Painting a Room

Instead of wiping a paintbrush on the side of a can, causing paint to run down the side, string a piece of wire across the can and wipe the brush on that.

Choosing Paint

• Be sure to choose the proper type of paint for the job.

• For areas that are moisture-heavy, such as a bathroom or kitchen, it is best to choose a satin or semigloss paint that is mildew resistant. These are made so that the walls can easily be cleaned.

• A flat paint is more appropriate for bedrooms or rooms that are generally more dry. This type cannot be washed.

Buying Paint

• First, determine the room's square footage by measuring the perimeter (the distance around the room). Multiply the perimeter by the height of the room.

• If you're painting the ceiling, multiply the length times the width of the ceiling.

• The paint container will indicate how much square footage one gallon of paint will cover. Divide the wall area by the figure on the paint can to find the number of gallons required for one coat.

Holes in Walls and Masking

• Remove any nails from the wall. Smooth a dab of spackle across the nail hole with a dab of plastic spreader. Allow the spackle to dry for one hour. Sand with fine (220-grit) sandpaper. Before beginning to paint, be sure to take steps to protect the rest of the room.

• Don't just stop with laying a tarp on the floor. To protect doorknobs, electric switches, faucets and other items that you want to keep paint-free, cover them with aluminum foil. The foil can be crimped and folded to fit the shape of the object and should stay put until you have finished painting.

• Add a coat of lemon oil to woodwork before starting. Any paint speckles that get on it will wipe right off. Just make sure to wipe them off right away, rather than waiting for the paint to dry.

• To keep paint off shoes while painting, slip an old pair of socks over them. The cotton will absorb splatters and save you from ruining a decent pair of shoes. If you're working on a ladder or slippery floor, it's probably safer to remove the socks. Use common sense. Safety counts!

• When using a new can of paint, it's inevitable that the paint will slosh and spill over the side. A great temporary fix is to wrap a newspaper around the bottom and sides of the can and affix it with a rubber band. The newspaper will catch the excess paint until the paint level lowers.

• When painting walls, roll the first coat on diagonally and the final coat with straight vertical strokes, so that you can distinguish where each coat begins and ends.

• A good way to remember the type of paint that was used in each room is to write the color and brand of the paint on a piece of masking tape and affix it to the back of one of the light-switch plates in the room.

• After the room is finished, fill a clean baby food jar with the remaining paint and screw on the lid. When the time comes to do touchups, you've got an easier "paint can" to work with.