Last week, we posted on some of the lessons we learned when we hired a professional painter. This week we’ve had the opportunity to put some of those lessons to the test to see how well they’ve worked. The photo below shows the current state of our family room (well, we’ve actually moved our furniture back in place too). I ran out of painting time and still need to finish this up.
First thoughts… we still love the color. It’s amazing how much darker the room looks now. Maybe it’s not amazing. Maybe it’s because I took this photo at night and the floors are dark and the paint is darker. Yeah, that’s probably why.
Anyway, this is the first room I’ve cut-in without using tape. I’ve got to admit, it’s a lot easier and faster than I thought it would be. You end up painting slower than if there’s tape, but it’s much cleaner. I’m using a 2.5″ wide, angle cut Purdy brush.
The other recommendation we got from our painter was the paint roller. He uses a Collosus roller also by Purdy. I remember seeing this thing in action and it looked like a giant mop head. So, I picked one up at our local Sherwin Williams. Apparently, it comes in a couple different nap lengths. Naturally, I went for the longest nap, the 3/4″. Check this thing out…
Ridiculous right? It puts a LOT of paint on the wall. A LOT. If you’re going to use it, be prepared for major drippage.
Another tip we noticed from the painter was how he prepped the receptacles and the light switches. I’ve used ziploc bags to keep the switch plates in with the screws. Although, sometimes I’ll just leave the screws on the counter.
Here’s what the painter did…
He put the switch plate screws back in the switches. Not monumental, obviously, but smart and convenient none the less.
Do you have any paint tips? Next week, we’ll be showing you what we learned from our hardwood floor install.
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