Interior House Painting Tools
Why tips on buying interior house painting tools? Because there are many people who have never painted. Tips for when you’re getting ready to paint your house. But not sure on what interior house painting tools you should buy? I’m here with some professional tips so you know exactly what to look for when purchasing the right interior house painting tools for your project. Besides, no body wants a roller that drips paint down their walls, or to spend money on the wrong size brush.
Because there are so many questions about interior house painting and what tools are required. I’ve decided to address them in two posts.
Part 1. Which is this post, we will discuss the pit falls of purchasing faulty equipment.
Part 2. How to Paint with a Roller. Here are some professional tips on how to paint like you have been doing it forever.
Finally, if you’re anything like me, I like getting in and out of the store quickly. So, to keep things simple, at the bottom of this post I added an easy shopping list of all the house painting tools you need. You can also order through my store, link at the bottom.
Tips on Buying interior house painting tools, is your help when you need it.
Interior House Painting Tools
Although, I am going to mostly focus on interior painting, Before we start, I will briefly touch on the exterior. When you are looking to paint your exterior, it really comes down to what texture is on your wall. If it is a slated board or a rough stucco, it’s usually better to bring in a professional that has special equipment used for spraying walls.
Because it is possible to use a rough roller sleeve to paint stucco walls, you may want to do it yourself. But before you decide to do it yourself, are your walls high? Before you start, this is important, if your outside wall have a powdery residue they must be pressure cleaned first. Also if the walls are high, are you willing to go to the top of a ladder to cut the paint in?
Interior House Painting Tools
You’ll Need A Paint Roller
Roller Sleeves
Basically, there are many different roller sleeves. They come in different thicknesses and different materials. They even come in different designs for special jobs, such as painting popcorn ceilings.
Because the type of surface to be painted, will determine what type of roller sleeve you will need. While you can find many common roller sleeves in local hardware stores. For textures requiring specialty roller sleeves you may have to visit a regular paint store. The paint store should be able to help you pick out the right textured roller sleeve.
As far as interior house painting tools, a good fitting paint roller with a proper fitting 3/8 thick nap sleeve a works best for the majority of interior flat walls.
House painting tools Paint Roller Frame
Tips on buying the right house painting tools. Help when you need it.
Interior House Painting Tools
Check Roller Sleeve to Roller Frame
Many paint roller frames and paint roller sleeves do not match up.
Faulty rollers can result in paint drip damage, and streaks in the paint job. It is a very common problem that even some of the inexperienced professional painters never figure out.
Notice the gap between the roller frame and the roller sleeve in the picture. Don’t buy one like this. If you accidentally do, you can wrap tape around the frame wheel to make it work when in a pinch.
This is why you don’t but one like this, because when you have these gaps, the paint fills up on the inside of the paint sleeve. When you start to roll, the paint will run out of the ends of the roller causing drips to fall and run down the wall.
Of course, now you will spend most of your time trying to clean up paint. There goes the quality job you planned to do.
I will repeat myself here, before you buy a roller frame with the sleeve, make sure it is a proper fit. Only purchase after you have confirmed the fit.
The picture above will serve as an illustration, it shows what you don’t want to buy..
If you are painting smooth interior walls, go with the 3/8” thick nap sleeve.
Interior House Painting Tools
Buying The Right Roller Extension Pole
If you are painting walls that are under 8-feet high, I recommend a 4-foot wood pole.
These poles are light-weight and less tiring on bigger jobs.
When painting hallways, often the 4-foot pole is not your best choice. Because a 4-foot pole will likely hit the wall behind you in a 3-foot hallway.
For this reason, you’ll want to use a 2-foot wood pole for these narrower spaces.
When walls are over 10-feet high, get a metal extension pole that extends to the height you need.
I don’t recommend metal extension poles for walls 8-feet and under as they are heavier.
Don’t Forget The Roller Paint Tray
Standard size roller paint trays will work for most jobs. Though I don’t recommend pouring the paint directly into the tray. Because they are a nightmare to clean.
Instead, you can purchase plastic tray liners that fit inside the paint tray. They are relativity inexpensive. These throw away liners, mean no cleaning the paint tray.
When doing a big job with the same color, I prefer to use a bucket for my roller. Basically, you need an empty five-gallon bucket. Fill no more than half-way with paint.
You’ll also need a special wire rack meant for 5-gallon buckets to use with rollers. The wire rack hooks to the top of the bucket and hangs into the bucket.
Buying A Drop Cloth
Drop cloths come in different materials. A good one should not allow paint to penetrate through the material.
While the cheap plastic sheets are great for covering furniture, they are super light and protect well. However, because you could tear them if you walk on them. Obviously you must have a drop cloth bit stronger for the floor if you are going to stand on it.
I don’t recommend the paper sheets. Because when you spill any decent amount of paint on them, and you will. Given the fact that paint will eventually go through to the floor.
On the other hand, drop cloth in photo below will be OK.
Drop cloths only need to be 3 to 4 feet wide. You don’t need to cover a full room at one time, just a small area around where you are painting.
Larger drop cloths are only needed to cover a whole room when painting ceilings or doing spray painting work.
Plus, you don’t want a 12-foot drop cloth bunched up in a 3-foot hallway.
It is wise to always keep the roller paint tray and paint in the center of the drop cloth, to avoid accidental spills.
As you refill the roller paint tray, always wipe around the top of the paint can with your brush. Then replace the lid on the can.
Buying The Right Paint Brush
Paint brushes also come in many styles and different bristles.
You will need a good cutting brush to paint the wall where it meets the ceiling and the baseboard. That’s the area you can’t get with the roller.
I recommend a 2-inch angle brush for cutting on indoor walls. See picture.
You may find a 3 to 3.5 inch brush works best for exterior painting.
My favorite of these four is the one with the writing over top. It has nice thick bristles that hold a good amount of paint.
You’ll Need A Ladder
Even when using a roller, you will still need to reach the ceiling for cutting in the paint.
For indoors, a simple 6-foot folding ladder works fine for most rooms. However, if you have a cathedral ceiling you’ll want something higher and adjustable.
For the exterior, an extending ladder works best. Though you can do most areas of the house with the roller, you will need to reach all edges to do the cutting.
Putty Knife And Wall Filler (Optional)
This will depend on the job you are doing. You’ll need a 2-inch putty knife for two scenarios. By the way, I prefer a plastic putty knife as they tend not to leave the marks a metal knife leaves.
- If your ceiling texture overlaps onto the wall. For example, often popcorn ceilings can have a minor over-spray onto the wall.
- If you have wall repairs to make. Nail holes from pictures, things like that. You’ll also want wall filler in this scenario.
We’ll discuss using the putty knife further in How to Paint with a Roller. Part 2 to this article.
Painters Tape (Optional)
Some first time painters will also want to use painters tape, a blue tape found in hardware stores. This helps to keep paint off of frames, windows, etc.
However, personally I do not use painters tape and prefer to paint free-hand.
The tape MUST be removed before the paint is completely dry. If you remove the tape after the paint dries, it can peel the paint off the wall.
Most people also struggle to get a straight line with the tape. I’ve just never found it worth it.
Buying Quality Paint
Typically, you will not need to buy a separate sealer unless the wall has stains, such as from water damage. Also, many quality paints now contain sealers.
The quality of your paint effects the quality of your work.
Poor quality paint does not cover well and can be the cause for having to do two coats of paint. Inferior paint can result in streaks in the paint and leave a patchy appearance.
Don’t cheap out on the paint. Though, you probably don’t need to buy a super expensive paint brand either.
What you need is a quality paint that will cover well.
Cutting around the edges, the paint must blend in. This means painting the areas around the edges with a brush, where the roller doesn’t get. This is another issue with cheap paint, it just won’t cut properly and blend with the rolled areas.
It is very important that you mix the paint well, getting all the way to the bottom of the container.
Failure to mix completely can affect the appearance of your work.
Why Buy Semi-gloss Over Flat Paint
Most builders use flat paint on new homes. If it is your home, I recommend going with a semi-gloss paint, if it’s in the budget. Usually this better quality paint costs more.
The main difference between flat and semi-gloss paint is that semi-gloss cleans easily, and flat paint marks easily and does not clean well.
If you have ever taken a damp cloth to a wall and the paint easily rubbed off onto the cloth, that was flat-paint.
The Secret To A Good Paint Job
Here’s my secret to doing a neat and professional job.
One of the most important house painting tools you will need is a ½ full bucket of water with a wet facecloth.
This is a must. Drips will happen.
Just wring out the rag and wipe up spills, and drips. Don’t let the paint dry.
It is important to keep the rag rinsed out to keep it clean.
Mastering how to use the paint roller. Video
How to Paint with a Roller. Post
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I wish you well in your painting journey and hope you found this article useful. Here’s a quick list summary of all the house painting tools you need to get going.
Shopping List For Buying The Right House Painting Tools
- Paint Roller Sleeves (1 per color and per day)
- Roller Frame
- Roller Extensions (as needed)
- Paint Roller Tray
- Paint Roller Tray Liners (1 per color and per day)
- Drop Cloth
- 2-inch Cutting Paint Brush (3 – 3.5 inch for exterior)
- Ladder
- Good Quality Paint (and sealer if necessary)
- Cleaning cloth
- Putty Knife (optional)
- Wall patching paste (if required)
- Painters Tape (optional)
