This may seem too obvious, but it needs to be said. Before you even start painting your furniture, you should choose the correct type of brush. The length, thickness of bristles, and overall quality will make your project a lot easier (or a lot harder) so it’s worth paying attention to.
To keep paint from dripping, put a thick rubber band over the paint can right in the middle. You can wipe your recently dipped brush on the rubber band so the paint falls right back into the can, not on the ground!
For most furniture projects (not all), you should apply a wax layer after it’s all dried. The wax gives the coat a softer finish (it’s not as rough), plus it seals the paint in so it lasts longer. You can even get darker wax to add a tint to your furniture, if you want.
While it may be tempting to dip your brush nearly handle-deep in the paint to cover it in paint, this will NOT make things go faster. In fact, it will most likely causes drips and globbed up paint. Instead, only dip the brush halfway up the bristles to ensure maximum quality.
Pour your paint into a tin foil lined tray (if you’re using a roller) or into a plastic cup (if you’re using a brush). That way, when you’re finished, you don’t have to worry about cleaning anything out—you can just throw them away!
I highly recommend buying a pour spout that you can snap on top of your paint can. This makes it a thousand times easier to pour out your paint without getting drips everywhere or having it run down the side of your can.
Cleaning paint brushes is probably my LEAST favorite part of painting. However, this idea can help you out! When you’re finished, soak your brush in hot vinegar for 30 minutes and then clean it out. It should be WAY easier now!
Another great way to clean your brush is by soaking it in fabric softener. I know it sounds weird, but it’s effective and really keeps your brushes clean!
If you don’t have more time to paint but haven’t finished,and don’t want to clean your brush out early, just do this. Stick the brush in a plastic bag or tightly cover it in saran wrap. If you do it right, the paint won’t dry and you’ll be able to pick right up in a few hours!
You can also use saran wrap to cover a tray or can of paint when you aren’t using it. This won’t keep it fresh overnight, but it should help it last for a few more hours.
Don’t let your brushes dry on the counter, this can create messes that can be SUPER hard to clean up. If you have a lot of brushes and will be painting for a while, buy a pool noodle and cut slits into it. Stick the handles of your brushes in those slits and stick them in a container to dry!
When cleaning out your brushes, NEVER use hot water. This may seem like a good idea, but it’s not! The hot water will melt the glue that holds the bristles together, which will make the brush fall apart a lot faster than they normally would.
