Are you looking for tips on how to hide your old wood paneling? Well, here are some great ways to cover up wood paneling and transform your old wooden paneling into something modern and new.
Do I need to prepare furniture before painting it is a question I get asked often. My answer is usually a question back, do you want your furniture makeover to last? In this post, How To Prepare Furniture For Painting, I’ll share the steps I take to prepare furniture for painting and why I do...Read More »
People often use the well-known TSP cleaner to remove paint and clean surfaces before applying paint. When using TSP, you will want to put safety measures in place. Using an alternative to TSP keeps you and the environment from the problems TSP can present when cleaning walls for painting.
In interior decorating there are Natural Lines in an Environment that direct your eye both Horizontally and Vertically around a room. When adding decorative elements (pictures, mirrors or other kin…
Master the art of how to paint a room with our easy-to-follow guide. Transform your space with expert tips for a flawless finish!
This guide will help you learn how to prep walls before painting them! Give your walls a professional look with these simple steps!
Being a homeowner has its challenges, but being a knowledgeable DIYer can make things a lot easier. Check out this incredible list of things you need to know.
A properly primed canvas is the base of your painting. Use gesso to prime your canvas to get the texture you want. Use gesso to prepare your canvas to make it smooth or give it extra texture.
These tips will make your painting and wallpapering projects go faster and smoother and give you a professional-quality finish you'll be proud of.
Do you not like painting because it is difficult to get a straight edge? I have a short 3 min. video showing you how to get the perfect edge without painters ta…
Plan to redecorate or remodel a room? Here are some painting tips and tricks for everything from prep tips to clean up to make that chore a little easier.
Plan to redecorate or remodel a room? Here are some painting tips and tricks for everything from prep tips to clean up to make that chore a little easier.
We collected a dozen smart tips that will make your next painting project spotless and splatter-free.
Don't let wood knot spots ruin your new paint finish by seeping through. This is easily avoided with one very simple trick!
Trying to get dried paint out of clothes? You can easily get dried paint out of clothes at home. You probably already have everything you need. Check out how to get dried paint out of clothes to save your favorite clothes from the rag bin!
We all understand the importance of lines in art. A line is the first thing we learn to draw. But we tend to overlook the importance of implied lines. These are lines that are not actually there but rather implied or suggested by the context of the artwork. In this post, I will go into more detail on
There’s something so rewarding about painting. Perhaps it’s because just a few hours and a few relatively inexpensive supplies can yield such an impressive transformation. But if we’re being completely honest, there are also a few things about painting that are a real drag—like getting drips on your hardwood floors, the delicate hand it takes to cut in, and cleaning brushes.
Learn how to paint like a pro and pick up some great tips for achieving a perfectly smooth and even paint job.
Although the basics of cross stitch are pretty easy to get the hang of, these hints and tips should help make it even easier and give your work a professional look.
Kelly's Stamp of Approval 5 shares a paper bag turkey filled with a surprise treat inside, forcing bulbs for Christmas, a vintage collection and more.
I’ve been talking a lot with students lately about the idea of notans. If you've never heard of it before, notan is a Japanese term referring to the relationship or pattern of the dark and light in a composition. Adding the practice of making notans to your art practice can help your paintings in so many ways.
Where beginners run into trouble is cutting in along ceilings, moldings and other areas that require a perfectly straight line of paint. We'll give you some tips and pointers to help you increase the speed and improve the accuracy of your cutting-in technique.
To help you avoid mistakes on your next paint job, we put together this list gathered from painting experts. Pick up a new tip or two to help you prevent problems on your next painting project.
Make your whole project that much easier.
Here's my favorite tip for how to clean paint brushes with dried paint. Save your brush and don't throw it away just because you forgot to clean them!
Fix any wall before you paint to get a super-smooth finish. We'll walk you through how to prep walls for painting.
The 7 day challenge is back! One week to make a mini painting series {or any other kind of art} with free worksheet and emails to support you in making more consistent, cohesive work.
Fabric Printing With Citra-Solv: Any photograph, image or design that looks good in black and white is a great candidate for printing with Citra-Solv. It's permanent, can be washed in the washer, takes about 2 minutes to do and it's cheap and easy. Once you start printing it's hard…
How to paint details: for beginner and intermediate painters. This tutorial is aimed at those wanting to paint fine details in any medium.
In the following posts I will be demonstrating my approaches to the use of an underpainting in the Classical Method.
Home Staging Tips and Ideas - improve the value of your home before a sale by highlighting your home's strengths and downplaying its weaknesses.
Hey ya'll! Today we're talking about another one of your FAQS: How to paint a room. Painting a room seems really easy to me now, but I remember how daunting it can be if you've never done it before. Let's not forget, four years ago I had never held a paintbrush, and I didn't even know where to find such a thing. What's this Depot of the Homes you speak of? And who is this 'Lowe' fellow? You mean Rob? So, needless to say, I've learned a few things through the years. And through all of my awkward trials and errors, I eventually figured out the best way to paint a room. These days, I can finish a room in about 3 hours tops, and it usually looks pretty great. It wasn't always that way. But let's not dwell. So, let's get started with the basic supplies you'll need to paint a room. There are an insane amount of paint supplies on the market. I've tried so many different products, and most of them get the job done. Listed below are my favorite items that I usually use on each job, just to make things easier on you. If you find something that works even better, let a girl know. Paint tray Tray liners (You can also use tinfoil or a plastic bag, but I honestly prefer the liners. They make cleanup so easy.) Dap White Latex Caulk, caulk gun, and caulk finishing tool (Great for filling in the gaps between the trim and walls) Spackling paste (Great for filling holes in the drywall.) Sanding sponge (Used to smooth spackle after it's dry...sandpaper also works, but I prefer using a sanding sponge.) Drop cloth Roller frame Extension pole (great for tall walls and ceilings) Roller covers(for smooth to semi-smooth surfaces) Mini foam trim roller (Great for smoothing brush marks if also painting trim.) Wooster angled paint brush (I won't paint without mine.) HANDy Paint Cup ( a paint cup with a magnetic brush holder that makes edging in along the corners SO much easier) Paint for walls (I usually use Behr, Glidden, or Valspar paint. I use flat paint for the walls and semi-gloss paint for the trim.) Paint for trim (I usually use Behr Ultra White in a semi-gloss finish.) Above links are Amazon affiliate links. Once you have your supplies, it's time to paint. I've broken the process down into 10 steps. Not all of them are necessary for every job, so if they don't apply to you, rejoice and skip to the next. 1. Cover the floor with dropcloths. Definitely don't skip this part. You will fling paint somewhere random, no matter how daintily you paint. I prefer the plastic ones because they're cheap. Plus, let's be honest, every time I buy a real one I tend to hack it up and make a headboard or something. 2. Fill any holes or imperfections in the drywall with spackling paste. Wait for the spackle to dry, and then sand it even with the wall using your sanding sponge. That way when you paint over the patch, you won't even see it and it will look good as new. Our walls were really beat up after sanding off the stain debacle, so we had to repair tons of holes and dents in the drywall before we painted. While we were at it, we removed another 1970's relic from the house, which had become extra visible since knocking down the hallway wall. Remember the doorbell? Well, Jesse turned off the electricity, did a little digging, and just decided to remove the doorbell and the broken smoke detector next to it (There's another one that actually works on the ceiling.). So, we patched it using some drywall repair patches (affiliate link), which are excellent if you have large holes in the drywall. Then, we just covered the patches with spackle, let it dry, sanded it smooth, then painted over it. Oops... lengthy hallway ramble. Moving on. 3. Remove all outlet plates. There was a time when I used to just paint around these things, but I live, I learn, I remove outlet plates. All you need is a screwdriver. 4. Make sure the walls are clean by wiping off all the dust or grime with a damp cloth. 5. Use paintable caulk to fill in any gaps between the walls and trim. Put the caulk in your caulk gun, cut off the tip of the caulk tube with scissors, then squeeze it in a straight line along the top of the trim where the gap is. Then use a rag to wipe up the excess. (You can also use a caulk finishing tool, but I usually just use a rag.) This step takes a little extra time, but I never skip it. It just makes everything look so seamless and professional. Here's a really great short video that shows how to caulk trim. It's exactly how I do it. 6. If you have areas (like trimwork or ceilings) that you don't want painted, you can use painter's tape to prevent paint from getting on those areas. Make sure to press firmly along the edge of the tape to prevent the paint from bleeding underneath. Once you're done painting, remove the tape while the paint is still wet. If the paint dries onto the tape before you're done (or if you just forget), use an exacto knife to cut the tape off. This will prevent the tape from pulling up your paint. These days, I rarely use painter's tape anymore. My little Wooster paint brush is so precise that I just don't need it. It makes edging in around corners, ceilings, and trim so easy, and I never paint without it these days. It's about $5 and worth every penny. 7. Prime if needed. I prefer to use a paint and primer in one to save time, but if you're painting over any really dark paint colors, it's usually good to apply a coat of primer separately before you paint. If I have to do this step, I usually go with Zinsser or Kilz. Just make sure you get the water based kind, as you'll most likely be using water based latex paint. 8. Start painting. When it comes to paint, most of the time I end up using Behr Premium Plus Ultra in flat for my walls. It's affordable and provides great coverage. In all honesty, Home Depot is closer to my house. So, feel free to Valspar it up if you'd like. I have many times before, and the results are just as good. :) When I start painting, I always edge in first. Edging in is when you paint around the corners of the room with a paintbrush. It gets the paint in all of the spots that the roller can't get, and it creates a nice clean line along the ceiling, etc. I use my Wooster brush to paint along the top edge of the trim (unless it's missing, like right now after the flooring was installed), ceiling, and corners. I hold the brush the narrow way, opposite of the way you would usually hold it, and this gives me a really nice straight line where I need it. Do yourself a favor and get one of these little Handy paint cups. It has a little handle on the outside, and a little magnet on the inside that you can attach your brush to. I use it every single time I paint. Another thing I can't paint without is my little stepladder. One of Jesse's coworkers gave it to him when we we got married and I assume it went something like this: 'Hey man, welcome to married life. You're a husband now. Here's a stepladder.' And I've seriously used it about 9,000 times since. He was clearly a man who knew what he was talking about. 9. After I'm done edging in, I use my roller to cover the rest of the walls. I try to cover about a 3-5 foot section at a time, moving my roller back and forth until the section is fully covered in paint. I paint in a 'M' motion to prevent roller marks. Keep a wet edge, and work from dry to wet. When the first coat has dried, repeat with a second coat if needed. 10. Once your paint is dry, you're done. You can clean up and get back to living a normal life. Or you can be like me and still have 800 things to do. Also, ignore my back deck. It knows not what it do. A note about trim: If you also need to paint your trim, you have two options: #1: remove and paint, or #2: Leave it on and paint it while it's attached. You may remember that the first time I painted the house several years ago, I left the majority of the trim on the walls, and just painted it while it was attached. If you're doing it that way, you'll most likely want to paint your trim before you paint your walls, and then edge in with your wall paint. It's just easier that way. You can find that tutorial here. In my current situation, we had to remove all of the trim to install the floors, and so we decided to replace all of the 1970's trim with more substantial trim. So, we are currently in the process of installing and painting the trim, after we painted. Expect me to blog about that in 2017...or at least a few weeks. And that, friends, is how you paint a room. I hope this helps answer some of the questions that you may have. There's still nothing in any of our rooms right now (although we did move the couches upstairs this week. Miracle.), so most of the rooms are just big empty boxes. But, if you're curious...I did include a few pics of the kitchen and living room in the post earlier this week in case you missed it. I'll be back soon to share more! In the meantime, I'll leave you with some Cheese. She seems to really appreciate my new floor registers/air vent things. Just look at her little foot caressing it. Girl knows an upgrade when she see it. That's all, ya'll! 'Til next time! Follow my blog with Follow my blog on or or Subscribe to LiveLoveDIY with email! Enter your email address: -->
12 Creative Projects to use your leftover paint! Great ideas, tips and tutorials for small paint projects.
Learn how to paint like a pro and pick up some great tips for achieving a perfectly smooth and even paint job.
You'll wonder why you never learned these sooner.
