Spill-free
paint cans
To reduce paint spills down the side of the can, use a hammer
and nail to puncture two or three holes along the lip of the
can. After pouring, you can use a brush or a cloth to guide the
paint trapped in the lip back into the can where it belongs? And
again and again until the job is done.
Choosing the right paint
texture
Each paint finish has its own properties. The more matte the
finish, the more it hides imperfections and uneven reflections,
but it's less washable. The glossier the finish, the more
washable it is, but also the more sensitive to imperfections and
it will mask less efficiently. In order: glossy, semi-gloss,
pearl, eggshell, satin, matte. Semi-gloss is best for hall walls
and for windows and frames; use matte on ceilings and satin and
pearl for the rest. Kitchens, bathrooms and basements have their
own antifungal paints.
Will it be water or oil-based
paint?
When its time to repaint an apartment, you'll have to know if
the walls are already covered with oil paint, which will need a
coat of oil primer before applying latex. A rubbing alcohol or
nail polish remover soaked cotton ball rubbed against the wall
will lose color if the wall is coated with latex.
Ceramic can be painted
To avoid a big renovation job that requires removing old ceramic
tiles, it is possible to paint them inexpensively with the color
of your choice. Sand the tiles lightly and apply a micro pourous
primer like Coverstain, Bin or Zinger.
Filling holes with flour
To quickly fill small nail holes in walls, mix flour with the
paint that colors the wall to make a paste. With a putty knife
or a spatula, fill the holes in the same way that you would
using joint compound and wipe off the excess. This colored paste
will fill the holes and you won't have to get out the
paintbrush.
An oil paint brush for the
week
If cleaning an oil soaked paintbrush after every application is
not to your taste, place it in a sealed, airless plastic bag and
put the bag in the refrigerator overnight. You'll have only to
take it out an hour or two before using it again. The same
applies to rollers.
Transformed kitchen cupboards
To transform wood or melamine kitchen cupboards, add crown
moldings above and regular moldings a few inches around the
doors and drawers. Glue and pre-drilled nail holes are
recommended for melamine. Then paint the entire surface with a
special primer, followed by a special paint for kitchens and
bathrooms that contains anti-fungal substances or with melamine
paint. Clean the surfaces thoroughly and sand lightly for a
professional finish, which can also be obtained by texturing the
paint.
Kitchen cupboard cleaning
Cleaning kitchen cupboards is a tough job. To make this long and
painstaking job a little easier, place wax, or decorative paper
on the shelves that can be replaced when needed.
Cleaning the carving board
To clean kitchen carving boards, wash with water and then spread
a layer of salt on the surface. Leave the salt for a few hours
then rinse. Remove odors by rubbing with a lemon wedge and oil
the dry board with vegetable oil. |
