The Zip Tie Hack That Makes Mixing Paint More Convenient

Mixing paint is an essential step of the painting process. Otherwise, you risk the color looking inconsistent across surfaces. Paint is known to separate inside its container, especially anything with multiple pigments used to achieve a specific color. So no matter what type of paint you're using, you need to give it a proper stir. Sure, you can use wooden sticks often supplied by hardware stores. But what happens if you run out of these stirrers? If you have an electric drill and a long drill bit (for large cans of paint), you can mix paint that way — but don't forget the secret weapon: zip ties. You can attach them to the end of your drill bit to create a propellor, effortlessly mixing your paint.

The great thing about this hack is that it's much easier than using a stirrer and mixing paint by hand, especially if you have big buckets of product and are completing a large project. You can turn on a power drill and have expertly mixed paint with minimal effort. There is some cleanup, however, depending on if you want to reuse your drill bit on other DIY projects. If you don't want to clean your drill bit after use, purchase one just for mixing paint. Amazon sells a Bosch 12" drill bit for $5. You'll also need zip ties. If you don't have any, you can purchase a pack on Amazon for $8. Once you have the proper tools, you're ready to paint your house like a professional. 

All you have to do is securely attach three zip ties to your drill bit, each one going in a different direction, similar to a propellor or fan blades. They'll be long, so you'll have to trim each zip tie — about 2" is perfect. Once complete, you're ready to mix your paint! You can use this incredible hack for mixing indoor paint, outdoor paint, and stain, to name a few ideas. You can even apply this neat trick when adding common ingredients to paint, such as coffee grounds, giving your next DIY project a unique texture. You might also find this hack useful when determining the right consistency of your paint. Use your drill bit/zip tie combo to give it a quick stir, checking to see if its consistency is good to go. 

If you don't want to purchase a new bit but want to remove paint from an existing one after use, you can do so in several ways. The easiest way is to rinse it off immediately after mixing your paint. Cleanup is trickier if the paint has time to dry on your drill bit. 

If you have a heat gun, using it on its lowest setting can melt the paint off your drill bit. You can also soak your drill bit in a mixture of water and baking soda — or vinegar — but you'll also need to apply heat to remove any residual paint, so a heat gun might be best. Just exercise caution when using it.