To improve the way things look, not only can you add paint ... you can add things to your paint.

• When painting a porch or steps, stir sand into each can of paint to provide better traction. This helps to prevent slips and falls in stormy weather.
• To keep pesky insects from landing on a brand new paint job, stir several drops of citronella oil into each gallon. It won’t affect the paint and repels the bugs.
• To stop white paint from yellowing over time, add 5 or 6 drops of (believe it or not) black paint for every quart of white paint. You’ll never notice the difference except that the mixture mysteriously doesn’t yellow over time.
• Because no two cans of paint are "exactly" the same color...when the first can is half-empty, fill it up with paint from the second. Repeat as you go along and you’ll always "average out" any color variations.

Proven Paint Techniques

The following tips and ideas will help to make your painting projects easier. These instructions and suggestions can save you time and effort while helping you end up with a better-looking paint job.

Stirring

Stir from the bottom up; this assures mixing of the thinner, clearer layer at the top with the heavier, pigment-laden material that tends to settle at the bottom. To ensure uniform color among multiple cans of paint, boxing (below) is recommended, but not usually necessary.

Boxing (Mixing)

If you have more than one can of the same color, and the color in one differs by even the slightest degree (and this does happen), the difference will show up on your walls. To avoid this, pour all the paint into a five-gallon mixing bucket, stir it, and then return it to the cans. You can also work from one can and whenever it gets down to about half empty, refill it with paint from one of the other cans and stir thoroughly.

Straining & Thinning

Stored paint separates; if stored a long time, a dry paint layer forms on top. First, remove the dried paint layer with a stirring stick and throw it away. Then stir stored paint to eliminate the lumps as much as possible and pour through a cloth paint strainer. If the paint needs thinning, add water (if latex) or thinner (if alkyd) as necessary.

Line the Roller Tray

Save a lot of clean-up time by lining your roller tray with a plastic tray liner. If you do not have a plastic liner, use aluminum foil. Press a large piece of aluminum foil tightly against the sides of the tray. When you're finished painting, you can simply remove the aluminum foil and throw it away. This leaves little or no clean up.

Use Masking Tape

Use masking tape where two paint colors come together for a much neater job. Apply the masking tape at the point where the two colors join. Then remove it when the paint is dry for a much smoother joint between the two colors than you'll get by free-hand painting.

Cleaning Your Paint

If you've had the paint for a long period of time, it may contain impurities such as dirt or lumps. There is no need to throw this paint away. Instead, cut a disk of window screen to fit just inside the paint can. The screen will sink down into the paint and carry the lumps to the bottom of the can as the level of the paint is lowered.

Avoid Unsightly Rings on the Floor

You can avoid paint rings and drips on the floor by sticking a paper plate to the bottom of the paint can before you start the job. Just apply a little paint to the bottom of the can and press the paper plate against it. The paper plate will stick to the bottom of the can and prevent the paint from dripping onto the floor.

Painting Corners

When you're painting corners, always use the flat side of the brush. Painting with the side of the brush causes "fingering." Your paint job will be neater and your brush will last a lot longer when you use the flat side of the brush, as illustrated.

Avoid Ridges

Avoid paint ridges and lap marks on a flat surface by always stroking into the wet paint area, never away from it. Blend each stroke of the brush toward the wet paint area, bringing the layer you're applying into the wet paint previously applied.

Painting the Right Way on Exterior Surfaces

The image at left shows how to use a paint brush for best results when painting exterior surfaces. First, dip the paint brush into the can to load the bristles about half-way with paint. Never dip more than half of the brush into the paint. After loading half the bristles with paint, touch the brush lightly to the surface at several points to apply spots of paint (A). After applying the spots of paint, use long leveling brush strokes to smooth out the spots (B). Finish each area with back and forth motions and zig-zag strokes (C). A little practice with a brush will enable you to complete a professional-looking painting job with minimal effort.

Keep the Bugs at Bay While Outside

If you are planning a small outside painting job, you may be bothered by insects flying into the newly applied paint. To avoid this problem, add a small amount of insect repellent to the paint when it is mixed. Do not use too much - a small amount will do the trick without damaging the color or quality of the paint.

Paint an Outdoor Wire Fence

Paint wire fences with special, long nap rollers. As this type of roller is pushed across the face of the wire fence, paint is applied to the front and sides of the wire. Repeat on the opposite side and the job is done. The fence can be painted in almost a single stroke if the correct roller is used.

Painting with a Roller

Fill your paint tray with paint and run the roller over the ridges in the tray to eliminate excess paint; the roller cover should be saturated but not dripping. Then paint strokes with the roller down and up in a "W" pattern. Each W overlaps the next until the surface is entirely covered. Then the paint is smoothed with non-diagonal strokes, all in one direction (top to bottom on walls; whichever you please on ceilings). This smoothing step is especially important to blend glossy finishes, though it can probably be skipped with flat paint.

Custom Rollers

You can purchase special rollers for painting beveled or weather-boarded areas. Use a special "doughnut-shaped" roller to paint the underedges of weather board. Use a wider type roller for painting the main surface area. By using rollers of these special types, you can paint the entire exterior of the house without touching a brush.

Painting a Ceiling

Work your way across the ceiling widthwise rather than lengthwise. Begin by painting a series of overlapping W's until the ceiling is mostly covered. (If it's a large ceiling, do this in smaller sections, about 6' x 6'). Then go back over the ceiling (or sections) in the opposite direction. As a last step to smooth out the paint, give the ceiling (or sections) a series of light, one-directional, overlapping straight strokes from one end to the other.