Painting 4x8 panels- Lessons learned

[MushCreek]

I'm in the middle of putting a ceiling up in the shop, so I thought I'd jot down things I've learned. Some I knew most of my life; others I figured out recently. I'm painting about thirty 4x8 foam panels. I'm putting two layers on the ceiling of the shop. The first layer needs no paint, so up they go. The second layer is getting painted prior to installation, because it's hard enough trying to do a ceiling in a crowded shop without having to go back and paint it. This foam is about 2-1/2" thick, and has some kind of paper and fiberglass layer on each side. While not fully flame proof, it is hard to light. I figure by the time the flames reach the 12' ceiling in an all-wood shop, the building would be a total loss anyway. Because of the paper layer, if you just paint one side, the panels curl up like crazy, so I put one coat of paint on the back side, and two coats on the 'good' side. So- 90 panels to paint!

1) Put down a drop cloth. I don't always do this, but I always regret NOT doing it.

2) Wear disposable gloves. I find I can reuse them many times with care. Hint- dust your hands with corn starch to make them easier to put on and take off. I spent much of my life trying to scrub paint/glue/grease/etc. off my hands. Now I (almost) always wear gloves.

3) I use disposable roller pan liners. Sure beats trying to keep a metal pan clean. Using water based paint, I just hose everything off before it dries. I can get a lot of uses out of a plastic liner with care.

4) I painted several panels before I remembered that I had a nice roller extension. D'oh!

5) When I'm going to be painting all day, I just stuff the roller into a plastic bag. It will stay wet for days that way. Beats washing the roller every time, or buying a lot of new ones.

6) I had the same problem with the roller pan liners; how to keep them from drying out in between coats. It finally occurred to me to just drop another liner on top of the one in use. It keeps the paint fresh without having to pour it back into the bucket and wash out or dispose of the liner each time. I just wash both liners when I'm done for the day. Caution- they tend to stick together, so make sure you separate the top one from the one full of paint.

I'm almost done, and am still using the same roller and roller pan liners. Yes, I'm cheap/poor. Hopefully this will help someone else. If you have any other tips, add them on to this thread!

 

[tinmanwpk]

Why buy plastic roller pans that you clean? Why not just clean the stronger metal/plastic pan? Also, try freezing your rollers and brushes in your freezer. No cleaning and they are ready in the summer heat in no time.

 

[MushCreek]

I use a metal pan, but with a plastic liner. You need the metal pan, as the disposable ones are too flimsy by themselves, and the metal one hooks into the top of a step ladder. But then you have to figure out how to keep the paint from drying in the metal one in between coats. Great tip on freezing the rollers and brushes!

 

[rlitman]

...freezing your rollers and brushes...

For oil based paint, I'll wrap them in aluminum foil and freeze. Not so sure that's a great idea with water based. For water based paint, I store the roller covers IN the paint buckets. Never came up with a great solution for brushes, but don't touch a dry brush to paint. Wet the brush and then spin the water out by rolling the handle between your palms. It leaves the bases of the bristles a little damp, which slows down the paint that wants to crust up in there. Really extends your brush lifetime.

 

[PCustoms]

I figure by the time the flames reach the 12' ceiling in an all-wood shop, the building would be a total loss anyway.

I think you figured wrong...

 

[MushCreek]

Okay....
If I run into some extra money (haha) the plan is to eventually put up tin roofing material to cover the foam, and make it look better. But for now, it will have to do. It's no more (or less) flammable than the wooden joists and decking anyway. If it were a residential building, I'd be more worried about it, but it's a shop.

 

[tinmanwpk]

For oil based paint, I'll wrap them in aluminum foil and freeze. Not so sure that's a great idea with water based. For water based paint, I store the roller covers IN the paint buckets. Never came up with a great solution for brushes, but don't touch a dry brush to paint. Wet the brush and then spin the water out by rolling the handle between your palms. It leaves the bases of the bristles a little damp, which slows down the paint that wants to crust up in there. Really extends your brush lifetime.

I only freeze latex paint products. Works like a charm (once they thaw out, of course). Never had an issue.

 

[The Cobbler]

For oil based paint, I'll wrap them in aluminum foil and freeze.

I dump them in water . easily lasts a month between uses .

 

[rawen2]

I lay out some Saran or other plastic wrap and roll the roller on it. It sticks to the roller and wraps around it. Then twist the ends like a Tootsie Roll. Brushes can be wrapped too.

 

[bluedog225]

If it’s the polyiso with the nasty fiberglass/paper coating, painting it makes it much easier to work with. But also, I recall it didn’t sustain a flame well.

 

[Fixr]

I've successfully kept brushes and rollers in the freezer for months when a project stalled, and they were usable when thawed. I no longer clean brushes and rollers each day, just when the job is completed. And sometimes I just throw them away (not the good Purdy or Wooster brushes. Those get cleaned.)