the painted surface
Techniques
Habits, patterns and routines... As many things as there are to paint, there are even more ways to paint them. It seems like everyone has a special technique or unique method. Some work, others may not. The goal should be to accomplish the task quickly, neatly and if at all possible, easily. Painting is very repetitious, whether it is rolling a wall a single color or executing a faux effect, it is taking a small amount of paint and applying it to a large area enough times to cover the complete space. Develop painting habits, patterns and routines that can be performed repeatedly to apply the coating consistently. These guidelines will provide ideas and starting points for you to develop your own techniques and individual style.
Scroll through... this list of specific painting topics.
- Paint A Panel Door
- Panel doors are quite common as entrance and interior privacy doors. Often the front door is painted an accent color to draw attention to the front entrance. With so many sections to paint it is easy for the paint to begin to dry as you paint each section. Painting over partially dried paint can leave the finish spotty and uneven looking. Try these tips for a more uniform result. Evaluate the entrance beginning with the casing. If the casing needs to be painted, paint the casing first, then the door. This allows you to paint the casing without having to deal with a wet door in the way. A panel door has many sections and each one is painted individually. Though it seems like a lot of steps, you want to work your way down the door, maintaining a "wet edge." This will help prevent lap marks caused by painting over partially dried paint. Going in the order marked gives you the best chance at achieving a uniform finish. Should you want a two-tone look, paint the panels first, then the rails and stiles. On exterior doors, for weather protection, it is a good idea to paint the top and bottom edges. Click on the thumbnail to view a larger photo showing the numbered sections.
- Paint A Double Hung Window
- First remove all of the hardware, it is much easier to remove these small parts than to paint around them. A basic rule of painting anything is to paint the furthest part away from you first and work toward yourself. To paint a window, lower the upper half and paint the bottom of it, then push it back up to paint the top part. It should be completely painted and pushed almost into place; leave a small gap for drying. The bottom window is then painted, lowered almost in place and then paint the top edge. Now begin painting the frame, starting at the top and working your way down. Be careful to allow as little paint on the tracks as possible, wipe it off while the paint is wet. When the paint has dried, spray the tracks with WD-40 (not silicone spray) to ease their raising and lowering. The steps for an exterior window are reversed. The bottom window should be painted first because from the outside it is the furthest away.
- A Plain Flat Door
- These doors can be painted with a roller then stroked with a brush. If the paint from the roller is drying too quickly before it can be brushed, use an additive to slow the drying time. Using only a brush is a good method if you paint small sections, moving across the door and then down. Try to paint quickly to maintain a "wet edge".
- Mask Off A Hinge
- If you do not feel confident you can keep the paint off door hinges, try this. Apply a layer of low tack tape over the hinge and with a sharp knife cut around it to remove the excess. After painting, remove the tape and your hinge should be paint free. You may be tempted to try this on the doorknobs, but removing them is quick and easy, and the results much nicer. But in can work in many situations.
- Straighten A Crooked Edge
- You often see a wiggly, crooked cut-in line at the top of a wall next to a textured ceiling. This is a proven tip that will give you a nice straight line instead of the ragged kind. Before painting anything, scrape with the end of a small slotted screwdriver down the ceiling right in the corner next to the wall. Your goal is to smooth a small space of ceiling texture for the wall color to come up to, as if the ceiling was not textured at all. Yes, it makes a small mess, but the results are worth a little vacuming.
- Paint A Concrete Object
- If you have a concrete pedestal for the garden or a decorative object, the look can be enhanced with a little paint. Concrete is very porous and accepts paint very well. Use an acrylic exterior grade paint, the flat and eggshell finishes usually work well. For extra durability, first paint bare concrete with acrylic primer. Thinning the paint with plain water will help it soak into the object and make it easier to apply. Avoid putting paint on too heavily to maintain the decorative details. The details can be highlighted by rubbing into them an accent color. Concrete stains in many colors are also available.
- Paint Wicker Furniture
- First, make sure it is clean and paintable. Knowing the present finish may help determine the type of paint you must use. For durability reasons an oil-based paint is preferred. For small objects, a can of spray paint may be the best choice. Brushing paint on wicker can be very time consuming and the results not always pleasing, so spraying should be your first choice, especially if there are several pieces and you have the equipment. To maintain the same color one thin coat may be enough. Because of the intricacies of the weave, a change of color may require two or more coats to achieve an even finish. If your choice is to contract the job, auto body shops, cabinet makers, outdoor furniture dealers and furniture builders might provide a service to spray a large grouping.
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