5 paint resolutions for your DIY projects

Make this your best DIY year yet by committing to these five paint resolutions. If you’re a complete newbie, make this the year you pick up a paintbrush, hold a hammer and grip a roller. Undertaking essential home maintenance yourself is super cost-effective and easy to do with the right advice and equipment. The same goes for refreshing and reinvigorating your indoor and outdoor spaces – even small changes can make a huge impact.

The more you do, the more your confidence will grow. You’ll be surprised with what you can achieve with a little know-how and the right gear.

#1. I will… talk to the professionals

If in doubt, ask for help. Whenever you’re tackling a paint project – no matter how large or small – it’s a great idea to talk it through with the staff at your local Resene ColorShop. Even the most seasoned renovation pros do this, to make sure they not only choose the right colour combinations, sheen levels and paint formulations, but to guarantee they’re using the right preparation products for the specific surface or substrate they’re planning to paint or stain.

If you need help creating a colour palette visit your local Resene ColorShop, Ask a Resene Colour Expert free online, or book a colour consultation with a Resene expert, available virtually, in–store or at home.

If you don’t have the time or energy to do the project yourself, get a professional painter to help. Use the Resene Find-A-Painter service to help you find someone to help you.

The friendly team at your local Resene ColorShop will give you expert advice on the right products to use for your project.

Even professional artists like Jun Arita seek advice from the Resene Colorshop team when it comes to choosing the colours.

#2. I will… use an additive

While some weather is more favourable for painting, the power of Resene additives means that you can paint pretty much all year round – no excuses!

Resene Wintergrade Additive
Paint application and performance can be adversely affected in cold temperatures, but using Resene Wintergrade Additive will help your paint cure at temperatures as low as 3°C. Add it into selected waterborne Resene paints to winterise them. Resene Wintergrade Additive is normally used for exterior projects. For most interior projects you can use heating to get the room temperature above 10°C and then just use normal Resene decorative paints.
Resene Umbrella Additive
If the forecast is for light showers, don’t fret – Resene Umbrella Additive can be added to your paint. Once applied, a coating containing Resene Umbrella Additive quickly starts to build a protective shell that then extends through the whole coating. Water is able to evaporate from the topcoat allowing it to dry, while light showers simply roll off, leaving the still-drying paint firmly attached to the substrate.
Resene Hot Weather Additive
This helps combat the effects of scorching temperatures on your finish – add it to your Resene waterborne paint to slow down the drying process and give a longer wet edge. It really helps with the flow of the paint for a great, professional-looking result. Avoid overworking or overspreading the paint as this will make it dry faster and is more likely to lead to a streaky or patchy finish.

Resene Umbrella Additive will help protect your freshly coated surfaces in case light showers are forecast on painting day.

Use Resene Hot Weather Additive to Slow down the dry time of your paint when you're working in the sun.

#3. I will… upcycle old furniture instead of throwing it away

If your furniture has started to look dinged up and worse for wear, or you’re majorly over the colour, set aside a weekend and refresh it with a lick of Resene paint. Doing this will save you money, reduce landfill and allow your creativity to shine through. Old varnished wooden drawers are an item that most of us have in our possession, so all they generally need is a sand, a coating of Resene Waterborne Sureseal and a couple of coats of Resene Lustacryl in the colour you’re currently loving.

This chest of drawers was given a fresh new look with Resene Lustacryl in Resene Seachange.

Bring tired outdoor furniture back to life with a clean and a coat of paint. Chair painted in Resene Sambuca.

#4. I will… maintain my stain

A nicely stained deck can make a huge difference to how your outdoor area appears and gives it a polished, well-finished look for longer. Stains and oils help to protect decks from the weather, so they stay in better shape and will be less prone to drying out, splitting and causing splinters. As a general rule, Resene recommends a deck refresh and two to three years. To maintain your deck in between, spray on Resene Deep Clean every 6-12 months and leave it to work with the weather. This will help to keep your deck finish cleaner.

Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain is a penetrating stain that is ideal for decks, as well as many outdoor projects including weatherboards, pergolas, fences and rough sawn timber. It’s available in a range of hues including Resene CoolColour variants. For a waterborne option you can use Resene Woodsman Decking Oil Stain on your deck and Resene Waterborne Woodsman or Resene Woodsman Cedar Natural Wood Oil on your weatherboards and fence. Waterborne stains can be thinned and cleaned up with water when wet and have a faster drying time.

Deck stained with Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain in Resene Natural.

#5. I will… learn a new hack.

When it comes to handy hacks, tips and useful information, sharing is caring! Always be open to learning more as those new tips and tricks can help make the job easier, give you more confidence and give you a better quality finish. Being curious, chatting to Resene staff and following blogs and websites like MasterStroke by Resene will help you on your decorating journey. Here are a few tips we love:

Don’t clean brushes between days
While cleaning paintbrushes properly is absolutely crucial for their longevity, you actually don’t need to worry about cleaning them at the end of the day if you’re planning on using them again the following day. Just wrap them in a reusable plastic bag overnight and they’ll be all ready to go in the morning. You can do the same thing while you take breaks during the day too.
Prolong the life of your brushes
Before you start painting, take some painter’s tape and wrap it around the ferrule (where the bristles meet the metal). Make sure it’s nice and tight, with half on the metal of the handle and half on the bristles. Doing this step ensures paint won’t be right up against the ferrule, which will stop it from drying in the head of the brush and splaying the bristles out, meaning your paintbrush will last a lot longer. Once you’ve finished painting, simply remove the tape.
Stop freshly painted windows sticking overnight
If you shut windows when the paint isn’t dry, it will unfortunately end up drying like glue and fusing them together. Make sure windows are dry to the touch first, then all you need is some wooden ice block sticks. Simply snap them in half and use them to insert into your painted windows. This leaves enough of a gap to ensure your windows won’t stick together overnight.