Give Your Painting Projects a Professional Look

Anyone can pull out a can of paint and a roller and slap some paint up on the wall. But what if you’re looking for a more professional finish? We’ve got 6 tips for you to follow that will not only give you a paint job to be proud of, it will make the job quicker and clean-up much easier.

1. Avoiding Lap Marks

What are lap marks? They’re those unsightly marks made by overlapping layers of paint. They’re most often seen when you roll wet paint over paint that’s already started to dry. The secret to avoiding them is to keep a “wet edge” by running the roller up and down the entire height of a wall rather than halfway. Start at one edge of the wall, and paint straight up and down the entire edge, then moved over slightly for the next full stroke.

It also helps to keep the roller well loaded with paint, and keep the open end of the roller towards the side that’s already painted to avoid leaving paint ridges.  And of course, a second coat of paint will help to cover those marks.

2. Only Use Painter’s Tape on the floor

The vast majority of DIY homeowners use painter’s tape when they paint their home.  The problem is that if you’ve had to do any repairs using drywall compound or spackle, the tape will stick to it and rip the paint off.  Also, the paint tends to seep beneath the tape so that you won’t get the clean, straight edges you’re looking for.  It’s big job to tape everything so it’s best just to tape the edges on the floor to catch any drips or spray that may naturally fall there.  Of course you should then cover the rest of the floor with newspaper or plastic sheeting or a heavy drop cloth.

3.  Use a Clean Damp Rag

So, if you’re not going to use painter’s tape, then how are you going to ensure clean edges?  Have a clean damp rag “at the ready” to clean up/wipe up the edges as you go.  Get a good edging brush from the paint store and watch a video or two on YouTube that shows you how to do edging.  Use a steady hand and wipe up any mistakes right away with your damp rag.

4. Start With the Ceilings

You should work your way from ceiling to floor and finish off with the trim and doors.  That way, you won’t get any spray or drips on your trim by doing it first as some painters recommend.  So, start with the ceiling, then do the walls and finish with the trim and doors.

5. Use Primer on Drywall Repairs

Painting over wall repairs that have been done with drywall compound can cause walls to have uneven sheen. The compound that you use for the repairs is porous and can absorb paint, leaving it dull in that area.  The smoother texture of the repaired area will also be noticeable.  Use primer to seal the patched areas so the paint won’t be absorbed. Use a roller to apply the primer, making sure you match the nap thickness to the wall texture desired. Do this even if your finishing paint has primer in it.  You still need to spot prime the areas where you’ve done repairs.

6. Make Sure Surfaces Are Clean

It’s really important to make sure the entire wall has been cleaned of any dirt or oil or you may find your paint chipping and peeling. Look for a heavy duty cleaner made for cleaning before painting. It’s especially important to remove grease from areas like the kitchen, and dirty hand marks from around light switches so that paint will adhere to the wall. In other rooms you can do a quick buff sand to remove any cobwebs and minor dirt (such as finger prints).