Clean paint tray

[niki]

Good day

I think that most of you know this trick but for those that does not know yet...

When I bought my house in Poland, the walls were "naked", I mean, ready for painting (according to the contract), I had to paint it 3 times to get good finish.

After I got tired of washing the tray, I took one of those big plastic shopping bags (you can use any plastic sheet), put the tray inside, fold it and sticked some masking tape on the bottom and went to work.
At the end of the day, I just removed the plastic bag and put new one for the next day.

Regards
niki

[crokett]

Good idea. However I think the best tip I ever got for painting came from an interior decorater friend of mine. Get a screen that goes in a 5 gal bucket. You can hang it from ladders, carry it around etc. And you don't step in it. Plus if you have multiple cans of same color paint you can mix and paint right from your bucket. At the end of the day put the lid on and spray the screen off.

[Pappy]

Another trick that works for paint pans is the "Press and Seal" plastic wrap.

[niki]

Thank you

David
The ceilings in Poland are 8'-3" high (cold country) so its easier to work from ground level with extension rod connected to the roller.
In case of brushing you are correct, but usually I used brush (or small roller) to paint at the corners were the big roller cannot reach.

From life experience, I'm painting all the walls in white, if it's colored and you hang some picture, mirror etc, once you want to move or remove them, you have a problem matching the same color.

Don
I know what you mean, we don't have them here.

[Deadhead]

Good idea. I could have used it about a month ago when I started painting a rental house (almost finished).
Do you have trouble with the bag sticking to the roller? Or do you have to keep enough paint in the tray to prevent that?

[niki]

Thanks Deadhead

I've never left the roller for overnight in the tray, everyday I was changing the bag and washing the roller or at least immerse it in a bucket with water.

niki

[SARGE..g-47]

Considering I love to paint (I know.. I know.. ha.. ha...), I will throw another related tip out. Those "flimsy" looking thin plastic paint trays at Home Depot or Lowe's for around $.67 apiece weren't designed to be "stand alone". They are roller tray liners. Just drop one in the permanent tray. lift it out and chunk it in a plastic garbage sack when done..

Regards...

[LarryG]

I saw an expansion of Niki's idea on one of the Honey-Do Network's shows. At the end of the work day, with still more painting to be done the next day using the same color, rather than cleaning up the roller they just turned the bag inside out around it, paint and all, and sealed it up around the roller's handle. Next morning, they put a new bag in the tray, opened up yesterday's bag, took out the roller, and poured the remaining paint into the tray. Gave me one of those "Well, duh!" moments that we all experience from time to time.

[lcm1947]

Neat ideas. Thanks.

[scorrpio]

I usually just bought those 60 cent disposable plastic liners. In the overall scheme of things, they are hardly an expense.

However, some time ago, I was about to paint something and discovered that I was out of liners. But I had a couple still sitting in the trays from a previous paint job. I picked one up, and noticed that as it bent, paint in one corner simply unstuck. I pulled at it, and in about two seconds, in one hand I was holding a latex 'skin', and in the other - a perfectly clean liner. Another liner I had peeled just as easy.

[Hellrazor]

I bet my paint tray trick is the best... I avoid painting

[Stormbringer]

Do you have trouble with the bag sticking to the roller? Or do you have to keep enough paint in the tray to prevent that?

I've never left the roller for overnight in the tray, everyday I was changing the bag and washing the roller or at least immerse it in a bucket with water.

niki

niki, I think he meant while you were using it. I was wondering that too...if the bag stuck to the roller as you removed it from the paint tray or do you load the tray so much that the weight of the paint holds the bag down? I was in a jamb last week and needed a clean tray in a pinch and lined a still semi-wet one of a different color with some plastic wrap. The plastic was sticking to the roller, I got the colors mixed, there were drips....It wasn't a pleasent experience. Good thing the wife was there so I could blame her

[niki]

Sorry I did not understand.

Now that you mentioned it I recall that when the tray was almost empty, the roller was sticking to the bag and when I noticed it I re-filled the tray.

niki

[Cheeky]

i have plastic wrap that's about twice as wide as the paint tray, so when I need an extended break, i put the wrap directly on top of the paint in the tray. that way, you are minimizing the air movement.

then i'll put it in a bag.

but those .48 cent liners at Wal-Mart (hate the place but good deals on some paint accessories) do the trick.

[dlminehart]

Another helpful tip: if you're waiting for the paint to dry before doing another coat, don't bother washing out the brush or roller. Put it in a plastic bag and stick it in the refrigerator. If the bag is reasonably well closed, the brush or roller can stay in there for at least a full day without drying out and without making all your food smell like latex.

You can keep it longer in the freezer, I suppose, but that requires some thawing and might somehow affect the small amount of paint still on the tool. I've had occasion to use the freezer a couple times with no ill effect.