Diving into your first home painting project may seem intimidating, but even novice DIYers can successfully complete one with careful planning and preparation of supplies. The key to a successful outcome lies in early preparation.
Vacuum the walls and woodwork; if necessary, use degreaser to eliminate grease buildup that inhibits paint adhesion.
Preparation is Key
Painting walls is a great way to give your home an instant facelift without spending thousands on professional services, but in order for the paint job to last and look its best, you must prepare each wall carefully prior to starting your painting job.
Before painting begins, your walls must be thoroughly cleaned to remove dirt, grit and grime that could prevent paint adhering properly and result in flaking later. Use mild detergent and water, or a degreaser suitable for painted surfaces when cleaning walls.
Sand the wall using a sponge or fine-grit sandpaper to ensure an even finish for your paint and remove any imperfections such as holes, cracks or bits of old wallpaper. This will also provide the ideal surface to apply a fresh coat of paint over. Find out the best painter Melbourne.
Finish by protecting floors and furniture with dropcloths or plastic bags secured with tape to shield against paint splatters, and don’t forget to apply painters tape around trim, molding, doors and windows as a precaution against accidental overspray.
Choosing the Right Color
Paint can be more than a functional coating for your walls; it can also add beautiful design elements. Paint can make small spaces appear larger, eliminate glare in bright environments, warm up north-facing rooms or serve as the centerpiece in open-concept homes.
Bonnie Krims of New York-based designer Bonnie Krims believes color to have more power than people may realize. According to Krims, color “can help make a small room seem larger while also warming a north-facing room or adding life into an otherwise dull area,” according to Krims.
To select the ideal paint color for your space, start by gathering inspiration from a rug or piece of furniture. When it comes time to selecting paint swatches for the wall, observe how they appear during day and night time lighting conditions. It is well worth investing time and money at your local paint desk purchasing samples as soon as possible – saving both cost and frustration in choosing something you don’t end up loving!
Doing a Test Run
If you aren’t quite ready to commit to painting an entire room with paint yet, try painting a small sample on one wall first. This will give you a better idea of what the colors will look like under various lighting conditions; especially since light hues may appear darker or lighter depending on their surroundings and it is important to know this before making your final decision.
Before beginning painting, always prepare the surface you plan to cover by cleaning it thoroughly with damp cloth or sponge and cleaning off walls with damp cloth or sponge to remove dust, dirt and other elements which might prevent paint adhering properly to walls. If there are stains or other issues present on them, degreasers may also need to be used before proceeding further with work.
When working in an older home, testing for lead is of critical importance before undertaking any painting projects. Disturbed paint can release toxic lead dust into the air that poses health hazards to humans and should therefore be left to settle before any painting work can commence. Once testing has been conducted and results analyzed, rinse your walls again after each analysis to remove any remnants or residue.
Getting Started
Painting walls is one of the more common DIY projects and, when completed correctly, can produce an aesthetically pleasing result. But there is much to be learned from this seemingly straightforward task; professional painters have developed certain procedures which help ensure it goes more smoothly and produces better-looking results.
Before professionals paint, they use joint compound to fill holes and patch cracks in walls. But if you attempt to paint directly over this patched surface, its patched surface will absorb any moisture present from your new coat of paint, causing it to appear flat and dull. To avoid this happening to yourself, priming first can help ensure long-term success of any new coat of paint applied directly over these patches.
Homeowners who own textured ceilings often find it challenging to avoid getting paint on its bumps; professional painters use an easy solution: running the tip of a screwdriver along the surface will create tiny ridges where paint bristles naturally slip in.
