Proper preparation is essential for a long lasting trouble free paint job.  Part of the preparation is the planning phase and most importantly allowing sufficient time for the various steps to be completed.  Timing is the key and the most important pieces of advise we can pass along is that you should never rush your project.

This section will offer you information on the essentials steps to take before and during your painting project and information that you will find helpful in making product choices. Safety is also a factor.

Paint Choice
Safety
Surface Preparation Products
Prep Work

Preparing Walls and Ceilings
Interior Paint Jobs
Painting New Drywall
Exterior Paint Jobs

Organize Your Working Space
Tools, Supplies, and Equipment
Caring for your Paint Brushes and Rollers
Clean-up

Please read the safety guidelines and under no circumstances take on a project you feel uncomfortable with.

Please Note:  The information provided here attempts to cover the most common surfaces using conventional coating recommendations.  It does not necessarily show all surfaces or all products.  It is recommended that you seek advice from our customer service or home decorating representatives at the Country Junction. 

 
Paint Choice

Full Gloss, semi-gloss, eggshell and flat or matt are the usual type of finishes used; a high-gloss finish being the most common. It is often difficult to get an undercoat to match various stronger colours and we normally recommend at least two coats of finish.   Other factors can affect the type top coat needed or the number of coating you will have to do.

Flat or matt paint has little or no gloss.   The low level of gloss has a softer appearance and will hide surface imperfections.   It is ideal for less-than-perfect walls, low-traffic areas or ceilings.

Eggshell is good on walls in hallways, bedrooms and living spaces where you do not need abrasion resistance coatings.

Semi-gloss is best for trim, doors, walls and surfaces in other high-use areas.  A satin finish has a slight sheen, nice for more formal or frequently used rooms since it is much easier to clean.

Full gloss is best for kitchens, bathrooms, kitchen cabinets, furniture, door jambs and window sills, banisters and railings.   Paint coatings with higher gloss have better abrasion resistance, better washability and better sealing properties than paint coatings with little or not gloss.  

High Gloss paints tend to be more durable than flat paints.   Opposed to flat finishes semi- gloss or low lustre finishes tend to feel more warmth and add depth to a room.

Buy good quality paint and materials. Buying cheap paint is often a false economy as many more coats could be required.  Better quality coatings will give you better hiding power meaning more square footage per gallon, easy touch up and longer life.

Follow the manufacturers instructions on tins and other materials.  Allow for some flexibility in dilution levels or drying time.  Give paints time to dry between coats.

Try to ensure that you have bought enough materials to complete the job.

Latex and alkyd paints are usually available in flat to gloss finishes.

Generally alkyd paints are a little more yellow in appearance than latex paints and they also tend to become more yellow with age particularly in areas of reduced light like behind pictures or furniture or in closets.

Color tip #1:  If tile, carpets or furniture are unchangeable and you need to figure our what colors to use come into the store and pick up our Millennium color guide.  You will be able to see what colors harmonize best with your colors and be able to pick combinations that are pleasing to the eye.

Color tip #2: Before making a final selection view the color in both daylight and at night; the color may appear different based on the lighting within the space you are painting.

Primer Purchasing Tip: If your final coat color is dark it may take an extra one or two finish coats to cover white primer when using a dark color for the finish.  To make it easier to cover, ask to have your primer tinted to a shade of the color you will be using as your finish coat.

 
Safety

• Make sure the rooms you are working in are well ventilated.   Paint can give off some fairly potent fumes. Open a window, or turn on a fan at slow speed.  Certain paint thinners and solvents can give you a nasty headache with prolonged exposure.

• Don’t paint near a water heater, stove or furnace where sparks or flames can ignite and cause paint to explode.  Don't smoke or light matches either.

• Wear safety goggles whenever scraping, sanding or working with acids, caustics or bleach and thinners or solvents.  You may have to wear a face mask so that you do not inhale the dust from sanding or the fumes from the thinners, bleaches or cleaners.  These range from paper filters that are good for dust or sanding up to the 20-30 dollar range for a full respirator assembly with canisters that block out fumes. 

• When using ladders take the proper precautions.  Read more about ladder safety.

 

Surface Preparation Products

The number one reason that a painting project ends in disaster is because of improper preparation of the surface. 

• Irregularity of the surface to be painted.
• Texture of the surface
• Porosity
• Current Color
• Color of the new paint
• The type of top coating being applied
• The kind of primer or base coat being used.

We recommend these products to help you prepare the surface to be painted or stained.

TSP (Trisodium Phosphate)

TSP is an all purpose cleaner formulated for removing grease, soot, dirt, mildew, fungus growth, grime and lead paint dust.  Washing with TSP prior to painting insures that the paint has a sound surface to adhere to.  The scrubbing opens up the pores allowing the finish sealers or stain to penetrate deep into the wood.

Rust Stain Remover

Wood bleach and rust stain removers (oxalic acid)  removes stains caused by iron, water and tannic acid, as in the combination of nails, rain and oak. It is the ingredient in most wood deck "brighteners". It will lighten the greying effects of wood exposed to the outdoors and re-establish an even tone to the wood, particularly oak. Wood bleach also removes rust stains, and black water stains. It comes in dry crystals which can be dissolved in warm water.

Drywall Repair Kit

Materials needed to repair anything from a simple gouge to a hole in the wall up to 10" wide - the wall will be stronger than when you started.

Oxygen Bleach

This is a natural super stain remover is an excellent detergent and bleaching agent based on hydrogen peroxide and has strong fungicide effect. Fruits and vegetables treated with sodium percarbonate can be kept fresh, and be stored for a long time. It can kill staph lococcus, and colon bacillus. This product is a white particle powder, soluble in water, color-safe, non-toxic, non-flammable, environmentally safe, biodegradable, and leaves no harmful by-products or residues which can harm the environment.

Fillers

There are two types of fillers, ready to use and those you mix yourself. Polyfilla™ is used to repair holes or cracks in drywall or plaster. Putty is only used to repair and fill holes in the wood frame or glazed metal around windows. Wood filler is used to repair damage to wood and it dries rock hard so apply it as smoothly as possible.

Primers

Primer is the first coat for bare wood, metal, and drywall required to adequately prepare the substrate and optimize the performance of the topcoat --all new substrate must be primed.  Most paints are designed to be used over some type of priming agent.  On new wood or drywall this evens out the porosity over the entire area to produce a uniform substrate. On new steel this protects the substrate from elements which cause oxidation.   On previously painted surfaces it ensures that your old finish is compatible with the new one, especially if you are putting latex paint over oil based paint or if the surface is shiny or slick.  In some cases only the repaired areas need to be primed.  Primer-sealers may be appropriate for some surfaces.

Sealers

Sealers are similar to a primer but designed to serve a different purpose.   This may be a separate step but in some cases a primer-sealer product is used.   Sealer not only seal the surface but may also provide tannin blocking for exterior top coats.  Sealers are used for preserving, waterproofing and preventing problems occurring to subsequent coats caused by chemicals and fungi seeping through from the underlying surface. Many different sealers are used to counteract different problems.

Sealers for Drywall
Sealers for Wood

Shellac is the base for virtually all sealers and stain killers.  It is used to seal stains in substrate such  as resins in wood knots.   Knot sealer is a wood sealer that is formulated to prevent the tannic acids in wood knotholes from bleeding through and staining a new topcoat.  Stain killers are specialized sealers designed for stained substrates and should keep stains from bleeding through to new coatings.  It will also seal the tannic acid in knotholes, redwoods and cedars. The most effective stain killers are shellac based.   Sometimes the stain killing chemicals are blended right into primers and are identified by "stain killer" or "stain blocker".

Potential problems with sealers for drywall:

Poor Adhesion: Drywall mud can be very slow in curing, especially in new construction during the winter months.  If the sealer is applied before the mud has thoroughly dried out the moisture vapour become trapped under the paint film and this causes blistering and subsequent peeling.

Flashing:  Drywall mud can be very porous especially if it is worked a lot during application or not sanded smoothly.  If the porosity is not fully satisfied by the sealer the topcoat will penetrate more in some areas than others causing a variation in the sheen of the topcoat.  This is called "flashing". 

Undercoats

An undercoat serves to enable sanding to a smooth surface and to provide greater build. The undercoat which is applied between the primer or primer sealer and the topcoat may not be required in all painting systems.  This is by far the most important stage in getting a first class finish. If necessary a second or even third undercoat should be applied if needed.

Abrasives

A very important part of decorating is preparing the surfaces to be painted. Sandpaper is the most commonly used material for rubbing-down and smoothing the surface. Sanding pads are useful too. Pumice stone can also be used.

Thinners

The two most common thinners used are normal water for latex based paint and turpentine substitute or mineral spirits for oil based paints.

 
Prep Work

Proper preparation is essential for a long lasting trouble free paint job. Good preparation takes some time but it will save you money over the long term. Make sure that the surface is clean and sound. Check for surface damage,

Surface Preparation of Walls and Ceilings

• Scrape off flaking paint and sand the edges with medium grit sand paper.
• Fill any holes or cracks before painting.
• Inspect trim work and repair damaged areas by digging out rot and filling depression with wood filler. Allow to dry and sand with fine grit sandpaper if needed.
• Caulk cracks or gaps in corners, baseboards and mouldings if needed.
• When the filler is dry, sand rough spots lightly to a smooth finish.
• Any glossy spots that will be painted should be lightly sanded so the new paint will adhere properly.
• Coat any stains or spots with a stain blocker.
• Wash or damp-wipe the walls with a good cleaner to remove sanding dust stains, greasy fingerprints as well as dirt and scuff marks. Let dry thoroughly before proceeding to the next step. The time for this will vary depending on the surface itself.  We recommend using TSP as the cleaning agent.
• Spot prime all patched areas.
• Seal and or prime previously unpainted surfaces.
• Give products time to dry between coats.

New drywall has two distinctly different surfaces the face paper of the gyproc itself and the taping compound or drywall mud that is used to cover the seams, corners, and drywall screws or nails.

If paint is applied directly to the face paper and the compound it will be absorbed unequally and will exhibit problems such as "joint banding," a phenomenon that makes the paint appear shadowed, or darker, over the areas treated with compound.  Sometimes contractors will use drywall texture - a very loose and powdery mixture that is little more than chalk and water - as a skim coat over the entire wall surface. This creates a problem because paint does not adhere well to powdery chalk.   This is why we need proper preparation to clean surfaces and primers and sealers to solve the porosity problem.

 
Organize Your Working Space

Interior:

• Remove any furniture or obstructions from the area where possible.  Anything that cannot be moved should be covered with plastic, paper drop cloths or a painter's canvas. 
• Remove hardware such as door knobs, electrical switch plates and outlet covers.  
• Use masking tape to cover thermostat controls, electrical switches that cannot be removed. 
• Mask edges of woodwork, baseboards or windows that are not being painted.
• Protect floors or carpets with drop cloths, plastic or large pieces of cardboard.
• Get all the supplies and tools that you need ready and located in one area.

Exterior

• Remove gutters, downspouts, window shutters, light fixtures, window screens and storm doors. If you plan to repaint these items you'll produce better results if you paint them before re-installing.
• Inspect wood surfaces thoroughly.
• Scrape away flaking and peeling paint. Replace all rotted wood or repair with exterior wood filler.
• Caulk any seams and joints where needed. Remove old caulk with a utility knife if it is pulled away or dry and brittle.
• Countersink nail heads. Look for signs of rust where nail heads have worked out. Spot prime these with a rust inhibiting primer and when dry fill the indentations with painters putty.
• When dry, all patched areas should be lightly sanded and spot primed to seal them off.
• Protect areas that you do not want to get splattered with paint.
• Remove obstructions that can pose a safety hazard.
• Prepare an accessible working area to assemble your tools and supplies.

Instead of masking windows you can try this:

• Cut newspaper into strips to fit the panes.
• Dip them into water to get them wet.
• Because they are wet they will stick to the glass.
• After painting just peal them off, they come off with no fuss and no residue.

Cardboard to protect floors and carpets

• straight edged cardboard will fit up against walls and baseboards
• it lies flat on the floor or carpet and unlike plastic does not bunch up or present a slipper surface for walking

 
Tools, Supplies, and Equipment

Brushes

• Use the best paint brushes and rollers that you can afford.  Quality tools, especially paint brushes will produce superior results especially if you want a fine finish with gloss paints and varnishes.  Buy quality and if you care for them properly you can you them again and again.  Good brushes will last for years.  

• Brushes are made with two types of bristle - natural or synthetic.  Hog bristles are best by far.  As a general rule use natural bristle brushes with oil based paints..  Never use natural bristle brushes with water or water-based paints because the natural bristles absorb water, swell up, flare out and are generally less controllable and produce a messy job.

  Nylon and polyester brushes are best for use with water-based paints as the fibres don't absorb water and will therefore not become unruly.

• Choose a brush that has flexibility and well tapered bristles.   Avoid brushes with bristles that are all the same length. Look for bristles that taper from a thick base down to the narrower tips.  Cheaper brushes have fairly short bristles that appear thick because they have a wedge in the centre. This means they don't hold paint particularly well and the short bristles can tend to leave brush marks.   Quality brushes have longer bristles and more of them so they hold more paint and give a smoother finish.

Rollers

• The roller handle should be comfortable so you can get a good grip on it.  The roller covers come in a variety of shapes and sizes to suit your paint project (explained later). 

• The less expensive roller covers can drop pieces of fibre in your paint and leave lint on the surface of your paint project. They also can cause more splattering.

• The best roller covers for oil-based projects are made of lambswool that can be cleaned and reused time and time again.  Lambswool holds a larger amount of paint than a synthetic fibre.

• For projects using latex paint choose synthetic roller covers.   They will hold their shape and maintain the proper stiffness.

• The nap size of the roller should suit the job.  The thickness depends on the paint you are using and what you are painting.  The general rule is the smoother the surface, the shorter the nap; the rougher the surface, the longer the nap.  Thin roller covers are best for gloss and semi-gloss finishes on a smooth surfaces like your walls or cabinets. If the texture of your surface is medium smooth, sandy like cement or stucco-like you will need a thicker roller. Roller covers vary from 1/4 inch to 1 inch thick.

• Types of Rollers: Fixtures and architectural features require a specialized roller.  You will find rollers especially designed for painting cylindrical items like pipes and columns.

  Corner rollers – speciality rollers ideal for corners.
  Trim Roller – smaller rollers that work in cramped spaces
  Radiator Rollers – these rollers have a very short radius so that they can squeeze behind bathroom or heating fixtures
  Slit Foam – for metal or irregular surfaces like intricate mouldings.
  Foam or lint free for - for fine finishes

 
Clean Up

How to care for your brushes?

• Clean brush immediately after using.
• Remove excess paint on brush by pulling the flat of the brush against the containers edge.
• Use a good cleaner, then clean with water and soap.  Use warm, then cold water to remove soap.
• Allow to dry for 48 to 72 hours before wrapping and storing.
• Store brush with bristles wrapped in paper.
• Store the brush on a hook or flat on its side - do not stand brushes on bristles end.
• Use paint brushes for painting not for applying acids or lyes.
• Let brushes completely dry between uses. Wet brushes make for floppy bristles.

Want to have clean windows with no streaks.  Newsprint is great for wiping windows dry after washing and rinsing them.  Works on mirrors, too.

 
Tips and Tricks

Dollar for dollar, a paint job is probably the best investment you can make in terms of enhancing the value of your property.

Before making a final selection view the color in both daylight and at night; the color may appear different based on the lighting within the space.

If your final coat color is dark it may take an extra one or two finish coats to cover white primer when using a dark color for the finish.  To make it easier to cover, ask to have your primer tinted to a shade of the color you will be using as your finish coat.

Remove any loose bristles on brushes by tapping lightly against the palm of your hand so that you don't get them falling in your paint or stuck to the painting surface.

On hot days, never paint in direct sunlight.  The drying rate is so fast that the paint coat will actually be dry before it has a chance to properly adhere to the surface you are painting.  This will result in a paint job that is not going to stay on as long. 

Keep a jar of petroleum jelly with your paint materials.  It makes for easier clean up if you put a little on the edge of window panes, handles or metal results as paint does not stick to the jelly.  Rub a light layer on your face, hands and arms for the same reason.

Instead of masking windows you can try using newspaper.

• Cut newspaper into strips to fit the panes.
• Dip them into water to get them wet.
• Because they are wet they will stick to the glass.
• After painting just peal them off, they come off with no fuss and no residue.

Protect floors and carpets with cardboard.

• straight edged cardboard will fit up against walls and baseboards
• it lies flat on the floor or carpet and unlike plastic does not bunch up or present a slipper surface for walking

Using brushes later in the same project. It is always best to clean your brushes out as soon as you’ve finished with them. But to keep them fresh for use later in the day with the same paint, remove excess paint and then wrap them in a plastic bag. Plastic will prevent the air from drying them out for a short period of time.

Keep your brushes soft by rubbing them with a little Vaseline before storing. Simply rinse in thinner prior to use.

Save your used thinner in a separate container (not plastic), allow it to settle for a few days.  Clean thinner will surface to the top of the sludge and can be pour off and saved for another project.  It stores indefinitely.   the good stuff  then pour off the clean thinner on top and save for another day. The remaining sludge should be left in the open in a safe place (outside preferably) to dry out and then properly disposed of properly.  Your local recycling authorities can advise you of the proper procedure or location for disposing of used paint and cleaning products and containers.

Did you forget to your paintbrush properly after your last project? Wait, there's still a chance to reclaim it.  Soak the brush in a container of mineral spirits, acetone, xylene, or tolulene.  After the brush has soaked for a while, work the solvent into the bristles with your hands and work the bristles with an old fork the same way you would comb your hair.  If this removes the paint soak the brush in a brush cleaner or TSP before using it again.

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