Did you know that the color of a room can affect your mood? Are you ready to repaint your home? If you want some painting tips and tricks, we can help.
In this guide, we’ll go over professional painting tips and tricks.
Want to learn more? Keep reading.
1. Use Quality Paint
Don’t buy low-quality paint at your local hardware store. If you use poor-quality paint, you’ll need to paint extra coats. After it dries, the low-quality paint could still chip and peel.
Professional painters will pick up high-quality paint.
2. Get Wider Roller Covers
You can speed up your painting time by using wider roller covers and frames. A popular width is 12 inches because it’s a lot easier to handle.
Most painters will also use a 9-inch wide roller frame and cover. Some painters even use an 18-inch roller. You’ll finish your job fast.
If you’re painting many walls, use a larger roller. For two or three walls, you can get away with using a 12-inch roller.
3. Try Masking Film
A professional painter uses masking film to cover ceilings, windows, and adjacent walls. Static electricity will hold the thin plastic to the surface. Some film will come with an attached edge of painter’s tape.
4. Use a Fabric Drop Cloth
A drop cloth will cover furniture and other spots you don’t walk on. You can also spread the drop cloth on the floor.
Don’t throw away your drop cloth after you’re done painting. Reuse your fabric drop cloth when you need to paint more rooms.
5. Try the Cut-In Technique
Most painters will tape the edges. Yet, professional painters will use the freehand cutting-in method. You don’t need to use tape, but you do need a steady hand.
Use a small brush to draw a smooth length of paint along wall corners or around window trim.
6. Get Rid of Obstructions
Before painting, you’ll want to remove as many pieces of furniture and other items from the room you plan to paint. If the furniture pieces are too heavy, cover them with a fabric drop cloth.
You’ll have more space to do the job. Remove pictures, outlet plates, hooks, nails, and light switch plates. Place tape over the outlets and switches so you don’t paint them.
7. Tape Trim or Crown Molding
Some wall obstructions take too much time to remove and replace later on. You could also damage the walls if you remove them.
Mask the baseboards, trim, and crown molding.
8. Use a Work Light
You won’t find many professional painters painting a room without a set of work lights. Shine white light on the wall you paint. This way, you’ll get a clear view of how well the paint is holding. The ceiling lights won’t work.
Get two LED work lights at a local hardware center.
9. Don’t Forget the Primer
You won’t always need to use a primer. If you’re painting a wall the same color, you don’t need to prime it. You can do this if the existing paint is in good shape. Use a drywall primer when the surface is drywall paper.
Professional painters ask the store to pre-tint the primer. This way, the primer is closer to the intended wall color. The painter will need fewer numbers of colors coats.
10. Make Sure You Mix the Paint
If the paint didn’t get mixed at the store, or you had to wait a couple of hours before painting, you’ll need to remix it.
Use a wooden paint stir stick.
11. Don’t Forget to Box Your Paint
Ask for help choosing a realistic amount of paint. Buy it all at once. Don’t use one gallon at a time. Pour all the paint into one massive container.
Mix it well. This technique’s known as ‘boxing’ your paint and will keep the color consistent.
12. Paint From the Top to the Bottom
After cutting in the edges at the baseboard and ceiling, make sure you use the roller. Apply the paint beginning at the top to the bottom.
An amateur will see drips and splatters at the end of the job. Pros paint over their mistakes as they move down the wall.
When it begins to dry, leave it be. If you go back over it, you’ll end up leaving marks or streaks on the paint’s surface.
13. Place the Roller in the Fridge
Do you need a break from painting? If you plan to add another coat the next morning, wrap your roller and brush in a wet towel. Place the brushes and rollers in a plastic shopping bag. Tie the end with a rubber band.
Put the brushes and roller in the fridge. The next day, all you have to do is take it out of the refrigerator and keep using it.
14. Try the “W” Method
A lot of pros use the “W” method. When you paint your room, you can roll the paint out in a W shape. Fill in around the form and inside the W to create a square. Repeat until you cover the wall.
Consistently distribute the paint for a professional finish. Reload your roller before you begin the next W.
If you need a job done fast, look into commercial painting services.
Now You Know Some Professional Painting Tips and Tricks
We hope this guide on professional painting tips and tricks was helpful. Now that you know some tips from the professionals plan out your painting job.
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