Different painters may have different painting methods and preferences. Still, some trade tips make painting more accessible, faster. The pros may not want you to know these tips. But in this writing, I will reveal all of them.
Some of them may sound easy, yet I bet that not all painters know or pay enough attention to. After reading this piece of writing, I do hope that you can apply these tips to your painting work, making it come out with much better results.
Always Start With A Smooth Surface
First thing first, remember to sand away the flaws. You need a perfect surface to come up with an ideal color for your wall painting. More than often, you will realize that the title “Sander” seems to be more suitable than “Painter.”
And when it comes to wall painting, you will find yourself spend a lot of time pushing and sandpaper until the surface is smooth enough.
Sanding the wall will help you get away with the burrs and rough spots. It also levels out the joint-compound patches and smoothens the ridges around the holes.
To sand the wall properly, start from the baseboard to the ceiling both vertically and horizontally. Keep the medium pressure from the sandpaper against the wall to make sure there will be no damage to the wall.
Keep Your Furniture Covered
If you cannot move the furniture out of the room, move them to the center of the room. Take a plastic sheet to wrap them all over, covering them from the paint drips and splatters.
Moreover, covering your furniture will keep them from dust and sanding. And definitely, you will not want to compromise your painting with those stains on the furniture.
Always make sure the plastic sheets are taped at the bottom. This will help you to cover them entirely and give you more confidence while painting the wall.
Use Tinted Primer For A Perfect Finish Look
The prep work has not ended when you finish sanding the wall. The pros always fill the patch cracks and holes with the compound. If you paint directly on it, the paint will become very dry and flat because the compound sucks a lot of moisture out of it.
Even worse, the spots will be very distinguishing from the rest of the wall. Thus, the pros will use a tinted primer (not white primer) to make those spot have the same look.
Gray or color primer can cover the existing paint color and make the finish look much more vibrant.
Use A Putty Knife To Press The Tape
As you remove the tape from the woodwork, the last thing you want to see is the paint bled through. I do not think there will be anything as frustrating as this. Thus, you had better do an elaborate work of adhering the tape before you start painting.
You do not want to deal with the consequences of a loose tape press. The scrapping of the paint will take forever, and it undermines you from finishing the painting work anywhere else.
So when you apply the tape over the wood, use a putty knife, run it over the top to take a good press on the tape. This method will help you seal the tape better and free you from the sticky residues.
Mix A Paint Extender Or Use A Paint Sprayer For Interior Walls
A pro tip for freeing you from brush marks and lap is mixing the paint extender or a paint conditioner. This ingredient will make it for the paint to dry, giving you more time to overlap the freshly painted areas. Also, it levels out the color, removing the brush strokes.
And if these things seem to be too complicated for you, my recommendation for having a consistent painting is using a paint sprayer for interior walls. This tool will save you a lot of time and effort in painting, while still making the outcome just as amazing.
Use A Screwdriver To Scrape The Ridges
It is very tough to get a straight line on the top of the wall when you paint along with a textured ceiling. You will likely get paint on the bumps of the ceiling.
So how do pros deal with this problem? The solution is much easier than you think. They will use a screwdriver to scrape off the texture. The screwdriver runs along the ceiling’s perimeter, creating tiny ridges.
Your paint bristles can then penetrate easily. And you may not recognize the missing texture anymore.
Drop Cloths Will Help A Lot
If you think you can use bedsheets as drop cloths, think again. The bedsheets usually are very thin, preventing it from being able to stop the spills and splatters. And even though their plastic material can contain spills, they make the paint take a longer time to dry.
The wet pain can eventually stick to the bottom of your shoes and get to the house floor. Thus, it is more advisable to use the canvas drop cloths. They are better at the job of absorbing the splatters. It is also not slippery, giving you more control over your painting work.
Don’t Start A New Wall If You Haven’t Finished The Existing
Finishing all the corners and trim in the room can be very time-consuming. But it is worth your time and effort also. To ensure the seamless look of the room, you should cut in one wall, then roll it immediately before you start any other one.
Also, when you use a different brush, remember to cover your paint container with a wet towel. You can keep your brushes and tools from drying by rolling them when you are not using them.
The key here is to stick to one wall and one room before you move to the next wall and next room. The consistency in painting will make the painting color consistent everywhere in your house.
Don’t Tape The Window
When it comes to painting the sashes, don’t spend your time taping the window. It will take you too much time, yet it is not very useful. We all know that we will end up painting on the glass anyway.
So don’t be worried. When the paint is dry, you can scrape it off using a razor blade. And you will see the paint peel off in just a matter of seconds. Let’s go ahead and paint.
However, be careful about the bond between the glass and the wood. If you paint on the wood, its moisture will soon cause rot.
Box Paint And Always Paint With A Loaded Brush
Boxing paint means mixing the same color paint cans into a big bucket. Even when the packages say they have the same color, the actual color comes from different cans that can be different.
Thus, to ensure consistency in color, it is ideal for boxing paint. Moreover, you should take the “load and go” seriously when painting. Load about 1.5 inches of the brush with color, and then tap each side against the inside of the bucket to get rid of the heavy drips. Now you can start painting.
Use Degreaser If The Wall Is Dirty
If the surface is filthy, the paint will not ever bond with it well. Some areas like kitchen walls from the stove and mudrooms will need special take care before you paint them.
In these cases, it is essential to use the degreaser to clean the greasy and dirty surfaces. How well you can do step will determine the paint adhesion afterward.
Make sure you read the instructions carefully before using the degreaser. And remember to protect yourself with gloves and eyeglasses.
Push The Brush When Painting
It is very likely for the beginners to leaves the paint runs on the walls. So when you are painting on the wall with your loaded brush, start brushing about 0.5 inches away from the cut-in area.
When the brush starts to unload, move it over slowly and drag it along the trim. Also, make sure you let the bristles push the paint slightly on the cut-in area.
There is nothing to show you better than let you do it. Practice makes perfect, and painting is not an exception. Do it over and over. You will have better control over the technique.
Conclusion
To sum up, to make a beautiful and seamless look for your walls, it is more of the prep work before you paint them. It takes time and effort for the prep works, but it is always worth your attention.
Without getting your walls truly ready, no matter how much you spend on the paint, it will not help your walls to have that gorgeous look. I do hope these techniques will help you to do the painting works much better. Thank you so much for reading.