Painting Tips & Trade Skills

Explore expert painting tutorials, professional trade tips, and step-by-step guides from The Idaho Painter. Learn interior and exterior painting techniques, garage floor coatings, cabinet refinishing, deck and fence staining, surface preparation, spraying, and more. Whether you’re a DIY homeowner or a professional painter, discover the skills, tools, and industry knowledge needed to master the painting trades and grow your business.

The Idaho Painter's Blog

  • Flipping Furniture

    Flipping Furniture

    Some of us want a quick and easy way to make cash. Most of the time, though, they require a significant investment of your time or money...

  • Crosslinking vs Catalyzing

    Crosslinking vs Catalyzing

    Crosslink vs Catalyze   Lately I’ve been seeing some confusion surrounding catalysts and crosslinkers, what they do, and whether they are different. I understand where this confusion...

  • Capspray Gun Repair

    Capspray Gun Repair

    An HVLP sprayer gun can be an incredibly useful tool for painting - turning an hour of work into a matter of minutes. The Maxum Elite and...

  • Caulking Your Tape?  Mystery Solved!

    Caulking Your Tape? Mystery Solved!

    How do you use caulk and tape to achieve perfect lines?  I started using this technique 20 years ago and have tremendous success with it. But, in...

  • My Go To Spackle

    My Go To Spackle

    My Go To Spackle? I keep two types of spackle in my trailer—lightweight and a heavyweight product; My heavy weight is Crawfords vinyl spackling.  My lightweight go...

  • Respirators for painters

    Respirator Basics

    Why wear a respirator?  Solvents in paints and prepping solutions may evaporate as organic vapors and can be harmful to your lungs. Particulates painters can be exposed...