The key to finishing a paint job faster is in the preparation. Thorough preparation takes time but will ultimately save you time. Use painter's lotion on your hands before you start painting. The lotion creates a film that prevents paint from sticking to your skin. Patch and prime any damaged areas on the walls before you begin painting. Paint can hide a lot of imperfections, but it won't cover dents and holes. Move furniture to the middle of the room, and place drop cloths on the floor and over the furniture. If you're painting the ceiling, wrap a plastic bag around any hanging light fixtures. Even the best painters sometimes drip paint. Remove any outlet covers, and apply painter's masking tape to anything you don't want to paint. Turn off the circuit breaker for the outlets in the room you're painting. Always start at the highest point of the painting job to avoid problems with paint drips. Start the job by cutting in around the ceiling, corners and trim. Use a sash brush or a trim pad when cutting in. Start by painting along the corners, and feather the paint out 2" to 3" (figure A). When filling a paint-roller tray, quickly pour the paint into the bottom portion of the tray. Keep a brush nearby to wipe drips from the side and rim of the paint can. Load the paint roller in the bottom of the tray, and use the angled portion to remove excess paint. Paint in 2' by 4' sections in a zigzag pattern, and start each new section in freshly painted areas to avoid lap marks. After you finish painting the walls, roll the paint roller down the wall in straight lines so that any roll marks will be in one direction.
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