5 Common Painting Mistakes
Painting a wall is a great way to add character to an otherwise boring room. Save yourself time and money, though, by avoiding these common painting mistakes the next time you paint your home’s interior.
Using Cheap Equipment
You might try to save money by using budget rollers and brushes, but cheaper rollers tend to not have as good of coverage as premium rollers. This means you have to paint areas multiple times to get them covered: resulting in wasted time and money. Make the investment in quality equipment and you will end up saving money in the long run, especially if you intend on using them multiple times.
Not Using Primer
If you’re painting a surface that has a noticeable texture or is unpainted, you should always put down a coat of primer first. There are also specially formulated paints that have primer included that can be used. What primer does is it smooths out uneven surfaces and allows the paint to adhere to the surface for a long lasting finish. If you are painting a wall that already has non-gloss paint on it, you can use a paint with basic primer included for a quality long-lasting finish.
Starting at the Bottom or Middle of the Wall
Another common painting mistake is to start painting a wall in the middle since that’s the easiest place to reach. This can be problematic though because when you get to painting the top of the wall, gravity pulls the fresh paint down and creates drip lines. This can be prevented by starting at the top of the wall and then working your way to the bottom.
Using Too Much Paint
Many people think they should get as much paint on their brushes as possible to try to save time, however, you should only dip your brush about two-thirds of the way into the paint. Go any further than that and the paint cannot be transferred from the brush to the wall meaning the paint is wasted. Paint stuck in the base of the bristles is also more difficult to clean out.
Not Prepping
Walls need a proper surface to adhere to which means you may have to do some work before applying the first coat of paint. If your wall is already coated in a paint with a glossy finish, you should sand it first so that the new paint will have some texture to hold on to. You should also wash your walls before painting to remove any dirt and excess oils that could shorten your new paint job’s lifespan.
If you would like more help avoiding these common painting mistakes, contact the trusted pros at Smith and Company Painting.