Painting your home’s walls is one of the easiest DIY projects you can undertake as a homeowner — after all, it’s relatively affordable to paint a room yourself. However, you’ll have to equip yourself with helpful tips to assist you in getting a professional finish to your painting exercise.
Here are eight useful tips for painting your walls like a pro.
1. Choose the Tools and Materials to Use
You need to understand that each DIY painting project you undertake is unique. Therefore, you might be required to use different tools based on your wall’s condition and the type of paint. However, there are several must-have tools for any painting endeavour, they include:
- Paint roller
- Painter’s tape
- Painter’s tarp
- Paint
- Putty knife
- Sandpaper
- Paintbrushes
- Paint roller lengthening stick
2. Paint When the Weather is Dry
It’s advisable to avoid painting your walls during a rainy or humid day because such weather can slow down drying. If you decide to paint your walls during the rainy season, do so without hurry. Also, be sure to apply several layers of paint before proceeding to other sections.
3. Cover Anything You Don’t Intend to Paint
You can’t go wrong or feel remorseful by taking your time to shield hardware, floors, and furniture before embarking on a painting exercise. You can protect such items by covering them with a high-quality painter’s tarp to prevent the paint from coming into contact. Additionally, you can apply painter’s tape all-around your home’s window frames.
4. Prepare for Painting (Dust, Repair, Sand, and Wash your Walls)
Before you start painting, there are several steps you need to take to prepare and ensure your walls are ready for exercise. Start by dusting off your home using a broom to eliminate cobwebs from the woodwork, ceilings, and walls.
Next, using a putty knife together with a surfacing element, repair nail holes on your walls by making an X-motion over the holes. Allow the surfacing element to dry out before sanding the patches using sandpaper to get a smooth wall.
Finally, using a Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) cleaner, wash from the baseboard up to your walls and woodwork to remove all particles and grease. Then, splash water over the walls’ surface and allow it to dry before you can begin your painting project.
5. Tape Trim
By now, you can position your drop cloth in readiness for painting. Also, remember to apply painter’s tape on the ceilings and woodwork to protect these surfaces. While applying the tape, ensure you secure it in an unbending line.
6. Apply a Primer to Your Walls (This is Optional)
You can opt to apply a primer if you’re going to paint on new drywall, dark-coloured walls, high-gloss finishes, or discoloured surfaces. You can apply a tinted primer to complement the current colour when it comes to dark walls. Applying a tinted primer implies that you’ll apply fewer coatings of new paint. Also, be sure to check the paint label before painting or applying a primer because some of them come with a primer.
7. Start Painting Your Walls
Beginning at one corner, roll-paint your walls in a W-patterned style throughout the walls. While applying paint, it’s prudent for you to operate in small, 3 to 4-feet segments. Also, ensure you apply the paint evenly before proceeding to the next segments of your walls.
If you reach a point where you’re not accessing some sections, use a paint roller extension stick to lengthen the roller. Once you apply paint on all walls, give it finishing touches to smoothen the paint and clear off roller marks.
8. Check for Blemishes
Before you can call it a done job, take your time to inspect your walls for blemishes, drips, and missed spots. Try to correct any such blemishes before the paint dries.
Usually, you should wait for a minimum of two hours before you can apply another coating of paint. However, you might have to wait for extended periods in some cases. For instance, if the weather is humid or rainy, the paint may take longer to dry out, especially if you apply a thick coating.
Final Word
Painting your walls can be a daunting and time-consuming task. However, you can easily paint your walls like a pro with the right tips. You can use the above tips to improve your painting skills.
