PAINTING TOOLS
When it comes to painting the interior of your house or unit it is important that you have the right painting tools and prepare the surface correctly before you paint. I am going to show you everything you will need to know to get your next DIY interior painting project prepped and ready for painting.
TOOL CHECKLIST
Compared to many of the other trades a painters tools are relatively easy to acquire and not overly expensive. The tools you need to prepare most common interior surfaces are:
- Sugar soap
- Painters tape
- Plastic and cloth drop sheets
- A dust mask
- Sand paper (120 to 180 grit)
- Interior filler
- Filling blade
- Gap filler
- Corking gun
STEPS
1. Clear & Cover
Once you have all your tools it is important to clear out your space that you are going to paint. Remove any breakables from tables and shelves ands take down pictures and artwork from the walls. For large items like a bed or sofa you can simply move these items to the centre of the room and cover it with a plastic drop sheet.
2. Wash
Check to see if the walls are clean of dirt and grime. If not you will need to clean with sugar soap and use a clean cloth or sponge to give them a quick wipe down. A great new product on the market is these sugar soap wipes. If you are just painting one wall this is the best way to go as it will replace the need for as bucket sponge and sugar soap.
3. Fill imperfections
Fill any holes with filler. It is important that you use the correct filler. One common DIY mistake is filling with gaps. Gap filler is rubbering and difficult to sand, so will show up as an imperfection later on. Use a the correct filler for the job you are doing. Once the filler is dry you will need to sand and seal with a product like 3in1 or PSU
4. Sand & Dust
Sand the walls using a poll sander use a 180 to 120 grit or fine sandpaper. Attach the sandpaper to the sanding poll head and move it up and down and from one so that you systematically cover the whole surface. Then dust down with a broom or rag.
5. Gap Cracks
Next, you will need to fill any gaps between your walls, skirting boards and architraves with gap filler. Fill by leading with the gap nozzle that way you push the gap filler into the crack. Then, use your finger or a damp rag to create a smooth finish.
6. Tape
Once the walls are cleaned or dusted down you will then need to apply painters tape to your architraves and skirting. To avoid bleeding make sure you keep the tape as close to the corners as you can and pat it down well to avoid bubbles and wrinkles.
Painting TIPS
1. Buy painting tools from your local hardware store
Many of these tools can be purchased from your local hardware. However we recommend you purchase them from your local paint retail or trade centre. You will find a greater wealth of painting knowledge and experience at a dedicated painting store.
2. Use drop sheets
To protect the floors, always use drop sheets. You have the choice of plastic or cloth. Plastic drop sheets are cheap and effective but they can be slippery. They also do not soak up any paint spilled and may just transfer it to your shoe so that it can be walked to another room. I would recommend using a plastic drop sheet and then place a cotton one over the top. That way you will have the best of both worlds
3. Tape options
You would think there would be just one option for tape but there are several. You can choose different tack levels or levels of stickiness to suit the duration of your job. Make sure you use a very low tack tape when taping over recently painted surfaces. This tape has the added feature of edge lock so that the paint won’t bleed underneath it, ruining your edge.
4. choose the right Sand paper
When choosing sandpaper, know that the lower the grit number the more coarse the sandpaper is.
Now you finished all your preparation you are ready to start painting your walls.
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