July 7, 2010 |
Dry Bristles, Wet Rag, Less Work |
Painting tips ... everybody's got 'em, including gurus on this Benjamin Moore site. But here's a simple one, on getting brushes and rollers to clean up easily:
Dry bristles are thirsty and will guzzle in moisture at first opportunity. If that liquid is paint, stain or varnish, it'll really stick. To help brushes resist crustiness and stains, pre-moisten the bristles so they're less permeable.
Here's how: Before using a brush, dampen its bristles with a quick dip in water (or mineral spirits if you're working with an oil-base finish). Work out excess moisture with a clean rag, and proceed to paint.
This works on roller sleeves, too. With a moistened rag, rub down a dry roller with the appropriate solvent before you begin priming or painting. (If you're working with water-base paint, mist the roller with water; but never apply mineral spirits with a spray-on mist.)
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videos of more painting tips. |
Your Skin and Paint.
More painting tips are at this cite, but we'll continue on the principle above, which also applies to skin. Use hand lotion before you work with stain, paint or varnish. It'll keep your hands from absorbing those materials and make them easier to wash.
Deck Maintenance (scroll down landing page). Every wood deck--even when built with decay-resistant or pressure-treated lumber--needs to be protected by a good finish that blocks UV rays and moisture and delays the natural weathering process.
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