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Common Painting Mistakes
Painting is one of the first and easiest DIY home improvement projects people often undertake. And when done right, it’s actually an affordable way to add significant value to your home while giving it a second life. But just because it is relatively simple, it still requires preparation and research. There are a few mistakes that could end up either ruining your job or damaging your property. Here are some of the most common mistakes people make on DIY paint jobs.
Skimping on Floor Protection
If you’re going to do some major painting work, you have to make sure that you invest in the best flooring protection you can find. Especially if you’re working over carpet or hardwood floors. So don’t cut corners and only use high-grade construction paper for the floors. If we were to make one recommendation, it would be to check out Trimaco’s x-paper. Their flooring protection paper is made to protect against any type of painting or heavy duty jobs. They will resist minor spills, but still allow the floors to breathe. This is a minor price to pay to protect your floors.
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Not Using the Right Tools
It’s crazy to believe that you can achieve any kind of professional results using dollar store tools. Another place where you can’t afford to cut corners is when buying roller covers and brushes. You should see this as an investment. Better brushes will last longer and will give you better results. No matter how good your paint is, you won’t get the best results using sub-par tools. You’ll also end up wasting more paint in the process.
Not Using Painter’s Tape
They call it painter’s tape for a reason. Masking tape, while it can do the trick sometimes, will never be as efficient as the real stuff, so pay a few more bucks for quality. Pros only use painter’s tape, and so should you. And don’t use your fingers to deal with air bubbles, use your putty knife or mini scraper instead.
Not Using Primer
A lot of people just assume that they can just clean a surface and get to work, but it’s much more complicated than that. If you’re going to be working on difficult or non-flat surfaces, then you’ll have no choice but to use primer to get the best results. If you’re going to be painting over glossy paint, concrete, wood, or plastic, then the primer will deal with imperfections and will give you the perfect surface to start your work with.
Misusing Flat Paint
Flat paint should never be used in places that see high traffic. If you’re going to be using this room often, or there are chances for spills and damage, such as a laundry room, for instance, go for something like a semi-gloss or a washable satin paint.
Conclusion
Painting is a great way to earn your DIY master chops, however, you have to make sure that you get it right. Make sure that you steer away from these mistakes and don’t skimp on your equipment if you want the best results.
