Is it just me or are these really cute? I now need a lime green, an aqua, sunshine yellow, strawberry red. . . summer!!! I only used one can of Krylon spray paint per chair, except for the orange one. . . but I think I had a defective can of paint on coat #1. Back to Craigslist to search for more chairs. . . . .Use a lint roller to clean the fuzzies off your cheap paint roller before you start. Or wrap it in painter’s tape, then peel it off. This will keep those fuzzies from getting into the paint. Swiffer the walls before painting. Line a paint tray with a plastic bag or aluminum foil. You’ll never have to buy a new paint tray again! Cut out the side of a milk jug to create a paint holder with a built-in handle and brush-holder. Tap nails into each leg when painting a table or chair. It’ll let you paint the feet without having to wait for the piece to dry before flipping it over. For heavier pieces, use bed raisers. Make a long-reach paint pad for tight spaces.
Hot glue a paint pad onto a stir stick. And protect awkward objects with plastic wrap. Trim off the edges of a used paint roller. Any leftover crusty paint will leave ugly edges on your paint job. Use this Martha Stewart kit to turn acrylic paint into a spray can. This is a great solution when you can’t find the right color spray paint. Get more details here. This is probably the best quality gold spray paint. According to Brittany Makes. Use the “W” or zig-zag method to get a smooth, even finish. Read more about this technique here. You CAN paint concrete. Get a guide on how to paint concrete here. But go over it first with a coat of white vinegar and let it dry. It’ll make the paint last longer and keep it from cracking. Use this stuff before painting laminate and particleboard and you won’t have to sand it.But it also smells awful so use it outside. Use an old water bottle case to keep your paint supplies from accidentally dripping paint everywhere.
To strip furniture indoors, remove paint with Citrustrip and cover with a garbage bag. Citrustrip takes longer (24 hours) but it can be used indoors (!!!). Paint Vaseline over any tiny areas you DON’T want painted, like screws or hinges. Lay it on thick, and proceed as normal. After the paint has dried, go over the area with a paper towel and the paint will wipe right off! This is a great trick for spray-painting! *** You can also use chapstick. For painting trim, use a stiff angled brush instead of bothering with painter’s tape. When using this no-tape method, keep a wet rag on hand to wipe up any paint slip-ups. Use pimple pads that contain alcohol to wipe up small paint messes. *** This works for latex paint, not oil-based paint. Precision Q-tips are your friend. If you plan to save a paint roller, store it in a Ziploc bag, and keep it in a Pringles can. Just be sure to label it or else you might make someone very, very sad.
To help with paint fumes, add a tablespoon of vanilla extract to your paint and mix really well. It’ll counteract the smell, and your home will smell like vanilla afterwards. If your tape is old and won’t roll without peeling, place it in the microwave for 10 seconds. It’ll be just like new. Before painting metal, wipe it down with vinegar. The vinegar will keep the paint from cracking. Need to take a break or waiting for paint to dry? Wrap your brush/roller in a plastic bag to keep it from hardening. According to SAS Interiors, you want to keep air from getting to the paintbrush. Wrap a plastic bag over the brush and seal it with a rubber band. It’ll keep the brush from hardening for weeks. *** Bonus tip: keep the brush in the fridge. Add a little bit of this stuff to make your latex paint go on smoother. To limit your mess, spray paint an item inside of a cardboard box. Or use a plastic garment bag for a larger item.
Use it like you would a tent. If you’re painting an old piece of furniture, use wood filler if there are a lot of dents and scratches. Use a rubber band to wipe excess paint on instead of the rim. Along with preventing splatters, it will also keep the rim from getting all caked up. Here’s a frugal paint-saving roller trick: To avoid roller marks on furniture, only go in one direction. Paint will not stick to a dirty surface, so use TSP to de-grease it first. Run a brown paper bag over any (dry) painted surface that feels rough. It won’t leave scratch marks the way sandpaper does. Store your leftover paint in a Rubbermaid Paint Buddy so you can easily make future touch-ups. Or, if you have a very small amount of paint, use a Slobproof! It uncannily resembles a Stila lip gloss pen. Use self-leveling paint on old cabinets or uneven plaster walls. It’ll glide on much smoother. When painting over existing paint, it’s important to know whether the old paint is latex or oil by doing this simple test.
Rub a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol over the painted surface. If your cotton ball has paint on it, the surface is latex. If not, the surface is oil based paint. If it’s oil-based, you’ll need a coat of oil-based primer before starting. Peel painter’s tape off shortly after the paint dries to avoid chipping. It’s better to remove the tape sooner rather than later. And run a razor along the edge if you find that paint is chipping off as you peel the tape away. Remove paint tape at an angle to ensure a clean line. To ensure clean lines when painting stripes, seal the edges of the tape with a light coat of the original color. Let it dry, and then proceed painting with the new color. When the tape peels off, the color that bleeds through is the original color, not the new color. If this is confusing, go here for more details. Soak gunky paintbrushes in hot vinegar for 30 minutes to clean them. Then rinse with hot, soapy water. Fix uneven baseboards with caulk.