DIY Painting Tips
A seamless finish can be a sign of a great job. In an earlier article, we covered the required levels of surface prep to achieve different finishes. To get the results you want, what filling product do you use?
We will be discussing the use of these specific products in this post. You can achieve a quality finish that will make house painters Denver professionals jealous if you follow these steps.
Filling gaps
You will need to fill in many gaps before you begin painting.
They can be found where interior paint is being applied, on the inside corners of walls, at wood trim corners, and where wood trim meets wall trim. on baseboards and door frames).
These could be located where trim meets the siding or house body, in the butt joints on longer siding runs, or inside corners.
No matter where you live, there will be more areas that need to get filled than any other. You will use caulking more than any other product, especially painters caulk. Most painting crews always have at least one or two cases of this caulk with them. This is because they use a lot.
You're lucky to find cheap painters' caulk. You can find basic paintable latex caulking for as low as $1. If you don't care about how long it lasts, then you are good to go. In a controlled environment, where temperature and humidity are constant, it might be able to last for quite some time. However, it will begin to pull away from its sides very quickly.
Similar to paint, there are huge differences in caulking quality and their lifespan. I often buy the most expensive caulking to use for exterior and interior painting projects. It flexes more, shrinks less, and resists cracking better than others. I could go on about shrink coefficients in detail, but it's boring and repetitive. Instead, I'll just say that you should purchase the most appropriate caulking product for your project. They are truly worth every penny. Brand doesn't really matter. There are many quality caulking brands that are widely available. If you plan on painting over it, be sure that it is paintable.
Tip: To ensure your caulking lasts, make sure you prime any substrate surfaces before caulking.
Filling Cracks
Joint compound is the most discreet material to use on interior walls, such as plaster or drywall. Joint compound can be purchased in pre-mixed "mud", or as it is commonly known, in one gallon and five-gallon buckets. It can also be purchased in powdered form. This allows you to mix the exact amount required for your crack repair.
Joint compound can be bought in powder form. It can be dried in as little as 20 minutes, 45 minutes, or 90 minutes depending on how fast you can work before it sets up.
Wood filler is best for interior doors and window frames. Wood fillers that are high quality can be sanded like other wood materials. They don't shrink and can be drilled, painted, or stained. This is a great solution for miter joints, as it can be sanded smooth, and you won't often know that any filling was done.
High-quality caulking is good for exterior surfaces. It can move and flex with changing weather conditions. Wood replacement may be required if you need a seamless repair.
Filling Nail Holes
If you have nail holes in your interior walls, shrink-free spackling can be used to fill them. You can overfill the hole lightly and then sand the area until it's dry. Wood filler is best used to fill holes in wood trim.
Use a good caulking product to repair nail holes in exterior surfaces.
Be sure to check for cracks and gaps before applying any paint to your next project. While it is more expensive and takes extra time, you will see a difference in your paint job.
If you need help with your interior painting Denver project, please contact us at (720-357-1503, or visit our Contact Us webpage to request a consultation and quote.
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