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6 Super Simple Tips and Tricks for Painting at Home

Painting tips and tricks to make your life easier
Lindsay Listanski

Commercials and other ads make painting at home look like this:

(source: decorarhogar.es)

 Or This:

(source: gangapaints.com)

And This:

(source:hbvl.be)

But we all really know it can end up looking more like this:

(source:failblog.org)

 Or This:

(source:onemansblog.com)

 And Of Course This:

(source:davidjamie.com)

If your past experiences looked anything like the last three images then we have life hacks you are going to love.

Paint-Can Drip Tip

Spills and drips are bound to happen while you are painting. Reduce the mess by wrapping a rubber band around the paint can. Wipe the bottom of the brush against the band each time you dip to avoid spills on the floor.

Aluminum Foil Paint Protector

The great thing about tinfoil is that it molds to whatever shape it is wrapped around.By wrapping foil around fixtures like doorknobs and other hardware you can paint around the item without worrying about dribble from excess paint running onto the protected item. (http://bit.ly/uD5azj)

Vaseline Protection

Vaseline can be used to cover up things that you don’t want to get painted like hinges, key hole locks, and glass. (http://bit.ly/13JaLKd)

Paint-Pan Liner

Lining the paint pan with aluminum foil is a great idea for many reasons. First and foremost it allows for a super easy clean up. If you are painting with multiple colors you can simply throw away the foil, place a new sheet, and you are good to go. It also allows you to dump unused paint back into the can easily. (http://martha.ms/TAdM9B)

Painting Hard to Reach Places

Have you ever tried painting behind a toilet? Trust me, it isn’t fun. This tip from familyhandyman.com is genius. “If you have a tight spot to paint, remove the pad from a paint edging tool (about $2 at home centers). Hot-glue the pad to a stir stick, and you’ve got a painting tool that will fit behind toilet tanks and radiators.” (http://bit.ly/13JcHCo)

Paint Color Reminder Trick

After you have finished painting, touch ups may not be the first thing you are thinking about. Avoid guesswork on the paint color for later on by writing the product number on painters’ tape and stick the label to the back of the room’s light-switch plate. (http://martha.ms/TAdM9B)

Do you have any other painting tips or tricks that have made your experience easier? Please let us know!

 

 

home improvement tips life hacks painting painting tips painting tricks
Lindsay Listanski
Lindsay Listanski

Lindsay is the the Director of Media Engagement for Coldwell Banker Real Estate and manages the brand’s media and social media department. She is also a licensed real estate professional. In 2017 & 2018, she was named a top 20 social influencer in the real estate industry in the annual Swanepoel 200 power rankings. Lindsay lives in Livingston, NJ with her college sweetheart and now husband Joe and rwelcomed another Joe into her life as she became a mom in June 2016.

33 comments

  7. You could also put a swipe of the paint itself on the back of the light switch plate. That way if the colour is discontinued, the store may be able to scan a reasonable match. (Wouldn’t work for touch-ups, but might let you get away with repainting only one wall instead of all four.)

    Reply

  8. When my grandfather finished painting a room, there was always the paint color on the inside of the lid. He would put the brand, color and numbers on the colored part of the lid and then the best part. He would hammer the lid on the cellar ceiling. As kids, we loved going in the cellar and looking up at the colors and try to remember what room each lid went with. There were lots of them because it was a 10 room house and they lived there many many years.

    Reply

  9. The key to faster brush painting is to pat the flat side of the brush instead of wiping. It pushes paint into the bristles instead of wiping it off. Your stroke will last longer making you paint faster.
    Most people ( cut in ) with too small a brush. You can reach anywhere with a 3″ brush. When applying a ( cut line ) crush the brush on its edge. Start your stroke away from the edge and as the brush pulls no ( bead or excess paint ) then approach your cut line. Then back stroke to prevent that build up from dripping.
    Always use a paint bucket, never the can.
    When rolling use a crosshatch pattern, never straight up and down.

    My first paint jib the boss required us to use a 6″ block brush. If you didn’t you went home. THAT will teach you how to paint, fast..

    Reply

  11. In the last tip about putting the paint # on the back of the light switch yu misspelled a word. In the first line you wrote “touch ups may not be the first THINK you are thinking about”. I believe the word should be THING?

    Reply

  12. These are some great tips, because whenever I’ve tried to do some of the painting projects myself. I’ve always either painted myself into a corner, or I’ve always ended up having a paint war.

    Reply

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