Dreaming of a Color Change? 10 Painting Tips from Painting Pros - CWE

Transform Any Room with the Power of Color and Pro Painting Tips

One of the simplest ways to transform a room and its ambiance is by changing its color. Color has the power to evoke a variety of emotions, it can soothe, heal and relax or energize and brighten. Imagining new colors and utilizing online color visualizers is often the fun part, taking care of the work is another story. Most of us can do an okay job of painting, but it’s the seasoned professionals whose work stands tiers above the rest. If your project budget doesn’t allow for a professional, don’t fear, we’ve collected tips from pros around the country, including our favorite pro Brooke Cambridge from BLC Painting to help make your painting project go a little smoother.

1. Buy Quality Paint:

Flat paints are great for ceilings and more formal rooms without a lot of traffic, but eggshell is often recommended for most rooms with higher activity or where kids might be present. Glossier paints are generally more stain-resistant and some are even scrubbable, but they also highlight wall imperfections.

2. Wash Roller Covers:

It is often recommended to wash roller covers before beginning any project. Wash the roller cover with a little water and liquid soap. This will remove any loose fuzz that might come off once you start painting.

3. Priming is Important:

It’s usually not necessary to prime trim or doors that already have an enamel finish, but if you’ve patched any holes or cracks on the walls this work will absorb the fresh paint giving it a flat look. In addition, if many layers of latex paint have been applied, the surface can become very absorbent. Therefore, it’s important to prime before painting. Extra Tip: Choose a tinted primer, it will cover the existing color better than a plain primer.

4. Sponge-bath walls:

Painting over dusty walls can often result in a textured appearance of the wall. Try washing your walls with trisodium phosphate (TSP) or a mild cleaner. A 50/50 solution of bleach and water can help clean smoke-stained walls.

5. Box Your Paint:

Boxing your paint is the process of combining all of the paint you’ll be using into one large container. Slight variations in paint color from one can to another can cause color differences in the finished product. An empty 5-gallon jug works well for most projects. Once the paint is combined, you can pour it into smaller cans or trays for application.

6. Use Canvas Drop Cloths:

Don’t use bed sheets as drop cloths, it won’t stop paint from seeping through to your floors or furniture. Plastic sheets won’t absorb paint spills, so splatters stay wet longer. This makes it more likely you’ll accidentally track paint around the room. Use canvas drop cloths which will absorb your paint without allowing it to seep through.

7. If You Use Tape:

Most pros don’t need to use tape, but the average homeowner who tackles a paint project probably should. With that said, painters tape is not foolproof. After peeling it off you can still end up with streaks that bleed behind the tape. Solution? Apply tape and then run a putty knife over the top of the tape to ensure a good seal.

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8. Got Textured Ceilings?

Textured ceilings can make it very difficult to achieve a straight line between the wall and ceiling. Pros Tip? Run a screwdriver along the edge where the wall and ceiling meet. This will scrape off the texture.

9. Paint Baseboards Last:

Paint the ceiling first and then work your way down through the crown molding, then the walls, casement molding around windows and doors and then finally the baseboards. If you paint the baseboards first, dust from the floor might get on the paintbrush. Then, it could spread throughout the rest of your project.

10.  Load and Go Approach:

Dip the bottom 1 ½ inches of your brush into the paint and then tap each side against the inside of the container to rid the brush of drips. Don’t drag the brush along the sides of the container. This will just remove most of the paint from the brush.

We hope that you’ve found these tips helpful. If you’ve weighed the pros and cons and decide to hire a professional, chances are you won’t be sorry. Paying for experience can be well worth the investment. If you have additional questions contact our favorite local (and award winning) painter Brooke Cambridge from BLC Painting. If you have additional home improvement projects including window replacement, siding, or roofing needs, contact me, Stephanie by email at svanderbilt@mycoastalwindows.com or call (978) 304-0455 and we can discuss your project.