Painting your home is something you can do on your own. Doing so will take lots of work, however, and you will have to get your hands dirty while painting beautiful flowers from your garden. But if you are willing to put in the time and effort, then this task is something you will find both fun and fulfilling. The best part is that you can paint your house like a pro by following the tips below:
Get your stuff out the way
The last thing you would want is to get your stuff stained with paint, so consider having them moved somewhere else. In doing so, you will be able to keep your things clean and get more room to work with. You can do this on your own, or you can ask a friend to lend a hand. You don’t want to get stubborn paint stains on your hands and nice clothes, as well. That’s why make sure to wear durable nitrile gloves for painting and a paint suit or old clothes and an apron when doing the job.
But if your things are too big to move on your own, and you reside in Florida, get help from moving companies Tampa residents trust. Recruiting professional movers might come at an additional cost, but doing so guarantees that your things will be moved safely. When moving your things is no longer a concern, you can turn your full focus on the paint job you are about to do.
Buy what the pros use
The materials you will use will affect the overall quality of your DIY paint job, so make sure that everything you will be using is of excellent quality. Start by buying high-quality spray paint to ensure smooth finish, one-coat coverage. As an added bonus, high-quality paint is more durable and is less likely to flake off as opposed to low-quality paint.
Likewise, invest in the right accessories. In particular, buy professional grade brushes and roller covers as they offer better and wider coverage for every stroke, thus saving you both time and effort. A high-end painter’s tape is a must-have, too, as it ensures extra tight seals to keep drips and blurs out.
Do the ”boxing” part
Don’t make the amateur mistake of opening a can of paint, using it all up, and then opening another. This is a mistake as there might be a slight difference in color from one can of paint to another, and that variance will be noticeable once the paint job is complete.
You can avoid this problem by boxing the paint you need. Boxing is the process of estimating how much paint you will need, putting that amount of paint in a five-gallon bucket, and then mixing it. This is something the pros do to ensure consistency in color, and it is a painting hack you should do as well. You need not worry about excess paint since you can store the leftover paint by tightly sealing the gallon it is in.
Inspect and then prep
Before applying anything, check first for parts that are cracked that require replacement or are either peeling off or flaking. If you apply primer and paint on these parts, the new coating’s weight will just pull loose the old, damaged paint. The result is that your new paint job will end up damaged as well.
When you find cracked or peeling areas, sand or scrape each part gently to get rid of the old paint. While you are at it, rinse the entire area clean with water and then wipe it down. All this prep will ensure that the new paint you will be applying will stick well to the surface because it is clean and dust-free.
Avoid those ghastly lap marks
Lap marks are the unsightly stripes that appear due to paint building up unevenly. They are generally caused by applying paint on a part that has partly dried already. These troublesome spots can be avoided by keeping what the pros call a “wet edge.”
You can maintain a wet edge by starting in a corner and then running your roller in an up-and-down motion, making sure that you cover the full height of the wall with every stroke and move forward slightly with every stroke. But in case you leave behind a thick spot, even it out immediately by moving backward. Additionally, reload your roller frequently to keep it from going dry or nearly dry. Another neat trick is to make sure that the roller frame’s open side is always facing the side of the wall that you have painted already. Doing so keeps paint ridges from messing up your paint job.
Don’t be too quick to cut the tape
Another mistake amateurs make is when they pull the tape off the trim too quickly and often recklessly. Remember, when the paint dries up, a film between the tape and the wall is formed. Then, when you remove the tape carelessly, pieces of dried paint will come off along with the tape.
To remedy such a situation, make sure that the paint is completely dry, and that will take at a minimum of 24 hours or so. Then, slice through the aforementioned film with a box cutter knife to check if the paint has hardened enough for a clean slice. If it is, continue cutting the film and then start pulling the tape, making sure you do so at around a 45-degree angle.
Painting a house might seem like a daunting task, and it is in some ways. But it is nothing that you cannot handle, especially if you apply the pointers discussed above. Happy painting!
