Disposable cloth or newspaper?

When painting a room, some people go old-fashioned and use old newspapers to cover the floor. This is the cheap man’s way when he paints around the house. As well as being cheap to do, let’s look at it from a practical point of view as well as if this is really the best way to compare it to using a plastic tarp.

The advantages of using newspaper to cover the floor are easy to count. The newspaper is cheap and eventually you have it if you subscribe to your hometown newspaper. You can “borrow” some from friends and neighbors without having to pay them back. Newspaper also absorbs liquids to some extent. A sheet of newspaper covers a certain amount of flooring and just add additional layers on top of each other for maximum protection.

The disadvantages of using newspapers are also easy to identify. Using newspapers when painting a room can cause stains on the carpet, for example. No matter how many layers of newspaper you stack on top of each other, if you spill a can of paint, it will definitely leak somewhere. The newspaper is dirty – just take a few sheets of newspaper and then look at your fingers. In most cases, your fingers will show the black or gray color of the newspaper. Now imagine that you cover an entire room with newspaper while painting and then walk on it several times. Then you walk out of the room where nothing protects your rug. You can be sure to leave some traces on your good carpet. And although this can be easily removed from the hands, it is difficult to remove it from the carpet.

However, drop cloth is a bit more expensive than newspaper. To cover a normal master bedroom with drop cloth, you may need to pay $10-$30 for enough drop cloth. The amount you pay depends on the thickness you choose. However, the drop cloth is clean and doesn’t cover your hands with printer’s paint or anything. It comes in large sheets and saves a lot of time when it comes to covering an entire room. It’s also best used when you have to cover furniture that can’t be moved out of the room you’re painting.

Conclusion: Although newspaper is the most economical option for preparing a room for painting, it is the least optimal solution. The drop cloth unfolds faster and provides better, cleaner protection for your carpet and furniture.