Chapter 24: Painting

1. Introduction

Painting a house typically takes at least 2-3 workdays. In this manual, the schedule will be divided up into a recommended three stages of painting tasks. It is highly suggested that the order be adhered to for a timely completion of the painting phase. This, of course, requires that the trim phase be inserted into the process.

Experience shows us that along with framing and siding, painting is the most popular requested volunteer activity. That is not to say that volunteers won’t and don’t appreciate other activities, it only says that many volunteers, recognizing their own skills, knowledge and abilities, request painting as their way of contributing. (But this certainly isn’t to suggest that painting is easy and that anyone can do it.)

2. Safety Issues

• Review the Fall Protection issues listed in the Morning Safety Huddle Topic Sheet on ladders
• Use a ladder that will reach the work. Place ladders on solid footing. Don't leave any paint or tools on top of ladders.
• Wear eye protection when using rollers or using solvents.
• When painting (removed) doors, shelves, and trim work in a ventilated area.

3. Prior tasks to have been completed before starting

• Drywall finishing is complete
• Drywall dust is swept off walls and ceiling and subfloor damp-mopped. Vacuum at the wall base every day before starting painting.
• If painting to be done in winter, heat should be available

4. Recommended Staff/Crew Assignments

It is suggested that approximately 15 volunteers, including three crew leaders, be recruited for each day of Painting. Divide the crews up by distributing the experience level among the crew leaders. Each crew is then assigned to certain rooms or tasks. (It is recommended to have a more skilled painter to do the special areas such as the exterior doors and trim.)

Water should be on at the site to facilitate clean up. It will benefit the effort if crew leaders can bring their own brushes (especially trim brushes) and painting tools, as it can teach the homeowner and volunteers to care for their painting tools.

6. Tools/Equipment list

Tools & Equipment Needed at Each Site:

• 6’ ladder(s)
• Towel-Covered Broom
• Caulk Gun
• Drop Cloths / Plastic
• Shop-vac

Tools Each Crew Leader Will Need:

• 2 Drop Lights or Work-Room Lights
• 2' to 5' Ladder
• Plastic Wrap and/or Foil
• Screw Driver
• Newspapers
• Rags
• Pans and Brushes
• Roller Extension Handle
• Roller Frames
• “Goof-Off” Solvent
• 5-Gallon Bucket and Trays
• Nail Set/Hammer
• Phillips Screw Driver
• Permanent Felt Marker
• Utility Knife
• 2 Drop Cloths
• Putty Knife
• Roller Covers

Tools Each Crew Member Will Need:

• Safety Glasses

7. Material List

• Interior Latex Primer
• Interior Satin Latex Paint (walls and ceiling)
• Interior Semi-gloss Latex Paint (trim, shelves, window sills, etc.)
• Exterior Enamel Semi-gloss Paint (doors)
• Paint Thinner
• Exterior Latex Semi-Gloss
• Latex Painter’s Caulk
• Painter’s Putty
• 3/8” Standard Roller Covers

8. Quality Checkpoints

____ All finished floors are covered carefully with drop cloths

____ Drywall dust removed before painting begins

____ All door hardware removed before painting begins. (Label the doors so that they can be replaced in proper frame after painting.)

____ Ceilings painted evenly

____ All walls and ceilings are painted, including insides of closets

____ All baseboards, door casings and window sills/aprons are caulked completely and neatly

____ Interior and Exterior trim nail holes and joints have been filled

____ Wall paint even and covers all walls of house, including insides of closets

____ Door hinges and cabinets cleaned with Goof-Off, if necessary

____ All paint drips are wiped from walls and floors

____ All materials/tools cleaned, house straightened/paint consolidated

9. Construction Drawings and Text

NOTE: The following drawings, diagrams, and text are to be used on the job site when a question arises as to methods and procedures associated with the task. The notes on the drawings have been geared toward use as a quick reference. If a more in-depth explanation is needed, please read the text description. But most importantly, consult your Habitat Site Supervisor and Construction Manager for advice as needed.

1. General Painting Notes:

--To remove the drywall dust before painting, sweep the dust off the walls, with a towel-covered broom, or vacuum with a shop-vac, paying special attention to the joints and the corners. (Drywall dust remaining on walls will make it hard for the paint to adhere, especially at these locations.) Make sure that the bathtub is completely protected before starting to paint.

--Protect or remove everything that does not get painted. Protect counter tops, fixtures, and vinyl floors with a combination of drop cloths, butcher paper, masking tape and cabinet box cardboard.

--At the beginning of the day assign one or more crews to caulking and puttying as this is time consuming and extremely important. (If crews are allowed to paint before the puttying and caulking is complete, there is a good chance that much of the puttying will get missed.) Use painters’ putty and 1" putty knife or your finger to fill all nail holes in wood trim. To get a smooth bead of caulk, cut a small angled hole in the end of the tube of caulk and coordinate the pressure applied to the caulk gun and the speed at which the gun is pulled ahead of the bead. This takes practice. Wipe away excess caulk with a putty knife, damp cloth or wet finger before it dries. Do not leave globs of caulk or beads that are noticeable.

--Caulking is needed wherever small cracks are noticeable (but not in weather stripping grooves). Be sure to check the following places: along joints and top of baseboard, around window and door trim, on all edges of countertops and vanity tops, where bathtub meets floor and walls (silicone), at exterior door trim, and around the air conditioning pipe (silicone). Silicone caulk is often used in bathrooms since they are more damp, but it cannot be painted. Keep this in mind when you select caulk.

--When painting, dip the bristles only about half way into the paint so as to minimize drips. Periodically stir the paint throughout the day and watch for paint “runs”. These should be smoothed prior to the paint drying.

--If you take a break while painting, or must lay aside a brush or roller for even a short time, wrap it in plastic wrap to prevent drying. This will keep it pliable and make it easier to wash. Roller covers can be wrapped in plastic and foil to keep for reuse, but, if left over night, they must be removed from the roller frames first. The roller frames themselves must be thoroughly washed after use, to keep them in good working condition. Plastic grills should be washed or submerged in water.

--Latex paints will wash out of brushes and roller frames under running water, if you wash them before the paint dries. Avoid washing paint across the ground by wiping off excess paint back into the can and brushing it out on newspapers before washing. To prevent bristles from hardening, brushes should be stored bristles up while drying.

--At the end of the day, consolidate paint into as few cans as needed and wipe paint out of the rims, before closing, to make a better seal with the lid. Do not leave paint in the roller pans. Wash them out under running water after they have been wiped out with a brush.

2. Ceilings and Walls:

--Paint ceilings first. The central portions of the ceiling can be painted without using a ladder, by adding an extension handle to a roller. Use a ladder, however, for cutting in the corners (with a brush) where the ceiling and walls join. Paint 3 or 4 inches down the walls to provide a stopping place when painting the walls.

--Paint walls while waiting for the ceilings to dry. Often a crew will normally do one room at a time, so actually the walls are done immediately after the ceilings. Cut in the wall corners with a brush. You will also need a brush to cut in around the windows. NOTE: When using a roller near the base of a wall, turn the bend in the handle toward the floor to protect the roller's cover from dust and dirt.

--To paint the ceilings and walls, use the satin latex ceiling paint. Typically, the ceiling paint will be the same color as the wall paint, and you can paint three or four inches down from the ceiling at the top of the wall to help later when “cutting in” the wall paint to the ceiling, and to provide a stopping point at a safe distance from the ceiling for the rollers painting the walls. Cut in with a brush on a short ladder.

--If at all possible, it is important to paint the final coat of paint on the walls, which will hold the kitchen & bathroom cabinets before they are installed. This will keep the next crew from getting paint on the cabinets.

3. Exterior doors and exterior trim:

The metal doors themselves come pre-primed, but require two more coats of paint to cover. These two coats can not be applied in the same day. It is important to assign this to a skilled painter, to reduce drips and streaking. Use exterior gloss paint designed for use on metal doors, painting with a good quality paintbrush for a smooth finish. Follow the directions on the paint can for details. If possible, remove weather stripping (do not stretch) prior to painting. Under ideal conditions it will take about four hours for the paint to dry so this task should be started as soon as possible. Avoid painting the exterior doors when the temperature is too cold. Doing this before it gets cold provides the best possible finish.

The pre-primed exterior door casing should be caulked and puttied. If nails have not already been set, use a nail set to put them 1/16" to 1/8" below the surface. All nail holes should be filled with nail putty and all cracks/joints caulked neatly. Exterior latex paint is used on the outside door casings and any other exterior trim. NOTE: Be sure to keep paint and caulk out of the weather-strip's groove.

4. Interior doors and interior trim:

Before removing doors from the house, mark an identifying number on the door and the same number behind the hinges on the jamb. This is very important since the doors need to return to the exact location in order to hang properly. To remove the doors, unscrew the hinges from the jambs and door and remove the hinge pins. Keep the screws and hinges consolidated in an easy to locate area. Set up an area to paint the doors, either on sawhorses or lumber, or lean them up against a basement wall. Using a combination of rollers and brushes, paint the pre-primed doors with 2 coats of semi-gloss latex paint. Return the doors to their correct locations when fully dry and all other painting is complete. Be careful not to put too much paint on these doors, being especially careful at the edges.

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  Page last updated Saturday, May 3, 2008 at 6:40:11 PM