One of the first home-improvement tasks we learned was painting. Both of our folks loved to paint. Although mom's most often was done with an aerosol can, she, like dad, did her share of painting with a roller and brush.

Our parents not only taught us how to paint, but impressed upon us, at an early age, the great impact that a fresh coat of paint has on the appearance of a surface, space or building. Thus, as kids, when our friends were playing ball, we sometimes took pleasure from wielding a brush.

Consequently, the front porch of our old family home was always a shiny red enamel, the block wall surrounding the side yard an unscathed beige and the wrought-iron patio furniture a rust-free white. While many of our long-ago paint jobs have faded, our interest in and satisfaction from painting hasn't.

It is often said that the key to a top-quality paint job lies in the preparation. How true. A clean, dry and well-prepared surface will significantly improve the appearance and lasting-quality of a paint job. Equally important is the quality of the paint. Paint is an investment. If you like spending your free time painting, buy inexpensive, low-quality paint. It won't last, and you'll find yourself giving a repeat performance sooner rather than later.

Preparation and paint quality are two of the three important elements of painting. The third is how the paint is applied. Paint can be sprayed, rolled, brushed, sponged or applied with a pad. Although there are a host of other means of applying paint such as rags and combs, the aforementioned are the most popular.

Once you decide on the means of application you'll need to choose an applicator. For example, if you decide to apply the paint with a brush, you will want one that will give the best result. Brushes come in many shapes, sizes and materials. The elements to consider when choosing one are the type of paint (oil or water), the desired finish (smooth or textured), and the size of the object being painted. The latter will determine the size of the brush or roller to use.

The drill is simple. When painting with oil (or solvent thinned paint or stain), use a Chinese Bristle brush made from natural animal hair or hog bristle from China. These brushes tend to be more expensive and should not be used in water-based finishes. When using water-based paints or stains, use a brush made of man-made synthetic bristles such as nylon, polyester or a combination of the two.

If you will be painting a large, flat surface such as a door, a 3-inch to 4-inch brush is the best choice. With windows or trim, use a trim brush. There are two types of these. One has bristles cut straight across and the other has bristles cut at a slight angle to the ferrule. The sharper pointed edge of the angular sash brush lets you do precise trimming or fine-line work. In addition, the brush handle is generally long for pencil-grip control.

Rollers are used when there is a need to spread lots of paint over a large area. Though the standard roller is 9 inches wide, they are available in various widths to suit the project. When roller shopping, you will notice a difference in the length of the nap or fibers. Some rollers have a short smooth surface, while others have a long, bushy look. A roller with short nap is designed for smooth surfaces whereas long nap is best for rough or textured ones.

Aside from the size and the length of the nap, fabric type determines which roller is best to use. As with paintbrushes, a roller can be made of natural material such as mohair or man-made polyester. Mohair, woven to prevent shedding, works especially well when used with polyurethane, oil-base enamels and solvent thinned paints and stains.

Formed paint sponges and fabric covered paint pads have become popular in the last few years. We have found the foam sponges to work exceptionally well for minor flat wall touchup or for small craft projects. We don't recommend them for serious painting jobs where quality is a concern. The same goes for fabric-covered paint pads. They are well suited for applying stain and/or varnish to smooth surfaces such as a deck or hardwood floor, but are not considered to be effective for applying paint.

A nifty tip: Save time and wear and tear cleaning up paint-covered brushes and rollers at the end of a day of painting by wrapping the brush or roller cover in plastic food wrap and placing it in the refrigerator. Remove the brush or roller from the fridge the next morning, allow it to come up to room temperature, and continue where you left off.