10 Steps to the Perfect Paint Job
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A new coat of paint can completely change the feel and look of any room in your home. It’s the least expensive way to start a remodeling project, and the fastest to accomplish. However, even with the best of intentions, a poorly planned project can destroy your hopes for any kind of improvement.
- Using a quality paint that contains a primer and is easy to clean will save you time and even money in the long run. Paint is not an area to try to save money on.
- Prep work is key. Fix holes in all walls with plaster. Let dry at least overnight – painting plaster that is damp will just soak up the paint and it could spread the plaster away from the area.
- Don’t leave nails in the wall to paint over them! If you plan on hanging pictures in the same spot when you’re done, fine, but take the nails out and replace them later on. If you do not plan on putting pictures back in the same place, plaster the holes and paint over them.
- Sand down the plaster until it’s smooth. Sandpaper is much better than trying to do with an attachment on an electric drill.
- Using painter’s tape, edge all areas – window frames, door frames, ceiling/ wall barriers. Before removing this tape, allow the area to dry for 24 hours or you might end up pulling off some of the paint that is stuck on the tape.
- Get the appropriate tools to do the job. A typical room will need a roller (get one with telescoping handle for high and vaulted ceilings), a paint tray, a large flat brush, a 2″ angled brush, an edger (to reach into corners and tiny spaces). A step stool or ladder might come in handy as well.
- Cover everything with drop cloths: furniture, the floor, whatever can’t be removed from the room.
- Latex paints are water based and easy to clean. You don’t need to clean up every tiny drop that spills; waiting till the job is over is actually easier because the drops will dry and you can scrape them off easily.
- Remove wall plates and light switches. It’s easy. Unscrew them, put them aside, paint the wall, and replace them in a few hours. Do the same with door knobs.
- Baseboards are easy only if the original baseboards were put on correctly. There should be no space between the bottom of the baseboard and the floor, and there should be no spaces between the baseboard and the wall. If you see spaces, fill them in. The spaces between the baseboard and the wall can be filled with either regular plaster or wood putty. Again, sand down the areas with a tiny strip of sandpaper, or get a sandpaper “sponge” – it is the shape of a sponge that you can easily hold in your hand. A login to the Painting Kits will provide information about the excellent artistic work will efficiency. You can learn deep about paintings and then execute them with ease.
