If you are getting ready to move out of your house or into a new one, chances are painting is in your near future. If you are going to be painting your house on your own, you might want to get in on these top secrets we’ve collected over the years.
Don’t Forget to Sand
When you paint anything, the key to a good-looking paint job is to sand away any flaws. A perfectly smooth surface is the secret to a practically perfect paint job. So, before you begin, sand your walls. Sanding will smooth out any rough spots in your trim.
Use Tinted Primer
After you sand the walls down, it is a good idea to use a primer. Your best bet is to use a tinted primer. The primer actually helps you avoid that flat, dull look that you can get by painting right over the filler and compound. But, instead of using a white primer, use a gray or a primer that is similar to your paint color.
Press Tape with a Knife
Paint can bleed through the painter’s tape. So, in an effort to avoid that, it is a good idea to press the tape with a knife. This will save you hours of scraping paint off the floor and trim. Look at your local hardware store for blue painter’s tape – avoid masking tape. Save the masking tape for closing up boxes for the move!
Use a Paint Extender
Do you know how to avoid lap and brush marks on the wall? You use a paint extender. A paint extender is basically a paint conditioner that slows down the drying time and gives you a smooth finish. Basically, it lets you avoid brush strokes. A paint extender is a good idea when you are painting drywall, cabinets, doors, and woodwork.
Dealing with Textured Ceilings
Textured ceilings are really hard to paint without getting bumps all over the place. There is a simple solution – run a screwdriver along the edges of the ceiling to scrape off the texture. This will allow you to create a little ridge that the paint brush will naturally fit into.
Use Only Canvas Drop Cloths
Bed sheets are an inexpensive solution for protecting your furniture and floor, but that’s not what the pros use. They also aren’t so great for saving your floor or furniture from splatters and spill, but canvas is. Canvas isn’t slippery and it helps prevent splatters.
Do One Wall at a Time
You might want to move quickly through the room and paint all the corners and trim, but it really is best to do one wall at a time. Get a perfect look by painting along the edges of one wall, then immediately rolling it in before moving on to the next.
Don’t Tape Windows – Scrape Them
Taping your windows might seem like a good idea, but it takes a long time and the paint ends up on the glass no matter what. Let the paint get on the glass – it is actually really easy to scrape it off with a razor blade.
It’s always a good idea to do your painting before you move in, if you can!
Lance Grooms
