Three Painting Tips

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

16 Jun 2008 10:55 AM

Painting a room is an easy and affordable way to update it, change the decor and make it fresh. If you change nothing else, a coat or two of paint will be a big improvement for your home. Here are three painting tips to help you in your project.

1. If you get interrupted or have to stop painting for the day before you are finished, don't bother washing out that paint roller. Instead, wrap the roller carefully and tightly in regular kitchen plastic wrap. Then place the wrapped roller in your freezer. Before painting once again, let the roller thaw out for about 30 minutes. This technique works with brushes, too.

2. While primer isn't always needed, it can be a valuable tool when painting. Primer is generally less expensive than paint used for the finished look, and it is specially formulated to cover difficult areas. It will also save you time, since you won't need as many coats of paint on a wall that has been primed. You'll definitely need primer if have one or more of the following conditions:

• Walls that haven't been painted in a long time
• Walls that are stained
• Walls that are dark in color
• Painting a dark color (use a tinted primer)
• Walls that may be at risk for mold, such as in a bathroom.

3. Make sure to test your color before you paint the whole room. By a sample can of your paint color. Then, remove a picture or mirror and paint the color or colors there to test the paint. You can then rehang your picture or mirror and hide your sample colors until you are ready to paint the whole wall. Testing colors beforehand may save you from costly mistakes, since you will be able to see how the paint looks in the space it will occupy, and the paint color may be affected by the type of lighting that you have in your room.

Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. Starting June 1st, don't miss her articles in the Baby Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.

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Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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