What is a drop cloth?
Drop cloths are big sheets of fabric (usually canvas) or plastic used to protect floors, counters, furniture, and other surfaces when painting. They keep paint splatters, drips, and larger spills off these surfaces. Drop cloths are vital to your pre-painting prep work and should be laid down after you’ve cleared everything out of the room.
Remove everything you can from the room, leaving only items that are too bulky or difficult to take out, such as larger pieces of furniture. Then, before bringing in your other materials and finishing setting up, cover the flooring and these remaining things with drop cloths.
Why do you need them for interior painting?
You know how simple it is to wind up with paint splatter, no matter how careful you are, if you’ve ever painted anything, from creative projects to minor touch-ups. Paint splatter is unavoidable, even for the most experienced painter!
Working with paint is inherently messy, so reputable painters always take the time to carefully set down drop cloths before beginning any painting project. Drop cloths should be on your supplies list if you’re planning to do your painting.
How to choose a drop cloth
There are two options to consider when dropping clothes: plastic or canvas. They each have their benefits and drawbacks, but both varieties are effective at protecting your space from splatters and spills.
Plastic drop cloths are usually less expensive and serve a more restricted purpose. These drop cloths are lightweight, simple to use, and many are disposable. A disposable plastic drop cloth might be the way to go if you don’t anticipate using drop cloths for future painting jobs. More durable variants, which are effectively tarps, are also available. On indoor floors, plastic can be extremely slippery, which can be dangerous.
They must also be tied down to stay in position, which adds to the time it takes to set up. On the other hand, plastic drop cloths are excellent for covering furniture and exterior painting projects.
Professional painters frequently use canvas drop cloths as drop cloths, and they’re incredibly long-lasting and can cover anything from floors to furniture. Standard canvas cloths are prone to slipping and bunching on feet, so opt for a rubberized cover on the back to avoid slipping and bunching.
Canvas is also a more environmentally friendly option than plastic because it is highly resilient and designed to be reused. They may be more expensive, but they will last a long time!
If you don’t want to buy drop cloths or other painting supplies (or worry about storing them), it’s a good idea to hire experienced painters to do it for you. Working with JXF Painting Services will save you a lot of time and will turn to reality all your ideas regarding your residential and commercial painting jobs.
Before beginning any painting project, we thoroughly prepare the area to keep everything safe and secure while we work. If you’re ready to see how we can change your space and life, schedule your free, no-obligation estimate today!