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Painting Your Home Made Easy |
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Looking for an easy and inexpensive way to give instant appeal and lasting value to your home? Just pick up a can of paint and get rolling!
Maintaining and improving your home enhances both your living style and your long-term investment. The money you spend on fixing up your property today will pay for itself in profits when you decide to sell. Painting your home indoors, and outdoors, is the fastest and easiest way to create the look you want, without spending a bundle.
The following tips will help you to get the job done faster, and smarter:
Shake Things Up
Even though paint colors are professionally mixed when you buy them, they will need to be fully stirred before painting. If the paint is not completely mixed, you can end up with uneven tones on your newly painted walls. Mixing paint with a stir stick, however, can be a tiresome task. Here's a fast and easy way of mixing your paint, not maxing out your pain: let your electric or portable drill do all of the work! Try cutting a plastic clothes hanger into a long "J" shape, and insert it into your drill for a quick mix up. It saves time and conserves your energy for the big job ahead.
Be Slap Happy
Most people get the excess paint from a brush by scraping it against the edge of the can. This can cause drips and waste valuable paint. Try tapping or slapping the brush instead. This will keep more paint at the end of the brush, where you want it, and the excess will fall into the can instead of dripping down the sides. You'll also be able to cover more area between dips, which is an important tip if you're traveling up and down the ladder.
Code Red or Code Blue?
Before you invest the time and expense painting the exterior of your home, make sure that you're aware of any building codes or restrictions in your area. Don't go to all the trouble of painting your stucco home a nice bright color if your neighborhood holds restrictions allowing only neutral tones. The height, size and color of fences and other outdoor appointments may also be held under code. Always check before painting, or all of your hard work may be in vain.
Get the Lead Out
Hundreds of thousands of children in the United States have been affected by lead poisoning caused by paint. Old, deteriorating lead-based paint in your home can lead to this type of injury. Strip and replace all old paint in your home with new lead-free paint. Lead poisoning can lead to learning difficulties, and that's a chance that no one wants to take.
Prime Yourself
Making sure that you're properly prepared for a painting job can help you to save money in the long run. There are many jobs that you can do yourself, if you're willing to put the time and energy into it. For example, bevel your existing fence posts rather than spending the money on brand new ones. With a radial saw and some basic knowledge of geometry, you'll have no trouble cutting the perfect angles for your new picket fence.
Painting made easy is really just a matter of preparation. Get all of the materials you'll need before you start, follow these tips and you'll be on your way to getting more enjoyment (and more money) out of your home.
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