With labor rates rising with contractors, professional paint jobs are often out of the budget. However, there is a way to survive a painting project and still feel satisfied both during and after the challenge. A new color is your motivation to grab that roller brush.
Make it Stick the First Time
You wouldn’t paint on a dirty sheet of paper so don’t try a new color on unprepared walls. Although they’re vertical, walls accumulate grease and grime over the years. A beautiful beige hue may appear light brown now, for example. Take a rag and add mineral spirits to it. Scrub the walls with this cleaning agent to remove all the buildup. If the rag was white, you’ll be amazed at its color after swiping just one wall. New paint can’t adhere to dirty walls so make it easier on yourself with some cleanliness preparation.
Don’t Paint the Outlets
Avoiding some key preparation tactics makes the paint job that much harder so make it a point to remove light switch and electrical outlet covers. You’ll make the paint job easier by removing these items so you don’t have to struggle to paint around them. Without the covers, there’s no need to tape around the outlets. Simply cover the switch and outlets themselves with wide tape to keep any paint off their functional parts.
Buy Lots of Rollers
You’ve heard the paint experts say that rollers must be cleaned before the paint hardens on the nap, but this chore is often overlooked. You may be too busy working on the room’s finishing touches to remember the cleaning portion, for example. Make it a point to purchase many extra rollers just in case. If you have one that hardens, simply grab a new one. Rollers are relatively inexpensive, making them easy to replace. Return any unused ones when the job is finished.
A Painting Party?
You may look at the living room and realize it’s a huge space to paint. Don’t make it your sole purpose in life, but actually invite people over to help out. Consider this gathering as a painting party. Everyone can wear their oldest and dingiest clothes and paint away. Even spread out deletable foods in the kitchen for those necessary breaks. You’d be amazed at how fast a room receives its color with extra hands helping out.
Tape is Your Friend
Even if friends are helping out, don’t create an unprofessional mess across the walls. Use tape to keep all the edges clean. Add it to ceiling and floor molding, along with protecting door and window frames. Technically, the taping process should take longer than the painting itself. Preparation may be tedious, but it makes the painting period much more fun as rollers can slide around with some controlled abandon. You may not even need the paint thinner for mistakes.
Take a Break Between Coats
Don’t be in a hurry to finish up that paint job. Apply the first coat and take a break. Take off to the kitchen, eat and chat for awhile. You want the first paint coat to be cured to avoid any sticky issues. If you try to apply the second coat with a wet base, the entire wall will have an uneven appearance. Take a break to make the painting as smooth as possible.
Whether you want to impress home warranty companies or just the family, a brand new paint job isn’t out of the question when you employ a few industry tricks. Keep friends and family near to grab lunch when painting makes you hungry, but complete the job with plenty of help and laughter along the way. The right paint job lasts for many years.
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