As with most things, experience and knowing the right methods make painting projects easier and more efficient. One of the keys to successful house painting is not letting paint go where it isn't supposed to. The purpose of this article is to discuss some of the best ways to protect landscapes, interior floors and furniture from paint splatters and overspray.

Painting is easier with drop cloths, and having more makes it easier for you to complete a job. House painters should keep an arsenal of drop sheets for interiors, and another smaller supply for exterior work; the latter will get dirty and you don't want to risk laying them on fine furniture inside. If you need to paint your house quickly, you will need quite a few drop cloths. It is not uncommon to need 20+ of various sizes to adequately mask an interior, and if you have more cloths, you can set up several rooms to work in, and minimize the need to move them around mid-project. The drop sheets should be laid down once in a room, then picked up once the room is finished. Drop cloths are available in many sizes, including 4 x 12, 8 x 12, and 12 x 14. Use the right size for the floor area or piece of furniture to maximize their use; avoid folding them over.

Alternatively, plastic sheeting can be used to cover furniture; they do not have the durability or practicality to be used on a floor. Sometimes it is beneficial to use clear plastic so that you can see the furniture being covered when painting indoors, as this will make it easier to navigate when painting ceilings, or if you need to move something again. Paint splatter on plastic sheeting will not absorb and dry as quickly as paint splatter on cloth sheets, so pick up the sheeting carefully after painting. Plastic can also be used to seal off doorways to contain dust from sanding.

It is more challenging to mask an exterior, as it involves dealing with wind, gardens, shrubbery, and shrubbery. You should protect flours and fragile gardens with lightweight cloth or plastic, and you may need wooden stakes to keep the plants from being damaged. Clear plastic allows you to see the plants clearly, so you can avoid damaging them. As paint splatters can travel up to 50 feet from a 2nd story working height, it may be necessary to protect both the landscape and vertical surfaces. The trick is to be mindful of the direction of wind, and lay drop cloths over critical areas, such as the driveway or stonework, rather than soil or grass. In addition to covering the roofs of bay windows, you can also secure the drop sheet with clips or strong tape, or sometimes tuck it into the metal flashing if you are painting above them. In the end, it's certainly worth taking precautions rather than having to clean roof shingles later. Get more info about House Painters West Auckland.

The surrounding area should be thoroughly masked and taped when spraying an exterior, as well as waiting for low wind conditions before spraying. In order to control overspray, a spray guard should always be used. When spraying exteriors, the painter should have a helper holding the shield. It is important to plan carefully for protecting the area and allow plenty of time for masking. If paint splatter is going to spread to a neighbor's yard, you may need to create a "cloth wall" as a barrier. A rope can be used to drape it between the building and another structure, or it can be hung from a horizontal pole, such as a flag. Since it is difficult to mask adjacent properties, spraying in the city is usually avoided.