Painting

• Advice for exterior painting:
  
  Scrape and wire brush your surfaces. Don't think you can just seal the old paint in. If it's loose - even just a little - it needs to come off.
  
  Use a healthy drop cloth. By healthy I mean one that isn't going to rip and certainly not made of nonabsorbent plastic (oh no). Get a big one and toss that bad boy between you and anything that doesn't want to get painted.
  
  Have an absorbent rag handy. You'll need it.
  
  Use latex only. You are not qualified to use oil based paints. No - you're not. Trust me.
  
  Don't paint from the can. The can is awkward and not ideal for the purpose. Get a lightweight container well suited for the purpose - one that you can easily handle. Fill it to 1/3 only. That's it.
  
  Use a brush with angled bristles. This will help you cut along lines more carefully.
  
  When painting, dab trouble spots first and then: load that brush tip with paint. Don't be a wussy. Get some paint up there. The paint should not be dripping from the brush, but almost. Let your first few contacts with the surface deposit the most paint and then work it with your strokes. Yeaaaa... there you go. Nice!
  
  
  Painting can be quite fun. Fun for a couple of hours on day number one. Anything beyond that starts to be not fun. I suggest that unless it is a reasonably small project or if you are bored and have nothing else to do. Hire someone to paint.
  
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