Painting Techniques to Practice When Painting a Home

If you want to give your home a fresh, new look, it might be time to paint the interiors. Maybe you need to update the walls to match new furniture, or you’re just tired of looking at the old walls. Whatever the reason, there’s a right way to paint a wall, and a wrong way. Whether this is the first time you’re painting a home, or you’re an old hand who could learn a few tricks, here are some techniques that will produce the best results.

Painting a Home Starts With Clean Walls

It’d be nice to think you can just paint a room to rid yourself of dirty walls. Painting the walls without cleaning them, however, will lead to a substandard job. Oil and dirt on the walls will make it impossible for new paint to adhere, so you’ll need to wash them before painting. Using a lint-free cloth, wipe a cleaning solution on the walls in a circular motion. After cleaning, fill in any holes and nicks, then sand them, and you’re ready to start painting.

Maintain a Wet Edge on Your Roller

Some things you’ll want to avoid when painting a home are what’s known as lap marks. These are the visible stripes that can occur when there are uneven layers of paint buildup. By keeping a wet edge on your roller, each stroke will overlap the previous stroke before the paint has a chance to dry, resulting in  a smooth transition from one stroke to the next.

Combine Several Paint Cans Into a Bucket Before Starting

There may be color variation between different cans of the same color paint. What makes this especially problematic is the fact that you won’t be able to tell the difference with the naked eye until after the paint is applied, and then it’s too late. To avoid this hazard, combine the necessary number of cans into a single large bucket and mix them. This will ensure a consistent color throughout the room, and you can always store excess paint in cans when you’re done.

These simple tricks will make the task of painting your home easier and more successful. If you should need help with painting a home — or performing any other jobs around the house — call the craftsmen at Handyman Connection in Charleston, SC, today!