Fri., 05/29/09

Hello

This a.m. I wrote this essay about paint stirrers as a note on facebook.com

----------------------
"Paint Stick"

Preparation is the most difficult part of painting. Filling dings. Caulking gaps between floor boards. Sanding. Vacuuming. Washing/rinsing surfaces. These steps take time. When they are eventually done you're ready to prime & paint.

Always remember to ask for a paint stick or stirrer when you buy primer & paint. If more than one is offered to you accept them! Sometimes I'm on a roll when it comes to painting, & I am juggling two or three projects at once. To not have a paint stick can delay the application. Sometimes I apply primer to trim & am ready to apply second coat of color to a wall in another room. I need a dry paint stick.

At local paint & hardware stores I have to ask for a paint stick. They aren't on the counter. Customers can't help themselves to two or three. I think paint sticks should be prominently displayed on counters to remind customers they will need this tool. It's as important as a brush or roller cover. How do commercial painters obtain sticks? I've never seen a pkg. of sticks for sale in any store. I'd be willing to spend a couple dollars to buy a pkg. of 16 or 20 sticks.

Not all sticks are created equal. Some sticks are thin & brittle. They wiill break if primer or paint is stirred too vigorously. Recently I bought a tray liner, 9" roller cover, & two sm. foam disposable brushes at a hardware store. After walking out I do-si-doed back in to ask for a paint stick. Clerk handed me a nice, thick one from a box on a low shelf behind paint mixer & muttered something like "You're lucky. It's almost the last one."

After spending $12 to $15 for a qt. of paint & about $30 for a gallon why are paint & hardware stores stingy when it comes to distributing paint sticks? If you find yourself without a stirrer when you're ready to apply primer or paint I suggest using an old kitchen utensil, a (clean) ruler, or part of a yardstick. I used to have a set of two or three wooden mixing spoons but needed them to stir paint.
-------------------------------------------------

Bye