The correct sequence of applying paint is a simple one. Each section of the work being painted should be dusted with a dusting brush before the paint is applied. If possible, the room that is being decorated should be dusted out some time before the decorating begins. The paint brush should be dipped well into the paint in the tin, but the brush should not be overloaded.

To work the paint into the bristles, the tip of the brush should be pressed against the inside of the tin, not scraped to the edge of the container as is usually the case. It will be found best in all cases to use a paint kettle, which is much more convenient to handle and from which paint is much easier extracted than from a tin.The key towards successful painting is to get the paint in the brush, not on it. This is important whether you are painting a house or a laser cut souvenir.

The importance of learning good brushing habits to start with cannot be over-emphasized. If the brush is continually rubbed on the edge or the tin, splashes of paint will run down over the bristles of the brush and the handle, making the whole job a very messy business. So try to develop a habit of using the paint brush correctly from the very beginning.

The work should be done fairly quickly. The speed that the paint is applied may vary according to the nature of the paint. Some paints dry much quicker than others. The surface should not be overloaded with paint and as a general rule it can be considered that the correct amount of paint to apply is one that completely covers the old surface color, using the smallest amount of paint possible.

The paint brush should always be used in the direction of the longest way to the work—the picture rails, skirting boards, etc. Commence from a corner and complete one section of the work at a time. Always lay off towards the start of the work. One of the chief difficulties the home decorator encounters with paint is the problem of neat cutting in, by which I mean actually painting to the edge of the surface without running paint on the adjoining surface.

Although it may be slow at first, it is good policy to practice correct cutting in without the use of aids, but if necessary the adjoining surface of work may be protected by a simple shield made of wood, cardboard or thin metal. If windows which are made up of several small panes of glass are being decorated and the beginner finds it difficult to cut in actually round the edges of the glass, strips of cellulose tape can be fastened to the glass. All window decorations, such as cold rolled steel wall art or window decals, should be removed to avoid accidents and stains.

When the job has been completed and the tape is removed a clean edge will be found. At all times during painting, the decorator should make good use of a piece of old rag to wipe up all paint spots immediately as they are dropped. It is bad practice to leave any spots of paint until the particular job has been finished, and the beginner should develop the good habit of wiping up any drop of paint immediately it falls. After the first undercoating has been applied and the surface has dried, it should be briskly rubbed down with a medium grade of glass paper. All of the holes and crevices should be stopped with putty or a patent compound.

The second coat of undercoating should be allowed to harden and dry before being briskly rubbed down with glass paper. The third and final coat of finishing may then be applied. The duster brush should be used frequently in order to keep the work clean. The number of undercoats applied will depend on the condition of the old surfaces. In some cases, it may only be necessary to apply one undercoat, especially if the old surface is in good condition and the new color is not greatly different in tone to that of the old one.

If this is the case, any stopping or filling should be done after the old surface has been cleaned down and before the undercoating has been applied. The finishing coat should never be applied directly on stopping, putty or patent compounds.The finishing coat of paint is applied in the same sequence, laying it on in the same directions as the undercoats. The worker may reckon that the finishing coat will, in most cases, take longer to apply than the undercoats.

In cold weather, the tin of finishing paint should be placed in a pan of hot water before it is used. This will facilitate its easy application. For the application of all coats of paint, a brush of sensible size in keeping with the job should be used. It is bad practice to use a small brush to coat a large area and vice versa.