Renovation 4th Edition

by Michael Litchfield

  teal

   any particulates free of oil: n95, n99, nr100

  based finishes. Although some synthetic bristles

  work with either painting medium, once you’ve

  used a brush for a particular type of paint, con-

  tinue using it for that type.

  The width of the brush should depend on the

  area of the surface to be painted and the amount

  of paint to be applied. Because rollers and spray

  guns are best for large surfaces, spend your

  brush money on smaller, better brushes. Many

  pros praise the 21⁄2-in. angled sash brush as the

  gloves and glasses

  most versatile brush in their arsenal; it’s wide

  Here again, even when working with relatively

  enough to smooth out paint on baseboard trim

  benign substances, wear gloves to protect your

  yet slim enough to “cut an edge” at corners and

  skin and safety glasses to protect your eyes.

  along window casings. If you own only one

  Safety glasses are especially important when

  brush, this should be it. But if you’ll be painting

  spray painting or rolling paint over your head.

  many narrow window muntins, also buy a 11⁄2-in.

  Disposable gloves will keep chemicals from irri-

  sash brush.

  tating or drying out your skin. Latex-free nitrile

  brush care. Brush care begins with proper use.

  plastic gloves are inexpensive, durable, and so

  Don’t stab bristles into tight spots. Instead, stroke

  flexible that you can pick a stray brush hair off

  the paint on. When you take a coffee break, leave

  a painted surface while wearing them. A box of

  a moderate amount of paint on the bristles so

  100 pairs costs less than $10.

  they don’t dry out.

  brushes

  The bristles of high-quality brushes are flagged,

  meaning the bristle ends are split and of varying

  lengths, enabling them to hold more paint. As

  P R O T I P

  you shop for brushes, pull lightly on bristles to

  make sure they are well attached to the metal fer-

  before storing brushes, wrap

  rule on the handle. Then, when you gently press

  them in stiff paper to protect the

  the bristles as though painting, they should

  original shape of the bristles.

  spread evenly and have a springy, resilient feel.

  never wrap damp brushes in foil

  Avoid brushes with stiff bristles.

  or plastic bags: damp natural

  bristles can rot, and paint thin-

  bristle types. Bristles are either natural (hog

  ner remaining in the bristles can

  bristles, for example) or synthetic (usually nylon).

  dissolve plastic bags.

  Use natural bristles for oil-based paints, varnishes,

  shellacs, and solvent-thinned polyurethanes. Use

  synthetic bristles for latexes. Nylon bristles may

  dissolve in oil-based paints, and natural bristles

  Quality bristles fan out as you apply paint. Here, the

  tend to swell and clog when used with water-

  tapered bristles of a 21⁄2-in. angled sash brush cut a

  straight edge where walls meet trim.

  508 Chapter 18

  Clean brushes immediately after you finish

  painting for the day. Remove excess paint from

  the bristles by drawing them over a straightedge,

  not over the edge of the paint can. Brush the

  remaining paint onto old newspapers. Clean the

  brush in an appropriate solution: paint thinner

  for oil-based paints, soap and water for latexes.

  Wear disposable gloves during brush cleaning,

  and use your fingers to work the solution into

  bristles and all the way to the ferrule. After giving

  each brush a thorough initial wash, rinse it in a

  fresh batch of solution. When the brushes are

  clean, shake and brush out the excess solution.

  Rinse with warm water, shake out the excess, and

  comb the bristles. (Solvent-cleaned brushes

  require an intermediate cleaning with soap and

  warm water.) Don’t use hot water when cleaning

  Heavy paper or cardboard covers help bristles keep their shape.

  brushes because it will swell and split the bristles.

  rollers, Pans, Poles, and Pads

  Rollers enable you to paint large areas quickly

  and evenly. In addition to the familiar 9-in. cylin-

  der type, there are also 6-in. “hot-dog” rollers for

  tight spaces, such as inside cabinets, and beveled

  corner rollers that resemble a pointed wheel.

  There are also textured rollers, including stip-

  pled, faux finish, and distressed.

  Choosing a roller cover. The surface and paint

  should determine the type of roller cover, also

  called a sleeve. For example, if you’re painting

  smooth walls, use a short-nap cover (1⁄4 in. to

  1⁄2 in.), whereas concrete block and stucco need

  a long nap (1 in. to 11⁄2 in.). Most covers are syn-

  thetic and work either with oil-based or latex

  paints. However, for fine finishes with glossy

  Expanded metal ramps allow you to

  oil-based paints, use a fine-nap natural-fiber

  load paint quickly and roll excess into

  cover. For an ultrasmooth finish when rolling

  the bucket. Note the building paper

  protecting the floor from paint

  enamels, varnish, or polyurethane, use a fine-

  spatters.

  nap mohair cover.

  Don’t buy cheap cardboard-backed roller cov-

  ers unless you intend to paint a single room with

  latex and then throw the cover away. (Never use

  cheap roller covers with oil-based paint. The oil

  will pluck the fibers from the cylinders and leave

  them sticking to your wall.) Quality roller covers

  have plastic sleeves that will survive repeated

  cleanings. As you do with brushes, use a roller

  cover for only one type of paint, whether oil

  Before washing roller covers, use this

  based or latex.

  painter’s 5-in-1 tool to remove the

  excess paint.

  roller pans. Ramped metal or plastic roller pans

  are routinely sold in packages that include a roller

  frame and a cover or two, but pros rarely use

  roller pans. Occasionally, a pro will use a pan to

  hold a small amount of paint for decorative

  painting. But when pros roll multiple rooms,

  they prefer an expanded metal ramp inside a

  Painting

  509

  cover, use a 5-in-1 painter’s tool (see the bottom

  photo on p. 509) to remove excess paint. Then

  slide the cover off the metal roller frame and

  wash the cover in the paint-appropriate cleaner,

  working out the paint with your gloved fingers.

  Repeat the procedure with fresh cleaner, then

  wash with soap and water. Blot the excess

  moisture with a paper towel or a clean rag. Air-

  dry the cover by sliding it onto a wire clothes

  hanger; don’t let it lie on its nap while drying.

  Store the dried cover or pad in a paper bag or

  foil. If a cover or pad wasn’t cleaned properly and
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br />   has become crusty, throw it away.

  Painting Basics

  A quality paint job takes preparation, patience,

  and experience. In addition, professionals also

  learn how to streamline their moves. As one pro

  put it, “Any time you eliminate a move in paint-

  ing, you save time.”

  As you load your brush, dip it only

  1

  Painting saFelY

  ⁄2 in. to 1 in. into the paint before

  tapping the tip sharply against both

  Almost all paints, including latex, contain VOCs,

  sides of the pail to remove the excess.

  which are hazardous. The following advice is

  pertinent for all kinds of paints and stains.

  read the label. There’s valuable information on

  Smart painters recycle brushes. This

  all paint containers: drying time, coverage, thin-

  one began life as a finish-coat brush.

  ner data (what to use and how much), and safety

  Then, as it got tired and splayed, it

  instructions. Should an emergency arise—say, a

  was used for primer coats. When its

  bristles became too crusty and its

  child swallows some paint—the guidance you

  handle separated from the ferrule, it

  need may later be concealed under paint drip-

  became a duster.

  pings. So read up before you open the can or, bet-

  ter, remove and save the label.

  don’t breathe paint fumes. Breathing paint or

  5-gal. paint bucket about half full. This ramp

  solvent fumes can make you dizzy, impair your

  gives you room to load the roller and remove

  judgment, and, over a sustained period, damage

  excess paint quickly—so you can keep painting,

  your brain, lungs, and kidneys. Set up a fan to

  rather than repeatedly filling a roller pan.

  blow fumes away from your work area, and

  Paint pads. Pads for paint are about the size of a always wear a half-face respirator with replace-

  kitchen sponge and have a short nap. Generally,

  able cartridges. Rule of thumb: If you can smell

  they are used to paint hard-to-reach spots such

  fumes while wearing a snug mask, change

  as insides of cabinets. They’re also used for

  the cartridge.

  applying clear finishes such as polyurethanes to

  Ventilation is a particular problem when

  flat surfaces.

  chemically stripping paints because the chemi-

  extension poles. Whether sectioned or telescop-

  cals are strong and because heat guns, sanders,

  ing, extension poles are indispensable for reach-

  and scrapers increase airborne particles. The

  ing ceilings and upper parts of walls with rollers

  now banned lead-based paints are especially dan-

  or pads. Because the poles tax mainly your shoul- gerous when inhaled or ingested, so if you sus-

  ders and back, rather than your wrist and arm,

  pect that you will be stripping lead paint, always

  they enable you to work longer with less fatigue.

  test it before disturbing it. See “Lead-Paint

  Another advantage: By painting with an exten-

  Safety” on p. 514 for more.

  sion pole, you don’t need to stand immediately

  Protect your eyes and skin. Although most

  under the drizzle, known as “paint rain.”

  water-based paints are innocuous, oil-based

  roller-cover care. If you buy quality roller cov-

  paints can be extremely irritating. In most cases,

  ers, clean them as soon as you finish a job. For

  flush your eyes with water if you get paint in

  this, wear disposable gloves. Before washing a

  them, and visit a doctor immediately.

  510 Chapter 18

  brush basiCs

  The pros work steadily and methodically and

  note what works and what doesn’t. The following

  tips will help you keep the job moving and get

  great results.

  acclimate a new brush. Stand a new brush in

  1 in. of oil-based paint for five minutes. After

  absorbing a bit of paint, the new bristles will

  release paint more readily when you start to

  work, whereas thirsty new brushes may drag at

  first. It’s not necessary to acclimate brushes when

  using latex, which works into bristles within

  20 to 30 seconds.

  avoid overloading your brush. Pros have only

  1⁄2 in. to 1 in. of paint in the bottom of a paint pail

  when edging—and the same amount on the tip of

  the brush. With this small amount, you’ll cut a

  cleaner paint line and keep paint off the brush

  handle and your hands. Should the bucket tip

  The right protective gear can keep paint mist off your skin over, you’ll have less mess to clean up.

  and out of your lungs. This includes a respirator with

  replaceable vapor filters, as well as a “spray sock” over

  retrieve loose bristles. If a bristle comes loose

  your head, safety goggles, and disposable gloves.

  and sticks to the surface, pick it out by dabbing

  lightly with the tip of the brush. Quality brushes

  rarely lose bristles.

  There are a few things you can do to protect

  Paint with gravity. This is close to an absolute

  your skin. Before you start, apply lotion to your

  rule. Paint, as a liquid or mist, always falls or

  skin to reduce irritation and speed cleanup. Also, drips downward, so it’s better if it lands on

  wear gloves, even when using latex, because any

  unpainted surfaces—rather than painted ones.

  paint will irritate skin over time. Gloves are a

  Best sequence: ceilings, walls, trim, baseboards.

  must for oil-based paints.

  Paint with the grain. When painting trim, brush

  When it comes to cleanup, painters have tra-

  paint in the direction of the wood grain. Painting

  ditionally used paint thinner or turpentine to

  cross-grain doesn’t help paint adhere better and

  clean their hands and then washed with hot,

  will look terrible if brushstrokes dry quickly.

  soapy water. However, hot water opens skin

  pores, causing them to absorb more solvent.

  steady hand, straight paint. Few pros use

  Instead of volatile solvents and hot water, it may

  masking tape to achieve straight lines when

  be safer to use waterless hand cleaner and wipe it brushing paint onto trim, window casing, and

  off with paper towels.

  the like. Pros feel that tape takes too much time

  to apply and sometimes lets the paint seep under,

  store paint safely. Store paint where children

  leaving a ragged line. Besides, during removal,

  can’t reach it. Solvents such as paint thinner, tur-

  tape can pull off paint. Patience and a steady

  pentine, and all paints—including latex—should

  hand work better. With a little practice, it’s easier

  be considered toxic and stored out of reach of

  than you might think.

  children. (Some “green” brands of latex such as

  Benjamin Moore® Natura® and AMF Safecoat®

  roller basiCs

  contain no VOCs, but you still wouldn’t want kids

&n
bsp; to drink them. So store these products safely,

  acclimate roller covers to paint. Work paint

  too.) Also, store paint where temperatures are

  into a new roller cover before using it. Load the

  moderate because freezing ruins their bonding

  cover with paint. Then roll it up and down the

  ability and heat increases their volatility. Close all paint ramp to work the paint down to the base of

  containers completely so the paint doesn’t dry

  its nap, and remove the excess.

  out and contaminants can’t get in. Never store

  rags or steel wool dirty with solvents because of

  roll upward, after loading a roller with paint.

  the danger of spontaneous combustion. Dispose

  If you roll downward instead, you’ll be more likely

  of such articles safely: Most paint-can labels carry spray excess paint onto walls and floors. Instead,

  disposal suggestions, and many municipalities

  with an initial upstroke, excess falls back onto

  have annual curbside pickups of such materials.

  the roller cover.

  Painting

  511

  roll paint in a zigzag. Roller covers contain

  vagaries of heat, humidity, and wind. Plus, the

  the most paint during the first three to five

  equipment can be balky if it’s not scrupulously

  passes, so first roll a W or an N to distribute

  cleaned and maintained.

  “fat paint,” which you can then reroll to spread

   As each section is sprayed, the paint

  the paint evenly.

  should be immediately worked in with a roller

  or a brush—at least for the first coat. Back

  Lighten up once the paint is spread on the

  brushing or back rolling helps the paint

  wall. Especially on outside corners (corners that

  penetrate and adhere better and evens out

  project into a room), don’t bear down on the roller.

  P R O T I P

  areas where paint has been applied unevenly.

  Too much pressure can make the roller skid or

  This two-step procedure is best done by

  leave roller-edge marks.

  Painting contractors over-

  two people.

  whelmingly favor airless sprayers

   Because paint mist is diffuse, you must

  Spray Painting

  with reversible spray tips.

  mask adjacent areas that you don’t want

  reversible tips allow you to clear

  Spray painting is a great way to get a lot of paint

  painted. Done well, masking takes a lot of

  clogs quickly—by turning the tip