10 Tools You Need To Paint Your Home | Buco

Finding the colour is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to repainting your home. In this article, we will look at ten handy tools you need to make sure painting your house a pleasure.

A multi-purpose painter’s tool is essential for the rounds of prep work that you have to do before even thinking of painting. The DIY and painters friend, the multitool can perform a plethora of tasks including cutting, sanding, scraping and the removing grout.

It might seem like a no-brainer, but ladders sure come in handy, and in different shapes and sizes. Let’s dive into some of the more popular options you have and what they’re used for, so you know which ladder suits your needs.

Step ladders

Step ladders range up to 6 meters in height and are nonadjustable. They have a hinged design that opens two self-supporting sides, one of which has flat steps for climbing. Most step ladders come with a horizontal platform near the top step which can be used to place your paint can or tools on.

Straight ladders

Straight ladders can reach up to 9 meters and should be propped at a 75- degree angle against a stable structure. If you’re trying to paint the roof eaves, you’ll want the ladder to extend 30 - 90 centimetres above the roof.

Extension ladders

Extension ladders are similar to straight ladders except they consist of two sections that can be extended, making it reach up to 18 meters in height. If you think that’s impressive, a three-section ladder can go as high as 21 meters! A paint shelf can be purchased separately or made as an accessory.

It’s quite possible that as your home gets prepared for a shiny new coat of paint, your landscaping ends up in a dull, lifeless state thanks to the chemicals coming off the walls. You can avoid this by protecting your greenery.

Before scraping excess paint or using a pressure washer, cover trees, plants, grass, and shrubs with plastic sheeting or drop-sheets because they allow water to run through, while still catching paint chips. They’re also less likely to rip. It’s a good idea to use only water during a high-pressure wash because chemicals can easily kill plants and grass.

Ensuring the longevity of your home’s paint starts with the right preparation, it’s also the perfect time to do some routine maintenance.

Firstly, you’ll need to clean the surface of the exterior walls. You can do this by using a high-pressure washer – just keep in mind that a high-pressure washer isn’t the best option when painting wood. Rather use a garden hose when cleaning wooden surfaces.

For other materials like painted siding or masonry, the washer works just fine. In fact, it can even help you remove old paint quicker and easier.

Once the surface is dry, use a stiff wire brush or scraper to remove loose paint. For wood surfaces, a handheld sander will do just the trick.

Caulking up holes in your exterior walls is an important step in the pre-painting process. With this in mind, it’s important to choose the right caulk gun. There are 3 main types:

Manual

Manual caulking guns require you to push a plunger and pull a trigger. They may be cheap, but they can be really messy if you don’t know what you’re doing. Your best bet is to find a manual gun that has a smooth rod which offers more control than its ratcheted counterpart.

Battery-operated

Battery-operated caulk guns can range from affordable to very, very expensive. For your purposes, a low-end battery-powered model should suffice.

Pneumatic

Pneumatic caulking guns are the most expensive option. As the name suggests, this tool connects to an air compressor and is easier to control and activate than the other models. Of course, unless you’re a professional contractor, you probably don’t need one.

Whichever type of caulk gun you choose, it takes a little practice to squeeze a consistent amount of caulk. Ideally you’ll want a thin bead of caulk around windows, doors and chimneys before the surfaces are covered with primer or paint.

Instead of lugging around a full paint can (and waiting for a disaster to happen), try a more moderate approach. Pour a small amount of paint into a clean, empty can or bucket and carry it to your painting spot. This will be much easier to handle when you need to climb a ladder, will keep you from wasting paint and, if something goes wrong, the spill won’t be such a big pain to clean up. Another cool feature is that once you’re done using the can for the day, you can cover it with plastic wrap and replace the lid. This will keep the paint fresh overnight.

After putting so much elbow-grease into getting your home ready for its new coat of paint, it’s time to get painting – with the right paintbrush. 

There are two main types: natural bristle and synthetic bristle.

Natural bristle

These brushes are often made from animal hair, including black or white hog hair, and have a soft texture for fine finishes. Natural bristles can hold a lot of oil-based paint without absorbing it.

While a natural bristle brush is good for applying a coat of primer or oil- based paint, it isn’t your best choice if you’re using water- based paint. This is because it will absorb up to 40% of its own weight in water, making the brush too soft to paint properly.

Synthetic bristle

Synthetic brushes are your go-to brushes if you’re using water-based paint. These brushes don’t wear out easily or absorb any water from the paint. Look out for a 10cm straight bristled brush and a 4cm angled brush. The former will be used to cover large areas, while the latter will work well in small spaces such as corners and near the trim.

In addition to the right paintbrush, you need the right paint roller. Rollers allow you to work faster than with brushes alone.

Dampen the roller before dipping it into the paint. This will cause it to absorb less and limit wastage. If you’re working with water-based paint, wet the roller with water. For oil-based paint, skim the roller through paint thinner and use a 15-in-1 tool to remove any excess paint.

To keep rollers from drying out between coats, cover them in plastic wrap or place them in a plastic bag. If you’re storing them overnight, put them in the fridge. Not only will you save time by not having to clean them, but they’ll be ready to go when you need to use them.

A roller screen is essentially a metal grate that fits vertically into your paint bucket and is a handy way to get rid of excess paint or your roller, rather than having it drip everywhere. After you dip the roller into paint, run it across the surface until the paint evenly covers the roller.

Another useful – and more common – device is a roller tray – especially if you’re working on a step ladder. This sloped and ribbed tray is used to load paint onto a roller. It has a shallow well at one end for holding paint. The tray can be placed on the step ladder to prevent you from having to climb down every time you need more paint.

The hazards of painting are not commonly considered when planning a makeover or routine home maintenance, and it’s not only those prone to respiratory allergies that need to take heed! Apart from dust particles produced by prepping walls through scraping and sanding, both water- and oil based paints contain solvents and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that get released as the paint dries. These airborne particles can lead to hay fever and exacerbate asthma and sinusitis. Some people may also experience allergic reactions to skin contact with paint and solvents.

So, when painting take proper care of your health by wearing protective gear and ensuring that the space is well ventilated.

Get painting!
Now that you know all about the10 essential tools you  need when repainting your house, there’s no reason to wait! If however, you need expert advise visit your nearest BUCO and speak to one of our in-store experts – find your nearest BUCO store.

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