Repainting the inside of your house is an effective way to restore the look of your home. Hiring someone to do it for you can be expensive. Fortunately, you can easily tackle this work yourself. All you need are the right supplies and a few tips to paint like a pro.
6 Ways to Paint Like a Pro
Have a Strategy
Before you begin painting, you’ll need a plan for your home’s specifics. Does your home have any unique moldings or columns that you may want to feature? If so, you may want to choose a different color for those areas. Visualize how you want the rooms to look after painting. If there’s more than one room, decide where you will start painting. Make a painting schedule for the upcoming weekends so that you have a plan and can stay on task.
Examine the Surfaces
One of the first steps to paint like a pro is to examine the wall surfaces. Look for cracked or chipped walls and holes from nails and screws. You’ll have to sand the surfaces to make them smooth. If the chipped paint cannot come off with sandpaper, you’ll have to scrape it. Examining the walls helps you plan out the supplies you’ll need for the job. Always paint from top to bottom.
Get the Right Supplies to Paint Like a Pro
Professional painters buy everything they need before beginning the process. Completing the first two steps will help you figure this out. A project can stall if you lack an essential item, so it’s important to be prepared. The following is a list of tools that you’ll need for painting: sandpaper, putty knife, spackling paste, quality paint brushes, extension pole for the painting roller, paint tray, drop cloths, rags, roller covers, and painter’s tape.
Calculate How Much Paint You Need
Quality paints are expensive so it’s best to know the exact amount that you’ll need for the job. A rule of thumb is that 1 gallon of paint is enough for one coat on 400 square feet of wall. Calculate the total square footage of the walls you’re painting and don’t forget to count the ceiling if you are planning on painting it. If the walls have a coarse texture, allow for the fact that you’ll likely need more than one coat of paint.
Move and Cover the Furniture
Move everything to the center of the room before you start painting. No matter how steady your hands are or how careful you might be, the paint can still splatter and drip. One of the ways to paint like a pro is to cover all the furniture with the drop cloth.
Next, put the painter’s tape around all the edges of trim, windows, ceilings, and baseboards. Instead of taping around the switch and outlet covers, it’s best to remove them. Fill cracks and holes and sand the surface to make it smooth.
Mix the Paint to Paint Like a Pro
Another way to paint like a pro is by using a primer. This important step is often overlooked by amateur painters. A primer helps to make the paint stick and improves the look of the finished work. Mix the primer with the top coat and apply it on the walls. You can also purchase paint that is both paint and primer in one. Remember to mix your paint well before using it. Mixing the paint keeps the color consistent.
Use the above tips to paint like a pro and save money doing this project yourself.
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