Interior Painting

 

How To Paint Like A Pro

A little color can bring a room to life. A lack of color can make a room dull and boring. Everyone knows you can give your drab, washed-out walls a burst of brilliance with a gallon or two of paint.  Painting is the most often tackled do-it-yourself project.

You don't have to be a pro to learn how to paint but there is more to a good paint job than just rolling it on the wall. In this post I’ll show you how to coat your walls expertly in one weekend. You won't be wasting time taping off every corner or backtracking to touch-up like an amateur. As long as you stay organized and methodical, you'll be able to get on with the satisfying business of transforming your room into a vibrant and exciting new space.

A poorly executed paint job is easy to spot with its drips and uneven lines. More often than not, haste is the culprit. With some thorough preparation up front, many of the possible pitfalls can be eliminated and the actual painting will be much easier. Before you open a can of paint, schedule plenty of time for prep.

Prep starts with sanding and sometimes scraping. Sanding scuffs up the existing surface so the new paint grabs hold; scraping will take off any old bumps or drips. You should also take your time patching holes, caulking gaps, and cleaning dust so you can start with a clean, paintable surface.

If you’re working with new walls, or if you’ve patched any holes before you start, you’ll also need to prime. Primer seals the surface and creates an even, solid base that takes paint well. You should also prime if you’re going from a dark to a light color or vice versa. (In the latter case, have the paint store tint the primer to go with your wall color. It will save you at least one coat of paint later on.) Primer should also be sanded lightly before the paint goes on the wall; for a top-notch job, sand between paint coats, too.

First-time painters tend to tape every edge to guard against bad strokes. But that can bring on its own problems if paint bleeds under the tape or if you peel paint off when removing it. It’s better to use angled brushes, which draw a straight line when turned on edge. Proper use of an angled brush can save you hours of setup and touch-up. Angled brushes also come in handy for cutting in along corners and around trim.

After removing pictures, mirrors and moving furniture, lay canvas tarps or plastic on the floor. Old blankets or sheets will work as well. Unscrew all switch plates and electrical outlet covers, and tape over the switches and plugs with painter's tape. Put tape around any other hardware that can't be removed.

Tip: After removing electrical covers, put the screws back on the fixtures so they don't get lost.

 

 

Using a pole sander fitted with 120-grit paper, sand the walls and ceiling to remove any drips or unevenness from previous paint jobs. Remove bumps or drips on painted molding with a scraper. Use a coarse grit sanding sponge to rough up the surface of the trim. Sand the trim a second time with a fine-grit sanding sponge. Use a vacuum to clear all the dust from the walls and trim. Wipe the trim with a damp cloth to remove any remaining dust.

Run a thin bead of caulk into any gaps where trim meets wall. Wet your finger and smooth the caulk with even pressure to push it into the crack and leave a clean edge. Using a putty knife, fill any small divots or holes on the trim with spackle putty. You can also use spackle for small divots on the walls but for larger wall blemishes use drywall joint compound. When the filler is dry, sand it with 120-grit sandpaper. Wipe sanded areas with a damp cloth or sponge to remove dust. Use a quality primer to seal patched areas.

 Tip: For the best control when using caulk, cut a ⅛-inch angled opening in the tube's tip.

Dip a 2½-inch angled paint brush into a bucket of paint, loading the paint about a third of the way up the bristles. Tap off—don't wipe—the excess on the side of the bucket. Use the brush to cut in a 2 to 3-inch band of paint at all corners, against the ceiling, and next to molding; this will give the roller some room so it doesn't bump against adjacent areas.

 

To cut in, run a line of paint along the wall about an inch away from the edge. Then turn the brush onto the bristle tips, and press down slightly so the longest bristles gather into a point. Use this point to draw a careful line of paint right up to the edge where wall meets trim. Once you have a clean line in place, level out any heavy areas or drips before you move on. In order to keep a wet edge, don't work in too large an area at one time.

Tip: Don’t paint directly from the can. Use a clean bucket instead, or you risk contaminating your primary paint supply with dust or dried flecks.

 With a little time and effort you can give your room a professional looking paint job! If painting is not really how you’d like to spend your weekend, a professional handyman service can do it for you at minimal cost.

 

© 2013 Randy Armstrong Construction & Remodeling, Nashville, TN