9 Painting Pointers to Ace Your Next Home Project (Part 3 of 3)

The right painting tips can have even the most inexperienced painters dripping with confidence.

Start at the Top

You should start your paint job by painting the ceiling first and working your way down. After the ceiling has dried, paint crown molding, trim around windows and doors, and baseboards.

Next, paint walls in small sections at a time and roll the paint in overlapping motions as if you were writing the letter W.

When using your brush, brush upward to unload the paint, downward to set the paint, and up again to remove brush marks.

When Paint Sits

In the can

If you don’t use your paint right away—perhaps within one week after it’s purchased and shaken at your local hardware store, give it a light stir before you begin painting. If you wait more than one week before using it it’s best to have it shaken again at the store, or you can mix it yourself using a paint mixing propeller that’s attached to an electric drill. Run it at a low speed.

On the roller and brush

If you need to take a lunch break from your painting project you can keep your used rollers and brushes moist by wrapping them in plastic bags, squeezing out the air, and sealing them with rubber bands or twist ties. If you plan for your sealed tools to sit overnight put them in the refrigerator.  

Using Old Paint

If you’ve got paint that you want to use and it’s over a year old, though it may be covered with a skin and contain lumps, you might be surprised that it can still be used. Cut and remove the skin using a disposable knife. Stir the paint from the bottom until it appears to be as free of lumps as possible. Next, pour the paint into a clean bucket through a nylon paint strainer or cheesecloth.

Are You Buying a Home in Lakewood?

If you’re not already living in Lakewood, or if you are but you’re looking for a new home, we’re here to help. Call us right now at 562-882-1581 or start browsing our Lakewood real estate listings to find your dream home today!

You can also browse:

• Long Beach real estate listings
• Anaheim real estate listings
• Bellflower real estate listings
• Signal Hill real estate listings

Also check out Part 1 of this series here, and Part 2 of this series here.