Some Common Mistakes to Avoid When Painting Your Home
Painting your home's interior or exterior is often much more difficult than homeowners realize, and this job is often best left to professional residential house painters. However, if you do want to tackle a painting job on your own, note a few common mistakes you'll want to avoid. This will ensure the end result is a painted surface that looks its best and a fresh coat of paint that lasts as long as possible before it needs touch-ups, or even an entirely new coat altogether.
Tape
Never use duct tape, masking tape, or any other type of tape when preparing a surface for painting, as painter's tape has very light adhesive that won't pull away paint, drywall, or any other material when it's removed. Also, you don't want to wait until the paint is completely dry before removing this tape; the paint on the wall and on the tape will then dry together, so you may wind up peeling away a section of the paint you just applied when you remove that tape! Wait until the paint is slightly tacky and then remove your tape so it doesn't peel away entire sections at once, but also doesn't allow the fresh paint to drip into the area that was covered.
Thinning
Paint is often thinned before it's applied, as paint that is too thick may show drips and globs, and it may be easier to scratch and even peel from the wall. Thick paint may also show brush and roller marks when applied.
On the other hand, paint that is too thin will not cover a surface properly and may easily come right off when you wash the surface that's been painted. When looking to thin the paint before application, check the manufacturer's instructions as to how much thinner to add, according to the paint type, the surface being painted and the tools you'll be using to apply the paint.
Primer
Many paints today are advertised as having primer already added, but this usually just means that the paint has added resins, for better adhesion. If the surface you want to paint is very dark, bumpy or uneven, or if it is otherwise a poor surface for holding your chosen paint, you may still want to apply a primer before painting. This will create a smooth, level surface that won't show swirl or brush marks, and it will also help to cover a darker paint colour so that it doesn't show through your new paint.
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