The Home Improvement Guide

Have you been looking around your living room or bedroom lately and thinking that it’s time for a change? The economy may be down, but even when money is tight, you can still give your space a new look. Paint is a great, inexpensive option for updating a room and with these tips; you can save money when it’s time to paint a room.

• Choose higher quality tools for painting. Disposable brushes and rollers are tempting since they are cheap and won’t require cleaning. However, the poor quality of these tools will increase your project cost in other ways. Cheap rollers create uneven coverage, meaning that more coats of paint are required. Cheap brushes have bristles that pop out in various spots, making them harder to trim with. Trimming takes longer, is more frustrating, and will require tape or other tools to get crisp, clean edges. Also, when you choose the better tools, you will already have them on hand the next time you want to paint, saving you money down the road.
• Have the right tools for cleaning the brushes and rollers. These cleaning tools are not expensive, will last for years to come, and will keep your nicer rollers and brushes in top condition. A paint brush spinner is used to dry brushes and rollers after you clean them. This will prevent the bristles or nap from stiffening up and damaging the tool. A brush comb is ideal for cleaning paint out of your brushes completely. While these tools will cost a little extra money initially, they will more than pay for themselves over time.
• Save money on taping. When you purchase the higher quality brush, edging becomes easier. You will be able to hand edge ceilings, windows and baseboards without having to spend money or waste time on taping.
• Should you still require a straight edge, use a dustpan. A clean dustpan with a crisp, undamaged edge can make a great tool for achieving straight lines along ceilings, baseboards, and windows. Simply hold the dustpan in place next to the surface you are painting with one hand and paint with the other. Use a baby wipe to wipe extra paint off the edge occasionally.
• Spend the money for better paint. Like the tools, cheap paint is tempting because it appears to cost less money. However, cheap paint is also usually thinner and will require more coats. When making your paint selection, read the directions to see what the coverage is and purchase the one that will offer more coverage for the money.
• Only buy the paint that you need. Leftover paint from a room is typically never used. Take the time to measure the walls of your room. Check the square footage coverage on the can and only purchase what you will need.

Now that you have some tips to save money on your next painting project, the final step is to check the Sunday flyers! Different companies run sales, or offer rebates. Take advantage of these deals to save even so you can enjoy saving money when needing to paint a room.