Zenith Painting helps you take on the big projects, giving you a whole new interior or exterior quickly, professionally, and affordably. But if you’ve just got a little touch-up to take care of or are working on your own personal projects like painting furniture, DIY can be a fun option to try.
All you really need is a can of paint, a brush, and maybe a roller and tray. And then you need to know how to use them—we’ll give you a hand with that.
1. Pouring Paint and Sealing Cans
Pouring paint is a tricky business. If it’s your first time, spills and splatters are probably going to happen no matter how careful you are.
It’s almost as annoying as putting the metal lid of the can back in place when you’ve finished—it takes a lot of force and it never seems to fit quite right.
The solution to both problems is an inexpensive plastic lid equipped with a spout. You can find these at most home improvement stores for just a couple of dollars. They pour cleanly and snap right into place, making your paint easier to use and longer-lasting.
2. Messy Paint Trays
It’s easy to go through paint trays fast. After all, they’re designed to get messy, right?
Well, sure, but if you’d rather not be constantly cleaning or replacing them, you can take a tip from the kitchen and wrap your trays in tinfoil before use.
When you’re done, just remove and dispose of the tinfoil, and you’ve got a fresh tray ready to use again right away—as soon as you put on a new layer of tinfoil.
3. Dirty Paintbrushes
Dirty paintbrushes are a little trickier. We definitely don’t recommend wrapping them in tinfoil before use.
You’ve probably tried soaking them or spraying them with water and haven’t gotten very good results. That’s because you’re missing the secret ingredient: Mix hot water with an equal measure of vinegar. Let the brush soak for half an hour or so and it’ll look almost as good as new.
Note that this trick won’t work so well for oil-based paints. For that sticky stuff, try mineral spirits.
If you’ve got a big project or you decide DIY isn’t quite your thing, give Zenith Painting a call at 800-381-4601 and we’ll get you started with a free estimate.
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