Painting DIY tips: What do you need?

1. Paint
Determine how much paints you need to avoid wastage. If you have no idea about it, you can try the paint calculator by ICI Dulux.

2. Sandpaper and sanding block
Use sanding block to wrap sandpaper around for easy smoothing of uneven surfaces. Make sure that all surfaces are smooth to produce a better painting work later.

3. Masking tape
The tape is to protect light switches, sockets and difficult areas from accidental splashes.

4. Cover
Use either plastic sheets or old newspapers to protect floors or furniture.

5. Scrapper
The scrapper is required to remove old peeling paint from the surface. Other than that, it may be used to fill putty into cracks or holes.

6. Cleaning rags
For cleaning up walls and wipe out splatters and spills. It is advisable to use cloth drop cloths as it absorbs paint better.
Note: Do clean spills immediately as you might step on them and track paint!

7. Paint brushes
There are various sizes of brushes and rollers for different surfaces or purposes. A quality brush makes it easier to apply paint evenly and accurately. Use a one to two inch, high quality, nylon/polyester, angled brush because they can be used for all coatings, hold paint better and provide better brush control. For more information, please check with ICI Dulux paint specialist.

8. Roller tray
This is for containing the paint and draining the roller. You can always line your roller tray with an aluminium foil to save clean up time. After the painting works, remove the foil and throw it away. This will leave back little or no cleaning work to do.

9. Roller sleeves
Different sleeves are used for different colours. It is advisable to use rollers on flat surface such as walls. The rougher your painting surface is, the thicker your roller sleeve should be.

10. Appropriate filler wall putty
The putty is used to patch up cracks or holes in walls before sanding painting surface to smooth finish.

11. Container
Get a few containers to soak brushes, rollers and to hold other items.

12. Extension pole and ladder
Both the tools are used to reach higher areas of the walls and ceilings.

13. Turpentine
It is used for quick clean ups of oil based paint.

14. Protective gears
Caps, masks and gloves may be used to protect hair and hands from any paint splatter.