INTRODUCTION TO PREPARING AND PAINTING SURFACES
Warner offers painters something very few companies can match: the very best tools for every job. It means you'll be able to work faster with better results.
THE TOOLS AND MATERIALS YOU'LL NEED
Note: All Warner tools are not available in all retail outlets. Ask your sales representative for assistance when choosing surface refinishing tools.
Warner recommends hiring professionals to remove lead based paint from surfaces. For more information on lead based paint, please call 1-800-532-3394.
Before you begin your painting project, get together all of the tools and supplies you'll need. We suggest you read the sections that pertain to your project, and check off the necessary items from the list below.
- Warner #353 Paint Mixer (fits any size electric drill)
- Warner #20143 Paint Roller
- Warner #439 Bender Paint Pad
- Warner #20155 2-Wheel Paint Edger
- Warner #803 Pistol Grip 2" Carbide Paint Scraper
- Warner #10018 Plastic Scraper
- Warner ProGrip 2 Knives or Warner #90189 Glazier Knife
- Warner #395 Double Ended Window Tool
- Warner #80173 8-in-1 Painter's Scraper
- Warner #105 Safety First Scraper with Blade
- Warner #200 series Wire Brush
- Warner #740 series Paint Scraper
- Warner #825 Molding Scraper with Teardrop Blade
- Warner #382 Electric Paint Remover
- Warner #411 or #412 Paint Can Hook
- Warner #390 Foam Sanding Block
- Warner #428 or #433 Paint Guide and Wallcovering Tool
- Warner #443 or #743 Pry Bar
- Warner #90189 5-in-1 Painter's Tool
- Warner #5687 Wallpaper Steamer
- Warner #269 or #279 Brush Comb and Roller Cleaner
- Warner #432 Paint Guide
- Paint
- Paint Brush
- Wood Filler
- Ladder
- Spackling Compound
- Tack Cloth
- Detergent
- Bleach
- Turpentine or Paint Thinner
PREPARING TO PAINT
Preparing the surface is key to having a professional looking paint job. It's a critical and time-consuming part of the project - we estimate 75% of your time will be spent prepping - but the results will be well worth it.
Pick the Right Paint
It's easy to find the good quality paints - they cost more. Using quality paint means the job will turn out well and stay looking good longer. Look for paint that has a one-coat warranty, and is resistant to stains and spots.
Mixing Your Paint
Mixing is critical. Make sure your paint is thoroughly hand mixed with a paint paddle before you start, and mix occasionally while you paint as well.
A Warner #353 Paint Mixer that attaches to your electric drill will mix even better, faster. If paint is not mixed thoroughly, streaks will appear.
PICKING YOUR TOOLS
You have many application tools to pick from. Rollers will save time on smooth or textured areas that are flat. Brushes give you better precision on trim, windows, woodwork and furniture.
Selecting your brush
You'll need to use synthetic bristle brushes (nylon or polyester) with latex paint. This is because natural bristle brushes will be ruined by the water in latex paint.
The natural bristle brushes and quality synthetic brushes are fine for oil-based paints.
Select your brush size
A 3", 3 1/2" or 4" brush works best on walls, ceilings, floors, shakes, siding, masonry and brick - basically any area that's large and flat. A 1", 1 1/2" or 2" brush does its best work on smaller areas like trim, woodwork, window and door frames, furniture and window shutters. These brushes also work well for painting straight edges along walls, trim and ceilings, or hard-to-reach nooks and crannies.
Picking your roller
Rollers are about speed, whether you're painting with oil or latex. A 7" or 9" roller with a short nap or medium pile will work great on flat, smooth areas. You can even use rollers on your wood siding and shakes.
For semi-gloss and gloss enamels on smooth surfaces, a 7" or 9" roller with a short nap is the perfect tool. You'll find these surfaces in bathrooms, kitchens and on cabinets.
For textured surfaces like rough wood, brick, masonry, wire fences and
textured ceilings, a 9" deep pile roller should do the trick. Try a looped
texture roller for a stucco look. 
Tiny areas can be done quickly with the Warner #20143 Paint Roller. This small roller creates the same pattern as the larger roller while covering hard to reach surfaces.
A handle extension is a necessity for speeding up work on ceilings and tall walls. Roller handles will screw onto handle extensions.
When to use paint pads
Paint pads simplify painting small areas, or places that are tough to
reach. Use a Warner #439 Bender Paint Pad or a Warner #20155 2-Wheel Paint
Edger to paint precisely along edges, woodwork and ceilings. 
Using foam brushes
The nice thing about foam brushes is the lack of brush marks. You can't use it with lacquer or shellac, but latex, oil-based, enamel and acrylic paints will go on fine. They're also disposable, taking care of the hassle of clean-up.
PAINTING THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR HOUSE
All unpainted work must first be primed with oil-based primer. This seals the area and gives you a good surface for new paint. After priming, you can use oil or latex for your top coat. You have many choices of sheen to create just the right look.
If you're repainting, you'll only need to use an oil-based primer if you've stripped an area down to the wood. Then you can apply your latex or oil-based paint.
Estimating the paint you will need is easy, but estimate high; left over paint can be used for touch-up. You don't want to mix additional paint if you can avoid it because the same paint color can vary slightly from batch to batch. Multiply the height of a wall by the circumference of your home. You can subtract large windows and doors from that figure. Then, read your paint can to find how many square feet per gallon it covers, and divide your area by that amount. Round up to the next gallon, and this is how many gallons you will need. Make sure you calculate eaves and overhangs as well.
Preparing to paint the exterior
Clean your gutters and downspouts and take any fixtures off your house you don't want painted. You should remove screens, storm windows, shutters, mailboxes, doorbell buttons, house numbers and lights.
Powerwash the entire outside of the house. Clean out the grit that gets in sills by opening your windows. If you have greasy areas, use a detergent.
Mildew should be removed using one quart of bleach, three quarts of warm water and a tablespoon of laundry soap. Wear safety goggles and gloves. Rinse the area well after washing and let it dry.
Any nails should be sunk below the surface of the wood. Then use a flexible Warner #90106 or #182 Putty Knife and wood filler to fill the holes.
To catch all paint scrapings and drips, put a drop cover over everything below your painting area.
Preparing surfaces around windows
Putty around windows should be loosened using a Warner #10018 Pistol
Grip 2" Carbide Paint Scraper. Carbide paint scrapers last up to ten times
longer than standard scraper blades. 
Loose putty can be removed using a Warner ProGrip2 series Putty Knife or #90189 Glazier Knife.
The Warner #395 Double Ended Window Tool is most efficient as it is used to both loosen and remove putty as well as reapply putty.
If a "push" tool is preferred, use the Warner #90173, 8-in-1 Painter's Scraper.
Preparing outdoor siding surfaces
If you have larger areas of chipping paint, a Warner Carbide series scraper will help make the process easier. Its carbide blade stays sharp as you pull the blade towards you. A #200 series Wire Brush can also help with these surfaces. An area with bubbled paint means you have moisture damage; you will want to solve this problem before you paint.
A Warner #825 Molding Scraper With Teardrop Blade will help you get peeling paint from cracks and other hard to reach areas.
Window wells and joints should be re-caulked to tighten up your house from drafts and reduce water damage. A caulking gun used with a flexible putty knife will do the trick.
For any metal areas with peeling paint, use a Warner #200 series Wire Brush.
Since paint goes on better on slightly rough surfaces, use a Warner #390 Foam Sanding Block to roughen any areas that have become glossy.
Prime all areas where you have scraped. Putty, caulk, and let the primer dry completely before applying your top coat.
NOTE: If dry paint adheres to glass window panes, carefully remove it using a Warner #105 Safety First Scraper. Be extra careful not to break the paint seal between the putty and the window frame. The seal helps prevent moisture damage.
Painting the exterior
Don't paint if the temperature may fall below freezing while drying. This can ruin a careful paint job.
If you have a second floor, paint your trim first so you don't get marks from placing your ladder against fresh paint. Use a Warner #428 or #433 Paint Guide to protect pre-painted surfaces.
Leave your windows slightly ajar after painting them to keep them from sticking shut. Use a Warner #443 or #743 Pry Bar to open the windows if they get stuck.
Start at the top of your siding and work down, moving your ladder often so you're always reaching safely. If you have shingles or clapboards, paint the bottom edges first. Then you can quickly brush or roll the rest. To prevent dry rot, use siding wedges where siding edges are sealed by paint.
PAINTING THE INSIDE OF YOUR HOUSE
All unpainted work must first be primed with oil-based primer. This seals the area and gives you a good surface for new paint.
Because flat paint conceals any small blemishes and is soothing to the eye, it works especially well in the living, dining and bedrooms for walls and ceilings. If the surface is bubbled, cracked or has remnants of wallpaper, flat paint will conceal that as well.
If you have kids, or a high traffic area, a semi-gloss paint gives you more stain resistance and is easier to wash. Using gloss in bathrooms and kitchens reduces mold in these high-moisture areas, and makes them easier to clean.
Floor, porch and patio paints are available for use on constantly stressed areas such as floors and stairs. They will work on wood, tile, cement and linoleum, and come in oil-based or latex.
Estimating the paint you will need is easy, but estimate high; left over paint can be used for touch-up. You don't want to mix additional paint if you can avoid it because the same paint color can vary slightly from batch to batch. Multiply the height of a wall by the circumference of your room. You can subtract large windows and doors from that figure. Then, read your paint can to find how many square feet per gallon it covers, and divide your area by that amount. Round up to the next gallon, and this is how many gallons you will need.
To calculate the area of a ceiling, multiply the length by the width.
A quart of semi-gloss paint will generally be adequate for the woodwork and doors of your average room. If you have an older home with more trim, you may want to purchase another quart.
Preparing to Paint the Interior
Remove switch plates, door knobs, shelving, curtains, window hardware, picture hooks, and any furniture you can. Hanging light fixtures should be loosened so you'll be able to paint in close. Number or bag any items you remove so you'll be able to replace them correctly.
If necessary, you can remove molding and trim with a Warner #443 Pry Bar.
Cover all floors, furniture and light fixtures with drop cloths, and tape them into place.
Open all windows for ventilation and close all doors so you'll be able to paint all walls easily.
Wear a dust mask and safety goggles before scraping any peeling paint.
Warner recommends hiring professionals to remove lead based paint from surfaces. For more information on lead based paint, please call 1-800-532-3394.
You can use a Warner #825 Molding Scraper with Teardrop Blade to begin removing paint. For small areas, a Warner #ProGrip2 or #180 series 1 1/4" or 1 1/2" Putty Knife should do the trick. Work systematically, starting from the top.
A spackling compound applied with a Warner #180 series or #500 series Flex 1 1/4" - 2" Putty Knife will let you patch holes and cracks. Nails should be covered with spackling compound too.
Joint tape is necessary if you have extensive patching. You'll need to let initial layers dry so it can shrink before you sand and apply paint. Warner's "How to Prepare and Apply Drywall" booklet has more information on patching.
If you plan on painting over wallpaper, make sure it's not vinyl and that you paste down any loose areas. You may have better luck removing patterned paper with a Warner #5687 Wallpaper Steamer because the pattern may show through the paint. A Wallpaper Steamer can be rented from your local hardware store. If you remove wallpaper, make sure you sand the walls evenly.
Sand and patch with an eye for blending the sanded area into its surroundings. A Warner #390 Foam Sanding Block will help you eliminate scrapes along woodwork and will conform to molding forms. When sanding, use a disposable dust mask and make sure you have plenty of ventilation.
Once you've scraped and sanded, shake your drop cloths into the trash, and vacuum any remaining dust so it can't stick to your wet paint. Put the drop cloths back down.
Any walls that have grease from hands or cooking, wash with detergent. A strong cleaner will help you remove crayon and pen marks that may show through your paint. These surfaces should then be wiped with a tack cloth.
Prime all sanded or patched areas, as well as surfaces with grease marks.
Now You're Ready to Paint the Interior
Begin by painting the ceiling and walls first followed by the trim. Use a Warner #20155 2-Wheel Paint Edger or a border brush to feather the paint toward the center of the room. For safety, move your ladder often. A Warner #411 or #412 Paint Can Hook can be used to attach the paint can to the ladder.
Roll the entire ceiling at once using short strokes. Vary your pattern.
Use an edger on the walls to cut into the ceiling and along woodwork, feathering the paint into the center. Roll the remaining areas using vertical strokes.
The trim, windows and doors come next, and are best painted using a Warner #432 Paint Guide to protect surfaces finished with a different color or coating.
If you're painting the floor, do this last and don't paint yourself into a corner.
Touch-Up Your Work
Until you've completely finished your project, keep a brush and roller of each color in a plastic bag after you've washed it out. This will let you go back and touch up any areas that need it without a lot of hassle.
How to Clean Up Most Effectively
For short periods of time, you can keep your brushes in tightly sealed plastic bags so the paint doesn't dry onto the brush. But if you don't know when you'll be getting back to your painting, clean your brushes. Oil-based paint requires turpentine or paint thinner for cleaning, after which you can use warm soapy water. For latex paint, warm soapy water is all you need. The Warner #269 or #279 Brush Comb and Roller Cleaner lets you spin dry your brushes. As brush shape is important when you paint again, replace paint brushes in their original packaging.
Rollers and pads are cleaned using the same methods as brushes, and the Warner #90189 5-in-1 Painter's Tool comes in handy.
Using a razor blade scraper, window scraper or utility blade scraper, you can clean any splatters easily off windows and tile.
