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Forum -> Household Management -> Budgeting & Bargains

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groisamomma

Fri, Feb 24 2017, 4:59 pm

Do I tape ALL the moldings in the entire room before I start the room?

What about the the edges where the ceiling meets the wall? Tape that too?

(The taping will take more time than the painting!)

Did you remove or tape switchplates? Vent covers?

What about the door handles?

And what about the gold pieces that meet when the door closes? I forgot the name of it, it's in the door jam where the door closes when you turn the knob?

Thanks everyone for your help!!!

MagentaYenta

Fri, Feb 24 2017, 5:10 pm

Prep and masking is always the biggest part of a successful paint job. I typically just remove door knobs, taping takes too much time.

Rubber Ducky

Fri, Feb 24 2017, 5:18 pm

ra_mom wrote:

...Think about one focal wall that would make a difference to you and start there. Then see if you can finish the room.

Hmmmm...it might be better to start with a wall that's unobtrusive. Consider it your practice wall.

Iymnok

Sat, Feb 25 2017, 4:20 pm

Remove light switch and outlet covers.
Ask a caterer for old ar stained tablecloths. Some work great as dropcloths.
It's okay to to do just the top half of the wall then stop for the day. Limit each session to avoid wipeout.
Do you have anyone who could help you? Make it fun!

daisy

Sat, Feb 25 2017, 7:57 pm

You shouldn't need to use primer if you have flat white paint on the walls.

Miri1

Sat, Feb 25 2017, 9:57 pm

Make sure to get a good mask for when you spackle, the dust is a lung irritant (if you look closely I think the paint can has a serious warning about it).

I know someone who painted most of her house, but brought in a painter just for the very difficult areas (the wooden porch, and the ceiling and walls up the turning staircase).

Miri1

Sat, Feb 25 2017, 10:03 pm

Also, you might be tempted to skip taping the moldings, but I have seen how when my friend started to get tired, the moldings started getting noticeably messy.
Good luck with this! You are inspiring me to do a room in our house:)

pause

Sat, Feb 25 2017, 10:11 pm

groisamomma wrote:

I will buy good drop cloths because I want this to work.

Some more questions for all of you:

What is TSP?

And as pause said, is it okay to buy paint mixed with primer to save myself the job? If I do use primer then do I do the entire Room? Like a coat of paint?

I forgot to ask, when I do the doors, does the top and side with the hinges get painted, too? Will that make it harder for the door to close afterwords?

Thanks

If you do primer, it's like a first coat of paint all over.

Doors get painted on side but not necessarily on top (no one sees it). Hinges must be taped off; you don't want them getting painted.

pause

Sat, Feb 25 2017, 10:15 pm

groisamomma wrote:

MY, Which painters tape is the cheap one?

Pause, what is FROG tape and how is it different?

I once used painters tape to hang an arts and crafts but it stuck so well it took some of the paint off when I took the artwork off. Will that happen here?

And of course, which width painters tape?

Frog tape is a better quality painters tape. You will find it right next to the blue painters tape in any home improvement store.

I liked the thicker width better. I tried to be cheap (because as it is I was buying more expensive tape) and use the thinner width but it didn't catch all the drips and I needed to repaint after removing the tape. When I used the wider width I didn't have any problems, so I would recommend the wider width. Don't remember measurements but I'd estimate about 2 inches.

Last edited by pause on Sat, Feb 25 2017, 10:24 pm; edited 1 time in total

pause

Sat, Feb 25 2017, 10:16 pm

groisamomma wrote:

A brush for the edges or one of the sponges on a stick I saw at Lowes?

What is a tool for the corners?

No brushes for walls. You'll see the brush strokes. Use a smaller size roller.

You'll need a brush for the moldings though.

pause

Sat, Feb 25 2017, 10:21 pm

groisamomma wrote:

Do I tape ALL the moldings in the entire room before I start the room?

Yes. Or one wall at a time. Whatever you plan on painting that day. I put up painters tape and didn't finish the room. I wouldn't recommend it as a l'chatchilla thing.

groisamomma wrote:

What about the the edges where the ceiling meets the wall? Tape that too?

Yes.

groisamomma wrote:

(The taping will take more time than the painting!)

Yes. I did say that in my first post here!

groisamomma wrote:

Did you remove or tape switchplates? Vent covers?

Professional painters remove them. It might just be easier to do that, but I taped them and it was fine.

groisamomma wrote:

What about the door handles?

Tape them off too!

groisamomma wrote:

And what about the gold pieces that meet when the door closes? I forgot the name of it, it's in the door jam where the door closes when you turn the knob?

Also tape off!

groisamomma wrote:

Thanks everyone for your help!!!

Have fun taping...! LOL

cozyblanket

Sun, Feb 26 2017, 1:03 pm

what is TSP?

Ruchel

Sun, Feb 26 2017, 1:43 pm

Vry very complicated. my parents regret trying

groisamomma

Sun, Feb 26 2017, 7:21 pm

Ruchel wrote:

Vry very complicated. my parents regret trying

That's what I'm worried about...if I try one room and then don't end up enjoying it I'll dread doing the entire house. Crying

OTOH the alternative is living with flat white and after two years it looks horrible. Alternative #3 is hiring a painter but that will cost me in the thousands and we just can't swing it right now.

groisamomma

Sun, Feb 26 2017, 7:22 pm

cozyblanket wrote:

what is TSP?

Wondering the same thing...

groisamomma

Sun, Feb 26 2017, 7:24 pm

One more question...which paint do I use on the ceilings? The bedrooms I'm not touching but the kitchen ceiling has noticeable splatters from some of DDs kitchen escapades so that has to be painted. Semi-gloss?

For the walls...satin? Eggshell? Semi-gloss?

Thanks again everyone!

MagentaYenta

Sun, Feb 26 2017, 7:25 pm

cozyblanket wrote:

what is TSP?

Trisodium Phosphate. It's routinely used in paint prep. Follow package directions.

gp2.0

Sun, Feb 26 2017, 7:34 pm

It's fun but exhausting. Ceilings are especially difficult.

It's not as easy as it looks.

octopus

Sun, Feb 26 2017, 7:34 pm

Wow. This sounds physically hard. Good luck, op!

sourstix

Sun, Feb 26 2017, 7:42 pm

I painted my kitchen with dh. it was rewarding but exhausting. I primed the wall, then painted eggshell. thats what is commonly used today. molding semi gloss white. yes a roller for the wall and brush for moldings. I had a painter for my dining room and he did the doors first then the walls then moldings. some places he did the moldings first then the wall. dont know why.

make sure you cover as many things as you can if you going to sand after spackle. which many people do to cover holes. if you dont then you probably wont sand and then you wont have the amount of sand and dust like I did. which is the worst part after painting.

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