Painting Walls

[Cindy C.]

Hey!

Jen wrote:

> So here's my question: What's the secret for a smooth finish when
>you use a paint roller? I always end up with streaks, drips, etc. Is
>it the quality of paint, type of roller, technique? You can always
>tell where I start a new section. :(

First of all, what color did you paint?  I ask this not because it
makes a difference, but just because I'm nosy.  ;-)

Anyway, I have painted <counts on fingers> seven rooms/bathrooms, two
halls and a stairway in my house.  Along the way, the local hardware
paint guys took me under their wing and gave me a ton of good advice.
   Seriously, they know me and snicker at me all the time!  This is
what they said: 

Many people think the best indoor paint to use is Benjamin Moore.  I
find it very thick, which cuts down on drips and uneven markings.

I have plaster walls, and I've never had trouble getting a smooth
finish.  Hmmmm.  Are you using a pretty good roller?  Are the walls
reasonably clean?  If not, you may need to wash them (ugh) or prime them.

Use a caulk gun and caulk the crack that often develops between the
door frame and the wall.  

When you "cut in," don't do too much at once.  ("Cutting in" is using
a brush to do the edges and corners but using a roller on the rest.) 
If you do, the "cut-in" paint will be darker than the surrounding,
rolled-on point.  

Do prep work with a particular spackle called "Crack Shot."  It allows
you to get a nice smooth clean finish for filling holes and other
repair work.  Works on baseboards, too.  Prime with latex primer, or
if you are having a bleed-through problem, go with
oil-based/latex-compatible primer.  

If you must prime the whole room, have your primer tinted to match the
paint.  No charge, usually.

Use that pricey blue masking tape.  It won't peel off the paint when
you remove it.  Regular masking tape can be a nightmare!  You do the
whole room, and then the tape lifts the paint off the ceiling or trim.
 Ugh.

Don't use a ladder in a room with normal height ceilings.  Get an old
chair.  It is easier to move around and get onto and off of it, and
you won't bang your newly-painted walls with the ladder.

When you use your roller, have a 4-foot extension pole on it.  This
eliminates all bending and stretching.  You just stand there and roll
from floor to ceiling.

Oh, and whatever you do, *always* have an audio tape of Harry Potter
playing while you work.  

OK, they never told me that last at the store.  I just like the idea!
 
> I would love to hear any tips, painting stories, etc.  

Mmmm, my daughter's bedroom is Granny Smith Apple green, one bathroom
is a bold periwinkle (the paint store guy tried to wave me off on that
color selection, but I like it), and I'm about to do other daughter's
room in a ghastly pinkish purple.

Cindy -- who still hasn't done her own bedroom because, well, where
would she sleep while she does the work?