Choosing and applying paint can be difficult if you don’t know how. This article is going to give you some short, direct tips about choosing the right paint for the right job, and how to apply it properly. There are so many different paints on the market these days. A lot of them are very cheap and are even available in supermarkets for easy purchase. The first tip tip about choosing paint
is to leave the cheap ones alone - unless you want to keep re-painting each year. Expensive paint are expensive because they’re better, they cover more ‘ground’, the fade less and last longer. Take this advice from someone who’s used both the cheap and expensive varieties of paint.
Choosing and applying paint
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Tips on choosing paint
1. Kitchen and bathrooms need specially formulated paints (ask at your DIY store) or you’ll run into trouble with dampness and peeling paint.
2. Use eggshell or gloss for high-traffic areas like the stairs, living room, dining room and areas kids use often. These paints can be cleaned and washed easily. Matt paint can be used in adults’ bedrooms and on ceilings and offices etc.
3. Use light colours for smaller rooms and avoid painting an entire room in a dark colour. Dark colours can be used as accents on one or two walls. You can always add accessories and other fabrics to bring colour to a light room.
4. The higher the gloss, the shorter the pile of roller you need. Choose your tools as carefully as your paint.
Tips on applying paint
1. Before buying your paint, invest in small, sample jars of the paint and apply it on the wall you intend to paint. Make sure you apply swatches of it on all the walls in the room. Light reflection can make a colour look darker or lighter than it really is.
2. If you intend to apply a dark colour paint to a wall from which no light is reflected, put a bed-sheet of a similar colour on the wall and live with it for a couple of days before applying the paint.
3. Ask at your DIY shop about the tools required for the job. Basically, you need rollers, brushes, trays, and masking tapes when painting. You can buy or borrow these, but make sure they’re in good condition otherwise your paint will look like it’s badly applied. It’s better to spend extra for work that you have to live with for years.
4. Good preparation is key to painting, especially if you have to remove wall-paper before doing so. Here’s an article on how to properly prepare your walls for painting.
5. Work out how much paint you need before you visit the shop. If you don’t know, ask your DIY shop for help. If you have to use more than one tin of paint, use a large bucket and mix together before starting the job. This is to ensure you have the same shade of paint throughout.
6. Follow the right order in painting. How to paint a room will show you how.
Tips on getting the best result while painting
You may think it’s a waste of time taking precautions while painting, but you’ll be much better off if you follow these tips to give yourself the best head start (and fewer hours cleaning up afterwards).
1. Always spread something on the floor before you begin. You may think that a mat is enough for the job, but it isn’t. You don’t have to buy dust sheets. You can borrow old sheets or use old curtains etc to protect your floor and furniture.
2. Always seal your paint can and wrap your brush and roller in cling film when you take a break. If you’re taking a long break, you can store the wrapped brush in a fridge. There’s no worse thing than to paint a section of wall then realise you have half-dried particles of paint all over your new paint job.
3. If you have just a little paint left after the job is finished, it’s best to empty this out into a sealable plastic or glass container. I’ve kept paint like this for years on end - in good condition. Store in a place that’s protected from extreme temperatures.
Conclusion:
In order to get a great finish on your wall it’s best not to skimp on paint or preparation. It’s not worth doing all the work and having to do them all over again in a year’s time. A great paint job can last for decades. Good paint can be washed over and over again without any change to the look or feel of it. Choose your paint wisely. Apply your paint in the best possible way and sit back and enjoy it for ages after that.
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Very detail guidance, it really gives me more confident for self-painting my room. Do you have any recommendation on paint brand?
I would definitely recommend painting small sections first without diving head first in with a paint color. It often looks different from the picture on the paint can. Also, consult with others that you are living with: what may be a pleasant color to you may not to somebody else.
That’s a great tip, Elena. We always have to be mindful that others have to live with our choices of decoration. Painting especially, can’t be changed at the drop of a hat - best to make sure first.
We plan not to hire a painter to paint our kitchen and we’ll do it ourselves in order to save money a bit. Thanks for your tips. This will surely help us..
Gr8 tips Anne! Will surely try these when I’ll paint the storage box in the backyard
And later will apply when I paint my own house (the one which I buy myself :D)
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Thank you for sharing this, I surely learned a lot and will follow these tips when I decide to paint my own house.
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Let me know if you run into any problems, Julia!
I love these tips, but if I had to add one, it would be “Keep the Paint Can”
If you got your paint from a store you can revisit, usually they keep the formula on the can when they mixed it. That way, you can ensure you always get a similar shade of paint.
Yes, Pete. I did forget to add that one - even though this is what I do. Even if I don’t keep the paint can, (many of them are too big and I decant the left over paint in smaller containers) I pull off the sticker and keep that safe. Well remembered.
Thank you for sharing this, I surely learned a lot and will follow these tips when I decide to paint my own house.
Yes, we could last long a paint if we do it wisely on our homes.I really liked your advice, Anne.
Great tips, Anne!
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I agree Roeshel, they really put some effort in making this tips. Way to go!
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A very informative post, Anne, with great tips!
You’re good. I can no longer do these types of things and rely on professional help to do it for me!
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Hi Icy, I do try, but my pains sometimes stop me from doing all that I want to do. Most times I just work through the pain.
This is really a very helpful blog post. Thank you for sharing this, I surely learned a lot and will follow these tips when I decide to paint my own house.
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Thanks for your comment, Elena. Please let me know if there’s anything else DIY you need help with.