subject: Dundee Painter Reveals Trade Secrets! [print this page] Learn how to paint a wall that will give you the ultimate satisfaction.
Things you will need when painting
Masking tape
Paint tray
Paint brushes
Paint roller
Pencil
Paper
Paint
Undercoat
Sponge
Flat headed screw driver
Measuring tape
Masking tape
Our local Dundee Painter suggests you first do a test on a small bit of the same paper to ensure it does come off again, otherwise you could ruin a whole painting. To stop the paint from seeping under the tape, paint away from it rather than towards it.
For protecting glass windows, carpets etc, use a regular paper masking tape. There are a range of different qualities available. The main point of difference is how long you can leave the masking tape stuck down before removing. This ranges from 3 to 4 hours for the lower quality masking tapes to up to 3 days for the higher quality masking tapes. The higher quality masking tapes will also give sharper paint lines and are also suitable for masking when spray painting.
Primer
Primer and wall paint may not be enough to cover your walls adequately. Sealers and primers may be needed together to achieve proper paint coverage, depending on what type of surface you are painting.
Most painters make the same mistake over and over again. They simply put on too little paint. Many paint manufacturers recommend a minimum coverage for their products. They do this because they know that when first applied, paint looks like it is covering well. But, in an hour or two later, after the solvent or water has evaporated, the coverage looks horrible.
Ready to paint
Our Dundee Painter suggests that before you begin painting make sure that all the windows are open and the room is well ventilated. Open a can of paint using a flat headed screw driver, if you don't have one you can use your house keys blunt knife etc stir with a painting stick then pour in the tray
Make sure you get the paint even by rolling the roller back and forth until you see an even coat surrounds the entire roller. Do not apply too much paint on your roller otherwise it will slide across the wall smearing the paint and flickering over you and the rest of the room.
Gentle, forward and back motions with long flowing brush strokes.
Tip: Dip your paint brush in water before you start painting this will prevent the bristles from hardening later on when you are finished.
Remove masking tape
While the paint is still fresh remove the masking tape within 40 - 60 minutes after the paint is applied. The idea of masking tape is to protect surfaces from the paint, however when you slop the wet paint over the sealed masking tape, then let the paint cure to hard, the paint the paint film is now bonding to both the wall and the masking tape. As your remove the masking tape, the film acts as one piece, and will tear and rip up the wall or trim work. It is definitely easier to re-mask an area rather than to repair it.
