First, words of caution: the dream of painting is just that -- a dream. It has realistic qualities, for sure. But the morning reality (or the morning daylight that streams into the window on that newly painted bedroom wall) can be far different (and a far different color) from the dream.
Next, a few tips I missed with my first go-round:
- All rollers are NOT created equal, and the ones for bumpy walls really DO only make it through one coat.
- No one ever mentions taping in its proper context. People should say, "I'm TAPING my bedroom, then eventually I will paint it, I hope."
- Three-year-olds CANNOT sit on a chair in the room with the painter and quietly watch the painting proceed. (I know that should have been obvious from the beginning, but we were optimistic)
- "April Love" and "Sugar and Spice" look much different-- and sadly, better and lighter-- on the swatch, and even on the two feet of "test" paint than they do when they cover an entire room.
- Plastic disposable drop clothes are tantalizing toys for 11-month-olds, but they fall into the same category as those suffocating grocery bags and should not be a source of baby entertainment. (No, our baby didn't almost suffocate, but I sure had to keep pulling the drop cloth away from him!)
- Another note on plastic disposable drop clothes; they do not stay down with painting tape very well, and they don't cover a large bedroom very well unless you tape several together.
- That special blue tape they use for painting actually leaks paint colors in tiny little bumps where you don't want it, especially if you don't untape it right away (which is problematic when you have to do several coats to paint over that "neutral" dark beige)
- Stencils and sponge stamps don't work very well on bumpy walls.
- One gallon is NOT enough for two coats in a large bedroom. And if you're covering that "neutral" you WILL definitely need TWO coats.
- When matching paint colors to go with a room, pick colors that go well with the existing trim color, so as to avoid painting over the even-darker beige "neutral" trim.
- Don't leave any paint within reach of 11-month-olds. They WILL find it, and it WILL spill, and those pajamas WILL be paint-soaked. Not to mention that lovely make-shift taped-up disposable drop cloth will need to be cleaned and repaired or discarded altogether.
- Trim ALSO requires two coats of paint because that darker beige "neutral" is even DARKER than one might have thought to begin with.
- Those clever "neutral" window casings that matched that darker "neutral" trim will NOT match the white trim color that goes on the windows, doors and base boards. This may look slightly tacky and will require special curtains for covering the obvious color differences. (But it would be more tacky to paint the plastic window casings, wouldn't it?)
- Poor, sympathetic husbands will be dragged into the whole mess whether they like it or not.
- Even if that make-shift drop cloth rips apart AGAIN, it will still be mildly amusing and cute to watch the "trying-to-be-still" three-year-old pretend to be a bear, and a ballerina, and a choir director... all from her little chair.
- The end result might be worth it.
I'll tell you how it turns out, when I actually REACH the end!! Two days into this, over 10 hours invested (not including the 10 hours of interruptions), and we still have a couple more coats to do on the trim, and a board around our boarder to tie it all together. This is Sammie's room (if you couldn't tell). We've done two shade of pink... one the color of bubble gum, the other the color of pepto bismol -- not what I had planned, but it sure is girly pink! I'll put up some pictures at some point. This is only the first of four different paint plans... we'll see if we actually attempt another go-round!! Just had to shout out to somebody (so poor Brian can catch a break!) Wish me luck!
7 comments:
Hey, Your post was on top!!! So...I should never paint. Got it. I hope it turns out. Maybe next time, you could just drag dad into it by having him take the kids elsewhere. Oh, and a tip I learned about the tape was if you were doing a stripe, paint the color you want the "underneath the tape" to be ON the tape. If that makes sense. Let it dry, then paint so if the tape has some color on it, it won't get through the painted tape. anyway, good luck.
I've been there. I've done that. I've got the t-shirt. I have 3 paint projects that still lack either a huge part or a small part before they're finished. And I agree, painting should be called taping with a bit of painting in between. Good luck, you WILL think it worth it in the end.
Kam that had me laughing all the way through! I think anyone who has painted (especially with small children on the loose) can relate. Although I must say it sounds like you had a particularly rough go around. That was so funny! Sorry, it's probably not funny to you. Let me take Sam while you paint! I am serious!! I'll call you on Monday and come get her (or whatever day you are painting) Brecken would LOVE that!
So we've painted a few times, unfortunatly never fun colors, but we have had to cover stuff. So here's what I have learned.
#1- From our experience, painting is best accomplished with a sleepover at Grandma and Grandpa's. I mean the kids, not you. :) You drop them off about dinnertime with their happy meals, unless Grandma wants to feed them. Grab something for you to eat on the way home, paint until it's done and then go to bed, with nothing planned for the next day except picking up your slightly spoiled children who could not be happier from their slightly exhausted Grandparents who also could not be happier.
#2- Newspaper with regular old 2 inch wide masking tape really does work best for taping edges. Then you lay the plastic drop cloth over the middle of the room and tape it to the newspapers.
#3- When it comes to covering stuff (even that "neutral" beige that could not be any less hard to cover than red) "Kilz" is awesome. It's a special primer that covers almost anything with one coat. Totally worth the little extra money especially when it comes to the time saved. You can even tint it a little to make the color you are actually doing go on better, especially if it is a bright color, dark you'll need two or three coats no matter what. (For example, you would have tinted it a light pink to go under the bright pink in Sammie's room, so then you would probably just need one coat of the pink).
I hope this is helpful, and not too know-it-all sounding. When it comes to doing fun stuff, I'm pretty clueless, but covering stuff up, that we've done!
Holy cow, Kamber! That sounds like quite a project. . . I'm quite intrigued to see the finished product! I myself have taken on many painting projects, luckily all have been without the "help" of small projects, so I can definitely sympathize with you on the many coats to cover up the old paint. yuck!
My dear daughter---I'm sorry I failed to teach you one GREAT lesson regarding painting......Find an extra hundred dollars and PAY someone who LOVES to paint, to paint your room for you!! \
But if you still insist on trying it yourself---be thankful for all those good hints from Melissa---and for heaven sakes----take Reni up on her "Sammie-watching" suggestion!! Good Luck, Babe. (I'm glad I'm going to be on the Oregon Coast---having a fun vacation with my sisters---so that I don't have to feel "obligated" to come join you in your misery!!) :) (Just kidding!) Love, Mom
Sis, what a fun blog to read! heh, I loved the instructions / disclaimers about 3 year olds and 11 month olds. i.e.
"it will still be mildly amusing and cute to watch the "trying-to-be-still" three-year-old pretend to be a bear, and a ballerina, and a choir director... all from her little chair."
hehe, very funny.
love ya!
Wade -out.
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