Interior Painting with a Paintbrush – If someone asked you on the street whether you knew how to paint the interior of your house you might be offended. After all, what’s difficult about home painting? Isn’t it simply taking a paintbrush dipping it into a can of paint, and moving it back and forth over a flat surface? While your general description is correct, there’s so much more nuance to it than that! At Handyman Painters Toronto we’ve been painting homes for years, and want to share our tips with you about painting your home with a paintbrush!

Before Painting You Need the Right Paintbrush!

Paint Brush Types – The paintbrush you end up using is dependent on the product you’re going to be painting with. If you are using a latex-based paint, also known as water-based paint then a nylon paintbrush is what we would recommend. Oil-based paints, on the other hand, are better matched with a bristle brush.

Cutting in, also called trimming in, is the term for filling in the edges of a wall, such as where it meets the baseboard or other trim. For this process use an angle paintbrush that’s 2-3 inches wide.

Invest in a good paint brush! While you may want to opt for cheaper brands they’ll never last as long as quality products. So long as you take care of them properly high-end paint brushes can last for years.

How to Dip Your Paint brush

When painting with a paintbrush you never want to be dipping into a full can of paint, as it will be heavier and also makes spills more likely. The paint you’re using should be partially transferred into another empty can or a smaller pail. Never dip your paintbrush so that all of the bristles are submerged. Only the top one to two inches should ever be covered in paint.

Professional home painters in Toronto use something called the “bang-load” technique, which refers to lightly tapping the brush against the sides of the paint can before removing it completely. This helps shake off any excess paint that might be clinging to the bristles. If you don’t feel comfortable with this quite yet then wiping the paintbrush off on the inner lip can be just as effective.

You know it’s time to get more paint on your brush when it starts to drag on the surface being painted.

Paintbrush Painting Techniques

Hold your paintbrush like a pencil as this will help give you more control, which is especially needed for cutting in. Long strokes are preferred, as short strokes tends to leave marks on the surface being painted.

When cutting in don’t start right where the paint needs to stop, but a bit further away. Doing so run the risks of paint dripping onto or past the cut line if you make a mistake.

Your paint brush should be kept relatively clean throughout the process, which you’ve already taken action to ensure given that you’re not just shoving it all the way into the paint. If your handle gets wet paint on it then it will transfer to your hand, which will then dirty anything else you touch throughout the course of the project. Checking your paint brush to make sure it’s clean while painting will help a lot with our final point!

Clean Your Paint-brush When Finished

As soon as you’ve applied your last coat of paint it’s time for you to wash your brush. This should be done immediately, as allowing the paint to dry will ruin the paintbrush and render it unusable for future projects.

Latex paint can be washed off with tap water, but oil paint will take a little more. Paint thinner should do the trick, just be careful as ingesting or breathing in too much of the substance can have negative effects on your health.

Some people opt to not wash their brush in between coats, when it needs to be left alone in order to dry completely. Their best course of action in these circumstances is to wrap it in a bag, making sure that all air has been pushed out, and place it in the freezer. The cold will freeze the paint, instead of drying it, and after some thawing you can get right back to where you left off!

 

If You Feel It is not for you, Call Handyman Painters Toronto

Now you know that painting isn’t as easy as simply dragging a paintbrush back and forth across a wall! Painting like a professional takes years of experience, and you may never perfect it yourself. That said, hopefully you’re now better equipped to do your own house painting than ever before. If you’d still like the help, however, Handyman Painters Toronto would be more than happy to get you a free home painting quote. Why not give us a call at 647-494-5545 or send an email to Brian@Painterpro.ca!