Painting Tips and Tricks

Cole Schaefer, a professional painter, shares with you some of my favorite painting tips and tricks to make your paint project easier and make it look like a pro did it.

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Man talkingHi. I'm Cole Schaefer professional painter and welcome to Dunn-Edwards paints how to paint video series. And over the years I've picked up quite a few painting tricks that have come in handy and have helped me save some money or get the job done quicker. In this video I'll share with you some of my favorite painting tips and tricks tilt make your paint project easier and make it look like it was done by a pro. Tip number one get the most out of your sandpaper you know sandpaper isn't cheap so make sure you use every square inch effectively. The most common size for sandpaper is eight and a half by eleven inches, so simply cut it in half and fold it into thirds this size makes the sandpaper easy to use and you can apply even pressure while sanding. When the sandpaper begins to wear out flip or refold it and use a fresh side. Tip number two always pre wet your brushes and roller covers. Now in order for your brushes and roller covers to easily pick up and release the most amount of paint when painting you should pre wet them first think of it like washing your hair, would you try to shampoo your hair before getting it wet first? Of course not. It would become sticky mess in the shampoo would have a hard time soaking into and rinsing out of your hair, the same concept applies to a paintbrush and a roller cover. When pre-wetting, don't soak your brush and roller covers simply dampen them and if you have a brush spinner use it to remove any excess water from the brush or roller cover.
5-in-1 functions demoTip number three use a five and one painter's tool almost every paint project requires some sort of wall patching and repair work that needs to be done and the five and one painter's tool is probably the single most handy versatile and cheapest tool I found that can make these repairs easier. In fact, I don't paint without one the basic functions of a five and one tool include a scraper, a putty knife, a chisel, a pic and, a roller cleaner. See this pointy end here? Kind of looks like a pick, it does a great job of cleaning out small crevices scraping off old caulking and corners widening cracks before patching and getting into those tight places. The sharp straight edge is ideal for scraping off loose material and can be used as a play knife, a wood scraper, and a wood chisel. The side here is great for opening up paint cans and handle connect as a built-in hammer for sealing the lids. See this semicircle? When you know it it's the same shape as a roller cover and is ideal for getting excess paint out of roller covers before you rinse them. Simply steady your roller frame against the tray or bucket with one hand and use the other hand to scrape the cover in a downward motion using the semicircle side of the five and one tool to push excess paint out of the cover, pretty cool huh? Oh, and if your five and one tool happens to have a hole in the center this can serve as a nail puller.
Man talkingTip number four, bag the roller cover. Now when you remove a roller cover from its plastic packaging don't throw the packaging away because it comes in handy when you're done painting.
Roller cover demoNow if you're going to paint a second coat the next day rather than throw out the roller cover and use the new one or go to the trouble of cleaning the roller cover simply place your roller cover into its original plastic bag. This might seem challenging but here's the trick- remove any excess paint using your five-in-one tool then hold the bag on the very tip and blow into the bag and inflate it. Now slide the roller cover into the bag and pull off the cover without getting paint on your hands and voila! You've just saved yourself a few bucks and a heck of a lot of mess. And if you're completely done with your painting project slide the roller cover back into its original packaging and discard it in your household trash, but only if you were using water-based paints.
Man talkingTip number five- be brush ready. Whenever you're painting always have a brush ready to go and at your fingertips.
Prepping paint can/brushWhen you pull your paint into a bucket or tray use your brush to clean off that little channel called the chime on top of the can this will make it easier to seal and open the can for future use. Also, hopefully you never have a paint spill, but the best way to clean up a spill is to use a brush. They're designed to pick up paint, simply scoop it up as quickly as possible then bring out the rags to wipe up the residue.
Man talkingHopefully these tips and tricks will help you get your paint project done quicker and easier. To learn more about paint and painting watch the other how to paint' videos on dunnedwards.com/videos for Dunn-Edwards paints I'm Cole Schaefer thanks for watching and happy painting you.
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