Avoid these 15 mistakes when painting your home
Are you painting your home? Avoid disaster by ensuring that you don’t make these mistakes. Painting requires an investment of time and money, so you don’t want to end up disappointed because of unnecessary errors. Done right, a fresh coat of paint can transform your living space. Find houses for sale on GotProperty and give your new home a fresh coat of paint.
1. Failing to do repairs first
While repair work can be a hassle, it’s important to fix your walls before you start painting your home. To get the best outcome, you need to paint over a smooth wall. The first step is to inspect the room for holes or cracks. Sand off flaking paint, fill the holes, let it dry, then sand it until you’ve created a smooth surface.
2. Not addressing water damage
If you come across water damage during your assessment, identify and repair the source of the problem. If you try to cover up the damage without dealing with the root cause, your newly painted walls will suffer the same fate.
3. Painting over dirty surfaces
When there’s dirt or grease on your walls, it can result in an uneven coat. If you want the walls to look their best, you’ll need to clean them first. Dust the walls and wipe off marks with a damp cloth. You may need to use a cleaning detergent to remove stubborn grease. Avoid strong detergents as they can remove paint from the wall.
4. Incorrect choice of paint
If you’ve purchased the wrong paint, you won’t get the desired effect no matter how hard you try. Avoid using paints with a high sheen on imperfect surfaces. Glossy paint reflects light and draws attention to defects in the wall’s surface.
If you’re painting over light paint with a darker paint colour, you’ll need to apply a tinted primer first. Gray primer is a popular choice, but your selection will depend on the specific paint you’re using.
5. Getting paint on the ceiling
After long hours of painting, it’s easy for accidents to happen. If you hit the ceiling with your roller or brush, it can be a hassle to cover up the paint. Apply a strip of paint horizontally close to the ceiling first. Then when you continue painting vertically, you’ll have a buffer zone to protect your roof.
6. Forgetting to use primer
If you’re reapplying the same colour to freshen up your walls, you don’t need primer. However, primer is important when you’re applying a new colour to darker paint or glossy finishes. Primer will increase the durability of your paint job.
7. Excessive use of painter’s tape
Overusing painter’s tape is a hassle and it takes up time you could dedicate to painting your home. Buy an angled brush that offers more precision when you’re applying paint to ceilings and corners.
8. Painting with insufficient light
Make sure that the room is properly illuminated before you start painting. If you apply paint without proper lighting, you’ll miss imperfections that are visible once you switch on the lights.
9. Poor quality paint
While quality paint comes with a higher price tag, the result makes it worth the investment. If you buy cheap paint, it’s likely to chip sooner and cost you time and money in the long run.
10. Failing to move or cover furniture
Despite all your efforts to be careful, painting can be a messy job. Splashing paint on your furniture is an expensive mistake to make. Remove the furniture from the room or cover it with plastic before you start painting.
11. Not replacing rotten wood
Applying paint over rotten wood won’t solve your problem, therefore make sure that you repair the wood before you get out your paintbrush.
12. Using the incorrect tools
Painting with the wrong tools is a hassle. It can also affect the quality of your paint job. You’ll need a roller as well as the correct paintbrush for the surface you’re painting on.
13. Forgetting to store touch-up paint
While you may be proud of your freshly painted walls, they’re likely to suffer from wear and tear over time. Keep some paint aside so it’s easy to touch up your walls when necessary. If you don’t, it can be difficult to match the exact same shade when you need it.
14. Applying a single coat of paint
In most cases, you’ll need two coats of paint to get the best results. You’ll benefit from improved aesthetics and better durability when you apply two coats. The exception is if you’re using the same colour again.
15. Painting from the can
Use a paint tray rather than painting straight from the can. This strategy reduces the risk of contamination and decreases the chances of spilling the whole can of paint.
Now that you know what mistakes to avoid when you’re painting your home, you can get the best results. Looking for a new home? Find houses for sale on GotProperty.
