Painting is a great activity, but can also be rather stressful and long-drawn. There are a number of things you can do to boost productivity and also ensure that your paint job looks fantastic. When painting the interior of your house, these tips will help you render a professional finish to the surfaces, slash your cleanup times in half, and also ensure that your paintbrushes last much longer.
- Roll the Entire Height at Once with a Wet Edge
Paint buildup in uneven layers causes ugly stripes called lap marks. This happens if you are rolling over a layer that has already partly dried. You’d be surprised to hear that latex paint starts stiffening in under a minute in warm conditions. The best way to avoid this is to keep a wet edge such that the stroke you make overlaps the previous stroke perfectly before it dries. This can be done by starting near a corner and running your roller up and down across the entire length of the room wall, moving over just a little with every stroke. Moving backward is alright to cover up runs or thick blotches too. Never let the roller become dry, ensure it is always at least loaded up to half capacity.
- Mix Many Paint Cans in a Large Bucket to get a Consistent Color
Paint color can vary from one can to another. The change is instantly noticeable if you switch to a new can in the middle of painting a wall in your room. This issue can be solved by getting a large bucket and mixing all the paint you have in it. The leftover can be poured back into cans, but it is better to add more early on than less.
- Get a Perfect Edge by Letting the Paint Dry and Cutting the Tape Loose
You can’t pull your tape off the trim once the job is done, as it might take some dried paint pieces along with it. Instead, wait at least 24 hours for the paint to dry and then cut off the tape with a box cutter or a sharp knife. Start in a small corner to see if it can be sliced cleanly, and while cutting, pull it up at around 45 degrees. If at any point you feel like you are messing it up, you can always call a Painters Greeley CO that specializes in interior painting to finish off for you.
- Trim, then Ceiling, then Walls
There is a certain order to be followed when painting your room to ensure the best finish. Start with the trim and then move on to the ceiling, and finally the walls. You don’t have to be neat when doing the trim, just try to get a smooth finish. Let it get onto the walls; you’ll be painting those over soon anyway. Tape it off after about 24 hours, and then move on to the next job.
- Sand the Trim to get a Super-Smooth Finish
Usually, a single coat of paint can’t hide the color and sheen lying under the trim. You must sand each layer of the trim with a sanding sponge, preferably fine-grit. They are more effective than simple sandpaper. Do this for at least two coats, and vacuum and wipe down the trim at each step for a fantastic finish.
Conclusion
There are a great many tips for improving the quality and efficiency of your indoor paint job. Just keep a cool head, try to even out any kinks, and ensure that you aren’t going too fast or too slow. These tips should go a long way in ensuring you get the finish you desire for your room or office.
Author Bio: Mike Turner is an entrepreneur and the owner of painters Greeley CO. He has been in the industry for the better part of two decades and knows it inside out. He enjoys blogging as well.