Paint with the Right Tools

by DoItYourself Staff

Roller Tray

A container that holds paint when using a paint roller.
Most trays have ribbed bottoms to remove excess paint from a roller cover after filling it.
Ladder-lock legs permit them to snap onto a stepladder.
A good quality tray can last indefinitely if cleaned after each use.
Plastic tray liners are also available.
Some trays features a lid that closes and seals paint, roller or brush inside the tray. This eliminates the need to clean the painting equipment after each use. It also saves paint.

Paint Bucket

Rectangular plastic bucket used for painting.
Common sizes range from 1 to 5 gallons.
Can be equipped with accessories such as a bucket grid or screen to help clean paint from brushes and rollers when in use.
Generally has a handle for easy carrying.
Some buckets feature a lid that closes and seals paint, roller or brush inside the tray.

Bucket Grid

Placed in bucket to remove excess paint from applicators before applying to surface.
Generally used with smaller rollers.
Similar to a wire screen or grid in construction.
Has a flexible hanger that fastens over bucket rim.

Paint Shield

Also known as a trim guard.
Used to mask off areas not to be painted.
Used primarily in corners where wall meets ceiling or where two walls meet that are not painted the same color.

Paint Mixer

Propeller device used to mix paint.
Attaches to drills with either a ½” or 3/8” shaft, depending on model.
Also great for mixing sealers and other coatings.

Masking Tape

Also called painter’s tape, it is a general-purpose, pressure-sensitive tape used to mask off areas not intended to be painted.
Commonly colored blue for painting applications.
All-purpose tapes are increasingly being replaced by tapes designed for specific tasks, such as specific tapes designed for baseboards and trim, glass, hard-to-stick surfaces, lacquer surfaces, brick and tile and delicate surfaces.

Masking Machine

Offers automatic tape alignment for applying masking tape on trim and moldings or where wall and ceiling meet.
Useful when a lot of masking is required.
Contains blade for easy tearing of tape end.
Many different types and styles available

Paintbrush Comb

Used to clean paint and other coatings out of paintbrushes.
Simply run comb through paint brush filaments while running under warm water or while soaking in solvent-based cleaners for oil-based paints.

Tack Cloth

A varnish-impregnated, open-mesh cloth that picks up and holds loose dirt, lint, sand and other foreign particles adhering to wood, metal, plaster and other surfaces.
Used to clean surfaces immediately before applying each coat and between sanding.

Drop Cloth

Can be made of a variety of materials, but is usually made of plastic.
Heavy-duty, professional-quality canvas drop cloths range in weight from 4 oz. to 12 oz.
Also used to protect furniture, fixtures and floors when painting.
Available in a variety of sizes for hallways or larger, open areas.

Sandpaper

Comes in five general types, including garnet, emery, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide and alumina zirconia. Of these, the first two are natural minerals or abrasives; the others are synthetic materials that are tougher and longer wearing than the natural abrasives.
All U.S.-manufactured sandpapers conform to the same numerical system for grading coarseness. The smaller the number, the coarser the grit.
Coarseness generally runs from 12 (extra coarse) to 1500 (ultra-fine). Grit finer than 600 is usually measured on the European FEPA scale, and identified with a “P” immediately before the number.
The back of each sandpaper sheet contains important labeling information, including product and lot number, abrasive type, grit size, whether it is open or closed coat and backing. The backing weight is rated by letter. “A” is the thinnest weight, while “C” and “D” are the best options for hand sanding of wood. “X” is effective for heavy-duty sanding.
Manufactured on a variety of backings, including paper, cloth and fiber.
Garnet is a reddish-brown natural abrasive. By special heat treatment, a tougher, sturdier grain is produced. Garnet is used almost exclusively in the woodworking field; it is not suitable for use on metal.
Emery is a black natural abrasive that can polish metal surfaces. Emery is typically used in conjunction with an oil lubricant.
Aluminum oxide is the most common general abrasive. It is a synthetic brown that is hard and long-wearing. It is used on wood, metal or painted surfaces and is well suited to finishing high-tensile materials such as steels and bronzes, as well as some hardwoods.
Silicon carbide is hard and sharp—effective in sanding low-tensile materials such as cast iron, aluminum, copper or plastic. It is also useful between coats of finish.
Alumina zirconia is harder than silicon carbide and tougher than aluminum oxide. It should be used for grinding and shaping metal and wood—not for polishing.
Sandpaper comes in two styles: open coat (OC) and closed coat. “Coat” refers to how densely the grain is adhered to the surface. “Closed coat” means 100 percent of the surface is covered with grain. Open-coat sandpaper has greater spacing between the grains, which prevents it from clogging up as quickly with sanding residue. Closed-coat sandpaper, however, fills more rapidly with the substance being sanded and must be discarded sooner.
Many styles available in sheets as well as sizes for various sanding power tools.

Sanding Sponge

A sponge coated with or made of an abrasive agent.
Lasts longer than sandpaper and can take the form of the item being sanded.
Great for sanding drywall joint compound or spackling. Available in a variety of sizes and shapes for specific sanding applications.
Generally is coated on each side as well as edges.
Can be used in wet and dry sanding applications.
Simply wash clean for reuse.

Sanding Screen

Special sanding device used for sanding drywall and plaster.
This abrasive screen cloth is durable and more resistant to fill from drywall compound and plaster.
Generally comes is 4”x11” sheets in 220 grit.

Steel Wool

A popular accessory item. It should be used before painting on any glossy surface.
Uses include removing grime and sludge prior to refinishing, preparing new surfaces, removing old coatings on raw wood and for application in between coats of enamel, paint, shellac or varnish.
Also removes paint from glass, furniture, tile and other surfaces.
Comes in grades ranging from fine to coarse.
More water-based strippers and finishes have led to a man-made synthetic steel wool product. This product will not cause spotting in wood, as standard steel wool can when used with water-based finishes.
Bronze wool is a popular alternative to steel wool.