House Painting Offers A Great Return On Investment

Exterior house painting done properly is probably the single most cost effective action a homeowner can take to preserve and protect their biggest investment, their home. The return on investment of a quality paint job is among the best investments a homeowner can make. Not only does your home look great, but painting increases its marketability and value.

Some Tips and Tricks for Painting: Choosing Your Rollers and Brushes

If you are looking to paint either the interior or exterior of your house, then you are going to need some supplies. Aside from the paint, one of the most important things to have is the tool that will help you put your paint on the walls. When you get to the home improvement or paint store, you will find rollers and brushes and, sometimes, sprayers.

5 Different Types of Paint Rollers Explained

There are five primary types of paint rollers to choose from: manual rollers, pad rollers, texture rollers and mini hot dog rollers. Each type has advantages and disadvantages and each is suited to specific kinds of painting projects. Just as with the cost of paint, the cost of a roller impacts the final result of the project. Some painters use a roller once and throw it away. Others invest in more expensive rollers that can be washed and reused many times. Avoid the temptation to cut costs on your project by buying the cheapest roller on the shelf

How To Choose The Paint Rollers

By Size

• 12" to 18" - Used for painting extra large areas; i.e.. warehouse walls, ceilings, floors. The most economical time saver.
• 9" - The most widely used size in America today. Use for all general painting applications.

Paint Rollers

This story is a gallery of the types of rollers and roller pads available for your painting needs.

Rollers

Rollers have been around since the early 1940s and have become the standard applicator for interior painting because they can put a lot of paint on a lot of wall in a short time. You can spread about three times as much paint on a surface with a roller as with a brush in the same amount of time.

How to Choose the Right Brush

It's surprising to see how often people buy top-quality paint (and spend countless hours on careful prep) then jeopardize the end result by trying to save a few pennies on brushes. There's almost no better example of 'penny wise and pound foolish,' especially since the right brush will also save time and be less hassle because it holds more paint and will give you better control. In the end, you'll get a smoother finish with fewer visible brush strokes and you're far less likely to find pesky brush hairs dried into the finish. Of course, quality costs a little more--you can expect to pay at least $12 or so for a decent 2 1/2-inch trim brush--but a good brush will last for years, if it's properly cared for.

How to Choose a Paint Roller

Choosing the right paint roller depends on what your home paint project requires.

A paint roller consists of a handle, a sleeve (or roller cover), and a cage (a skeletal frame with rotating ribs).

• Pick a paint roller with a steel handle, which is equipped with a plastic grip threaded to fit an extension pole.

How To Paint With Rollers

Anyone can easily learn how to paint with rollers correctly to speed up their painting. Rollers are ideal to use on textured areas like interior walls and ceilings, but not on smooth sections such as wood paneling, plastic surfaces, or vinyl. For a beginner like you, it is advisable that you use your roller in the approved manner in order to avoid uneven results.