Ever wonder why your paint job doesn’t look quite as nice as a professional? I asked an expert house painter, who happens to be my brother, his advise on what every amateur painter should know before they start smearing color on their walls.
Tip #1 – Selecting Paint
When choosing paint, don’t skimp and buy the cheap stuff. Stick to better brands like Dunn Edwards or Sherwin Williams. They have great quality paints that make painting easier and the job go by much faster. The problem with cheaper brands is they tend to dry out your roller, making the paint absorb less and causes splatter marks. In other words, generic brand paint means more work and coats for you. The sheen is also an important factor when selecting paint. Here is a helpful graph on which gloss to pick depending on the room from Dunn Edwards:
Tip #2 – The Right Stuff
When purchasing brushes and rollers, it’s important to get the right ones for the job. For most rooms, you will need one 4 inch brush with a straight edge, a 2-4 inch angled brush for edging, and a 2 inch for trim. Look for brushes that have various lengths that are split at the ends. This helps the brush hold more paint for better application. When it comes to rollers, size matters. Larger rollers are best for big walls and smaller ones are great painting tiny areas and small spaces. The knap is important too. The thicker knaps work wonders for ceiling because it holds more paint, although it can be quite messy. A medium knap is perfect for regular rooms and a light knap is great for trim and moulding.
Tip #3 – Best Way to Start
Clear the room of furniture so nothing can interfere with your painting. This goes for removing hardware like electrical plates, hardware, and wires. Safeguard your floor and furnishings with plastic or cloth drop cloths. You can use blue painters tape to secure the cloths from moving. For slippery floors like tile, use a combo of plastic and a heavy canvas to avoid sliding accidents. After the area has been prepped, it’s time to start painting. Section off a large wall in 5×5′ sections and begin with dipping your roller in the paint and drag it in a W, starting at the top corner and ending at the opposite corner. This helps with making the paint application even and lessens drip marks.
Tip #4 – Edging Crisp Lines
When edging ceilings, baseboards, and corners try using orange or blue painters tape and a bottle of clear acrylic gel medium, found at any art supply store. Adhere your tape to the area you don’t want painted. Then paint clear gel medium with a disposable brush over the edge of the tape meeting the space to be painted, so the gel is covering part of the tape and the wall. Wait a few minutes for this to dry and then start painting one to two coats, going over the tape just a smidgen. After your walls are completely dry, remove the tape and be amazed at your crisp clean edge lines.
For help in selecting paint colors from professionals, try our Color Palette service and let an expert colorist pick the right shade for your home.
Happy Painting!
Day Design & Decor
