1. Clean dirty walls
It is important to clean your walls prior to painting. This will ensure that the paint adheres properly. Degreaser is the easiest way to achieve this, especially for kitchen walls, light switch and scuffed surfaces. Rubber gloves and eye protection are recommended when using degreaser.
2. Remove the light switch plates.
To ensure a neat finish, remove your switch plates using a screwdriver.
3. Use painter’s tape
Masking tape is used by most people before painting to prevent excess paint from ruining skirting or cornices. Blue painters tape is recommended by our painters and decorators: it does not buckle, can be left on days and removed easily.
Use a putty blade to apply paint. This will prevent it from bleeding.
4. Fill in cracks and flaws.
If you have any flaws in your walls, they will affect the final appearance of your paint job.
Sanding with fine grit paper will smooth out bumps. This is especially true around nail holes or trimming. If you don’t fill in hairline cracks, your paint will crack down the road.
5. Do not skimp on supplies
Painting supplies are no exception. Paint that is too cheap will crack and peel. The cheapest paintbrush from the hardware store can leave your walls uneven. Invest in good quality paints and brushes to avoid needing painting contractors down the road.
6. Use a tinted primer
Primer will create the perfect canvas to paint on. Primer will prevent flaws such as filled holes, cracks and scuffs from showing through the paint. Primer is important when you are changing from a dark colour to a light one or painting a porous surface.
7. Box Your Paint
North Shore Professional Painters and decorators keep the secret of boxing paint well-kept. Mixing several cans of paint with the same color in a large bucket is called boxing. This is done by professionals to avoid colour differences between cans.
8. Add paint conditioner
Paint conditioner, also known as paint extender, is a great way to achieve this.
Paint conditioners prolong the drying time of paint and make brush strokes less visible.
9. Load Your Paintbrush
Before painting a wall, the average DIY painter loads their brush with paint and removes the excess paint from the container’s side. Professionals know the best method to paint a room is “load and move”. Paintbrushes can be dipped into paint, tapped back and forth on the container until excess paint is removed. Then start painting.
10. Paint one wall at the time
In our youth, we are taught to color in and finish puzzles by coloring the edges first before we fill in the rest of the picture or puzzle. Home painters still follow this philosophy, painting the corners first before rolling back the roller.
Paint one wall at a a time to ensure the colours blend well and you get a professional finish.
