Four Painting Tips For Professional Results
Have you ever walked into a home and thought, "well, the homeowners definitely painted this room themselves!" That is exactly the impression that you don't want your home to make. If you are on a limited budget, hiring professional painters may not be something you can afford. But luckily, there are ways to give your DIY paint job a more professional appeal.
1. Cut in the corners, first.
Many homeowners try rolling paint onto the walls, and then they touch up areas they couldn't reach with the roller by using a paintbrush. When you do it this way, you end up with a lot or brush strokes in the corners, which makes your paint job look messy. A better approach is to cut in the corners, using a paintbrush, before you roll the walls. This way, you can cover almost all of the brushed paint with the roller, resulting in a more even look.
2. Roll in multiple directions.
If you only roll the paint up and down, you will end up with visible stripes or creases on the wall. To get a more professional look, roll the paint in multiple directions. Make sure you are using enough paint too. If you do not get enough coverage in two coats, you are not using enough paint and will probably get a streaky look with patches of the under-color showing through.
3. Paint in low humidity.
Paint looks best when it dries relatively quickly. If your home is really humid, the paint will take too long to dry, and you may end up with more drips and patchy-looking spots. Wait until a less humid day to paint, or really turn up your dehumidifier settings. You may need to paint a room or two per day, allowing the dehumidifier to remove moisture from the air between painting sessions, since the paint gives off moisture as it dries.
4. Use contractor-grade paint.
If you use cheap paint, your paint job will look cheap. The best paint is usually sold to be used for contractor painting. You may need to visit a dedicated paint store in your area to find it, as some general home improvement stores only carry lower-end paint. Just ask one of the employees what paint the professionals like to use, and they'll point you the right direction. Good paint applies more evenly, contains more pigments, and covers better than cheap paint. The difference will be visible from day one.