Quality materials are the key to a good paint job Joel Hamberg began painting houses professionally 40 years ago, and opened his own painting business in Portland, Oregon in 1984. After four decades in the business, he?s learned that a good paint job starts with quality materials.
"If you?re going to do it yourself," says Hamburg, "the key is correct preparation, and using the right tools and right products."
To help DIY painters do things right, Hamberg put together a foolproof shopping list of the essential supplies. Here you?ll find a good starting point for the average interior paint job that doesn?t require too much damage control or problem solving for difficult surfaces. Many of these products will be found at independent paint specialty stores, as opposed to big box home improvement centers.
Wall preparation supplies
After thoroughly cleaning the surface you?ll be painting, it may need a little TLC. "If you have holes and cracks, you have to use the right patching material," Hamberg says.
There are many different caulks, spackles, and compounds to treat the potential surface problems. Make sure that the one you choose is appropriate, paintable, and also fairly fresh.
"Don?t use stuff that?s been sitting around for years," Hamberg says, cautioning that expired products won?t perform well. He?s had good experiences using the 3M Patch plus primer, as well as Tower products, such as the Tech2 sealant.
For eco-minded prep ...