Supplies You'll Need When You Paint Your Home

If you've decided to paint your home on your own, you'll need a variety of supplies. You want to think about the things you'll need and gather them in advance so you won't have to stop in the middle of the job and run to the hardware store. Here are a few of the essentials to have on hand.

Drop Cloths

A drop cloth is one thing you don't want to forget unless you're painting an empty house with flooring you plan to replace. No matter how careful you usually are, it seems like accidents always happen when you're painting. Just a few drips of paint on furniture or carpeting will slow you down and add to the amount of work you have to do. If you tend to be on the sloppy side, then painting without a drop cloth is risky because you could end up with paint strewn around everywhere. Also, if you don't have much experience in painting, be sure to get a few drop cloths to protect your floor and furniture until you get the hang of painting without flinging drips on the floor. Drop cloths are inexpensive and can save you from a lot of headaches. Use them indoors and outdoors too to protect your plants and flowers from paint.

Painter's Tape

The pros don't need to use tape because they have skill gained from experience. If you don't paint very often, you'll probably have trouble keeping paint in a straight line when you paint around windows and trim. If you get paint where it's not supposed to be, you'll have to waste time cleaning it off or scraping it off. You can avoid the problem entirely by using painter's tape. Just apply a border of it along the window glass or other edge where you don't want the paint to go. Then, as you paint, you can paint over the tape and not make a mess. When you remove the tape, you'll have a straight, crisp line that looks professionally done. Painter's tape is useful for keeping paint off window glass and for areas where two different colors of paint meet.

Paint Scraper

If you're painting over old, peeling paint, you'll need to remove as much of the damaged paint as you can first with a paint scraper. You'll definitely want one of these tools because nothing else works as well at scraping away old paint. If you don't get off all the peeling pieces, your new paint will look sloppy and bumpy when it dries. Paint scrapers are also useful for scraping off drips of paint you drop on glass or other hard surfaces.

Brushes And Rollers

You'll need a variety of brushes and rollers to complete the job. In addition, an extension handle for the roller is a good idea so you can paint the ceiling while standing on the floor. If you're painting with different colors, you may want a set of rollers and brushes for each color so you don't constantly have to wash out the equipment as you're painting. You'll notice paint brushes are available at different prices. You'll get the best results with the more expensive brushes. If you're only going to use the brushes one time, you have to balance the expense against the quality when you buy.

Of course, you'll also need an ample supply of paint to finish the job. Plus, don't forget the paint stirrers and key to lift up the lid on the paint can. In addition, you'll need a pan to hold the paint when you want to use the roller. Once you start thinking about it, you may be surprised at all the supplies you need to paint your house and do a good job at it. Fortunately, paint supplies are easy to find so even if you forget something the first time, you can always take a break and run back for more supplies.