“What Your Painter Isn’t Telling You”

Follow this painting principal for striking results.

Most articles either treat people like their stupid and over simplify the process or skip important information because they risk offending their readers, or both. I hope to do neither, but to give you the details you need, mostly based on my observations of what inexperienced people do when they paint. I have only seen this mentioned a few times in consumer oriented painting articles. This is the “golden rule” in painting. When you follow this principal your results will improve dramatically. It ain’t rocket science, but there are some implications you may need to think about.

 

The principal is this: Keep A Wet Edge

Whatever edge you have needs to stay wet until you have finished that portion of that edge. The point is to prevent “lap marks”, where some of the paint has dried and it has been repainted with a second coat to make sure you get it all. It can happen in three different areas/ways. Let me break this down into an interior painting example we can all understand, painting a wall. A wall has two dimensions. It is tall and wide. It has a top, bottom and two ends. And you need a brush and a roller to paint it. Stupid simple so far.

What is the first step to painting our wall after all the prep work is done? Right. Cutting in the edges. Let’s think about the process for a second before we jump on that. The first thing that happens to paint when it is put on is that it starts to dry. So now it’s a race between you and the paint. And you are racing three edges. The top, bottom and the leading edge from your roller. So the conclusion I see is that in order to keep all three edges wet, it is going to take some hustle.

 

Do The Hustle To Keep The Edge Wet

In order to keep as much paint wet at one time as possible, the work needs to be staggered into three sections: brush, roller, brush. Mentally divide your wall up into 4′-5′ sections. Cut in either the top or bottom for that length, roll that section of the wall, then cut in the remaining top or bottom. When you are doing this last cut in, extend it to the next section and start the process again until you reach the end of the wall. No stopping, it’s not allowed.

Of course, this is a lot easier with a partner. One can roll, the other cut in. It is tempting for one to get ahead of the other, but you defeat the purpose of this technique if you do. It is close quarters but the results speak for themselves. Assuming you use good brush technique, this will eliminate the “picture frame” effect that is often seen with the first coat of paint.

Cheat A Little Wit Wetting Agents

If that seems like a lot of work, here is a way you can cheat a little. Products like Flowtrol by Flood or Paint Booster by Zinnser/Okon are called “wetting agents”. These products actually keep the paint from drying as fast and make the paint level better. Paint Booster has the added benefits of slowing fading and puts a water resistant barrier on top of the paint when it dries. They don’t make keeping a wet edge obsolete, just easier.

In the same vein, some manufacturers sell a paint ingredient called ethylene glychol. This is what gives the flow and leveling properties to the paint. Like the products mentioned above, it also keeps the paint from drying quickly. It is what the other two products are emulating. You can follow the directions to really extend the dry time or you can experiment with different ratios to get the open time you like. If you are on a really tight budget, you can use water instead on the second coat. A maximum of 25% dilution is recommended. The paint will not cover as well, but it doesn’t leave texture marks behind either.

Keeping a wet edge should be done no matter what you are painting. It always gives you better results. Next time your painter is over, ask him or her what they do to keep a wet edge. You are in good care if you get a response like “I always keep moving”.

 

To Your Better Painting,

Tim Hoeffel