In theory, painting projects sound super easy. I’m always fascinated by DIYs that take an old piece of furniture and turn it into something totally hip and new, using only some sandpaper and a few coats of paint! But in reality, a lot of people find painting to be a pretty tedious and time-consuming process. Painting definitely requires a bit of time and effort to get right. But with the help of a few simple tips, you can streamline the process to make your painting project painless.
Skip The Tape – Use An Edger
When we were painting the walls of our new studio space with the help of my friend Natali, she introduced us to a handy little gadget called a paint edger. A paint edger enables you to paint right along the edge of a wall without getting paint on the adjoining surface. This saved us a ton of time, because we didn’t have to use nearly as much painter’s tape as we would have normally.
Skip The Ladder – Use A Roller Extender
Another time consuming aspect of painting a room is climbing up and down your ladder and moving it around the room every few minutes. You can eliminate the need for a ladder entirely by using an extendable handle for your roller brush. You’ll be able to paint the tops of the walls and even the ceiling, all while staying firmly on the floor. 🙂
Cover Your Paint Brush
Painting projects can sometimes take a couple of days, especially if you’re painting multiple rooms. Save yourself the time and effort of washing your paint brushes at the end of the day by buying a few airtight paint brush covers like this one. (They also offer similar covers for roller brushes) or simply wrap your brush with plastic wrap. Your paint brush won’t dry out overnight, so you’ll be able to pick up your painting right where you left off.
Use Primer Only When Needed
If you’re planning to use a light-colored paint on a wall or piece of furniture that is already light in color, you can probably get away without using a primer before painting. If you’re using a light-colored paint on something that is dark in color, you would probably benefit from laying down a coat of primer before painting.
Store Extra Paint For Touchups
You’ll save yourself a TON of time and effort by saving a small amount of your paint color in a sealed jar somewhere for later use. Make sure to label the jar using the name of the paint color, as well as the brand of paint and any numbers or codes associated with the paint. You’ll be totally set if you end up needing to do some touchups later on, and you’ll know exactly what to color to buy if you run out down the road.
Next time you have a piece of furniture or a room to paint, utilize these tips and you’ll be painting like a pro in no time!
What are your best painting tips?
