The Must-Have Painting Tools Landlords Swear By

There’s probably nobody who does as much painting as landlords and residential property managers. Whenever one of their tenants move out, these real estate pros move in to ready the place for the next renters. When they arrive, they find themselves left with projects as small as a few spots that need touching up, to entire interiors that are in need of a fresh coat of paint. 

That’s why it makes sense these folks have feelings about their go-to painting tools. Find out what tools they rely on when it’s time to break out the drop cloth and paint brushes, and why they keep coming back to them time after time. 

Cory Summerhays, founder of painting company Unforgettable Coatings Inc., is no stranger to repainting multi-family residences. According to him, the key to getting through residential projects quickly is a masking gun, which helps apply masking tape quickly and evenly. “Unless you’re a painter, you probably don’t even know what a masking gun is, but we would never show up to a job site without one,” Summerhays says. “They are the reason painters can prep with speed and how, in our world, a painter can become an absolute folk hero for the speed at which they can prep.” You can buy one for yourself for around $30.

Not many of us will have the opportunity to paint our home before we’ve moved any of our belongings into our new space. This means we’re often negotiating around furniture, boxes, and sometimes a wayward pet or two. But for those who get into the space between tenants, all that freedom to move around gives them the ability to pull out the big guns (literally).

“When painting the walls of a house without worrying about the furniture or other items, our trusted general contractors like to paint with power spray,” says Andrew Luong, CEO & cofounder at Doorvest, a real estate investing platform. 

If you’ve ever poured paint into a paint tray, you know what a mess it can make, which is why Christopher R. Alker, an architect and the director of building operations and compliance for AKAM, a property management company, says a paint can pour spout can be a lifesaver (and a paper towel saver, too).

“Pouring from paint cans can be messy and these attachable spouts, like the one made by FoamPRO, are a secret weapon for a precise pour,” he explains.

When it comes to painting an entire home, size really does matter according to residential and commercial painter Mark Lambert, owner of Five Star Painting in Colorado Springs and Castle Rock. “On projects that require a roll-on application, many painters rely on the ole’ faithful nine-inch roller,” he says. “If it takes two hours to paint a room with a nine-inch roller, it’s possible it could take half as long with an 18-inch roller.” When you’re painting all the rooms, cutting that time in half can really add up.