Life is hectic. Finding the time to do some painting isn’t easy for a lot of people. Even smaller jobs like painting patio tiles or garden furniture, exterior jobs that don’t require you to clear out a room for a couple of days, can take too long for the busiest among us.
If your free time is at a premium, there are still ways to get your painting done. Whether you’re a landlord who needs to get a property ready for your next tenant, or a homeowner whose surfaces are long overdue a freshen-up, we’re going to explain how you can maximise your time.
Fastest-Drying Paints
Any painting project requires drying time. As many paints need multiple layers, this time adds up quickly and is the reason why painting walls, floors, stairs, and other interior surfaces take days to complete, even though you’re only painting for a few hours total.
To minimize this, you can choose a paint that dries quickly. Water-based paints dry noticeably faster than oil-based paints, as the water in their compound evaporates when in open air. This is why emulsion paint is so popular for interior walls, as it is a water-based compound that dries quickly.
Oil-based paints are thicker, taking longer to dry. They also produce strong odours, and some potentially harmful VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) which make some people avoid them for interior painting. But they’re not all bad, if those factors aren’t an issue the toughness of oil-based paints make them better for commercial painting and industrial painting, or for any surfaces that suffer a lot of wear and tear like doors, window frames, and skirting boards.
The number of layers you need is also a factor. Although water-based paints dry faster, they do need multiple layers (2-3 as a rule) to look their best, whereas oil-based paints need fewer, sometimes only one. There’s also primer, a layer of which is a vital part of the painting process if you want the best results.
All types of paint have their advantages and disadvantages. Often the best choice for you depends on your specific requirements. If you only have a few hours free, a single coat of paint might be ideal. If you have longer, you have more options but can still choose a quick-drying paint for convenience.
The Best Painting Accessories for Quick Jobs
No matter which type of paint you choose, having the right tools at your disposal is just as important. If you’ve splashed out on high quality paint but have dug out an old brush from your shed, with half its bristles stuck together, you won’t get the results you need.
Painting with a bad brush or clumpy roller is like writing with a pen that’s running low on ink. The frustration of having to paint over streaky lines, clean up drips, or top up with more paint constantly adds up. And the more annoyed you are at your painting accessories, the more time it will take overall.
In terms of which tools are best for speed, we recommend using a roller for large, flat areas, and a brush for the fiddly bits. A quality roller, like the ones we provide, hold a lot of paint and guarantee an even finish – fewer trips to the tray save a tonne of time!
You don’t necessarily need to buy a new pack of paintbrushes or rollers for every new project. Quality painting tools are built to last, and you can maximise this by taking care of them. If you’re using a water-based paint and/or primer, cleaning your brushes and rollers with soap and water should do the trick. For oil-based paints, you’ll need something stronger like white spirit. This varies from paint to paint, check the manufacturer’s instructions for what they recommend.
Rollers aren’t designed to last as long as brushes. After a few uses even the best will become lumpy or refuse to hold as much paint. This is why it’s best to buy a pack of rollers, so you can just swap out the sponge for a fresh one without needing a new handle. This keeps things running smoothly if your roller starts to let you down halfway through the job.
Using the Right Painting Techniques
If you’re trying to finish your painting as quickly as you can, it’s easy to cut corners or make mistakes. Doing it properly might only add an hour or less to the job, but the results will last for years. If you skipped a layer or painted too quickly, you’ll be stuck with a thin or streaky finish until you redo it. This is why it’s so important to set enough time aside.
One of the most important techniques in painting is ‘cutting in’. This allows you to use both a paintbrush for the edges and a roller for the open areas, without it looking obvious that you changed tool. If you pair this with using masking tape along the edges, you get those professional sharp lines that look great.
Of course, professional painters work much faster than beginners because of their experience. If you only have a small window to paint, and plenty of budget, it might be worth bringing in the professionals. We supply paint for both tradespeople and domestic painters, which always help you get the best results possible.
The UKs Most Trusted Paint Supplier
If you need to get your painting done quickly, it helps when you have the best paint, the best painting accessories, and the confidence to get the job done properly.
No matter what you need, trust Paintmaster to provide it. We supply all types of paint, in small quantities for use at home all the way up to large barrels for those big professional jobs. We also have paintbrushes, rollers, primer, and even masking tape, so you can order everything you need in one place. When you’re well prepared, you’ll fly through your project, and we hope the results are everything you imagined you would be.
If you have any questions about us or any of our products, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you!