideoJoeKnows
Friday, July 10, 2009
Spackle or not to spackle....that is the question
I have a hole in my sheetrock wall.....is the hole small enough to spackle? Which spackle should I use? Is there a proper way to apply spackle or does it matter? What if I just used caulking? Should I patch the hole with tape & mud instead of spackle? How long do I need to wait before I can paint? Is it going to look good once I paint? Did I make the right decision? Is anyone else asking any of these questions? Does it really matter?
Have you ever asked any of the above questions? I will do my best to answer each one for you right now.
Question: Is the hole small enough to spackle?
Answer: Usually spackle is used for very small holes. As a rule of thumb, I would not spackle anything over the size of a quarter or so, maybe even a dime. If the hole is too big, you won't have any backing to hold in the spackle. If the hole has a little of the sheetrock paper left on the back, you may be able to fill a slightly larger hole,nick, or tear. In most cases, spackle is used very sparingly.
Question: Which spackle should I use?
Answer: There's two main types of spackle. The type I like to use is called "lightweight" spackle. It almost feels like there's nothing in the plastic container that's how light it is. It kind of looks like whipped cream & is non-shrinking which is a plus since you can usually apply what you need with only one coat. The other type of spackle is very moist in nature & you need to mix up the material a little bit before applying. This kind can shrink a bit so you may have to apply two small coats depending how deep your patch is.
Question: Is there a proper way to apply spackle or does it matter?
Answer: Yes there is a proper way to apply spackle & believe me, it does matter. You will want to use a small putty knife & in some cases, a small standard screw driver comes in handy as well. Remember, the smaller the spackle patch the smaller the paint patch. If you have a small hole to fill, you don't want to just put a large amount of spackle on it & just wipe off with a putty knife as you will get alot on the surrounding wall area thus making your patch that much larger to paint since you will have to paint not only the small patch/hole but all of the remaining spackle material beyond the hole. So be careful when you put the spackle on. A wet rag comes in handy now & again so be ready. The lightweight spackle doesn't work very well on larger holes since the spackle is slightly porous & will show up when you apply your paint touchup so keep that in mind....the smaller the hole the better.
Question: What if I just used caulking?
Answer: I would recommend only using caulking in filling: small screw holes,tack holes,staple holes,hairline cracks,etc.. Before filling small holes like these, use a tiny screwdriver & fold the outside edges back into the hole & flatten out minimizing the overall patch. The caulking blends in to the same level of the wall when you do this & doesn't leave a bump. Putting a dab of caulking in the hole & shaping it flat using a tiny screwdriver I find works the best, wiping off any overage with a wet finger &/or wet rag keeping the excess to a minimum. Don't use caulking on too big of a hole since the caulking tends to sag a little, while drying, on larger holes.
Question: Should I patch the hole with tape & mud instead of spackle?
Answer: I would recommend patching the hole with tape & mud if the hole is larger than a quarter. You will end up with a less porous patch & your paint will cover better. Work with the spackle a bit & come to your own decisions about how large of a hole,rip,tear you want to cover remembering that the bigger the patch area, the more likely the patch will stand out after you apply the paint.
Question: How long do I need to wait before I can paint?
Answer: Lightweight spackle can be covered with paint generally after just a few minutes. Regular moist spackle has to fully dry before you can paint over it so it will depend on how deep your patch is or if you applied two coats of spackle or just one. Caulking should have a skin developed over it before you paint & a few minutes after that. This could take 30 minutes or so depending if it's summer or winter,raining outside,etc.. Don't paint over caulking too soon as the caulking could start sliding or pushing in when paint is applied.
Question: Is it going to look good when I paint?
Answer: It depends on how well you applied the spackle & caulking. Use a small paint brush, mini roller,artist paint brush, & sometimes just a folded up paper towel. You will probably need to apply two small coats of paint touch up to blend in better. Try not to paint too far over the patch areas thinking you will just blend in the paint as the paint may "flash" in these little patch areas & you will want to make your paint patches as small as possible.
Question: Did I make the right decision?
Answer: You will know the answer to this one once you do a few little patch projects as the more patches you do, the more you learn.....and the more you save! (since you won't have to call a professional painter anymore).
Question(s): Is anyone else asking any of these questions & does it really matter?
Answer(s): Yes...others out there are asking these same questions, usually after their project is done (after they came to the realization that they should've done their homework a little better) but you are making the most of this blog by preparing yourself for your next "patch & paint" project before it's here & trust me....it's only a matter of time before you will need to patch up your walls again. Does it matter? I would hope your answer to that would be a resounding YES since if you're going to do something (like patch your walls), you might as well do it to the best of your ability.
Click here to get your "free" painting video tips
Good luck with your next "patch & paint" project!
VideoJoeKnows
Have you ever asked any of the above questions? I will do my best to answer each one for you right now.
Question: Is the hole small enough to spackle?
Answer: Usually spackle is used for very small holes. As a rule of thumb, I would not spackle anything over the size of a quarter or so, maybe even a dime. If the hole is too big, you won't have any backing to hold in the spackle. If the hole has a little of the sheetrock paper left on the back, you may be able to fill a slightly larger hole,nick, or tear. In most cases, spackle is used very sparingly.
Question: Which spackle should I use?
Answer: There's two main types of spackle. The type I like to use is called "lightweight" spackle. It almost feels like there's nothing in the plastic container that's how light it is. It kind of looks like whipped cream & is non-shrinking which is a plus since you can usually apply what you need with only one coat. The other type of spackle is very moist in nature & you need to mix up the material a little bit before applying. This kind can shrink a bit so you may have to apply two small coats depending how deep your patch is.
Question: Is there a proper way to apply spackle or does it matter?
Answer: Yes there is a proper way to apply spackle & believe me, it does matter. You will want to use a small putty knife & in some cases, a small standard screw driver comes in handy as well. Remember, the smaller the spackle patch the smaller the paint patch. If you have a small hole to fill, you don't want to just put a large amount of spackle on it & just wipe off with a putty knife as you will get alot on the surrounding wall area thus making your patch that much larger to paint since you will have to paint not only the small patch/hole but all of the remaining spackle material beyond the hole. So be careful when you put the spackle on. A wet rag comes in handy now & again so be ready. The lightweight spackle doesn't work very well on larger holes since the spackle is slightly porous & will show up when you apply your paint touchup so keep that in mind....the smaller the hole the better.
Question: What if I just used caulking?
Answer: I would recommend only using caulking in filling: small screw holes,tack holes,staple holes,hairline cracks,etc.. Before filling small holes like these, use a tiny screwdriver & fold the outside edges back into the hole & flatten out minimizing the overall patch. The caulking blends in to the same level of the wall when you do this & doesn't leave a bump. Putting a dab of caulking in the hole & shaping it flat using a tiny screwdriver I find works the best, wiping off any overage with a wet finger &/or wet rag keeping the excess to a minimum. Don't use caulking on too big of a hole since the caulking tends to sag a little, while drying, on larger holes.
Question: Should I patch the hole with tape & mud instead of spackle?
Answer: I would recommend patching the hole with tape & mud if the hole is larger than a quarter. You will end up with a less porous patch & your paint will cover better. Work with the spackle a bit & come to your own decisions about how large of a hole,rip,tear you want to cover remembering that the bigger the patch area, the more likely the patch will stand out after you apply the paint.
Question: How long do I need to wait before I can paint?
Answer: Lightweight spackle can be covered with paint generally after just a few minutes. Regular moist spackle has to fully dry before you can paint over it so it will depend on how deep your patch is or if you applied two coats of spackle or just one. Caulking should have a skin developed over it before you paint & a few minutes after that. This could take 30 minutes or so depending if it's summer or winter,raining outside,etc.. Don't paint over caulking too soon as the caulking could start sliding or pushing in when paint is applied.
Question: Is it going to look good when I paint?
Answer: It depends on how well you applied the spackle & caulking. Use a small paint brush, mini roller,artist paint brush, & sometimes just a folded up paper towel. You will probably need to apply two small coats of paint touch up to blend in better. Try not to paint too far over the patch areas thinking you will just blend in the paint as the paint may "flash" in these little patch areas & you will want to make your paint patches as small as possible.
Question: Did I make the right decision?
Answer: You will know the answer to this one once you do a few little patch projects as the more patches you do, the more you learn.....and the more you save! (since you won't have to call a professional painter anymore).
Question(s): Is anyone else asking any of these questions & does it really matter?
Answer(s): Yes...others out there are asking these same questions, usually after their project is done (after they came to the realization that they should've done their homework a little better) but you are making the most of this blog by preparing yourself for your next "patch & paint" project before it's here & trust me....it's only a matter of time before you will need to patch up your walls again. Does it matter? I would hope your answer to that would be a resounding YES since if you're going to do something (like patch your walls), you might as well do it to the best of your ability.
Click here to get your "free" painting video tips
Good luck with your next "patch & paint" project!
VideoJoeKnows
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Prime a wall & do it right
Did you know there are different types of primer?
For interior walls & ceilings, use a pva primer on raw sheetrock (sheetrock that has never been painted before). You can also use a "flat" latex paint as your primer if you want. This works just as well. Use 1 coat of primer then 2 coats of your finish paint over that.
Click here to get your free video painting tips
If you want to go a less expensive route, you can have your primer "tinted" to the same color as your finish paint then you could install 1 coat of your finish paint in lieu of 2 coats of finish paint. The finished surface is less durable than installing 2 coats of finish paint though & you can get the overall same effect. This type of application works the best if you are using a flat latex enamel paint for your finish coat.
You could do this same thing if you were using a semi-gloss latex interior paint for your finish coat but I would recommend using 1 coat primer & 2 coats semi-gloss finish paint over new sheetrock so you get a good coverage as the 1st coat semi-gloss will soak into the prime coat & your overall wall surface could look splotchy or look like you installed a satin or egshell finish rather than a semi-gloss paint finish ( ie. for when you are painting bathrooms & kitchen areas).
For interior water stains,ink marks,etc., you will need to use a different type of primer material or else the water stain & ink marks will bleed right through a regular primer. You can "spot prime" these areas using a primer product called "kilz". This material works great. There's two types of "kilz" primer products. One is really smelly & the other is not very smelly at all so look & make sure you read the labels before you decide which one you want to use.
Also, one you clean up with water & the other with mineral spirits. I prefer the water-based product (the not so smelly one). You get this material in gallon containers. You can also purchase the "kilz" in a spray can for those small areas (if you don't need a whole gallon). The spray cans come in both varieties as well so "read the labels" as you don't want to stink everyone out, especially if you are working anywhere near the public.
Paint stores also carry a variety of exterior grade primers as well. Don't be bashful on asking all the "dumb" questions to the store attendant as no question is "dumb" when it comes to painting. Hopefully you are gaining the knowledge you need by reading these blogs, in order to do all of your own painting projects so you can save,save,save! You'll get a great feeling of accomplishment when you know you can do it yourself.
That's the goal here........that I teach & share with you what "you've always wanted to know about painting your own projects but were afraid to ask"!
Confucius says: "I hear (read) & I forget....I see & I remember....I do & I understand"
Now start "seeing & remembering" and: "Click here to get your free painting video tips"
Next time we'll talk about "spackle" & when you should use it & when you should.....not....use it.
Paint On!
VideoJoeKnows
For interior walls & ceilings, use a pva primer on raw sheetrock (sheetrock that has never been painted before). You can also use a "flat" latex paint as your primer if you want. This works just as well. Use 1 coat of primer then 2 coats of your finish paint over that.
Click here to get your free video painting tips
If you want to go a less expensive route, you can have your primer "tinted" to the same color as your finish paint then you could install 1 coat of your finish paint in lieu of 2 coats of finish paint. The finished surface is less durable than installing 2 coats of finish paint though & you can get the overall same effect. This type of application works the best if you are using a flat latex enamel paint for your finish coat.
You could do this same thing if you were using a semi-gloss latex interior paint for your finish coat but I would recommend using 1 coat primer & 2 coats semi-gloss finish paint over new sheetrock so you get a good coverage as the 1st coat semi-gloss will soak into the prime coat & your overall wall surface could look splotchy or look like you installed a satin or egshell finish rather than a semi-gloss paint finish ( ie. for when you are painting bathrooms & kitchen areas).
For interior water stains,ink marks,etc., you will need to use a different type of primer material or else the water stain & ink marks will bleed right through a regular primer. You can "spot prime" these areas using a primer product called "kilz". This material works great. There's two types of "kilz" primer products. One is really smelly & the other is not very smelly at all so look & make sure you read the labels before you decide which one you want to use.
Also, one you clean up with water & the other with mineral spirits. I prefer the water-based product (the not so smelly one). You get this material in gallon containers. You can also purchase the "kilz" in a spray can for those small areas (if you don't need a whole gallon). The spray cans come in both varieties as well so "read the labels" as you don't want to stink everyone out, especially if you are working anywhere near the public.
Paint stores also carry a variety of exterior grade primers as well. Don't be bashful on asking all the "dumb" questions to the store attendant as no question is "dumb" when it comes to painting. Hopefully you are gaining the knowledge you need by reading these blogs, in order to do all of your own painting projects so you can save,save,save! You'll get a great feeling of accomplishment when you know you can do it yourself.
That's the goal here........that I teach & share with you what "you've always wanted to know about painting your own projects but were afraid to ask"!
Confucius says: "I hear (read) & I forget....I see & I remember....I do & I understand"
Now start "seeing & remembering" and: "Click here to get your free painting video tips"
Next time we'll talk about "spackle" & when you should use it & when you should.....not....use it.
Paint On!
VideoJoeKnows
Paint a new wall....you CAN do it!
How long should I wait before applying the next coat of paint?
Good question kemosabe!
If you have just installed a coat of "primer" (to a sheetrock wall or ceiling), I would wait until the primer is dry "to the touch" before installing the 1st coat of "finish" paint. There is no need to let the primer "cure" before applying the 1st coat of "finish" paint.
Click here to check out some cool "free" video painting tips for your next project
It is very important to let the primer dry "to the touch" before applying the 1st coat of finish paint since you do not want the "primer" to "bleed" into the finish paint thereby "watering" down this 1st coat of finish paint.
If you are only installing 1 coat of finish paint for your project, I would recommend that you let this paint dry for a few hours before moving anything up against the wall &/or to re-install pictures to the wall,etc.. The drying time may be more depending on where, in the country, you live. If you want the paint to dry quicker, place some box fans in the area you have just painted. If you are just painting one room, do not turn your HVAC unit on or your "return air" registers will take the paint smell & transfer to all of your rooms the HVAC unit supplies.
I also recommend using a low-smelling paint for your project. Consult with your local paint store for this type of paint & they will show you what they recommend (if they carry it). You can also put a little vanilla extract in your paint (mix it up real good) to make the paint not smell as bad.....who knew?
I'll be offering a "Free" video soon, entitled "7 Tips for your next Painting Project". Stay tuned.
* News Flash * The free video painting tips are here.....yes......they are here now!
Confucius says: "I hear (read) & I forget....I see & I remember...I do & I understand"
Click hear to get the "free" video tips so you can "see & remember"
Now go out & have some fun with your next painting project!
Joe
Good question kemosabe!
If you have just installed a coat of "primer" (to a sheetrock wall or ceiling), I would wait until the primer is dry "to the touch" before installing the 1st coat of "finish" paint. There is no need to let the primer "cure" before applying the 1st coat of "finish" paint.
Click here to check out some cool "free" video painting tips for your next project
It is very important to let the primer dry "to the touch" before applying the 1st coat of finish paint since you do not want the "primer" to "bleed" into the finish paint thereby "watering" down this 1st coat of finish paint.
If you are only installing 1 coat of finish paint for your project, I would recommend that you let this paint dry for a few hours before moving anything up against the wall &/or to re-install pictures to the wall,etc.. The drying time may be more depending on where, in the country, you live. If you want the paint to dry quicker, place some box fans in the area you have just painted. If you are just painting one room, do not turn your HVAC unit on or your "return air" registers will take the paint smell & transfer to all of your rooms the HVAC unit supplies.
I also recommend using a low-smelling paint for your project. Consult with your local paint store for this type of paint & they will show you what they recommend (if they carry it). You can also put a little vanilla extract in your paint (mix it up real good) to make the paint not smell as bad.....who knew?
I'll be offering a "Free" video soon, entitled "7 Tips for your next Painting Project". Stay tuned.
* News Flash * The free video painting tips are here.....yes......they are here now!
Confucius says: "I hear (read) & I forget....I see & I remember...I do & I understand"
Click hear to get the "free" video tips so you can "see & remember"
Now go out & have some fun with your next painting project!
Joe
Paint a wall like a pro
Should I use two coats of finish paint or just one? That is the question.
Click here for some cool "free" painting video tips
If you are repainting a wall with the exact same color of paint, then you can use just one coat of finish paint. This will work in most cases. Let me explain. You will need to look at your wall paint finish & make a determination if you want to leave your walls with the same finish paint instead of just the paint finish as you have now. That is.....if you have "flat" wall paint now & you want to apply a fresh coat of "flat" wall paint,egshell to egshell,semi-gloss to semi-gloss, & gloss to gloss.
If you have "flat" wall paint on your existing walls & you want to install a semi-gloss paint for your new paint finish, lets say, then you may want to install two coats of semi-gloss finish paint & not just one. You will get a better full body paint finish since the first coat will have the tendency to "soak" up into the "flat" paint wall surface you previously had thus the reason for the need to install two coats rather than one.
Another reason that you may need to install two coats of finish paint instead of just one is if you are changing the color of your walls. One coat generally will not cover very well. It depends on how different your new color looks compared to your old wall color. Installing two coats will assure a "full body" paint finish. Consult with your local paint store to help with your decision.
In some extreme conditions, if you have an existing semi-gloss wall & you want to repaint with semi-gloss paint but you want to change the color from a dark wall to a much lighter wall, you may have to install a "primer" or "flat wall paint" prior to then installing two coats of the new lighter semi-gloss wall paint. I've had to do this before. It was a hard lesson to learn since I installed two coats of the new semi-gloss paint & it didn't cover very well. I even installed a third coat of semi-gloss finish paint before consulting with the paint store. That was when I came to the realization that I just learned a costly lesson. It's always good to ask questions when you are at the paint store so you get a clear picture on what you should do.....it never hurts.
I hope this helps you with your next painting project.
I just completed some instructional video painting tips & would like to share them with you. I think you'll like them.
Click here to check out the free video painting tips
Paint On!
Joe
Click here for some cool "free" painting video tips
If you are repainting a wall with the exact same color of paint, then you can use just one coat of finish paint. This will work in most cases. Let me explain. You will need to look at your wall paint finish & make a determination if you want to leave your walls with the same finish paint instead of just the paint finish as you have now. That is.....if you have "flat" wall paint now & you want to apply a fresh coat of "flat" wall paint,egshell to egshell,semi-gloss to semi-gloss, & gloss to gloss.
If you have "flat" wall paint on your existing walls & you want to install a semi-gloss paint for your new paint finish, lets say, then you may want to install two coats of semi-gloss finish paint & not just one. You will get a better full body paint finish since the first coat will have the tendency to "soak" up into the "flat" paint wall surface you previously had thus the reason for the need to install two coats rather than one.
Another reason that you may need to install two coats of finish paint instead of just one is if you are changing the color of your walls. One coat generally will not cover very well. It depends on how different your new color looks compared to your old wall color. Installing two coats will assure a "full body" paint finish. Consult with your local paint store to help with your decision.
In some extreme conditions, if you have an existing semi-gloss wall & you want to repaint with semi-gloss paint but you want to change the color from a dark wall to a much lighter wall, you may have to install a "primer" or "flat wall paint" prior to then installing two coats of the new lighter semi-gloss wall paint. I've had to do this before. It was a hard lesson to learn since I installed two coats of the new semi-gloss paint & it didn't cover very well. I even installed a third coat of semi-gloss finish paint before consulting with the paint store. That was when I came to the realization that I just learned a costly lesson. It's always good to ask questions when you are at the paint store so you get a clear picture on what you should do.....it never hurts.
I hope this helps you with your next painting project.
I just completed some instructional video painting tips & would like to share them with you. I think you'll like them.
Click here to check out the free video painting tips
Paint On!
Joe
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Painting a sheetrock/drywall patch
Have you ever painted a sheetrock/drywall wall patch or ceiling patch only to find out that the paint you are using doesn't seem to blend in with the existing paint very well? There may be a number of reasons why.....I will touch on a few of these right now.....read on....
We'll do a quick Q & A style for this OK? Meaning....I will write down a question then I will follow that up by giving an answer so I will start out the "Questions" with a Big "Q" followed by the "Answers" with a big "A". Here we go:
Q: "I'm using the exact same paint out of the same paint can that was used from before & the paint isn't matching. What's going on? I knew this would happen. I'm not a painter. Why didn't I call a professional painter? Here I go trying to save money again but it never seems to be that easy. What happened?"
A: There may be more than 1 reason for this. Calm down & remember that you don't have to be a professional painter to "paint a patch" & for pete's sake...start reading this blog! First off, did you mix up the paint can?.....I mean really good....which means stirring it for at least 2 minutes maybe longer. Depending on "how old the pan can may be" can determine whether or not the paint will blend in properly with a full body paint mix. If the paint is too old, it may not mix up properly. There might be alot of "globbs" in it which will not mix up properly &/or there might be alot of "gunk" stuck to the bottom of the paint can which doesn't seem to mix up properly so when you get done mixing up the paint, it then is not exactly to the consistancy needed thus the possible problem.
Q: "But the paint can is only a couple of months old & I about mixed up the paint until my arm fell off. I put the paint on the wall/ceiling patch & it looks like a giant "mistake,mess,you fill in the blank". I'm not an expert at this but I must've done something wrong. How could a simple thing like this turn out so "ugly"?"
A: There has to be reason why but it's not because you are "stupid". It's not rocket science we're talking about here so let's come up with the answer(s)/solution. Were you painting over a "raw sheetrock/drywall patch"?
Q: "Yes.....I was putting the paint on over a "raw sheetrock patch" meaning my son "accidentally"....yeah right....kicked a hole through the wall & we had someone come over & repair the sheetrock (tape & finish) for us so yes.......there is raw sheetrock mud on the wall. What difference does that make anyway?"
A: Before I answer that, you say that your paint job does not match. How many coats of paint did you use? There are certain steps that "must" be taken in order to have your paint patch "blend in" to the existing surroundings.
Q: "Well.....I ah....I ah.....just put 2 coats of paint on it & called it good. That should have done the trick right?"
A: Not exactly. It sounds like you didn't apply a first coat of "primer" to the patch prior to installing the 2 coats of finish paint. You have to install a primer for the first coat or the finish paint generally will not blend in to the existing surroundings since the first coat of paint soaks up into the raw sheetrock patch materials thereby making your 2 coats of finish paint not good enough. Even if you were to apply a 3rd coat of finish paint or a 4th coat of finish paint to your patch now, your sheetrock wall patch will still stand out & look "like a sore thumb" because you didn't use a "prime coat" first.
Q: "Oh"..............so what should I have done?"
A: A "prime coat" of paint should've went on first then you would apply 2 coats of "finish paint" for a total of 3 coats. Then the "wall patch" would've blended in better.
Q: "So what can I do about it now?"
A: I guess you will just have to live with it & chalk it up for "poor man's excuse" & be assured that everytime you go into your Living Room you must be reminded that you are an awful painter/wannabe-er......just kidding. Of course you can do something about it! I want you to learn something from this experience. You've got your time (& name) invested in this little project now. You may not like my answer though. You have to do the paint job over. You heard me..you have to do the paint job over. It's not as painful as it sounds though, now that you have the hang of wielding a paint brush & roller (more about that on an upcoming blog).
Q: "Wow.....I am relieved to hear that. Just tell me what to do & I'll do it. I don't want to be in the dog house with you know who. I'll do whatever you say OK?"
A: Great. First you will have to apply a coat of primer to your completed patch. Once the prime coat is dry then install the 1st coat of finish paint again then....once that is dry.....apply a 2nd coat of finish paint. Then your paint patch will be complete.
I'll touch on other important items on "why your painting patch may not be matching" next time. I'm also working on a cool "Free" video entitled "7 Tips for your next Painting Project" so stay tuned. Keep checking back to this blog for important tips & information for your next painting project. Thanks for joining us.
Video Joe Knows
We'll do a quick Q & A style for this OK? Meaning....I will write down a question then I will follow that up by giving an answer so I will start out the "Questions" with a Big "Q" followed by the "Answers" with a big "A". Here we go:
Q: "I'm using the exact same paint out of the same paint can that was used from before & the paint isn't matching. What's going on? I knew this would happen. I'm not a painter. Why didn't I call a professional painter? Here I go trying to save money again but it never seems to be that easy. What happened?"
A: There may be more than 1 reason for this. Calm down & remember that you don't have to be a professional painter to "paint a patch" & for pete's sake...start reading this blog! First off, did you mix up the paint can?.....I mean really good....which means stirring it for at least 2 minutes maybe longer. Depending on "how old the pan can may be" can determine whether or not the paint will blend in properly with a full body paint mix. If the paint is too old, it may not mix up properly. There might be alot of "globbs" in it which will not mix up properly &/or there might be alot of "gunk" stuck to the bottom of the paint can which doesn't seem to mix up properly so when you get done mixing up the paint, it then is not exactly to the consistancy needed thus the possible problem.
Q: "But the paint can is only a couple of months old & I about mixed up the paint until my arm fell off. I put the paint on the wall/ceiling patch & it looks like a giant "mistake,mess,you fill in the blank". I'm not an expert at this but I must've done something wrong. How could a simple thing like this turn out so "ugly"?"
A: There has to be reason why but it's not because you are "stupid". It's not rocket science we're talking about here so let's come up with the answer(s)/solution. Were you painting over a "raw sheetrock/drywall patch"?
Q: "Yes.....I was putting the paint on over a "raw sheetrock patch" meaning my son "accidentally"....yeah right....kicked a hole through the wall & we had someone come over & repair the sheetrock (tape & finish) for us so yes.......there is raw sheetrock mud on the wall. What difference does that make anyway?"
A: Before I answer that, you say that your paint job does not match. How many coats of paint did you use? There are certain steps that "must" be taken in order to have your paint patch "blend in" to the existing surroundings.
Q: "Well.....I ah....I ah.....just put 2 coats of paint on it & called it good. That should have done the trick right?"
A: Not exactly. It sounds like you didn't apply a first coat of "primer" to the patch prior to installing the 2 coats of finish paint. You have to install a primer for the first coat or the finish paint generally will not blend in to the existing surroundings since the first coat of paint soaks up into the raw sheetrock patch materials thereby making your 2 coats of finish paint not good enough. Even if you were to apply a 3rd coat of finish paint or a 4th coat of finish paint to your patch now, your sheetrock wall patch will still stand out & look "like a sore thumb" because you didn't use a "prime coat" first.
Q: "Oh"..............so what should I have done?"
A: A "prime coat" of paint should've went on first then you would apply 2 coats of "finish paint" for a total of 3 coats. Then the "wall patch" would've blended in better.
Q: "So what can I do about it now?"
A: I guess you will just have to live with it & chalk it up for "poor man's excuse" & be assured that everytime you go into your Living Room you must be reminded that you are an awful painter/wannabe-er......just kidding. Of course you can do something about it! I want you to learn something from this experience. You've got your time (& name) invested in this little project now. You may not like my answer though. You have to do the paint job over. You heard me..you have to do the paint job over. It's not as painful as it sounds though, now that you have the hang of wielding a paint brush & roller (more about that on an upcoming blog).
Q: "Wow.....I am relieved to hear that. Just tell me what to do & I'll do it. I don't want to be in the dog house with you know who. I'll do whatever you say OK?"
A: Great. First you will have to apply a coat of primer to your completed patch. Once the prime coat is dry then install the 1st coat of finish paint again then....once that is dry.....apply a 2nd coat of finish paint. Then your paint patch will be complete.
I'll touch on other important items on "why your painting patch may not be matching" next time. I'm also working on a cool "Free" video entitled "7 Tips for your next Painting Project" so stay tuned. Keep checking back to this blog for important tips & information for your next painting project. Thanks for joining us.
Video Joe Knows
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