Painter's Drop Cloths -- Any Favorite sources?

[paredown]

Not exactly a tool, but I thought the handy guys here might have opinions.

As a favor, I'm likely to be painting a friend's house interior. It has been converted to open plan, so I have a large area where I need to paint the ceiling and don't want to be moving cloths as I go.

My current collection of well-used, and sometimes torn drop cloths is inadequate. I have one good (heavy weight; almost dimpled texture) drop cloth that I picked up years ago at Costco that is my favorite, but have not seen anything that good since. (Most of my other ones are those lightweight yellowish crinkly cotton ones that are pretty thin.)

Anyone have favorites? Not expensive is also a bonus!

 

[GaryM909]

My wife gave me a couple flat bed sheets that she didn't like. I have used them to cover floors or furniture and they worked well. I have never used anything else so I can't compare them to others.

 

[dogdog]

HF have few variety of painter covers in different width and length. So pay attention to the size when you buy

 

[RTM]

The few times I paint, I use plastic disposable from Ace. I have no idea where my painter gets his. Did I mention I hate to paint?

 

[four.cycle]

As I recall, the 9 foot x 12 foot canvas drop I bought when I was 21 was about $50.00. (My rent was $135 a month for a two-bedroom apartment.)
I am still using it 50 years later.
It's painted a lot of houses with me.

Plastic sheeting is a waste of time and money and a pain in the *** to deal with.

I use a LOT of masking tape and newspaper around the edges. The drop follows me around the job.

It's an investment, like a good tool. Be careful to NOT let it get mildewed. Make sure it's dry before folding it up. Mine's been soaked with so much copper napthanate it will probably last until the next ice age.

YMMV

 

[shakenfake]

Goodwill bed sheets.

 

[four.cycle]

^ Latex paint will go right through a cotton bed sheet.

 

[lardy1]

I bought several at Home Cheapo several years ago that have held up very well. Likely Chinese considering where I got them.

 

[Buckaroo5]

I bought a few canvas drop cloths from Zoro a few years ago. Durable and heavy. They were a good price with a coupon code. I also use the 3M M3000 Tape/Film Dispenser. Does a great job and speeds up required masking on doors. windows, baseboards.

 

[four.cycle]

^ I haven't priced any lately. I bought a good one. And it has "lasted a lifetime".

 

[Stelzer]

Is the large open area you're covering carpet, wood, tile, or other? If it's a hard surface, red rosin paper or some other 36"-48" floor paper with maybe Trimaco Xboard or Ram Board around the perimeter. If carpet, butyl backed drops are the only guaranteed paint-proof choice, (other than 6 mil plastic, but that's way too slippery), but butyl drops are expensive.

In the past few years, we've replenished some of our stock by purchasing about 30 of the bigger drops online from Painters Solutions and 20-30 runners from Amazon, both of which are hit and miss as far as good deals. Trimaco Eliminator drops are good though. Triple coated butyl drops are even better.

If you're comparing 2 different drops to decide which to get, compare the weight and construction materials.

 

[Nutria]

Canvas, and only canvas, for me. If you go to sales, they show up fairly frequently and are almost always inexpensive.

 

[pcmeiners]

Have a couple old canvas drops purchased in the 80's (12oz), but I also have 3 dozen heavy weight moving blankets from my last move 3 years ago.

 

[PossumDog]

I have several canvas ones from harbor freight. The hallway size is about 4ft wide but long. Then there's the larger rectangular ones, I rarely need more than two for a room. If I'm really paranoid about not covering the outside edges well, I'll use the scotch masking tape/plastic sheet to cover the 24" at the perimeter and then put canvas over them.

They hold up well. I use them for other purposes also. I wash and dry them frequently and they don't fall apart.

 

[Hilltopmasonry]

My last batch I bought from big lots, not sure if that’s still an option or not since it’s been a few years

Home Depot is pricy

Mine are all torn up so I’m going to start looking for them again

 

[Poodlehead]

FWIW - I gave my painting buddy old curtains from the living room that are fairly thick. He really likes using those as a drop...