Painting
Tip 392: Get rid of messy paint containers two ways.
1. Punch holes with an ice pick around the rim of the paint can before you begin. When you scrape your brush or pour from the can, the paint will drip back into the can, and not fill up the rim making replacing the lid an impossible task.
2. Adverse to sharp objectives. Fasten a large rubber band around the handle of the paint can. When you dip your brush into the can, scrap it along the edge of the rubber band, not on the side of a can.
Tip 253: Refrigerate paint brushes after use.
No doubt cleaning the paint brush is one of the least favorite parts of painting. If your paint job is going to extend over several sessions, put the brush in a plastic bag or wrap it in foil or plastic wrap, then pop it in the frig. The paint won’t dry.
Tip 198: Cover your paint tray in aluminum foil, and reduce clean-up time.
You could buy a disposable paint tray, but I prefer instead to have a sturdy paint tray that will last for years. The trick is to line the tray with foil. When you’re finished with the job, simply roll up the foil. Now, you just have to figure out how to squeeze all that paint out of the roller.
Tip 24: Blue tape is a DIYs best friend.
Maybe it’s the blue dye, maybe it’s the lack of adhesive, but whatever it is, blue tape should be your best friend when painting. Tape around doorways, along the woodwork, or mark off lines for stripes. To ensure the tape doesn’t cling to the paint underneath, however, make sure to remove it as soon as possible. You don’t want all your hard work to rip off like armhair under a bandage.
Tip 83: Two sides are better than one.
The best way to paint a door is when it's laying flat, to avoid drips, and make sure you don't get paint on the hinges and door handle. To speed dry and paint time on solid wood doors, hammer a nail in the top and the bottom of the door. Paint one side of the door, and then flip the door, letting the nails rest on the saw horse. No one seems the bottom and top of the door (and you always can fill in the nail hole after it's hung.
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