I Love Paint Part II

December 28, 2012

By Sheila

Yesterday I introduced the first steps of my dining room makeover.  Today I will show the finished product and share some of my painting tips.  As I said yesterday, paint is my all-time favorite decorating approach.  I have painted my own home inside and out and love the dramatic change that paint brings with a relatively small investment. 

In my opinion, it is not the painting itself that is the challenge, it is primarily the preparation.  Getting the room cleared, dropcloths in place, holes in the wall spackled, and areas taped off are the tasks that are not fun, but critical to a quality finished paint job. 

One of the handy tips I have used to rearrange my furniture for painting or otherwise are these furniture sliders pictured below.  They allow you to slide larger, heavier objects without damage to carpet or furniture.  I also use them on my travertine, but be careful you don't get "grit" under them, as they can scratch.  This is what my Mom and I used to move my dining room table with the ladder on top (my scaffolding).

The cutting in (painting all edges next to the ceiling, floor trim, etc.) was a challenge, even with my 8 foot ladder on top of my dining room table (scaffolding).  I had a hard time getting close enough in all the corners because of the angle of the ladder.  To solve this, I simply taped my paintbrush to a wooden handle, making my own extension.  This was a simple solution that allowed me to paint a neat line without compromising safety. 

Another item that really made painting these 15 foot walls easier is my Wooster Sherlock extension paint pole.  This has a quick and easily adjustable handle that allowed me to reach within 4 inches of the ceiling - close enough to"cut in" with my paintbrush at the edges. And the final product that my Mom swears by is Frog Tape for a clean line on even heavily textured walls. 

Step 4:  Final Paint.  The really fun part!  The color emerges and changes the look of the room so much!  (6 more hours)

Step 5:  Restore Order.  Put all furniture, glassware, mirrors, etc.  back in place (1.5 hours)

Total time start to finish:  17 hours.  This is a lot of time, but my dining room has 15 ft vaulted ceilings, an arch in the middle, and lots of nooks and crannies to paint around.  It requires placing my 8 ft ladder on top of my dining room table as a scaffolding, and it still is a stretch for me in the highest points.  But worth it, of course!   

Total money spent:  $197.  This included 2 gallons of primer, 2 gallons of paint, 1 gallon of ceiling paint, 3 new roller covers, frog tape (the best), a lightweight roller cage, and a new paint extension pole, which I love.  I already had ladders, screwdrivers, drop cloths, spackle to patch holes, and good paintbrushes (Purdy is worth the extra money).  I don't buy cheap paint or tools.  I think it is worth a little extra to make your project go more smoothly, and remember, I am the frugal one!

So for two days' work and about $200 my dining room got a complete transformation.  Of course, I did have help from my Mom.  She is amazing at "cutting in" and the added bonus of being my project photographer.  She was also my "spotter", since I promised I wouldn't get on top of my rigged scaffolding ladder without someone around to call 911. Thanks Mom!  Merry Christmas to me.  Am I lucky or what?