Painting Tips Before You Shop

Before you go shopping at the paint store, it is essential that you plan out what you will do and need for your indoor or outdoor paint job. Follow these useful painting tips:

Identify the Surface
The surface to be painted determines the paint you will need. Wood paint will not adhere to metal and vice versa.

Choosing Paint Types
Primer: A preparatory coating designed to prevent paint chipping and peeling.

Latex Paint: A water-based paint, and the most popularly used. It can be applied to many surfaces, dries quickly, and cleans off easily with soap and water.

Alkyl Paint: An oil-based paint. It has excellent adhesion and is best suited for heavily chalked surfaces. But it doesn’t retain its color as well, dries more slowly, has a strong solvent-like odor, and cleans off with mineral spirits, or turpentine.

Choosing Paint Color and Sheen
Paint comes in the following sheens:

• Gloss
• Semi-gloss
• Satin (Eggshell)
• Flat

A useful painting tip to keep in mind would be to make your choice based on the ambience you want to evoke and with maintenance in mind. For example, lightly glossed finishes are very attractive, but unsuitable for a child's room where finger and footprints are likely.

Calculate How Much Paint to Buy
For Outdoor Painting:

• Measure the length and height of the sides to be painted and multiply them for the total area.
• Divide the total by the paint can’s coverage rate to determine the amount of paint needed.
• A good painting tip would be to estimate 10% less coverage for spillage and waste.

For Indoor Painting:

• Measure length and width of the wall(s), and multiply both for the total area.
• Divide by the paint can’s coverage rate to determine the amount needed.
• A painting tip to follow would be to estimate less coverage by subtracting the area of the windows and doors.

Inventory Your Painting Supplies
Take stock of your equipment and make a list of items you need, but lack. Do not use old paint that has mildewed and is no longer fresh. And don’t skimp on good quality brushes, rollers, paints, etc.

Follow these painting tips before you shop, and you will save time and avoid unnecessary problems during your painting job.