DO YOUR WALLS HAVE A SMALL REVEAL AT THE BOTTOM?

HERE’S A PAINTING TIP FOR QUICK AND QUALITY COVERAGE.

Whether you like it or not sometimes we all have to paint walls. If you are lucky enough to be in a building or expansion that is relatively new you just might have a small reveal at the bottom of the wall instead of a fancy baseboard moulding (see pictures). If this applies to you then you’re in luck and can utilize this easy tip.

Using an extension pole and normal paint set up, simply load your roller cover with paint so there is no excess dripping. Then flip the roller so the metal rod that articulates the paint roller is facing down and resting on the ground (tarp). Now apply light pressure and begin rolling horizontally along the bottom of the wall letting the rod rest on the ground and act as a stop to prevent getting paint on the floor.  I usually do this to the entire length of the tarp first, then you can paint as usual with long even vertical strokes and not have to worry about slowing down at the bottom to avoid accidentally tapping your roller onto the debris filled tarp.  This tip also prevents missing small spots when completely changing colors. Also helps when feathering in the same color to eliminate all foot scuffs that may have been overlooked if you hadn’t.

Hope this makes sense with the pictures.

Our paint supplier suggested trying this latex extender solution called XIM Latex X-Tender, but then they changed their product line and now deal M-1 (A Sunnyside Quality Product), they work the same and  a lot of companies make something similar. I thought it might just be one of those extras they try to sell you just to get a little up-sell on the purchase, but I like my guys and trusted their thoughts on my issue. Yep, it worked like a charm. we started out using 4 ounces per gallon with instant results, but I’m thinking of going up to 5 ounces on the next job and analyze the difference. The product suggests two to six ounces per gallon. The only thing I haven’t done is taken a with and without shot to illustrate the difference. Have you? Are there other similar products that we should be trying?

Have you ever had to paint just a massive field of peds or cases? Do it all the time you say? Yeah it happens and here’s a picture of it. This is more of a Preparator Culture type of article, but I mention just a few things here. You’ll notice the 2″ blue tape at the top of the baseboard (a routed 1/4″ channel, 4.5″ up). In 2014 we started converting all our peds and cases over to a white semi-gloss baseboard. We think it looks better, number one, and saves a lot of time, number two, and is harder wearing, number three. We just add this blue tape “shelf” and it protects the white from paint drips. If I might make a suggestion on the cardboard that covers the floor. Try using the same paint side each time, leaving the backside smooth and less harsh on your floors. If you have to pull up your cardboard before all the drips have dried you’d of course want to put the wet paint surfaces face to face and unstick them down the road. Otherwise we like to collect them so the paint sides are all facing the same direction, making layout of of cardboard next time quicker and easier. That’s it. Do you have some pictures of your fields of peds and cases or other moments paint project?

A few years later we had a ped/case intensive exhibition of origami work and it struck me that the ped/case furniture would feel more at home if they matched the building’s architecture. So we are slowly moving them into a semi-gloss bottom as opportunities present themselves.  Since we have these two styles occasionally coexisting, I thought I’d give all of you an opportunity to see them both in a gallery setting so you can decide which would look best for your situation.

Included in the images is a ped that was a series of pedestals made at the last minute that did not receive a routed channel. Just for comparison purposes.