Painting the house is one of those jobs which you either love or hate, but one that needs doing regardless of your feelings. And as spring starts showing its head, thoughts will turn to getting the house ready for the summer.
But wait! Before you get last years’ paintbrushes out of the garage, take a look at these essential tips for painting your house, as the last thing you want is to spend hours on a job that looks terrible.
Invest in the Right Equipment
We were only mildly joking when we talked about old brushes, but we often see many people use the wrong tools for the job and brushes that are way past their use-by-date. Another common mistake is when people buy the wrong size brushes or opt for the cheapest options. It is always best to spend that little extra money and buy some quality brushes or rollers.
If you don’t know your synthetic bristles from your natural bristles and what size brush is ideal for a large wall or skirting board, then it is always a good idea to ask someone in the shop who should be able to point you in the right direction.
Don’t Make Impulsive Decisions
This new season’s colors might be beautiful, but that doesn’t mean they will look good in your house. Take the time to get testers and see what the color looks like on the chosen surface and see how it looks in different lights. By doing this, you will be able to make a more informed decision before you start painting.
Fail to Prepare, Prepare for Frustration
The key to an excellent job is thorough preparation; without it, the finished job is going to cause upset. Before the paint comes out of the can, the floor should have been covered, all the surfaces should have been cleaned, and painting tape should have been applied to any borders.
Once you have done these jobs, you will be ready to prime the surfaces, ready to apply the first layer of paint.
How Long?
As you can probably tell, decorating a room is a time-consuming job, and that is before you have even applied a coat of paint. Therefore, be realistic with your timings and make sure you allow enough time for each step of the process. Painting a room is not a five-minute job, so obviously if you are doing multiple rooms in the house, then you are going to be at it for some time.
This can be tricky when you are balancing work and family commitments, so make sure you take this into account. At this stage, some families decide that they just don’t have the time and call in a professional house painter. Whatever you choose, being aware of timings and that things can go wrong will help minimize the level of frustration.
Enjoy!
This last tip may cause laughter in some readers, but many people find decorating to be an enjoyable activity and a great way to get other family members involved. But no matter whether you are flying solo or with a wingman, if you follow the steps we have listed, you will be able to stand back and admire a great job.