No Need To Rush When Painting

If you're working alone on interior painting, figure one room per day, and maybe a hallway and doorway. This is a process that simply cannot be rushed.

If you take your time going through the prep steps and pay close attention to detail as you clean, tape, and fill holes, the actual painting part will go much more smoothly, and you'll minimize how many trips you make to the hardware store.

Throughout the interior and exterior painting process, be sure to check the security of the tape. Is it peeling? Is it leaking? To do this, conduct an inconspicuous test in a spot not readily visible, like inside a closet or under the eaves. If you do this first and let a little bit of paint dry while you tape other spots, you can go back before the full paint job starts and double-check just how solid your prep is.

Give The Paint Time To Dry

Dry time for paint varies, and sometimes homeowners get excited and want to peel off the tape to see just how awesome it looks. It's essential to resist this temptation and give the paint enough time to dry, so when you remove the paint, the lines are straight and the seepage is virtually non-existent.

Some painting contracts say that expediting this process by setting up fans and dehumidifiers might make dry-time a little bit faster. But the bottom line is by opening windows and keeping doors open, dry time will happen more naturally and might only take an hour or two longer.

Watch For Drips And Seeping When Removing Tape

You'll likely encounter a few damp spots since natural drippage will produce a glop here and there. So try not to pull more than a foot or two at a time, tear it off, ball it up, and toss it in the trash can, which should be placed in the center of the room or far from a wall or door. DO NOT attempt to play a little basketball with this tape ball; this surely will end badly, and you've worked too hard to produce a top-notch paint job.

As you remove the tape, you get to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Your lines are straight. Your floor and windows are clear. And your room and exterior appear as if they were painted by a professional.