Tips for Interior Painting Like a Pro –
If you’re interested in painting your interior walls but don’t want to hire a professional, it’s helpful to know how they do it. Knowing something about the process could save you time and money — and help you avoid having to repaint your walls after you make a mistake. Here are some tips for painting your walls like a pro:
#1 Inspect your walls.
Check for cracks, flaking, peeling or scrapes. Then, fill large cracks as needed, sand those areas down or scrape them away before applying new paint or primer. You might need to wash away spots with soap and then rinse. Otherwise use a damp cloth to wipe away any dust or debris.
#2 Invest in high quality supplies.
Don’t use cheap supplies to paint your interior walls. Use quality paint and the best brushes, rollers, covers, painter’s tape, etc. Otherwise, you might have to work harder and longer than you would like to apply multiple coats of paint.
#3 Prep the area.
When preparing to paint your interior walls, remove all light outlet covers and switch plates. You should also see about putting painter’s tape around your ceiling trim, door casings and base boards. Keep that paint where it belongs… on the wall.
#4 Use paint primer.
Primer is essential to having a clean and smooth paint job. If you want to invest in a paint-and-primer combination, make sure it’s been less than 8 years since your wall was last painted. Otherwise you will need to get a separate primer to coat your walls. You might have to apply a few coats of primer before you do your first coat of paint.
#5 Rely on the roller.
Don’t use paint brushes when painting interior walls. Rollers are great for getting premium paint onto your walls, so make sure you have the right kind of paint. Just don’t apply too much pressure when moving the roller. High ceilings – try an extension roller so you reach the entire wall with an even coat.
#6 Stay organized.
It’s important to follow an organized set of steps when painting your walls like a pro. Those include:
- Work from top to bottom at all times when using a roller.
- Paint the corners, around molding, around your ceilings and base boards with a brush.
- Allowing appropriate drying time between coats for an even finish.
If you try to rush through a paint job or speed through a portion of your painting, you could end up with streaking, uneven layers or other issues that you can’t easily fix. The important thing is to stay calm and patient.
Conclusion
Painting like a pro is possible — you just have to know what to do and where to invest your money. It’s not for everyone, though. If you don’t have the time to spend repainting your interior walls, you can always spend about $400 to $800 per room to have them painted professionally.
Realty Times 6/2015