In this article, a professional painter from dj-painting, reveals his painting technique secrets.

The Correct Brush Grip

Holding the brush properly is essential to producing professional-quality artwork. Brushes are held by placing the ferrule (the metal piece that keeps the bristles together) between the index and middle finger, and resting the handle flat on the back of the thumb. When using a slanted brush, the tip should be held between the fingers, not the thumb.

About how long does it take to paint a room?

Two to four days is the typical time frame for painters to complete a job of this kind. About three days are needed to properly clean, prepare, and paint a surface. It takes more effort, but when you see the end effect, you’ll know it was worthwhile.

The Ultimate List of 21 Painting Techniques Revealed

To fix mistakes quickly, do it while they’re still damp.

The wall may be easily cleaned if an errant brushstroke lands on it while the paint is still wet. In order to remove the wet paint from the wall, keep a damp towel handy and drape it over a finger. Make sure the extra towel doesn’t touch the wet baseboard by wadding it up in your palm.

Professional Painters Rely on Masking Tape

Painter’s tape has its uses, even for the pros. Tape is commonly stretched across finished surfaces like floors and woodwork before painting begins. Walls and trim, on the other hand, are usually painted without tape because of their ability and calm hands.

Each of us is capable of producing passable results when painting a room. To contrast, the work of a seasoned expert is excellent. Professionals House Painters have more experience than the ordinary homeowner, but they also have access to industry secrets that make them far superior painters.

Step 3: Clear the room completely.

Get everything out of here, first. There was not a single painter we spoke with who did not have a horror story about the time he broke Rule No. 1. Large pieces of furniture left in the middle of larger rooms can occasionally be left covered, but if you are fixing drywall, “Take everything out,” advises DJ-Painting in Dublin. The construction site is covered in dry wall dust.

Take down the walls, turn off the lights, and label the hardware using masking tape. Obtain drop cloths as well. “It’s remarkable how beautifully a few drops of paint can cover a floor,” dj-painting of Dublin remarks. Invest on some sturdy drop cloths made of canvas or plastic coated paper. Keep in mind that sheets and other thin textiles will be soaked through after painting. Although plastic covering can be used, it is both slippery and ineffective at catching leaks.

Four, look for damaged areas and fix the damage.

The light from an antique lamp with a bare bulb held near to the wall can highlight imperfections such as lumps and nail pops. For smaller holes and dings, DJ-Painting in Dublin will use painter’s putty or a lightweight spackle, and for larger holes and dings, he will use plaster of Paris.

DJ-Painting employs a rubberized spray-on primer called Good-Bye Crack to cover up stress cracks, rather than the more conventional tape and spackle approach. Wood that has been damaged calls for a somewhat alternative method. DJ-Painting warns that spackle should not be used on wood because it “simply won’t stick.”

He uses painter’s putty or a two-part wood filler like Minwax High Performance Filler to fix the broken trim. Repairs, lumps, and nibs may all be smoothed off with a drywall pole sander. Some of our professionals sand all previously painted walls, no matter their condition, for smoother surfaces and better adhesion.

5. Finish the Two-Step Sanding Process

Sanding not only restores the paint’s smooth surface but also gives the new coat some “tooth.” Use a sanding sponge instead of sandpaper on shiny moulding. Sponges conform to the trim’s contours and last significantly longer than paper alternatives.

To avoid incompatibility issues when applying latex over alkyd paint or when he is unsure of the original finish, Dublin-based painter Brian DJ-painting follows the hand-sanding with liquid sandpaper. dj-painting claims to have witnessed the peeling of oil-painted trim on residences painted with latex after less than a year.

Sponge material for the partitions

Don’t paint over the dust unless you want textured walls. Trisodium phosphate (TSP) or a mild cleanser, such as Jasco’s TSP No-Rinse Substitute, should be used to clean the walls. DJ-painting uses a bleach and water mixture (50/50) to remove smoke stains off walls.

When cleaning a wall, use two buckets. Take some cleaning solution and soak your cloth or sponge in it, then get to scrubbing. In order to reuse the sponge, you should first soak it in a fresh pail of water.

Seven, Make Sure There Are No Holes

Using a paintable acrylic-latex caulk to fill nail holes and other imperfections in your trim will keep out draughts and make your home’s finish look brand new. Too much caulk will make a mess, so always cut the tip smaller than you think it has to be.

Use a thin wire to break the inner seal instead of a nail, as this will prevent the nozzle from being stretched. There’s also the possibility that you’ll need a caulk gun. When the trigger is pulled, the gun vents part of the pressure to prevent further seepage.

Pick a solid introductory text

Contrary to popular belief, primers are not simply watered-down paint. They’re made to lay down a uniform foundation, block off stains, and make ensuring subsequent coats of paint adhere well. DJ-Painting in Dublin notes that while most homes use latex primers, professionals use alcohol and alkyd primers because of their versatility. The quality of the topcoat can be altered by the priming. Spot priming is OK for ceilings but not walls because primed areas will be visible once painted.

Invest in Premium Paint.

A higher gloss level typically means that a paint is more resistant to stains and can be cleaned more easily. Unfortunately, a greater gloss level draws attention to flaws in the wall or the paint work. ” While flat paints have their place (ceilings and formal spaces, for example), I always suggest eggshell gloss to my clients. dj-painting recommends it for “hallways, kids’ rooms, even kitchens and bathrooms.” Latex paints have apparently convinced even the pickiest artists to switch. The experts at dj-painting claim that latex paints are suitable for use on interior walls and new trim as long as you don’t save on quality: “We still prefer oil-based paints for restoration work.”

While each of our experts has their own go-to colours, they can all agree that top-tier paint isn’t inexpensive. Cost per gallon for premium paint ranges from $20 to $35, according to dj-painting. The experts all agreed that the best results would come from using two coats of paint. Don’t skimp on coverage—anything over 400 square feet per gallon is too little. To have some on hand for touch-ups, you should have between a quarter and half a gallon.

“Power Up” Paint, Number 10.

According to DJ-Painting, paint additives like Floetrol for latex paints and Penetrol for alkyds are used since modern paints dry too quickly and are difficult to brush off. DJ-Painting claims that by adding a few ounces per gallon, drying time is reduced and the paint becomes more manageable. Bridging is another issue. A skin is formed by using latex paints, according to dj-painting. A ragged rather than a crisp line results when painted tape is removed from the skin. And finally, taping is a time-consuming process. Cutting in with a brush takes practise, but once you master it, you’ll be light years ahead of most tapers, says user dj-painting.

Our experts recommend buying bathroom and kitchen paints that already include mildew fighters, rather than requiring an additional mildewcide component. As dj-painting points out, though, “these paints will prevent mildew from growing, they will not destroy mildew that is already there.” You should also prep bathroom and kitchen surfaces since mould spores left behind can thrive beneath the paint and eventually push their way through to the surface. Walls should be washed with a bleach solution (3/4 cup bleach per gallon of water), then sealed with a stain-blocking primer like Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 or Kilz Total One.

An Updated Set of Roller Rules

The ideal paint roller would have a large capacity, apply paint evenly, leave a pleasing texture, not spray or fuzz, and be simple to clean. Just use these guidelines to pick the proper roller till the perfect one is invented. A longer nap means the roller can hold more paint, but it also leaves a rougher finish, as explained by dj-painting. DJ-Painting recommends using a lamb’s-wool roller with a nap of 1/2 inch since it can hold a lot of paint without becoming overly textured. Less costly rollers can work, according to DJ-Painting. You can get rid of any stray fibres by rinsing them in dish soap first.

Professionals we asked overwhelmingly favoured 9-inch rollers over 18-inch ones because they were more manageable in weight, price, and complexity. While the bigger roller has its drawbacks, DJ-painters insist on using it nevertheless. In contrast to the hundreds of W and M strokes required by a brush, DJ-Painting claims that a roller can cover an entire wall in only a few up and down motions.

Twelve. Putting It in a Bucket

The use of roller pans has been replaced by roller grids in 5-gallon buckets. DJ-Painting states, “It’s tougher to turn over a bucket,” and they can carry more paint than pans. If you have multiple paint cans of the same colour and want to avoid any inconsistencies, you can combine them into one large container by placing them in a bucket. If you’re using a bucket and grid, you should only submerge the roller halfway into the paint before running it up and down the ramp to work the paint into the nap.

Thirteen, Using a Paint Rod in the Painting Process

Ceilings can be painted more rapidly with the use of a painter’s rod or pole, eliminating the need to constantly ascend and descend ladders. Furthermore, you need not position yourself directly beneath the area you are painting in order to avoid missing any stray splatters. For the ceiling, floor, or walls, a pole is useful. The experts could not agree on whether a 4-foot or 8-foot pole was better for regular usage, but they did agree that a telescoping rod was the best option.

Upgrade Your Brush Set, Number 14

To achieve a polished look, a high-quality paintbrush is essential. Professional painters aren’t as skilled as you may think, and a good brush will only set you back $15 to $25, according to dj-painting. The tools they have at their disposal are a major contributor to their achievements.

The majority of our experts agree that synthetic brushes are best for general painting purposes, while natural bristle brushes are best for use with oil paints. Think about the bristles before you buy a brush. Nylon, polyester, or a combination of the two are the main components of synthetic brushes. Poly bristles are stiffer and better suited for exterior or rough work, however DJ-painting prefers to utilise nylon brushes for their finer interior work due to their superior softness.

Also, look for flagged tips and tapered bristles; the former will help you get a finer finish on the edge, while the latter will help you apply the finish more evenly. The sizes of these brushes range from 1 inch to 4 inches. Most painters will have a variety of tools and supplies available to them, depending on the nature of the project. Use your common sense, advises DJ-Painting. DJ-Painting advises using a 2- or 2-1/2-inch sash brush as a starting point because, “a smaller brush offers you more control, but no one wants to paint a door with a 1-inch-wide brush.” When compared to a brush with a square tip, an angled tip allows for more bristles to make contact with the surface, making it simpler to cut to a line.

15 Properly loading a paintbrush

Your next step is to learn how much paint to put on the brush. According to dj-painting, a good rule of thumb is to dip the brush into the paint container until there is about a two-finger width of paint on the end of the brush. If you load the ferrule with too much paint, the brush’s performance will suffer. With insufficient manpower, painting will take forever.

After you’ve filled the bucket, you should remove some of the extra paint by wiping it down.

Six professional painters were consulted for their insight. They explained how experts paint offices to maximise productivity. A few of the things you read here may catch you off guard. As an example, their techniques won’t speed up the painting process.

16. Start from the bottom and work your way up

You can paint the baseboards without touching the joint between the wall and moulding. You should begin at the baseboard to get the paint moving. The next step is to pull the paint up to the seam and carefully work your way toward the seam. This stops the seam from puddling, which makes for cleaner edges. Do not worry if paint pools where you first began painting; just smooth it out with the brush.

Double-Checking Your Work 17

If you see any lumps between applications, you should back-prep or sand them down before applying the next coat. Check the surface for drips, roller specks, and other flaws with the help of a light.

The Windows Platform Should Be Prioritized

According to dj-painting, “the greatest time to tackle windows is in the morning when you’re fresh.” A regular window still takes me an hour to clean. To start reversing the sashes of a double-hung window, raise the inner sash and lower the outer sash until their positions are nearly switched. The lower part of the outer sash should be painted before moving on to the complete inner sash.

As soon as the lower sash has dried, you can put it back in place, but you should leave it slightly ajar. Complete the exterior sash’s painting. The time it takes to tape windows, argues dj-painting, is too lengthy. To prevent paint from penetrating the wood, the glass should be overlapped by 1/16 inch.

Fixing Doors Properly

The term “tipping off” refers to the process of dragging the brush across the surface to create a uniform coat.

Although most painters have little trouble painting doors while in place, doing so requires some special preparation. If your door has panels, begin with these and work your way inside toward the centre. Paint tends to pool in corners, so be careful, says dj-painting. Using a nearly dry brush, “tip off” the panel while the paint is still wet.

When painting the stiles and rails, it’s best to work with the wood’s natural grain. For example, if the grain suddenly changes where the rail meets the stile, you shouldn’t pause your brush stroke since you’ll end up with a glob of paint. First, make a full stroke across the joint, and then, while dragging the brush in the direction of the grain, trim off the overlap. Before painting the other side or hanging the door back up, dj-painting recommends waiting until it is completely dry.

20. Don’t bother cleaning every day

It is not common practise for professionals to clean brushes and rollers in preparation for their reuse on the same work the following day. According to dj-painting, “Latex paint dries slowly in cold weather.” When a project will take more than a day to complete, he stores the rollers and brushes in the refrigerator in plastic grocery bags. Before used again, DJ-Painting recommends letting the roller cool to room temperature. It’s really challenging to properly clean roller coverings. In the professional world, it is common practise to purchase fresh covers for each assignment.

21. Be prepared for touch-ups

The reality is that mishaps are common. You should always have a cheap sponge brush on hand to help you blend a repair into the surrounding wall or wood. To make it appear as though a roller was used, just dab it on.