Are you ready to Paint? You’ve got all the tools and prepared them. You’ve selected the color. You’ve chosen a good quality paint. So, lets get started and paint. Right?

No, not so fast. There’s still a few things that must be done before you dip that brush in and make that first stroke. I know your ready and willing to get started and you think everything is done, but what about the surface that your going to paint? Have you done all the prep work needed for that? This step is a major one and you don’t want to compromise your job by leaving any of the following step not done.

First: Fix Things

Check all the walls for cracks and holes. Where the pictures were hanging there usually is a hole that need to be filled. Also look over the window and door frame for cracks in the drywall. Don’t forget the ceiling. There is usually a crack in the ceiling over a walk area from one room to another. All of these cracks and holes can be filled with paint putty or a fiberglass putty. After you fill them in, wait till they dry and then sand them till the whole area is flat. You should be able to find the right filler at the paint store or the home improvement store where you buy your paint.

After you do the sanding, make sure you wipe the surface clean with a tack cloth that will pick up all the left over dust that you couldn’t get with a regular cloth. If you have an air compressor you could blow the surface off with that, but you should still use a tack cloth to wipe the surface clean.

Second: Clean Up

The clean up discussed above is only the start. Make sure you sweep and mop the floor, or vacuum the carpet. Do this step at least twice to get all the dust that came from the sanding. Remember any dust that gets into the paint will not only change the color (especially if it’s a light color) but it will give the paint a texture that you don’t want. So don’t skimp on the clean up. If your doing a room that has a closet you will want to paint in there also so clear out all the clothes from there and make sure they are covered up.

Third: Final Preparations

Now your just about there. The final Prep work is to remove all of the wall switch covers, light fixture bases that fit up close to the wall and ceiling and then start your masking. Make sure you take extra pains to do a good job masking. This is really where the X in expert is shown. If you fail to mask close to the edge you will see the other paint where you don’t want it.

Last but not least, cover everything that doesn’t move or talk back to you with drop cloths. Everything! This will save you hours in clean up time.

Now, stir that paint, grab that brush and lets get going!

The paint roller is our best friend when it comes to painting walls. Able to apply paint very quickly and uniformly, we owe a lot of gratitude to our friend the paint roller. Available in a multitude of sizes and in a variety of different materials generally if something needs to be painted there is a roller that can do the job. This article will discuss some basic tips that I don’t read about very often.

First a brief explanation of the terminology. ‘Paint cage’ this is the tool that you put the actual roller sleeve on. The tube bit that applies the paint is called a ‘sleeve’ or ‘roller sleeve’ etc. Sometimes I’ve used ‘roller’ or ‘paint roller’ to describe the cage and the sleeve together.

Loading your roller properly is an important step, the amount of paint you’ll want on your roller depends on the surface that you are painting and what sort of roller sleeve you’ve got but generally the motion is the same. You want to roll the roller down the pan until the just the roller sleeve touches the paint, let it get saturated for a moment before lifting your paint roller up, moving it towards the top of the pan and rolling it back down into the paint. Doing this a few times will load up the paint tray as well and super saturate your roller, you generally want your paint roller to be on the verge of over-saturation as this allows a consistent thickness of paint as well as full paint coverage on the wall. It’s also important to try not to smother the entire roller in paint, you only need it on the sleeve so try to keep it there.

Once you’ve got some paint on the roller and on the tray loading your roller, it’s extremely easy and doesn’t require a lot of time in the pan. A quick dab of paint on the roller from the pan, lift it back to the top, roll it down twice and you’re usually ready to keep on painting.

When applying the paint to the wall the best method is to use long motions going from the top of the wall to the bottom of the wall working in areas 2 to 4 feet wide depending on how tall your wall is and your roller sleeves paint holding capacity. This spreads the paint consistently and gives the best finish.

Once you’ve got your paint roller loaded with paint, it’s time to start painting. When using the paint roller you want to apply just enough pressure to get the paint onto the wall, in most cases and unless you’re painting a very rough surface like old brick there shouldn’t be any need to overly press or force the roller into the wall this is probably more work than necessary and can leave unsightly roller marks. Start near the middle of the wall, roll the roller up the wall to the top and then come back down to the bottom of the wall re-rolling through the area where you started. Now you should have something like a big straight patch on the wall, on your roll up you want to move in either direction left or right and don’t make it too far off, you want part of your roller to still reside in the previous area of paint you applied. On your way back down you continue to move in the direction and now your rolling motion is beginning to take on the shape of a very large V or W. Make sure you go back through your original area of paint to spread the paint out on the wall and give it a consistent thickness. For optimal results, after you’ve spread the paint onto the wall, finish your patch up by gently rolling downwards over the entire area you’ve painted, this will give a consistent finish.

Typical problems when rolling walls are over applying the paint, not spreading the paint evenly, under applying the paint, inconsistent finishes and roller lines or marks. Most of these problems are easy to fix if caught before the paint has had a time to dry or set, though with some modern day paints it can be only 5-10 minutes before fixing it is a problem so it’s best to check your work as soon as you are finished. If the paint is either over applied and/or not spread evenly the build up of paint can begin to drip or sag, this is usually pretty obvious and easy to fix if caught quickly by just re-rolling the area. If the paint has been under applied/not spread evenly you can see what is referred to as ‘holidays’, this is typically where an area was rolled only once or twice and you can see that the paint did not fully cover. When roller marks are present this is usually a sign that too much pressure was used when applying the paint, causing it to squeeze out of the roller unnaturally at the edges of the roller sleeve. Most of these problems are easy to detect my looking at the wall from an acute angle. Overall these problems are usually caused by one of the following: poor quality roller sleeves, poor quality roller cage, poor quality/old paint tray that loads the roller poorly or sloppily and simply an in-experienced painter.

I hope you find this piece informative and have learnt a thing or two you didn’t know about using a roller, good luck to all of your painting endeavours!

A H Young is an owner & operator of Painter for Hire, a Toronto area painting contractor specializing in residential and commercial painting.

You can totally transform your space on a budget by choosing kitchen colors that work together. You might not think that a kitchen remodel is in your budget because these renovations can cost hundreds of dollars so use paint to save money and get a custom look.

Think about how expensive materials are when picking a shade. Neutral colors should be used on the most expensive items to maximize how long your makeover will last. You might want terra cotta stone counters for a cheerful look but think about how your home will show when you want to sell. You can still bring in vibrant colors on decorations and through the use of paint so you can easily transform your space whenever you want.

Mother nature can help you pick out your color palette. Look to the colors of a stone slab and then match your cupboard and flooring shades for a room that flows together. You can have a floral kitchen that looks modern instead of like it belongs in your grandma’s house by creating daring focal points. Try a hot pink shade on one wall and then keep the cupboards plain white for balance and bring in pop floral art work. If you want cheerful rooms then think of the color of sunshine; yellow doesn’t have to be annoying just put it with sand and cream shades to tone it down.

You can create a theme kitchen just by which colors you choose. If you want a Spanish cooking space then look for bright tiles and pots. If you want to take a trip to the French Countryside whenever you walk into the room then look for sunshine and sky hues. If you want sophisticated rooms that will have an enduring style then try a completely white room.

You don’t have to throw out your cupboards and buy new ones; transform them with paint. Neutral colors like cream or white will go with almost every decorating category. For an elegant room then pair black and white with plain cupboards. You can put stainless steel appliances, taupe walls and white cabinets for a contemporary feeling. If you want a shabby chic room then just put a layer of glaze on top of the paint.

The colors in a kitchen can influence your appetite. Restaurants tend to favor warm shades such as gold, red and terra cotta. Turn these colors into a sophisticated space by using them as wood shades such as mahogany. If you want a more toned down look then it still needs to have some vibrancy to be appetizing such as a turquoise kitchen island.

During this holiday season, and with the Winter months just ahead of us, painting the interior of your home can help lift your spirits and fill up some of that extra time. Now that it’s getting a bit too cold to do much outside, especially if you live in the east, there is no excuse for not getting those inside projects completed. I’ve always liked this time of year, but a lot of people go through what’s called the “Winter Blahs”, and they would rather hibernate instead of being proactive. I’m guilty of this sometimes, too.

Painting is one interior project that can really change a persons’ outlook on their home and the season. Just imagine adding some warm colors to a room that has seemed cold, or brightening up your home by painting the woodwork white. Maybe there is a room that has always seemed boring and you’ve been wanting to paint an accent wall. Remember when you cleaned out the basement and you kept taking a peek because you felt good about what you did? How about when you bought a new shower curtain and towels for the bathroom? It changes how you feel about that space. Well, just think how you’ll feel if you completely transform your room, or your entire home with paint. I painted my own home a few years ago and it seemed like a whole new place.

Not only will you be making those wanted improvements to your home, but think of the time you’ll occupy by doing so. If you are going to paint your entire home, and you only have the weekends to work on it, you can make it a Winter project. If you have a family, let everyone get involved and do it together.

Some people feel that you need to have all of the windows open to paint. For some people who have breathing problems or allergies to latex, this is true, and I would suggest waiting for adequate ventilation. Most people aren’t bothered by paint and with all of the Low and No VOC paints, there’s hardly any odor at all, and perfectly safe to use indoors with windows closed. With your furnace on and air circulating, you’re paint will dry quicker than if windows are open and the outside humidity is coming in.

Always check with your local paint professional for the paint that best fits you and your project. If you are able, why wait for Spring to work on the inside of your home. If you get your painting done while it’s cold outside, you’ll have that free time to go outside when it warms up. Then think how you’ll feel when you return to your newly painted home. Winter is a great time to liven up the interior of your home and battle those Winter blahs.

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Family room paint colors allow you to make the rest of your room look updated even if it has been a while since you’ve replaced the furniture. It allows you to turn a plain white box into a home. Plus, this is one of the main living spaces of your home so you need to ensure that it works for every member of your family.

Consider a modern design. This will dictate your color palette but will also influence how the room works. This design style keeps accessories to a minimum and focuses on clean lines. This is the perfect style if you are short on space. It also makes your room feel decorated without being plain. An uncluttered look is essential for any space where there will be a lot of toys or where your kids need to study. For this kind of design style choose an ultra bright white, taupe or gray paint colors. You can also have the kids paint their own modern art and let them use whatever colors they want. This creates a gallery effect but also assures that everyone gets their favorite colors in the space.

Your family might be feuding over wall colors. One faction might want lavender or a feminine color and the other one wants a masculine red. You’ll need to decide on a theme that you can all live with. Most people can really relate to nature. Pull in sunny yellow accent pieces or soft green paint colors for a room that everyone in the family can love. You can even base the room around a rock fireplace or rich wood floors. Bring in a lot of family photos for more color and a sentimental touch. You could even have a new portrait taken where you are all wearing the colors of your room.

Make a pattern with paint. You’ll probably just want to keep this on just one wall. This allows you to make sense out of multiple paint colors. This could be as easy as painting an accent wall or mimicking wallpaper. You can even carefully tape off stripes. Vary the widths and the colors so it almost looks like fabric. This allows everyone in the family to get their favorite colors on the walls.

Family room paint colors should be inviting without being loud. You can create a welcoming space where your whole family will want to spend time together. Sometimes less is more but whether you go with a bright white paint or a rich red; remember it’s about your family.

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Paint of course impacts a room simply through its color, but if you want to add some dimension, texture and depth to the look of your walls you can achieve that by using faux painting techniques such as color washing, rag rolling and sponging. With each of these techniques, a base coat of paint in a solid color is applied and then a glaze or wash it applied over it. Glazes are durable oil-based treatments and washes are made by simply adding water to ordinary latex paint that make the color more transparent; the more water that is added, the more transparent the finish. When working with washes, be aware that they tend to dry quickly; oil based glazes give you more time to work in your effects before they dry.

Preparing the Walls
Before you start painting, prepare your walls by washing them with soap or a small amount of bleach in water. If there are any nail holes or cracks in the wall, patch and sand them and wipe away any dust residue after the patching compound has dried and been sanded. Once the walls are ready, apply latex primer and let it dry thoroughly.

If you are inexperienced in the technique you wish to use, it’s wise to practice first on a scrap wall board or poster board until you perfect your method for achieving the look and color you desire.

Color Washing
Color washing creates a beautifully subtle, soft cloud-like effect on walls that works with many decorating styles; it has the added benefit helping to hide any imperfections on the wall’s surface. Start by painting the walls with your base color and let it dry. Depending on the effect you desire, your glaze may be in a contrasting or a complementary color. Apply the glaze in a swirling or criss-cross fashion and then use a damp rag to dab the wet glaze and soften the paint lines and edges.

Rag Rolling
Rag rolling is used to create a very crinkled or textured pattern that resembles parchment, velvet or silk; the dark and light layers created with this technique add the illusion of depth to the walls. Again, your first step is to apply the base coat of paint and let it dry. To create a rag rolling effect, there are one of two methods used: Ragging on and ragging off. To rag on, gather a damp rag in your hand and then dip it into the glaze or wash and lightly blot it onto the wall. To rag off, use a roller to apply the glaze coat and immediately dab it off with a damp rag to remove some the glaze so that the base coat will show through.

Sponge Painting
A natural sea sponge is used in this technique to create a porous, mottled look on the walls that can be varied depending on the type and size of sponge that is used. Use two or more colors making sure that one layer is completely dry before sponging on the next layer. Apply the base coat with a roller, let dry and use the sponge to pat the glaze or wash onto the wall. Don’t overload the sponge with paint or you’ll end up with a blotchy blemished effect. Another method for sponge painting is similar to ragging off: Apply the glaze with a roller or brush and remove some before it dries by dabbing with the sponge.