July 22, 2021, 3:33 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
Mistakes can easily happen while painting, and the paint ends up where it doesn’t belong, such as on the door frame or baseboard. It’s annoying–but avoidable. Here, you’ll learn tricks to help with painting and how to proceed more efficiently.
Many people paint their walls white when moving out of an apartment. But painting is also a typical task during renovations. However, it is often more tedious than expected–at least if you’re not properly prepared. Properly taping off areas is important, but it takes almost as much time as the actual work. Some tricks make painting easier. For example, they help avoid unwanted paint splatters–and you can reuse your materials if you clean them properly.
Overview
1. Moisten the Paint Roller
When you dip a new paint roller into the paint, often little sticks to it. This can be avoided by moistening the roller beforehand. This way, it absorbs the paint better. But be careful: The roller should not be wet, as this will dilute the paint and reduce coverage.
Related: Wash the paint roller without wasting much water
2. Avoid Paint Smell While Painting
When painting a room, you often have to deal with a strong paint smell in the house. Unless you avoid it with a simple trick: Just add some liquid baking flavor or liquid vanilla extract to the paint bucket and mix well. The paint will take on the scent without affecting its coverage or color.
3. Prepare New Brushes and Rollers
New brushes often have loose bristles. Before painting, run the brushes over sandpaper to catch any loose hairs. Similarly, paint rollers can shed fibers. Instead of sandpaper, use a lint roller to remove them.
Related: Get to Know These 16 Types of Brushes
4. Properly Tape Off
It’s well-known that you should tape off baseboards, door frames, light switches, and outlets. For wallpapered walls, use painter’s tape–it peels off more easily. For lacquer work, opt for painter’s masking tape.
If the tape doesn’t come off easily, you can warm it with a hairdryer–it should then be easier to remove.
Tip: To ensure the tape adheres well and protects against paint, press it down firmly with a spatula. If the tape doesn’t seal against the wall or objects, paint can seep through.
5. Make Your Own Paint Scraper
Often, you dip the brush too eagerly into the paint bucket, resulting in too much paint on it. If you wipe the brush on the edge of the can, it can splatter, and the paint can run down the side. You can avoid this by stretching a rubber band over the opening of the can. You can then easily wipe the brush on it without spilling paint.
6. Equip the Paint Tray
When you fill the paint tray with paint, it needs to be thoroughly rinsed afterward–and even then, paint residues often stick. You can avoid this by lining the tray with a plastic sheet. After painting, simply remove and dispose of the sheet.
7. Properly Store Paint Rollers
Paint rollers are bulky and can get dirty if not stored properly. To protect them from dirt for future use, you can either wrap the roller in a bag and then place it in an empty chip canister, or simply wrap an old T-shirt around it and secure it with a rubber band.
Tip: If you take a break while painting and plan to use the roller again later, wrap it in plastic wrap to keep it from drying out.
Also interesting: How to Properly Dispose of Paint Cans
Simple Trick Helps Prevent Paint Bucket Mess
How to Paint Tiles Correctly in 6 Steps
8. Properly Clean Brushes After Painting
Used brushes are often placed in a glass with cleaning solution for a long time. The problem is that the bristles can bend or even break. To avoid this, secure the brush with binder clips over the edge of the glass. Attach the clips to the handle and rest them on the rim of the glass.
Related: Properly Care for and Clean Brushes After Painting
If you want to clean a brush with dried paint, try this hack: Fill a bowl or basin with warm water and place a dryer sheet in the middle. The paint will transfer to the cloth, cleaning the brush.
9. Paint with a Sponge Instead of a Roller
If you don’t have a paint roller on hand but need to paint a wall, a kitchen sponge can be a substitute. Dip the rough side of the sponge into the paint and apply it as usual to create a DIY stipple effect.