Paint Supplies: The Essentials

When it comes to painting, there are many interesting and innovative tools and paint supplies on the market. With so many different gadgets to choose from, how do you know which paint supplies are actually essential to a good paint job? You can spend a lot of money on paint supplies that you really don't need, or you can invest in quality tools that will make painting easier.

Paint Supplies: What You Need To Prep For Painting

A good paint job starts with a lot of good prep work. The time you spend prepping your surface for paint, will make painting go faster and ultimately make your finished job look better. There are some basic paint supplies that are a must for prepping a surface.

It is important to clean you walls thoroughly before you paint. Any grease or dirt on the walls, even unseen grime, can cause the paint to look grungy or not adhere well. Many paint and paint supply stores will try to sell you a specialized pre-paint cleaner, but for a normal interior wall, regular household cleaners will do the trick just as well. Once you have finished cleaning the surface you want to paint it is important to cover all areas that you want to keep paint free. You can buy special tarps or even disposable plastic sheets to lay over furniture or carpets, but truthfully you can also save your money and use old sheets and even newspaper. When it comes to protecting window sills or door jams, spend the money to buy quality blue painter's tape. This tape is designed to peel away with ease, leaving your fresh paint intact. Using normal and less expensive masking tape isn't the best idea. Often masking tape will peel off before you are done painting, leaving the areas you wanted to protect prone to drips and spills.

Paint Supplies: Getting The Job Done

When it comes to brushes and rollers don't skimp. There are some paint supplies that are worth spending a little more money on and brushes and rollers happen to fall into that category. You really don't need fancy paint pads or sponge brushes to paint a room. Save your money and invest it in a good brush. Even if you have to pay more for a quality brush, you will find it lasts you longer and applies paint in a much more even load. Often a high quality brush or roller will save you from having to add an extra coat of paint to a wall or it will help you to conserve paint.