What Does 'Bad Set' Mean When Pros Are Talking About Paint Prep?
Using the proper technique and position is key to success with many tasks in life. Place your computer monitor too high, and you'll have a sore neck by the end of the day. Stand too close to the golf ball, and you're sure to hook your shot into that lake that you're desperately trying to avoid. Painting is no exception. And just like many tasks, professional painters have their own lingo when it comes to positioning. For example, as an amateur, you might consider a "bad set" to be a lousy pair of brushes or a poorly made set of rollers. However, for a professional painter, a bad set is trying to paint a wall or ceiling from an awkward or odd position. A bad set can leave you unable to achieve full coverage or can create drips or globs, resulting in uneven coverage.
In a worst-case scenario, trying to work from an awkward bad set could cause you to lose your balance on a ladder and fall. Maybe you knock a can over and create a huge mess on the floor because of the bad set.
The good news is that you can avoid a bad set in many circumstances. It just takes a little bit of time and effort during the preparation process to make sure you can apply the paint as efficiently and safely as possible. In fact, you may end up painting your home faster because you took steps to prepare ahead of time.
How to avoid a bad set when painting from a ladder
Having a bad set is most common when painting from a ladder. When you climb up and realize that you're not quite in the best place to reach a particular spot, it seems easier to stretch on one leg than climbing back down and moving the ladder to properly cover the last spot that's tough to reach. However, it's not safe, as poor balance on the ladder or going to a step that's too high could cause a fall. You also might not apply the paint as evenly as you should when reaching awkwardly, leaving bare spots. You certainly want to avoid drips when painting with a roller, but a bad set makes it more challenging. In addition, you may not notice these spots until everything dries and the error becomes clearer, forcing you to go back and do it over. So when you want to paint your home like a professional from the ladder, taking steps to avoid bad sets is critical.
If you find that you don't have a good angle when you climb to the top of the ladder, climb back down and adjust the position so that you can paint safely with the proper coating. If you have extremely high ceilings, you may be able to save time by setting up scaffolding that helps you reach all the toughest angles efficiently, rather than risking a shaky position and bad set on a ladder.
Tips to avoid a bad set when painting a wall from the ground
A common problem that leads to a bad set when painting from the ground or a small step stool is when you must paint around furniture or large appliances. If you need to apply the paint in the corner of the kitchen where your refrigerator is, for example, take the time to move the refrigerator out of the way. Yes, it's a hassle to move large items, and it takes extra time. But you may save time in the long run because you won't have to go back and fix mistakes you made by trying to blindly stretch around the refrigerator to reach a corner of the room.
Rather than just leaving furniture in place and covering it with plastic sheeting, moving these items out of the room, or moving them to the middle of the room gives you clear access to the walls behind them. This ensures you don't have to stretch around and over them to reach the walls.
It's especially important to avoid a bad set when you need to go around window molding or door frames. If you are in a bad position because you're trying to work around or over furniture, it's far more difficult to be accurate with the paintbrush. Move items to give yourself a sturdy position in situations where you need to be as careful as possible when applying the paint.