Perth Painters: Take Care of Your Tools! Not all Perth painters are professionals. Plenty of people in Western Australia do their own house painting, especially when the job is a small one. Weekend handymen account for much of the paint and painting equipment sold in the Greater Perth area. Too bad not all those do-it-yourself house painters know how to properly tend to their tools.
Excellent Perth painters, whether amateur or pro, understand the importance of taking good care of their tools. Brushes, rollers and ladders that are well cared for can last a very long time. A properly sealed can of leftover paint may be stored until such need for it arises. Conversely, tools that are not cleaned and put away properly are sure to become useless in no time at all.
If you intend to repaint a room or two during holiday time, spend a bit of money on high quality tools and learn how to use them and always care for them the right way. Yes, it will take some time and no, you won’t be sorry.
Brushes
An amateur painter may find themselves baffled when it comes to selecting the right brushes for their home painting project. Before we tell you how to choose the right brush, please promise to remove the word disposable paintbrush from your vocabulary entirely. Purchase the very best brushes you can afford, even if you’re only going to use them occasionally.
Select a brush based on the type of paint you will be applying. Most people use water-based latex paints, which are less volatile, less smelly and a lot easier to clean up than oil-based paints. Latex paint should be applied with a polyester or nylon bristle brush. Oil-based paint ought to be applied with a natural bristle brush.
Whether you use a natural or synthetic bristle brush, the key to its longevity is thorough cleaning and correct storage after each and every use. Oil-based paints must be cleaned with paint thinner while nylon-bristled brushes can be cleaned with soap and warm water. In either case, clean and rinse and clean again until not a speck of paint remains. If you need to use a wire brush, do so but remember to always scrape the wire brush one way through the bristles starting from the ferrule or handle end of the brush. Once the brush is free of paint, shake the excess moisture out and smooth the bristles into shape with your hand. Store the brush in its original packaging, if you still have it. Always store brushes in a hanging position and never stand a brush on its own bristles.
Rollers
Start by selecting a good quality roller cage and cylindrical cover. Bear in mind that a cheap roller handle will cause your hand to fatigue far sooner than a roller handle that is comfortable to grip and hold. Select the roller cover according to the type of paint that will be applied. A roller with a half-inch nap is appropriate for most indoor paint jobs. Textured walls receive paint better when rolled on with a thicker nap, whereas perfectly smooth surfaces do well with a slightly shallower nap.
If you take a break during your painting day, wrap the wet roller in plastic wrap and set it out of the way. That will keep the brush useable for an hour or two. When you’re ready to quit working for the day, clean, clean, clean the roller cover until not a speck of paint remains. Squeeze the excess water from the roller cover and stash it in a plastic bag until the next day. At the end of the job, clean and store the cover one more time or toss it in the rubbish and start over with a new cover the next time you paint.
If you’re like we are here at Perth Premier Painting of Perth, you enjoy the results of proper preparation and a nice fresh paint job. If you would just as soon hire a first-class painter who takes great care of his own tools, contact us right away.
