DIY Tips: 10 Tips in Doing a Good House Painting Job
A nice painting job can enhance the appearance, appeal and value of your home inside and out. You can hire a professional to do the job for you or you can also make it your Do-It-Yourself house painting project. If you choose the latter, there are some important tips that you can follow to come up with a professional-looking house painting job:
1. Wash the surface before painting them.
One of the common mistakes in painting is doing it on a soiled surface. Thoroughly clean the surface first before painting. Even small dust particles can affect the result of your painting job. Paint stays better and looks better if applied on a clean and smooth surface.
2. Make sure that the surface is dry.
Don’t ever paint on wet surfaces. After washing the walls and other surfaces for painting, give it some time to thoroughly dry before starting to paint. Painting on a wet surface oftentimes results in blistering and peeling of paint.
3. Prep the surface beforehand.
If you are going to repaint a particular area in your house, make sure to remove the old paint first before applying a new coat of paint. The new paint will not stick onto the surface if it still has the old, flaking and peeling paint.
4. Use tape for clean edges.
For door frames, window sills, and other areas that require the edges to be clean, use tape around the area when painting.
5. Cover all fixtures and furniture before starting to paint.
Leaving doorknobs, lighting fixtures, and furniture uncovered and exposed while painting will give you a hard time removing paint splashes and splotches later after finishing your paint job. Better cover them beforehand to avoid this problem.
6. If you have to paint the entire room including the ceiling, paint the ceiling first.
You don’t want a dripping paint from the ceiling to ruin your newly painted wall that is why you should paint the ceiling first before painting the walls.
7. If painting on wood, make sure that it is in good condition and not rotting.
Don’t paint on rotting wood with the hope that it will cover the imperfection. Wood imperfections need to be patched up or replaced, not hidden using paint.
8. Always use a primer for better results.
One of the common mistakes by inexperienced painters is skipping on the primer. Primer is very important for an enhanced finish and it can also cover some stains on the wall before the final paint is applied.
9. Make sure you have the right tools and right paint for the job.
Common tools used for DIY painting are paintbrushes and rollers. Having different types and sizes of paintbrushes is really worth the investment especially if you like to achieve a professional-looking paint job. Decide on which type of paint you will use. Oil-based enamel paints are more expensive and harder to clean but are more durable and glossier than water-based latex paints which are cheaper and quick-drying. Enamel paints are often used in wood surfaces while latex paints are used for interior walls.
10. Keep leftover paint for touchups.
After your painting project is finished, don’t forget to save the extra paint in a jar for some touchup work. It can be difficult to find the perfect match of paint in case a touchup is needed.
These are just some of the basic tips you must remember for a do-it-yourself house painting project. Now that you already know them, you can be assured of a better result in many of your house-painting jobs.
