How to be a painting pro
Changing a room’s décor can be as simple as giving the walls a new coat of paint. At least it can be, if you know all the tricks that will result in a professional looking finish.
First of all, it is crucial to prepare the room thoroughly. This step, which often takes more time than applying the paint, is essential in order to achieve an impeccable final result.
Start by removing any large pieces of furniture and any objects that could be damaged by paint splashes. Plates around light switches and electrical outlets should also be removed, as well as any light shades. Next, protect the floorcovering with old sheets or a tarp. Ensure that any furniture that cannot be taken out of the room is well protected. Run a strip of masking tape or paint tape along all edges where there is a risk of getting paint, such as moldings, windows, and door frames.
All surfaces have to be prepared before starting to paint. Fill any holes and modify any imperfections with wall putty and sand the walls smooth. Clean the surfaces to be painted and leave them to dry so that the primer and paint will adhere properly.
Before getting started on the actual painting, it’s a good idea to get some advice from a home painting specialist. He or she will be able to tell you if you need to apply a coat of primer first and then calculate how much paint you will need for your project. This advice can save you time and money.
Now the time has come to put some colour into your room. Start by carefully applying paint along all edges with a brush: that means corners, window and door ledges, and at the top of walls along the ceiling. All you’ll have to do after that is to coat the rest of the walls with a roller in an up and down, down and up motion. Leave this first coat to dry and then apply a second coat, or even a third one if necessary.