Are you ready to paint your interior, but still afraid of the result? Don’t worry, with these 10 interior painting tips, your interior will look just as great as done by professionals.
Tip #1: How to avoid lap marks
Start painting near a corner. Then, slightly run your roller the full height of your wall, up and down. Don’t wait until your roller dries. Reload your roller often to keep it at least half loaded. The open side of your roller should face the area you previously painted. This way, the less pressure you apply on the open side of your roller will less likely leave lap marks.
Tip #2 How to get a consistent color
When you buy several buckets of paint, do not use them immediately. You need to mix them all together first. This is because each bucket may have slightly different color. To turn them into a single tone, you need to mix them all together into a 5-gallon bucket. Once it’s mixed, you can use it to paint your wall.
Tip #3: How to get a perfect edge
When the paint dries, don’t pull the tape immediately off the trim. If you do this, you will only create a mess. Wait at least 24 hours until the paint completely dries. Then, cut the tape using a box cutter knife. As you cut the tape, pull it up at 45o angle.
Tip #4: Start with the trim, then move to ceiling and walls
To save your time, start painting your trim first, not your walls or ceilings. This is because you only need to tape the trim to get the perfect look, not the whole walls. Since you are using the tape, you don’t need to paint it neatly. Just deliver a smooth finish. When the paint completely dries, you can cut off the tape easily. Then, you can continue to the ceilings and walls.
Tip #5: How to avoid blotchy finish
Fresh paints often look blotchy. You still don’t get the consistent sheen, even though the color is uniform. To eliminate this, you need a primer to seal any patches on your wall before painting. Apply the prime using your roller.
Tip #6: Clean the areas before painting
Cleaning the areas before painting can prevent the paint from peeling or chipping off. You will need a special heavy-duty cleaner or deglosser and abrasive pad or lint-free cloth. Please make sure that the cleaner is specifically made for pre-paint cleaning.
First, wipe the area in a circular motion, starting from the bottom. After you cleaned the area, fill in any holes and nicks. Then, use a sandpaper to smooth them. Once done, you can proceed to paint the area.
Tip #7: How to get a consistent texture
To get consistent texture in corners and other areas next to trim, apply the paint using a brush. Then, switch to a 3-in roller and then roll the paint out immediately before it dries. Your roller should have the same thickness as the one you used on the wall.
Tip #8: Cotton drop cloth is better than plastic
A cotton drop cloth or rosin paper is a better solution to cover your floor than a plastic. They are less slippery than plastic, so it won’t move while you’re working. Also, even if you somehow spill the paint, they won’t leave a trace on your shoes. This is actually great because you don’t want to leave traces all around the house.
Tip #9: Feathering in large area
Working on a large area, like ceilings, are difficult. You can’t cover the whole area with just one roll. Your best option is to keep lap marks as minimum as possible. Here is the trick we learn from stamford painters. Eliminate the problem by feathering out the paint on places where you can’t keep the paint wet. The thinner feathered layer will prevent the annoying lap mark.
To paint larger area without leaving lap marks, you can apply similar technique with a little modification. Take your nearly dry roller and roll it along the dry edge, but this time apply it in different directions. Then, proceed feathering out your paint. Once you completed the whole length, proceed to the next section. However, this time you need cover the feathered edges.
It’s not done yet. You need a second layer to completely eliminates the lap marks. Apply this next layer in opposite direction and your lap marks will be gone.
Tip #10: How to get ultra-smooth finish for your
Your trim might still have an underlying sheen and color even after you painted it. To eliminate this problem, always remember to sand your trim before you apply the next coat of paint.
Instead of using a sandpaper, you are going to need to sanding sponge with fine grit this time. Sponges can easily get into crevices, one thing that sandpaper can’t do. Furthermore, it allows you to apply pressure evenly, which is important if you want a smooth finish.
Next, apply your first coat. Wait for at least 24 hours until it dries completely. Before applying the next coat, lightly sand your trim again. This will give you the smooth finish. To remove the dust after each sanding, you can use a vacuum cleaner to suck it up. Then, use a tack cloth to wipe it down. Now, you should have your perfect, clean, and ultra-smooth trim.
Easy, right? With these interior painting tips, you should be able to get the perfect interior look for your house. Now, it’s time for you and your family to enjoy the result. It’s the reason you worked so hard on painting the interior, right? So you can connect with them and enjoy your lovely house.
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