10 Things You Must Know About Interior Painting

It personalizes your home and gives it the ambiance you desire. It’s a “must-do” task if you are planning to sell, or otherwise show the property. While the pros make it look easy, there are quite a few steps that go into a great paint job.

1. Prep Work

While it may not seem very important, prepping the workspace is key in making sure the project proceeds without a hitch. Move the furniture, blinds, and tables to the center of the room and cover them (and the floor) with a drop cloth. Canvas is preferred over plastic because of its durability. It lays flat better than plastic and is superior informing to objects and corners.

2. This really will pay off!

The fun doesn’t stop there, though! You must also prepare the surface you are about to paint on.

• Repair any holes or drywall issues.
• Use caulk to seal up baseboards, door jambs, and window frames.
• Sand down any uneven surfaces for a polished finish.
• Make sure the surfaces are clean from any dirt, grime, or oils.

3. One More Thing…

If you are trying to tackle this yourself, you must tape the baseboards and edges to achieve clean lines. Most professionals use a technique called “cutting in” and don’t need to use the tape, but it’s a pro trick that needs practice and experience to come out with the desired results.

4. Quality Matters

It might be tempting to just choose any paint out there without doing research, but you want to use supplies that offer durability and clean-ability! The higher the concentration of pigments, additives, and binders, the better quality of the paint. Most professionals have a go-to manufacturer that they trust.

5. Primer: It’s Really that important!

Some paint primers are included in the paint now, but it’s best to make sure that primer DOES get applied. It helps paint stay on the wall and evens out the texture. Tint the primer with some of the paint for more seamless results.

6. Tools of the Trade

There are so many options out there – brushes, rollers, extension poles, paint trays, paint grids. The truth is – use what you are most comfortable with that will still complete the job.

Brushes are best when using the “cutting in” technique, and for use in small places and around baseboards, but the rollers get more done faster and are great for large surfaces, such as the ceiling.

While trays have been the standard for many years, paint grids are now being used. It’s a rigid screen that hooks onto the rim of a 5-gallon bucket that allows you to dip directly into it, then press against the grid to remove excess paint.

7. Application

They make it look so easy! Perfect lines, blending, sharp, clean finishes, and no ugly “lap marks” – the sign of uneven build up from one stroke to the next.

To prevent lap marks, always make sure your brush is at least half loaded with paint to keep the edge wet, then make sure the strokes overlap the previous one slightly before it dries. No uneven or thick spots.

8. Uniformity

Another tip to keep a uniform color is mixing several gallons of the same paint into a 5-gallon bucket. Each can may have slightly different variances in each one. Having to open a new can in the middle of painting may result in noticeable differences. Mixing them all ensures evenness.

9. No Skimping

Apply two full coats of paint. It might seem like a good idea when you’re in the middle of it all (after all, it looks pretty good), but DO NOT SKIMP. You will be seeing these walls for a long time to come. How horrible would it be to realize that you were wrong after you’ve already “completed” the task?

10. Storage

Rome was not built in a day, and more often than not, the house won’t be painted in a day, either.

Sometimes cleaning up can be so time-consuming and labor-intensive. After all that painting, the last thing you want to do is have to clean it up, only to have to clean it up again, later.

Instead, get as much paint out of the brushes and rollers that you can, then seal them in plastic wrap. Since cool air slows down the drying time of paint, pop it the refrigerator.  Thaw it out the next day and you’re good to go!

11. Leave It To the Pros

With so many options to wade through, this kind of project usually starts strong with the best of intentions but sometimes gets abandoned when the realization of how much detail goes into it becomes` obvious, or maybe even overwhelming.

Don’t let that happen to you! Call Arizona Painting Company at 602-648-3071 or 520-284-1792 to get the job done from start to finish. Visit us online for a sneak peek at our handy work or to request a quote.