Some home improvement jobs require a professional, while some can easily be done on your own. Painting is a fairly straightforward job that you can do yourself, however, there is professional knowledge that’s needed to get the job done right and look like it was done by a pro painter. The simplest mistake can cost you more time and money that you may end up regretting you didn’t hire a pro in the first place.
To save you the trouble, we want to share our painting advice based on the most common mistakes we hear DIYers make. We’re sure these tips will boost your confidence and make that paint job look close to perfection.
Choose the right paint for the space
Along with the multitude of colours, there are also many finishes when it comes to paint, such as, satin, gloss, semi-gloss, etc. These finishes play an important role when you consider environmental factors, surface texture, and the traffic in the space. Below is a good guide to what to use where…
Choose the right paint for the surface
Every surface requires a different kind of paint so you can’t just use any old paint and think it’s going to work out. If you select the wrong paint, you may end up with issues like peeling and bubbling. Make sure to do your research so you know exactly what to buy.
Prepare the surfaces
Preparation is key when painting to ensure the top coat is smooth and clean so be sure to remove peeling paint and wallpaper, sand dull surfaces, and wipe everything clean for the fresh paint.
Avoid too much paint on the brush
You don’t want too much or not enough paint on your brush so it’s best to stay somewhere in the middle to avoid extra work (not enough paint) or messy work (too much paint).
Remove paint tape before it dries
To protect some areas from paint, you may decide to put down some tape, which does work really well. However, be sure to remove this before your paint dries to avoid peeling up the dry paint and/or damaging the surface under the tape.
