Essential Painting Tools for Your Next Project

When it comes to painting, preparation is key. Not only will it save you an unexpected trip to the store, but good preparation will also ensure that you can complete a job quickly while leaving you pleased with the quality of the finished project. When thinking about your next painting project, it is important to ensure that you begin with the best tools for painting. What will you need? Fortunately, whether you’re painting in Sydney, Melbourne or Perth, the basic supplies are the same. Let’s take a look at the essential painting tools for your next project.

Paint Roller

What you will use to apply paint depends on the job you’re doing. If you have a lot of area to cover, such as painting walls, one of the most important tools for painting is a roller. You may be surprised to find there are different types of rollers. These typically come down to the material they are made of. If you are using oil-based paints, use a wool roller. For water-based paints, nylon will work great. 

Paintbrushes

Regardless of what you are painting, you will almost certainly need a paintbrush. These are the perfect tool for navigating smaller areas and doing edging on walls. While you can purchase an edging pad, I find that paintbrushes do a much better job. Again, choose your paintbrush based on your paint with natural fibers for oil-based paints and synthetic for water-based paints. 

Paint Tray

If you are using a roller, a paint tray is an essential painting tool for your project. There are a number of options that may work. Some people prefer sturdy metal trays and then using disposable inserts for different colors. Others find a high-quality plastic tray can be easily cleaned between uses, helping spare you be more sustainable by avoiding the disposable inserts. A quality paint tray can definitely be an important tool for painting. 

Edger & Pads

As I’ve noted, I tend to prefer using paintbrushes for edging work. However, I do know that many people prefer the ease of using edging tools. These tools are particularly useful because they can attach to extension poles when needed, enabling you to easily edge the tops of walls without worrying about getting paint on the ceiling. If you opt to use an edger, be sure to get pads as you’ll want to use a different pad for each colour. 

Drop Cloth

Perhaps the tool for painting that people most frequently forget is a drop cloth. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say they’ll just be extra careful in order to save from getting this. If you’ve done much painting, you know that paint has a tendency to be about as well organized as an emu war. Rather than rushing to clean up spills, get a quality canvas drop cloth that will save you from accidentally damaging flooring. While you can save some money with plastic drop clothes, the paint will pool and can still be transferred to other surfaces. Canvas is the way to go.

Painter’s Tape

Another important tool for painting that will help prevent unexpected application of paint is painter’s tape. Of course, this tape is only as good as how well you apply it. After you’ve placed it on an area, wipe the edge with a slightly damp cloth in order to form a seal. This will ensure that it works best. 

Extension Pole

There are several tools for painting that you won’t need to use for every job, and an extension pole is definitely one of them. However, if you are painting tall surfaces such as walls or stairways, this can be a very convenient thing to have. A simple pole that extends a meter or two will make it much easier to get coverage on hard-to-reach spaces and can be one of the best tools for painting high areas. This can greatly reduce the time it takes to paint and prevent you from having to constantly move a ladder. 

Putty Knife and Spackle

Again, this is something that you won’t need for every job. However, if you are painting walls, you should definitely have these essential painting tools on hand. This works great for quickly preparing a painting surface that has nail holes or other imperfections. Simply spread spackle into the hole with a putty knife, working to wipe off excess. This will fill the hole and leave a good surface for painting. 

Flathead Screwdriver & Hammer

You don’t need to purchase a special tool in order to open cans of paint. Instead, simply grab a flathead screwdriver from your garage. This is the perfect tool for opening a can of paint. Meanwhile, a basic hammer is all you need to carefully put the lid back on a can of paint when you are done. Just lightly tap your way around the rim until the lid is once again sealed onto the paint. 

Plastic Wrap

If you are painting with a roller, plastic wrap can be one of the best tools for painting that you can have on hand. Let’s say you’ve just finished for the day but want to pick back up tomorrow with the same job. You don’t need to buy a fancy protective tube. Instead, simply wrap your roller in plastic wrap and place it in a plastic bag. This will preserve the roller for tomorrow’s use. This is another relatively environmentally friendly method as it produces less waste than other methods. 

Final Thoughts

Tackling your next painting project is a breeze if you prepare and ensure that you have the best tools for painting at your disposal. While there are many tools for painting out there, this list should serve as a fairly all-encompassing list of things you will and may need depending on the particular scope of your project. Be sure to check out our other blogs for all the tips you need for the perfect project.