Most people can do a half decent job when painting a room but for some reason, we just can’t figure out how to get that perfect job done like the professionals. While a professional obviously has more experience and the right tools than the average person, there are also some techniques that they use that make them stand out from the rest. After all, why would you hire a painter if you could do it yourself just as well? Here are a few secrets told by pro painters about doing an excellent job. Painting contractors don’t generally like to share their tips but they leaked a few that we can use to work with or at least appreciate how much they do.
- For interior painting services, the first thing that painting contractors do is move everything out of the room. If there is furniture that doesn’t fit through the door or something, it can be covered in the middle of the room but for the most part, try and get everything out. This is especially necessary if you are going to be repairing drywall because that dust goes absolutely everywhere. Some painting contractors may try and skip this step, but they’ll end up making more work for themselves as they try to cover everything.
- Next, you’ll want to make sure that you have some drop cloths to cover the floor. Use tape to make sure it is snug up against the base boards. This is how painting contractors get that clean cut line; by using good quality painter’s tape. Exterior painters obviously don’t need to cover the floors because the weather and environment will wear away any drips but you probably would want to cover any plants that might be damaged by the chemicals in the paint. Then again, if you are painting your porch or patio the you might want to cover the cement ground or wood slats as these don’t give up paint very easily once it’s on there.
- Before you even start painting, you’ll want to fix any cracks, holes and dents because paint will not cover them up. Use spackle for small cracks and holes and plaster for deeper dents. Putty needs to be used for wood because spackle won’t stick to it. If you want perfectly smooth walls you might try sanding them down first. Sandblasting is commonly done on the exterior of homes in order to smooth out the surface.
- Selecting the right paint would usually be done before you even start preparing the place so that you can get right to painting after all the prep work is done. Make sure that you use a good quality paint. Glossy paints are more stain resistant and easier to clean. However, glossier paints also have a higher sheen that will show any imperfections a lot more. Flat paints can be used for the ceilings but it’s probably not a good idea for walls as they have a chalky finish and are not easily cleaned. Everyone has their personal favorites so you’ll have to decide which you like best.
- Having the right tools makes all the difference. Long and short necked rollers, brushes, cutters, roller pans, etc. Alternatively to roller pans, you could use five gallon buckets with a roller grid. This makes it easier to mix several cans of paint so that you don’t run out and end up with color differences. A painter’s pole makes painting ceilings a lot easier because you don’t have to climb up and down a ladder.
- Now comes the actual painting. Make sure that you have enough paint on your brush or roller so that you can get quite a bit on the walls but not so much that you end up dripping. After this, work from the top down towards the bottom. If you haven’t taped off the parts you don’t want painted then you should learn how to ‘cut in’ which is an acquired skill that allows you to get right in the corners without overlapping to an area that you don’t want painted. Don’t be disappointed if once the room dries, you need to do another coat or at least touch ups- even the pros do that.
