Introduction:
Painting a room can be a fantastic way to refresh your living space and add a touch of personality to your home. Whether you’re a DIY enthusiast or looking to hire a top-rated professional house painting company in Lexington, knowing the tricks of the trade can make a world of difference in achieving a flawless finish. In this blog post, I’ll share expert tips and tricks to help you paint a room like a professional painter.
1. Prepare Your Canvas:
Before you even think about picking up a paintbrush, thorough preparation is key to a successful paint job. Start by:
- Clearing the Room: Remove furniture, wall decorations, and any obstacles that could get in your way. Remove switch and outlet cover plates and wash them for re-installation after the painting project.
- Cleaning the Walls: Dust and dirt can affect paint adhesion. Give your walls a good cleaning with mild soap and water, then rinse and let them dry completely.
- Repairing Imperfections: Fill in any holes, cracks, or imperfections with a suitable filler. Sand these areas smooth once they’ve dried. If you are able, sand the entire wall space lightly to create a better finish once painted. Unless you are using a flat finish paint, you will need to prime these patches before painting.
2. Choose High-Quality Paint:
Investing in high-quality paint is essential for a professional-looking finish. Cheap paints often require more coats and can result in uneven coverage. Consult with your house painting company or local paint store to select the right type of paint and finish (flat, sating, eggshell, semi-gloss, etc.) for your project. Please read another post I wrote to help you determine the right finish for interior walls (and to see why I generally recommend a high-quality, washable, flat finish). You can read that post by clicking the button below.
3. Gather the Right Tools:
Having the right tools can make your job easier and produce better results. Make sure you have the following on hand:
- Paintbrushes and Rollers: High-quality brushes and roller covers ensure smooth and even application. For a flat finish on walls (recommended) use a ¾” nap 9” roller cover. If you are using a satin or eggshell finish, use ½” nap 9” roller cover.
- Painter’s Tape: Use painter’s tape to protect trim, ceilings, and other areas you don’t want to paint.
- Drop Cloths: Cover floors and furniture with drop cloths or painter’s plastic to protect them from paint splatters.
4. Prime Before You Paint:
Priming your walls before painting is a great idea for achieving an even color and improved paint adhesion. It can also help cover up previous paint colors and imperfections if there is a big color change. Consult with your house painting company or follow the paint manufacturer’s recommendations for the appropriate latex (not oil) interior primer. If you patch, you need to prime those patches before painting.
5. Cutting-In and Edging:
Cutting-in is the process of carefully painting the edges and corners of the room before using a roller. This step requires a steady hand and precision. Use a high-quality angled brush for best results.
6. Paint in W Patterns:
When using a roller, paint in W or M patterns rather than straight up and down. This technique helps distribute paint more evenly and minimizes streaks. Use this technique when first applying the paint from the pan to the walls. Then, once you have a good amount of paint on the wall, roll from ceiling to baseboard in nice, even strokes. If you hear the roller cover start to make a squishing sound, you have run out of wet paint. This is called dry rolling. The sound you are hearing is actually the roller cover beginning to take paint OFF the wall. Avoid this by keeping the roller cover wet. Stop and dip the roller cover in the paint pan again and proceed with your W or M pattern on the next section of the wall.
7. Work Quickly:
Painting in sections and maintaining a wet edge will prevent paint from drying unevenly. This is especially true if you are using a satin or eggshell paint finish. Be sure to complete one section before moving on to the next.
8. Apply Multiple Coats:
In most cases, one coat of paint won’t be enough for full coverage or for the best appearance when finished. Apply a second coat after the first one has dried to achieve the desired color and finish. Two coats should be enough for a high-quality paint, but you be the judge once the second coat is dry. If it looks like it needs a third coat, now is the time to do it before you clean up.
9. Clean Up Properly:
After you’ve finished painting, clean your brushes, rollers, and other tools thoroughly in water outside first, then inside with hot water and soap (if you are using a latex-based paint). If you are using oil (which you should not be for interior walls), you will need paint thinner to clean up. Dispose of paint and solvents responsibly, following local regulations.
Conclusion:
Painting a room like a pro involves careful planning, attention to detail, and the right materials. By following these tips and tricks, you can achieve stunning results that will leave your room looking like it was professionally painted by a Lexington house painting specialist like our company. If you prefer to leave the work to experts, don’t hesitate to contact My Three Sons Professional Painting, your reputable local Lexington house painters, for a flawless finish that will transform your living space. We offer all residential house painting services at fair prices. And we offer free house painting estimates.
Happy painting!
To learn more about the various residential painting services we offer, click the button below.
You can reach us at www.mythreesonspainting.com or by calling us at 859-321-7344
