9 Paint Pro Secrets

You have your paint and your plan,but now what? Check out these simple tricks that anybody can use to ensure a flawless finish.

1.PREP ROOM AND WALLS: To make the job easier,take the time to clear out the room and cover floors and fixtures with drop cloths. Spackle any damaged drywall, scuff-sand the surfaces to be painted, and-this is critical-vacuum up all the dust. Wipe down ceilings, walls, and trim with a damp sponge. Finally, prime the entire surface.

2.NIP GLOBS AND DRIPS: To avoid overloading your brush, dip it halfway into the paint and gently tap the bristle ends against both sides of the bucket to remove any excess.

3.ROLLER CLEANUP 101:Use a curved scraper to "peel" off excess paint, like a carrot's skin, into a bucket. wash off remaining paint with water (for latex) or solvent (for oil).

4.CUT IN:  Use a  2.5" or 3" angled brush to paint the border of your work area to protect adjacent surfaces from your roller. To prevent lap marks, maintain a wet edge each time you reload your brush.

5.BRUSH PREP: Before you begin, soak your brush in the liquid used to clean-water for latex paint, mineral spirits for oil. Spin it dry, load it with paint, and get started.

6.BUST THE FUZZ: Wrap your hand in painter's tape-sticky side out-and pat down new roller covers to catch stray fibers and keep lint out of your fresh paint.

7.LEARN TO LAY OFF: Roll walls before the cut-in perimeter dries to avoid "banding" around the edges of a room. To fill in the wall expanse, make W shapes to release the most paint from the roller, then go over the area with a series of long vertical strokes moving in one direction. This last step, called laying off, will distribute wet paint i a nice, even layer. Work in 3-by-3 foot sections to keep your wet edge.

8.GET A GRIP: Painting is easy, but the repetitive movements can leave you feeling achy if you don't hold the tools correctly. Gently pinch the base of the brush between your index finger and thumb along the bottom of the metal ferrule. It's much like holding a pencil.

9.FINISH THE JOB: If you've masked off areas with painter's tape, pull it off the same day you paint to prevent the tape from taking dried paint with it.