One of the easiest improvements you can make to your home is a fresh coat of paint. Refreshing or changing the color of your walls can add a new look and feel to a room at a reasonable price.

The tips in this section can help you plan your painting project and give you the information you need to paint correctly. From the prep stage to choosing the right roller to using a paint sprayer, you'll find the right tips for the job. There is also information about exterior wood stain, painting cabinets, and painting concrete.

Tips, Tricks, and Answers

The following articles are available for the 'Painting' topic. Click the article''s title (shown in bold) to see the associated article.

   Caring for Paint Rollers
When you get something like a paint roller, you are purchasing a reusable tool, not something that should be thrown away. Caring for paint rollers isn't all that hard or difficult; frankly all it takes is you following a few simple instructions. That way you don't have to throw away some hard earned money every time you do any painting.

   Choosing a Paint Roller
A paint roller is an extremely useful tool for any home improvement or home decorating project. Here are some guidelines that can help you choose the perfect one for your needs.

   Choosing a Paintbrush
When choosing a paintbrush, consider the surface area you will paint, the type of paint you will use, and whether you want to invest money in a quality brush to use for years, or a disposable variety intended for one use. All of these factors can help you choose the best paintbrush for your painting project.

   Choosing a Top Coat
If you have ever done your own woodworking, then you know just how important the top coat can actually be. With the proper top coat, you can ensure that your hard work will last for years to come. The difficulty lies in properly choosing a top coat. Here's what you need to know to be able to choose one properly.

   Choosing Quality Paint
Perhaps one of the most commonly overlooked aspects of any painting project is when you actually choose the paint. The type of paint that you choose can actually have a huge impact on the overall final look of your room, wall, or other item. Choosing quality paint may sound difficult, but it really isn't that hard as long as you keep a few guidelines in mind.

   Choosing the Proper Painting Tools
There is more to doing a proper painting job than simply picking up some brushes and some paint. Make sure that you have the basics down when it comes to choosing proper painting tools; if you don't you can end up with a huge mess, and a whole lot of wasted time.

   Choosing the Right Caulking
Have you ever noticed that choosing the right caulking can be a little difficult? The truth of the matter is that it really is a simple task. As you are looking at the different options, keep in mind that the key is location, location, location.

   Choosing Your Painting Equipment
When undertaking a painting project, often the key to success lies with the equipment that you use, rather than the skill level of the person doing the project. Having the right tool for the right job is always a hallmark of a successful do-it-yourselfer. Here's what you need to know when choosing your painting equipment.

   Deciding Between Latex and Oil-Based Paints
When talking about a painting project around the home, there are really only two choices in paint-latex or oil based. But how does one go about deciding between latex and oil-based paints? The answer is surprisingly easy, at least as long as you know what you want.

   Disposing of Paint Properly
After having painted a room or house, there is a better than average chance that you will have some paint left over. The common, and definitely wrong, method for disposing of paint is to pour it down the drain. Disposing of paint properly isn't all that hard, and can help ensure that you don't get into trouble for polluting.

   Finding a Good Painter
There is a definitive difference between someone who is painting a house, and a good painter. Here are some simple guide lines that can help you in finding a good painter the next time that you need one.

   How Do You Rag Paint a Wall?
If you are looking for a fantastic way to paint your wall, and create a truly unique look then you simply have to look into rag painting. But how do you rag paint a wall? The answer is, the whole process is extremely easy, as long as you follow a few simple directions.

   How to Choose Quality Brushes
As with most things, if you use low quality paintbrushes then you will end up with a substandard finished product. By learning how to choose quality brushes you will also ensure that you have the best possible project when you are finished. Simply follow these simple guidelines.

   How to Estimate Painting Costs
Determining the budget of a renovation project is perhaps the single most important part of any project. Perhaps one of the more difficult aspects of doing that is estimating how much it will cost to paint. Learning how to estimate painting costs isn't all that difficult, if you follow a few simple steps.

   How to Paint the Ceiling
Painting ceilings is both the same, and a bit different, from painting walls or floors. If you would like to learn how to paint the ceiling, at least without making a huge mess, all you need to do is follow these simple steps. While it may require a bit of extra effort, the process is still amazingly easy.

   Mixing Paint
Have you ever noticed how expensive a painting project can be? There are several different methods you can use to save some money, but one of the most effective is definitely mixing paint yourself. It's not that hard; just follow these guidelines.

   Opening a Paint Can Safely
Have you ever noticed just how dangerous it can be to open a paint can if you don't know how? Not only can you potentially hurt yourself, but you can also very easily end up with paint everywhere, and a huge mess to clean up. Here are some simple methods that you can use for opening a paint can safely.

   Painting Aluminum Siding
Aluminum siding is an ever increasingly popular choice among homeowners for protecting their home. In large part this decision is due to the ease of installation, and the durability of the material. However, just because it may be a durable material doesn't mean that you won't end up painting at some point or another. Painting aluminum siding isn't difficult as long as you follow these simple directions.

   Painting Bathroom Cabinets
The most easy and economical method for giving your bathroom a face lift is by painting your bathroom cabinets. Painting bathroom cabinets is something that anyone can do, as long as you know how. Here's how.

   Painting Concrete
Concrete is probably the most common material used in building a home or business. How does one go about improving the look of this material and thereby improving the look of your home or garage? Here's how you can do that.

   Painting Exterior Walls
While it would be nice to think that we will always love the current color of our homes, the truth is that eventually we will want something new. Painting exterior walls is one of the ways that most homeowners go about getting that much wanted change. While somewhat labor intensive, this is something that most any homeowner can accomplish.

   Painting Faux Stone Walls
Stone walls can be a great architectural and decorative element to any home. That is except for one thing. Stone get's cold. That is where painting faux stone walls comes into play. Here is how you can begin faking it with some not quite so real stone walls.

   Painting in Tight Corners
If you are painting walls that meet in a corner two different colors, it's best to use painter's tape. But if your walls are the same colors and you're simply trying to avoid getting paint on your trim work, you can use the paint-and-wipe method. Whatever method you choose, remember to allow sufficient time for paint to dry between coats.

   Painting Kitchen Cabinets
Whether you are looking at taking the opportunity to change the whole look of your kitchen, or you are simply painting your kitchen cabinets the same color they were before this is going to be a fun and easy project. There are only a few simple steps that anyone has to take, and they are going to have their old cabinets looking like new.

   Painting near Windows
Painting near windows can be tricky if you haven't done it before. That being said, there are a few steps that you can take that can make the job a whole lot easier. All you need to do is follow these guidelines and you should have no problem.

   Painting New Drywall
Whether you are want to paint some renovation work or are trying to finish up some repairs, painting new drywall is an important skill to have. Painting new drywall isn't all that like painting a regular wall, and as such special steps need to be taken. All you need to do is follow these simple steps, and you will get the job done properly.

   Painting Old Drywall
After a while, everyone will find themselves needing to do a bit of painting in their home. Depending on how old your home is, this may mean that you need to paint t old drywalls. Luckily, painting old drywall isn't all that difficult a task.

   Painting over Wallpaper
Are you looking for a way to change the look of a room that has wallpaper, but you don't really feel like pulling the wallpaper down? One option that you could employ is to paint it over. Painting over wallpaper will require a little more preparation than regular painting, but isn't all that difficult to do.

   Painting Tool Necessities
Just as with any task, when painting a room you will need to make sure that you have the correct tools. Surprisingly these painting tool necessities are more than just a brush and a can of paint. Make sure that you are correctly outfitted for your next painting job by using this list of painting tools.

   Painting Treated Wood
Treated wood is a common choice among many homeowners as the material of choice when building things like decks. However, this wonderful material can present unique challenges when trying to paint. If you are interested in painting treated wood, all you need to do is follow these instructions.

   Painting Vinyl Siding
Vinyl siding is a popular choice among many home owners due to the durability, and ease of maintenance that it shows. However, just because it is durable and fairly easy to maintain doesn't mean that you won't have to repaint it periodically. Painting vinyl siding is a task that you can easily complete in a weekend as long as you follow these instructions.

   Painting Windows
Perhaps one of the trickiest aspects of painting your home is painting windows. The reason for this is that it often requires some rather delicate painting. Delicate does not mean impossible though. Here's how you can begin painting windows yourself.

   Painting Your Floors
One way to give old wooden floors a new look is by painting them. However, painting your floors is more than simply slapping a bit of paint around and allowing it to dry. Follow these directions to ensure that you get the job done right.

   Preparing Your Home for Painting
Oftentimes preparing your home for painting is one of the most time-consuming and frustrating of the painting process. However, while it may be labor intensive and time-consuming it doesn't mean it is impossible. Here's how you can make sure you are preparing your home for painting properly.

   Prepping Walls for Painting
Before you can get that old and tired looking room to back to its best, you need to get it ready for painting. Luckily, prepping walls for painting is something that is relatively easy to do. It may be somewhat dirty work and a definitely little time consuming, but it's still relatively easy.

   Priming and Painting Trim
If you are really interested in making your home look great, then you will need to make sure that you have painted the trim. Priming and painting trim is a project that even the most inexperienced of do-it-yourselfer's can accomplish. Best of all, when done properly it can make a truly dramatic difference on the overall look of your home.

   Properly Painting Your Room
Painting can be a really fun, and simple, home improvement project as long as you know what you are doing. Good thing that there are only a few simple guidelines to follow to ensure that you are properly painting your room.

   Properly Using a Paint Tray
Whenever you begin any painting project there are a whole bunch of tools you can use. One of the more common that you can use is the paint roller and tray. Unfortunately, most people don't really know how to use the paint tray that goes along with it. Properly using a paint tray isn't difficult, all you need to do is follow these guidelines.

   Protecting Painted Floors
Painting floors has long been a method for protecting them from damage and dirt, and other forms of wear and tear. However, this can lead to other problems. Here are a few methods that you can begin using for protecting painted floors you may have in your home.

   Putting a New Stain on Previously Stained Wood
Whether you are dealing with chairs, tables, floors, or something else made out of wood, eventually it will age and discolor. One of the best ways to refresh that old item is by putting a new stain on previously stained wood. It's not all that difficult, at least as long as you follow these simple steps.

   Removing Paint from Brick
Do you have a home that has a brick wall that has been painted over? Would you like to change that color of paint, or even be able to discover the hidden beauty that waits under the layers of paint? If so, then you need to begin removing paint from brick. While this can be a slightly tedious job, it is one that you can easily do yourself.

   Repainting Latex on Oil Paint
For the most part it is a good idea to remove any remnants of oil paint before you begin painting latex paint in the same area. There are a few times though when you may find it almost impossible to remove all of the old oil paint. In those situations, it is a good thing that repainting latex on oil paint isn't impossible.

   Selecting the Right Paint
There is more to getting the right paint than simply running out and picking up the first type of paint that you choose. If you are looking to doing some painting around your home make sure that you know the process for selecting the right paint.

   Should I Paint the Ceiling?
Have you ever asked yourself whether you should I paint the ceiling? While the answer is fairly simple, it isn't really that straightforward. Keep reading to find the answer to this question, as well as the process for painting the ceiling.

   Should You Paint Over Wallpaper?
When you are thinking of painting a room that has wallpaper, you typically only have two choices. The first is painting over it, and the second is to remove it. Here are some guidelines that you can use to help you determine whether you should paint over wallpaper or not.

   Stains vs. Sealers
Stains vs. sealers has long been a debate among those who work with wood. The truth of the matter is that both have their purpose, and in fact both can be used. However, in order to make a truly informed decision, you need to understand the differences between the two.

   Storing Paint Properly
Paint is a rather unique product. Not only is it expensive, but if it isn't stored properly you can face all kinds of problems. These problems can range from wasted paint, to spills, even to fires. Simply follow these guidelines and you will find storing paint properly isn't all that difficult.

   Testing for Lead Paint
While everyone may know that lead based paint isn't exactly the best, do you know why testing for lead paint is so important? Learning the answer to that question (and a couple of others) is an important step if you are interested in working on older homes.

   Testing for Oil or Water Based Finishes
When redoing the woodwork in your home one of the most important steps is to determine what kind of existing finish you have. The reason for this is that without testing for oil or water based finishes, you can easily ruin the effect that you want. Luckily there are a few simple things that you can do to check out what kind of finish you have.

   Using a Paint Sprayer
Whatever type of paint sprayer you chose, make sure that you follow all of the manufacturer's directions for use and cleaning. If you are using a paint sprayer inside, use good ventilation, turn off nearby appliances, and wear a respirator.

   What is Rag Painting?
If you have been reading up on some painting techniques recently, then chances are you have at least come across the term rag painting. But what is rag painting? The answer is simple, but whether or not it is the choice for you can be a tad complicated.