So this summer I decided to paint our house. It has been a combination of brick, yellow, and and faded brown trim...you can't do much about the brick, so the other two have needed work for awhile. Instead of getting a power sprayer, I am using only brushes. We are doing some other projects that we are having to pay people for, so I decided to do this myself. Here, about a third of a way through the project, are some thoughts about painting my house.
1)Brushes matter. Don't buy the cheap brushes, because they suck. Spend a few extra dollars for some good ones.
2)The concept of a trim color adds about another 50% time needed for a project. Do one color, and it doesn't matter when a misplaced brushstroke touches an edge. Do two colors, and that misplaced stoke makes me want to curse.
3)I've got about 4 hours of good painting in me a day, broken down into two segments of two hours. If I keep pushing on, my strokes get sloppy. Enough is enough.
4)The whole project is taking a lot longer than I thought it would.
5)Painting is not hard work, but it requires a lot of concentration. Having to watch the kids at the same time doesn't work.
6)Rough wood requires the most paint but needs less touch-up. Smooth surfaces paint easier, but usually need a second coat.
7)Finding the proper placement for ladders over shrubs and bushes is vital to not messing up your back and not having to strain to get that one little spot.
8)Why on earth would anybody have painted this house yellow? C'mon now.
9)I need a taller ladder, but thankfully I have friends who can loan me one.
10)It's the trim and the little areas around windows that take the most time. Big patches of wall are easy. It's the little things that take the most time.
