The Pros Guide To DIY Painting – 3 Expert Tips

Are you envious of the paint jobs performed on professional and DIY home improvement blogs? Do you wish that yours could look just as nice? Here are three tips that the pros rely on in order to make your walls look perfect.

Repair holes and dents with filler or drywall mud before sanding the surface smooth. After this is complete, wash the walls thoroughly with soap and water to pick up any bits of drywall that are stuck to the walls. Allow the walls to air dry before applying your first coat of primer. The trick to ending up with perfect looking painted walls is to start off with ones that are free of gouges, chips and holes. Otherwise, once you are done painting, you will see every little blemish in the drywall or plaster. Fixing these issues beforehand will give your walls a nice, smooth appearance once the work is complete. There are several different types of paint rollers available, and you need to use one that is compatible with your paint in order to end up with a professional looking paint job. A textured roller should only be used for decorative finishes and creative touches, while a short-nap roller works well with polyurethane, oil based and glass paints. Another good roller to use for oil based and glass paints is a smooth textured one. If you are using flat or low sheen paints, as well as stains, you have your choice of rollers: lamb’s wool, polyester and semi smooth rollers will all do the job. If you are looking for a roller that will work for any type of paint, buy a microfiber one. As far as brushes are concerned, if you are planning on using enamel, or any other solvent based paint, purchase a natural bristle brush. Otherwise, a synthetic bristle one will do the job. Applying a coat of primer and allowing it to dry thoroughly before beginning your first coat of wall paint will help you immensely. You will not only have to use fewer coats of wall paint, but the finished look will be much more polished. A good primer will also help the paint adhere to the walls better, and makes the paint much more durable. Depending on your paint color, you may find a primer in a similar color, only lighter. However, you may also end up with a totally different shade of primer than your wall paint. It really does not matter, since the primer will end up being painted over. If your walls are such a mess that you aren’t sure where to begin, or you simply do not have the time to do the job yourself, then consider hiring a professional. Gerri Reid of Genoa Coatings has over ten years of experience in applying interior and exterior paint in both commercial and home settings. Give him a call today to receive a free quote on your painting job.