Common Mistakes People Make When Interior Painting
As professional painting contractors in Fort Collins, we’ve seen many common mistakes people make when interior painting. Whether it’s because they’re eager to get that beautiful new color on the walls or they just want to get the job done fast, these painting blunders can end up costing more in the long run.
Adding a fresh coat of paint is a quick and easy way to update a room and give it a fresh new look. But often the painting project most people think will only take a Saturday afternoon ends up taking much longer and being more stressful than anticipated, only to get results that aren’t quite what they pictured. There are a number of mistakes people make when painting that can seriously impact the outcome of the project.
Before you dive into your painting project, please get familiar with these common mistakes people make when interior painting so that you can avoid them and enjoy your home’s transformation for a long time.
Not Estimating Enough Time for the Job.
This is easy to do, especially when you’re feeling especially ambitious at the start of the project. The truth though is, it often can take longer than you expect, especially if you want to do a neat job. Keep in mind that you need to include prep work, possibly multiple coats, and clean up time in your estimate.
Neglecting to Prep the Space.
This ranks high in the common mistakes people make when interior painting. One of the most time-consuming parts of painting is getting the area ready. That is probably why people tend to skip over it. But properly prepping the room makes the project go much more smoothly and creates a better finished product. If you want a project to look professional, you have to prepare like professionals do. Before painting, walls should be cleaned so that you are not mixing dust and cobwebs into your wall’s paint. Cracks and holes should be filled and patched, flaking and peeling paint should be removed, and areas may need to be retextured. Use professional-quality painters tape around any doors, windows, or edges, and make sure the paint is firmly attached to the walls to keep the lines clean.
Skipping the Tape.
This is such an important step in the prep work. Taping ensures straight lines and helps prevent accidentally painting surfaces that you are not intending to paint (trim, door knobs, etc.). For some areas, you may want to remove fixtures and hardware instead of trying to tape around them perfectly.
Unintentionally Making a Mess
Even with the painting surface completely prepared, there are still other areas to think about. People commonly only think about the area they are painting and end up with paint messes everywhere. Clear out the entire area and make sure the whole work zone is protected. Cover the floor with a dropcloth, and also cover things like countertops, ceiling fans, and light fixtures. No matter how careful you are, there is always a risk of spilling paint or making a mess if the area is not properly covered. Plus, it’s much easier to spread a preventative dropcloth than it is to clean paint splatters from the carpet.
Using Low-Quality Materials.
Just like with all home repairs, you get what you pay for when it comes to paint. Although paint is an inexpensive way to update a room, it doesn’t mean you should skimp out and buy the cheapest materials possible. Spend a little more on higher quality paint for rooms like bathrooms, laundry rooms, and kitchens. And don’t forget about the other painting supplies—low-quality and inexpensive brushes and rollers can ruin perfectly good paint and make the project more difficult and take much longer. Cheaper brushes are more likely to lose bristles while you are painting, leaving them in your paint or on your walls. They’re more likely to lose their shape and make painting more challenging. Cheap rollers can soak up paint, leave lines, and create uneven paint coverage, as can lower quality brushes.
Also, don’t make the mistake of trying to use a masking tape instead of painting tape. Masking tape wasn’t made to keep paint out. You likely won’t end up with those sharp lines you were hoping for with the wrong kind of tape!
Choosing the Wrong Color
That shade of blue might look great on the color chip, but it looks completely different once it actually gets on the walls. Choosing the wrong color sets your project up for failure right from the beginning. Instead of simply choosing a color and hoping for the best, use a virtual paint tool that shows the shade in the room or buy a sample paint container to try a swatch of the color on your walls and see how it looks at different times of the day and in different lighting.
Not Testing Paint Colors in the Room You’re Painting.
I’ve made this type of mistake. It’s easy to look at a paint swatch in the hardware store and think, “This is perfect for the living room!” And within minutes, you buy that paint. When you get home and start rolling it onto the wall, you realize it doesn’t seem like the same color you purchased!
No, the hardware store isn’t trying to sell you the wrong color. The fact is, paint colors are going to look different depending on the room they’re in. This will be determined mostly by the lighting in a room. Always take the paint swatches home to view them in the natural and normal lighting of the room you plan to paint. If possible, get a paint sample and try it on a small section of the wall before finally actually choosing the paint color.
Using the Wrong Type of Paint
There are tons of options when it comes to the type of paint to use, but if you make the wrong choice, the room will never look like it should, no matter how well the paint is put on the wall. Glossy paints should only be used on flat walls that don’t have any defects or marks. High-traffic areas are best with a paint with at least a little sheen so that the walls can be cleaned. And if you’re using two different finishes in the same color, don’t forget to label the cans—there’s nothing worse than touching up a flat wall with semigloss paint.
Forgetting Primer.
Most people want to get to the exciting part of adding a new color instead of having to do another coat by starting with primer. However, primer is essential in creating a smooth surface and an evenly coated final product. Primer covers flaws to give a smooth surface that makes it much easier to add a new coat of paint. It helps your new paint better adhere to the surface, improves your paint durability, adds more protection to your wall, and keeps old stains and dark colors from shining through your new coat of paint. Many high-quality paint companies offer paint and primer in one so there’s no need to use a separate product, which works well on most interior walls. However, if you are painting a surface like wood, concrete, or drywall, it is best to use a dedicated primer before adding paint.
Painting Over Glossy Paint
If you’re painting over an old coat of super glossy paint, don’t skip an important step. Just painting a matte or eggshell finish over glossy paint won’t work—the new paint won’t stick well and could chip or crack. Instead, take a few layers of old paint off and add some grit to the surface so the new paint can stick by sanding over the glossy paint. It’s an extra step that will make a huge difference in the end.
Painting in Poor Lighting.
Having proper lighting to paint is going to play a huge part into the end result. It’s easier to miss spots or paint a thinner coat in areas when you can’t clearly see the quality of your job. It’s best to paint during the time of day when the room gets the most natural light.
Painting Large Spaces First, Instead of Edges.
Getting the tedious part done first will help ensure a job well done in the end. One of the most common mistakes when using rollers to paint walls is accidentally rolling too much and ending up with a large mark on the ceiling. It’s possible to fix, but it often requires painting the entire ceiling to cover up the mark. Work on painting edges first to avoid this mistake. Then roll a horizontal line around the top of the ceiling to give yourself some more buffer room when you roll vertically on the rest of the walls.
Also, when you are ready to paint the large spaces, start at the top and work your way down. That way, you can catch any paint that is running down.
Not doing touchups.
I know, by the time a painting project seems done, we’re ready to pack away the supplies quickly and move on. Remember though to go back through the room and check for missed spots, places that have been bumped, and areas where the coat of paint is too thin. Do a thorough job of touchups for a beautiful final result.
Not keeping touch-up paint.
Your wall is not guaranteed to stay without a chip in the paint. Life happens. Buy enough paint so that you will have some left over for touch-ups later. Don’t expect to have the gift of perfect color matching. Do yourself a favor and keep the right paint stored somewhere so that you can ensure later touch-ups won’t result in patches of a different shade.
Not cleaning your tools appropriately.
Here we are, at the final example of the common mistakes people make when painting. And it’s understandable: you’re just ready to be done with the project. However, not properly caring for those quality tools you purchased is going to cost you money for the next paint job. Properly wash brushes, rollers, and trays and store them so that you won’t have to purchase everything new the next time.
Painting is a doable DIY project that can make a big difference in a house—just make sure to prepare and avoid these common mistakes.
Have a painting job you need to get done in your home but don’t have the time or motivation to do it yourself? Contact us to learn how we can help.
