Nothing can be as satisfying as a fresh coat of paint over your old walls. At times, the budgets of homeowners do not allow them to hire professional painting contractors. However, the good news is that the best Fort Mill painting companies have shared their top tips you can use during a DIY paint job.
Follow these top seven painting tips and enjoy working like a pro. Remember a small misstep during your paint job can destroy your walls. Hence, the following tips will come in handy.
Use the right type of brush
First and foremost, you must choose the right brushes. A brush with natural bristles is cannot be used for latex-based as it will be impossible to spread the paint evenly on the wall. Instead, use brushes with artificial bristles to smoothly apply latex paints.
Never leave the painter’s tape on the wall for a long time
Painter’s tape provides good insulation but if left for too long once the paint has dried, there is virtually a risk of paint peeling off.
In case, you have made the mistake of leaving the tape on for too long then there is a way out of it. Use a hairdryer to warm the tape so that it loosens from the surface. Then gently use your fingertips to remove the tape from the wall.
Keep the weather conditions in mind
Certain types of paints cannot withstand extreme weather and temperatures. It is important to analyze the climate of your area before you select the paint type for your walls.
If you live in a humid area, then it may take weeks for your water-based paints to dry properly. Hence you must avoid water-based options. Freezing temperatures will not allow the paint to dry in a uniform coat resulting in a cracked wall surface.
Hot temperatures can cause the paint coat to form bubbles resulting in an uneven coat. It is important you choose the paint type that suits the surrounding temperature and would result in an even coat on the wall free of bubbles and cracks.
Do not forget to apply a primer base
If you are changing your color scheme from darker shades to lighter ones, then it is important to apply a primer base before applying the lighter paint. The primer will prevent the old paint color from bleeding onto the new one.
To avoid any mistakes, read the color-changing guides provided by the paint manufacturer in detail. Then start with your painting project.
Use the paint roller carefully around the edges
The edges where the walls meet the ceiling should be painted carefully making sure the ceiling does not get any paint smudges. It is easy to bump the paint roller onto the ceiling.
In case you have made this mistake, get a window cleaning liquid and spray it onto the smudged paint. Then wipe it away while it is still wet.
You can avoid getting the paint on the ceiling from the get-go tape the edges of the wall beforehand.
Do the necessary preparations for a glossy surface
Glossy paints are chosen by homeowners because of their ability to resist grease. However, if you want to add a new type of paint coat over a glossy surface, you must first treat the gloss so that the new paint coat can stick to it.
Otherwise, just like grease, the fresh paint coat will not stick onto a glossy surface rendering your efforts useless.
Use the right type of paints over a wallpaper
The most challenging type of paint job is adding a fresh coat of paint over wallpaper. Water-based paints do not work well with wallpaper neither do certain primers. These can easily react with the wallpaper sticking glue leaving you with a messy wall.
An ideal approach is to use oil-based paints rather than using water-based paints.