There’s nothing like a fresh coat of paint to breathe new life into your home. Painting can help you personalise your home, protect it from the elements and even add value if you plan on selling. However, you may want to steer clear of the 10 most common mistakes people make when painting their homes themselves.
Not Prepping the Surface
If you try to paint on walls that are dirty, greasy, flaky, and a little worse for wear, you’ll end up with a bad paint job. To give your walls the best chance of looking their best, make sure you wash them beforehand to remove dust, dirt and grime to ensure an even surface.
Choosing the Wrong Paint
One of the most annoying mistakes to make is choosing the wrong colour paint, which usually happens when people make their choice based on an online picture or colour swatch. Instead, make sure you get a sample of paint colour to try out on your walls before you make your decision.
Not Considering Lighting
Did you know that lighting could affect paint colour? Both artificial and natural light affects the way paint looks in a room, so it’s best to look at your paint sample at different times of the day and using different lighting.
Leaving Furniture Exposed
If you’re working on an interior painting project, the last thing you want to do is forget to cover your furniture or fittings. Remove pictures from the walls and move everything into the middle of the room before covering it all over with plastic sheeting.
Not Using Tape
If you’ve decided to paint your interior, the chances are you’ll need to paint in a straight line at some point. By placing tape alongside windowsills, doorframes and light switches, you’ll not only protect these fixtures, but you’ll also allow for a more precise boarder for your work.
Using the Wrong Tools
In most cases, you’ll need a paint roller set, a paintbrush set, a plastic bucket, sponge and a paint roller extension pole. Not only will you need to decide whether or not you should apply paint using a roller or a brush, but you’ll also need to choose exactly which tool is best for the job.
Underestimating the Amount of Paint Needed
Believe it or not, underestimating the amount of paint needed is another common mistake. You’ll need to calculate the amount of paint needed for the specific size of the room, making allowances for multiple coats and special design decisions such as feature walls.
Bumping the Ceiling or Floor
There’s nothing worse than going too far with your roller and accidentally bumping the ceiling or floor with a line of paint. Avoid this problem by rolling a horizontal strip of paint alongside the ceiling or floor and then roll vertically right up to the painted strip.
Cheapening Out On the Paint
If you want to get the best results when you’re painting your home, it’s best to use high-quality paint. If you choose a cheaper paint, you run the risk of your paint job looking unprofessional and not lasting as long. You may save money now, but in the long run, it’ll cost more to redecorate.
Not Hiring a Professional
If you’re a little unconfident when it comes to painting the interior or exterior of your home, it’s always best to take the stress out of doing it yourself by hiring professionals.
As commercial painters and decorators with over 35 years of experience, Giuseppe Piran can design and create your ideal living space. Contact us for a quote today.