"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
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