how to prepare for a DIY paint job

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So I went to the hardware store to get the paint and stuff. To be honest, I was fairly clueless except that I needed paint and brushes. But walking around, I learnt a couple of things:

1. You’ll need steel brushes and chisels to scrape off the old paint before you apply your new layer. It’s hard work but it’s got to be done.
2. If you’re painting over metal, you’ll need some anti-rust paint to do the rusty parts to prevent further rusting.
3. There are different types of paint for different purposes - wood, metal, all-weather paint for exteriors. There are lots of brands but I prefer to stick with an established brand that I’ve found to be pretty lasting.
4. Ask the staff how much paint you need to paint the area you have in mind. Unless you’re a semi-pro painter, you won’t know. But they’ll be able to tell you, just like that. So then, all you have to do is pick your color.
5. You’ll need paint brushes of at least two sizes - a wider one (so you can cover more area faster and get the paint job done quicker) and a finer one (to get to the hard-to-reach corners and for more precision paint work).
6. You’ll need turpentine for cleaning up minor mistakes or spills, and to clean up your hands and brushes afterwards.
7. Use old containers you find around the house to hold your brushes, rags, etc. and to wash your brushes if you need to paint with more than one color. Just throw the containers away when you’re done. Don’t waste money buying new ones.

When in doubt, ask the store staff for help instead of guessing. It saves you time and frustration. Painting can be back-breaking but a lot of fun. Get the kids to help. Put some music on. It gets the job done quicker.

• the thing about paint brushes
• get your carpets really clean
• resort-style living sounds good
• what’s acceptable office attire?
• boss buys them a toy to play?

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