Whether you’re planning to paint your house on your own or enlist external help, mistakes are inevitable, especially for beginners. However, by keeping a few simple tips in mind, the painting process can be much smoother, saving you time and energy.
Below are some of the most common “oops” moments we all face that could wreck the house painting experience.
Choosing the Wrong Color
One of the most significant painting blunders occurs even before you pick up a brush – choosing a paint color based solely on a color chip. You select a seemingly nice color from the strip at the store and order your paint. But when you apply it to the walls at home, it doesn’t resemble the color you had in mind.
To avoid this error and get an accurate perception of what the paint will look like, always request the paint store to mix a small sample for you to take home and test on the wall. Observe it in both natural and artificial light, as well as during the day and at night.
Spray Painting Without Covering Everything
Never underestimate the over-spray from spray cans or paint sprayers. Cover everything in sight with thin plastic or drop cloths. If you’re working outdoors, avoid spraying on a windy day to prevent the spray from ending up on the neighbor’s property.
Not using painter’s tape
When decorating, painter’s tape is your top protective material, capable of reducing paint bleed, ensuring crisp edges and creating a neat, professional line between surfaces. For instance, if you want to paint only specific areas of a surface with decorative trims, painter’s tape comes to the rescue. It also protects the corners of the room, light switches, and door and window frames. With painter’s tape, you can bid farewell to splotchy results and welcome a clean, professional finish.
Tips for using painter’s tape:
- Make sure the surface is clean before applying the tape.
- Don’t remove the tape until the paint has completely dried.
- Make sure the tape is tightly sealed along surface edges.
- Score the edge with a putty knife before pulling the tape off.
Not preparing the walls for painting
Properly preparing your walls for painting is crucial for achieving the best results and ensuring your paint lasts longer. When you paint over a surface that already has a coat of varnish or glossy paint without roughening it up first through thorough sanding or using a liquid deglosser (the easier and more effective method), the paint won’t adhere properly and you’ll be left with an unattractive finish.
Skipping the primer
Once you’ve prepped the wall for painting, it’s time to prime. Many people are eager to skip straight to painting, but it’s essential not to skip the primer. It plays a vital role in creating a long-lasting, smooth finish and helps bring out the paint color by sealing it to the surface and enhancing the pigment’s adhesion to the walls.
Using the Wrong Sheen
Using the wrong sheen for your interior wall can result in an unintended look and feel. There are various finishes to consider, such as gloss, semi-gloss, flat, and matte. The sheen of a color determines the glossiness of the applied interior paint once it’s dry.
While the choice of sheen depends on personal preference, some finishes are more suitable than others in specific situations. For example, ceiling surfaces are often less smooth and perfectly finished than interior walls, making ceiling painting more challenging. Using a flat or matte paint on these surfaces can make imperfections less visible.
On the other hand, a glossier sheen reflects light and highlights surface imperfections prominently. For wall surfaces, a satin or semi-gloss paint is a better choice to achieve a good balance. It also protects the surface from moisture penetration, which can lead to mold and mildew growth. Reason for change: “Result in” is a more formal way to say “end up creating”. “Various” is a more sophisticated word than “many”. “Suitable” is a more appropriate term than “work better”. “Achieve a good balance” is a more refined expression.
Bumping the Ceiling
A moment of inattention can lead to bumping the ceiling with the roller, creating a troublesome touch-up job. You can avoid this by rolling on a horizontal strip of paint parallel to the ceiling first. Then roll vertically up to the horizontal strip. The 9-inch-wide strip of paint along the ceiling will provide a nice buffer zone. If you do make a painting mistake on the ceiling, here’s how to cover it up.
Painting Over Popcorn Ceilings Without Testing First
Before painting over a popcorn-textured ceiling, test-paint a small section in an inconspicuous spot. If the texture remains intact and everything looks fine, then you can paint the whole ceiling. Some ceiling textures may fall off in sheets when painted over, so testing first is essential. Here’s how to remove a popcorn ceiling.
Avoid Rookie Mistakes
There are two common mistakes that novice DIY enthusiasts make:
Leaving the lid off after opening the paint can. The main problem is that someone could step on the lid and spill paint everywhere. Another reason to avoid leaving the lid off is to keep the paint clean and prevent it from drying out. This also prevents mixing colors.
Always keep your pets locked up. If you forget, they may knock over the paint cans or put paintbrushes in their mouths. This is the best tip for any DIY project.
Extreme Temperatures
Paint doesn’t perform well in extreme temperatures. If you live in a cold climate, bring the latex/acrylic paint indoors before the temperature drops too low. Also, don’t forget the latex caulk. Freezing can ruin both latex paint and caulk. Paint can’t dry properly in freezing temperatures and will only partially dry, easily coming off when touched. Choose the best time of the year (and the proper temperature) to paint your home.
Over-brushing
When painting cabinets, doors, or any other woodwork, avoid excessive brushwork to achieve the smoothest possible finish. After loading your brush, immediately cover the area with paint. Then apply one or two strokes to level it off. Avoid brushing the same spot when the paint starts to dry, as this will only cause brush marks and ridges.
Letting the Roller Touch the Floor
If you’re painting new walls before installing the skirting, always leave an unpainted strip that the skirting will cover. When painting close to the floor, the roller may pick up dirt and spread it across the wall.
Only Rolling in One Direction
To avoid overlap marks on your ceiling paint job, it’s important to “keep a wet edge”. Work in about five- or six-foot square sections. Move quickly from one section to the next to ensure the paint along the edge doesn’t dry before you roll the adjoining section. Re-roll each section at a right angle to your first roller direction as you go.
Working in dim light
Avoid painting interior surfaces in dim light. The painted surface may look fine at first, but when you uncover the windows or turn on bright lights you’ll likely see thin patches and other imperfections. Always make sure to have lots of bright light when painting.
Not Adding a Paint Conditioner
There’s usually no need to thin wall paint. But if you’re painting woodwork, cabinets, or doors, the paint straight from the can is often too thick. Adding a compatible paint conditioner will help the paint flow better and brush on more smoothly.
Painting Wood Without a Stain Blocker
Red cedar, redwood, and cypress all have tannins that can bleed through most latex paint. Solve this problem by priming these types of wood with a stain-blocking primer. Look for “tannin blocking” on the label. Here’s how to prepare wood for a smooth paint job.