the painted surface
Choose from the list of painting topics
How To Caulk
Caulking has many uses and some limitations. Knowing how to caulk can improve the looks of a painted room, it can seal around the bathtub or shower and create a seal around doors and windows. Caulk provides a transition from one surface to another when the joint is not perectly tight. Caulk will perform very well when filling cracks of up to 1/4 or 3/8 of an inch, beyond this width another product should be used to fill the void. Read more about caulking...
How To Choose Colors
Choosing paint colors for painting projects can be one of the last decorating decisions. Paint can be made in almost any color. Where as the palette of colors found in carpet, cabinets, textiles, tile, furnishings and decorative objects is limited, paint can be mixed to match any of these items. The paint color will complement the decorative furnishings in the room. In total makeovers or new construction the shades and tones of the colors of furnishings, cabinets and floor coverings should be considered. Make sure they complement each other and when it is time to choose colors for paint the selection will be easier. For more information about color and tips to choose colors see “COLOR” and “Six Step Color Choice”. Read more about choosing colors...
How To Choose Interior or Exterior Paint
Paint is available in many types, grades of quality, sheens, purposes and brands made by many manufacturers. There are two main categories: interior and exterior. Within each is found oil-based and water-based paints. Both types will offer choices of varying levels of sheen. Each paint type will come in almost any color though in some specialized types of paint the color palette may be limited. For tips on choosing colors see “How To Choose Colors”. This article will be limited to paint types. A chart of interior and exterior paint types and more painting tips can be seen at “Paint Types and Their Uses”. Read more about choosing paint...
How To Choose a Paint Brush
How important is it to choose the right paint brush? The professional paint brush will provide a smooth release of paint onto the surface, improve paint coverage, and increase the ability to cut-in fine lines. See “How to Cut-in a Wall or Ceiling”. It will feel good in the hand providing comfort during extended use. A quality brush will last, it will paint many rooms. At clean-up time the paint brush will wash and rinse well, ready for use again. The results of using a professional brush will be satisfying in appearance, texture and coverage. There will probably not be a more important single tool in the painting toolbox. Read more about choosing a paint brush...
How To Cut-In A Wall Or Ceiling
Cutting-in, sometimes called trimming in, is a process of painting with a brush next to trim, mouldings or adjacent surfaces usually in preparation of using a roller to fill in the large areas of wall surface. The neatness and quality of the cutting-in can make or break the looks of a painting project. Through the years many gadgets have been invented to make this process simpler. Sometimes tape is used to mask over surfaces to protect them. 99% of painting projects do not require the gadgets or the hours spent masking off surfaces with tape. A neat, nearly perfect job of cutting-in can be done with only a good quality brush, some practice, patience and the following tips and techniques. Read more about cutting-in a wall...
How To Paint a Door
This article will be limited to specific tips about painting doors. We begin with how to paint a six panel door and also discuss how to paint a flat door. It is a companion article to “How To Paint Woodwork” which covers the general tips and techniques for painting all woodwork and should definitely be read along with this one. Read more about painting a door...
How To Paint a Room
This article will discuss the basic steps of how to paint a typical interior room. Whether a small bathroom or a large bonus room the steps are basically the same. For particular situations read the articles: “How To Paint a Stairway” and “How To Paint a Two-Story Room”. The steps here are written in the order to most efficiently perform the work. Read more about painting a room...
