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.

Painting Techniques - Using paint rollers

With a paint roller, the paint can be applied quickly and effectively to give a smooth finish.

A 'standard' roller frame will accept 9 inch rollers of various types:

How to paint like an expert

OK, so you're finally ready to paint. That still doesn't mean picking up a paintbrush right away. Like Melinda says, preparation is everything. So first set up a big (covered) table and lay out the following tools on it: your dust mask, filling knives and filler, paint scrapers, dusting brushes, a mixing board made of MDF, sandpaper (which, of course, comes in different grades - I use 180 for a rough wall, 120 for a normal wall), masking tape, paint brushes (Purdy brushes are a good brand) - and last but not least, your paint (including white emulsion for the "miscoat"). You can get this all from any good DIY shop.

Professional Paint Roller Frames

Quality paint roller frames will reduce the amount of time and effort spent painting with a roller. A good roller frame is a critical part of every professional painter's tool kit.

This painting tool definitely saves time and adds to my bottom line, but cheep roller frames have the opposite effect.

As with purchasing any painting tool, such as a paint roller frame, choose the best possible to provide the best finish with the least amount of effort. With less time spent painting you can have more time enjoying your beautiful work and planning the next room.

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.

Choosing the Right Roller

Like brushes, choosing the right roller makes all the difference. For very little extra, not only will you get a significantly better finish but the work and cleanup will be quicker and smoother. Seems like a no-brainer but almost everyone gets tempted by those cheap discount packs . . . which is fine if you want a cheap finish and give yourself extra work. The truth is, a good paint roller will cut hours off your painting time while leaving behind a smooth, even finish. Rollers come in different sizes, from small 'slim jims' (useful for painting the wall behind toilets and should not be used for large wall areas) to huge 18-inch setups, but 9 inch rollers are the most commonly used size.

Basic Painting Tools

Whether you're touching up a wall or remodeling an entire room, the proper painting tools will make your job easier while yielding quality results. Your finished project will look better and last longer. Here are a few basic painting tools that no painter should be without.

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.

Using Rollers To Speed Up DIY Painting

The time has come to redecorate a room in your home. You stand there in front of a large blank wall with your paintbrush and you just totally blank. Where do you start? Fortunately for you there is a tool that makes the daunting task of painting such a large surface so much easier. What is this amazing and wonderful device you ask? It is the versatile paint roller. Paint rollers allow people to drastically reduce the amount of time it takes to paint a large, flat surface, like a wall with few windows or a ceiling.