Weekend Painter

[Kenyada]

My dad taught me to paint walls when I was a little kid. I was an eager student because I thought that kind of work was a ticket to “manhood.” My first really big painting contract came along when I was about 12 years old, in the 6^th Grade. My Aunt Sylvia needed someone to paint her living room and my Dad didn’t have time to do it. Aunt Sylvia owned a turn-of-the-century brownstone house in Brooklyn, with 12-foot high ceilings and plaster walls. She kept an immaculate home with shiny wood inlaid floors. So this was not going to be a slop-the-paint-on-and-leave operation.

The most important thing my Dad taught me about painting walls was called “cutting in.” The corner where the wall intersects the ceiling required the most precision painting… and a damn good angled paintbrush. So I learned early on that there is no substitute for a quality paintbrush and quality paints. These days painters are using blue tape to edge ceilings and woodwork. The best of these is the Frog Tape brand, which seems to be better at avoiding bleeding. I’m old school, preferring to do it the way I was taught by dear old Dad. Whatever technique you use, it’s the paint and paintbrush that will make a difference in the quality of your project. And all paints and brushes are not created equal.

Over the years, I have used all the major brands of paint and brushes. Over the recent past few years, I’ve used Sherwin-Williams, Lowe’s Valspar and Home Depot’s Behr. I’ve found that the top paints in each brand usually deliver a smooth, velvet-like finish. When it comes to paintbrushes, however, I’ve found that Corona and Purdy make the best quality brushes. I love their angled sash brushes for the ceiling cutting, and all other detail work. I never have a problem with excess shedding of hairs or dragging. These brushes lift and carry paint very well and they hold more than other brands. There are other brushes I use for varnish and deck preservative detail work, I get those 69-cent cheapies for the outdoor stuff that are one-time applications. But when it comes to indoor wall painting, I never stray from Purdy or Corona. Corona is a wee bit more expensive. It also holds its shape better than Purdy. I have a Corona that I’ve used for a decade, but I also have a few good Purdy brushes. If I were a pro painter, I would use Corona exclusively, but as a DIY-er, I know that I must save a few bucks wherever I can these days. So I use Corona in the rooms that are most likely to see visitors, and Purdy in the private areas of the home, like upstairs bedrooms, etc. If you want to avoid local pricing and taxes, you can order these brands online.

[Glenn]

Excellent. Thanks for the info. I don't tape either...I use that flat pad to edge or "cut in" like you mentioned. My only problem is I'm lazy cleaning the brushes. My dad would clean brushes immediately after using them and like yourself could keep them for years...I on the other hand, would stick the brush into the water or paint thinner with the intention of cleaning it later, but when I get back to the brush the liquid had evaporated and the brush hard as a board lol so I stopped buying expensive brushes unless I was painting something special, like my master bedroom renovation. I bought Purdy brushes for that application AND sure enough, they are hard as boards now also

Well, I bought new saw blades for both my table and miter saws...now I'm ready to start my next project but it's too hot in the garage right now...is there such a thing as a shop/garage air conditioner?

[Kenyada]

More painting this weekend, as I tackle the upstairs master bedroom with its tray ceiling. I've already accented one wall at the headboard of the bed, and matched that color with the sidewall off the tray ceiling. Now I will complete the project by painting the other three walls, all 9-ft high. This is the perfect weekend for indoor projects. ATL's temps are expected to move too damn close to 100-degrees. Tricia is flying this weekend, so I should get a lot done before she returns on Sunday afternoon. Painting the bedroom is nice because I've got the big screen on the wall to keep me company. When I get into project mode, I like to watch the DIY Network.

[Glenn]

rock on!!