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Painting and Finishing - Page 36 of 41

At its most fundamental level, painting hasn’t changed much in the last century. The painter uses a simple tool — basically a stick with some animal hair attached to one end — to spread a liquid finish over the target surface. That’s still true for many homeowners who do their own painting. Pros, however, may use spray equipment instead of a brush, and the paints and stains available today are sophisticated blends of waterborne pigments and binders rather than lead-based formulations. In other words, painting is deceptively simple: It sort of looks like what Gramps might have done, except it isn’t.

However you tackle it, painting consists of a few well-defined steps: paint and equipment selection, surface prep, application, and cleanup. The basics should be fairly easy to master. If the surface is carefully prepped (paint really doesn’t hide much) and the paint is carefully applied, the result should be everything you expect.

Where Fine Homebuilding’s experienced pros can help is with what’s not so obvious. How, for example, do you refinish that once-beautiful, and expensive, entry door with hand-mixed stain and a new coat of varnish? How do you restore your hardwood floors so they glow again? Is spray equipment something that’s worth renting?

Painting, whether it’s indoors or out, is a powerful home decorating tool. Finishes also preserve and protect metal, wood, and other materials exposed to weather and sunlight.  Not everyone is destined to become a world-class painter or finisher, and you may very well want to call a professional. But going beyond the basics is well worth the effort.

  • Painting Window Sash

    Standing sashes up and painting only two edges at a time minimizes the mess.

  • Choosing, Using, and Maintaining Paintbrushes

    The right brush for the job and the right technique can make painting go more quickly and give you a better-looking paint job.

  • Stains from siding nails

    Q: Our 1939 house is sided with 1x8 cedar siding painted white. The siding was attached with box nails. Unfortunately, those nails were not galvanized, and the heads show through the…

  • Why Exterior Finishes Fail

    Government scientists explain why paint cracks, blisters and peels on your house, and how you can prevent it.

  • All that glitters …

    Q: My house has glitter on the ceilings that I’ve grown to like a lot. However, the ceilings are heavily textured and I want to repaint them. If I do, how…

  • Using old oil paint as primer

    Q: I bought some oil-based paint a few years ago and never used it. Now, having sandblasted my siding, I’d like to use an all-acrylic paint instead because it’s supposed…

  • Painting aluminum storm windows

    Q: I am re-siding and painting my house. My windows are all fitted with storm windows and screens that are housed in unpainted aluminum channels. I would like to paint…

  • Standout drywall touch-ups

    No matter how good your drywall-taping skills are, chances are you'll find a missed dimple or two in the final sanding. I used to circle the dimples with a pencil, touch…

  • Free tarps

    The wraps used to protect various kinds of materials, such as siding or glulams, at lumberyards make excellent tarps. You can use them to protect landscaping, rooms getting a paint…

  • Spray-paint protection

    Here's a tip from a professional painter. When you spray any type of enamel, cover as much of your body as you can with clothing. Then cover any exposed skin…

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Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 333 - August/September 2025
    • A Practical Perfect Wall
    • Landscape Lighting Essentials
    • Repairing a Modern Window Sash
  • Issue 332 - July 2025
    • Custom Built-ins With Job-Site Tools
    • Fight House Fires Through Design
    • Making the Move to Multifamily
  • Issue 331 - June 2025
    • A More Resilient Roof
    • Tool Test: You Need a Drywall Sander
    • Ducted vs. Ductless Heat Pumps
  • Issue 330 - April/May 2025
    • Deck Details for Durability
    • FAQs on HPWHs
    • 10 Tips for a Long-Lasting Paint Job
  • Issue 329 - Feb/Mar 2025
    • Smart Foundation for a Small Addition
    • A Kominka Comes West
    • Making Small Kitchens Work

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